AfterDawn: News

Songwriter claims Google 'exploited' him

Pete Waterman, the songwriter behind the infamous "Never Gonna Give You Up" (performed by Rick Astley), has spoken out about Google recently, claiming the company is "exploiting" him, adding that he received only $16 USD in royalties from the company in the last year, despite the video being viewed 154 million times on YouTube.

In his whining rant, Waterman, whose estimated wealth is over $55 million USD, compared his treatment to that of exploited workers in Dubai.



"There was I sitting at Christmas thinking, 'I must have made a few bob this year with the old Rickrolling'," Waterman said.

"I rang my publisher and they said 'You'll be all right', until I saw the royalty statement. £11.

"If 154 million plays means £11, I get more from Radio Stoke playing Never Gonna Give You Up than I do from YouTube."

For those unfamiliar with "Rickrolling," the recent Internet fad revolved around users sending other Internet users a link that was really a disguised link to the Rick Astley video on YouTube.

"Panorama did a documentary on the exploitation of foreign workers in Dubai," Waterman continued.

"I feel like one of those workers, because I earned less for a year's work off Google or YouTube than they did off the Bahrain government."

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Apr 2009 20:51

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• 5 comments

• windsong

  It must be terrible for him to have only 55 million to spend on himself for christmas.

  12.4.2009 00:29 #1

• beanos66

  google is an easier target and more newsworthy than his own publishing company

  12.4.2009 02:19 #2

• Bluekkis

  So google is paying to publisher and publisher is only giving out 11 pounds... I guess google is to blame when publisher screws you up.

  12.4.2009 02:45 #3

• pmaestro

  Quote:"I feel like one of those workers, because I earned less for a year's work off Google or YouTube than they did off the Bahrain government."he earned less for a year's work? how did he do a year's work? he wrote that AWFUL song over 20 years ago, and it's popularity is based on how Awful a song it is. what a douche

  17.4.2009 18:06 #4

• philixir

  Kinda hilarious... Sucks to be that guy.. I think he might need a better team and a better lawyer :)
  
  I wouldn't let that happen to me...

  1.5.2009 13:35 #5