Posted June 16, 201114 yr On Britney and Writing So I asked my boss today about how writing credit works and he gave me some great insight on how writing credits work. Legally, a publishing company can be the rights to a composition, fully or partially. However, the artists can not use the purchased compositions when it comes to Grammy nominations and ASCAP awards. This is why there was a big controversy with Beyonce, Ne-Yo and "Irreplaceable." Even though she paid for partial writing credits, she technically should not have got that nomination. Ne-Yo made a little rant about it when she was recognized by the Grammy Association and he was not. Since, they Grammy rules have been changed in Ne-Yo's favor. Either way, an artist can also choose to be listed as a writer if the re-arrange the vocals or lyrics on a track. For instance, if Britney was recording a song and decided to change one or two of the lines, she could take credit for it and receive partial royalties when she does this. A lot of artists do this because it's easy money in their pocket. Britney never does simply because she doesn't care. It's sort of like a lie anyways and deceitful to try and capitalize off of slight modifications off someone's work. Regardless, one of my first projects when I first started working this was on Billboard coverage for E! They used the S&M Remix track and we had to go back and pay Rihanna's label for it since the original production was published by them. Then we had to go through and pay off the unmentioned writers, which can be anywhere from 2% - 25% of the song. Usually, it will just be labeled under like "Columbia" or "Jive" and they'll handle it, but Britney is listed personally. I'm gonna try and take a screen shot before I leave work, but Britney is listed for a lot of her songs on Femme Fatale. Technically she took a large enough part in writing the songs to make money from them, but didn't care to be listed as a writer.My friend Mr. Martian on BB.org. So basically it has also surfaced she did some tweaking of lyrics to many songs on Femme Fatale but refused to take credit for it as she felt it wasn't deserved. Hence why the writer of 'Trouble For Me' said: And before I sign off, I would just like to address one thing! The media is talking trash about how Britney didn’t write any of the songs on her album… HELLO! Wake up everybody! NONE OF THESE ARTISTS WRITE THEIR OWN SONGS!!!!!! (there are a few exceptions… lady gaga, will.i.am/BEP, chris brown is starting to write a lot of his own stuff…ummmm… and now I’m running out of artists). Anyway… here’s my thing… and I feel VERY passionate about this issue. Britney could have come to me, like all these other A-list artists, and said… “Hey, you wanna be on my album? I’m gonna need writing credit for that song AND part of your publishing even though I didn’t write anything! And then I’m gonna go on tour and gross $150 million in ticket sales and not give you any of that, even though I’m performing your song!” I could rattle off a laundry list of artists who I’ve had that conversation with! And I’m on the other end like… “Oh okay… so you wanna rape me, but just with the tip?!” *Prince side eye* Britney’s one of the few artists I’ve worked with who didn’t try to take something that wasn’t hers. In my experience, from a business standpoint, her entire team is nothing less than a bonafide class act! If I ever have another song that she wants and another artist happens to want the same song… Britney will get it EVERYTIME! Why? Because she’s honest! And she treats her writers and producers with respect and dignity. An artist is nothing without a hit song… and a hit song is nothing without the right artist. It looks like the question I posed earlier just found its answer… maybe this is why 12 years later she’s STILL at the top! TAKE NOTE.
June 16, 201114 yr Author I am not giving Britney credit for the fact she doesn't have MAJOR imput on all her songs like, Lady Gaga (the only one). But stuff like this proves that on the songs she does co-write she really did write a large portion of it. The fact she can be so humble and not care about things like this is why I love her as an artist so much.
June 16, 201114 yr That was nice of her not to take credit though. I did have a feeling that she wrote a few songs off the album and was suprised to read she didn't but she apaprently did.