Ian Watkins Set To Make £100,000 In Royalties Since Arrest

Former Lostprophets singer and convicted pedophile Ian Watkins, who late last month pleaded guilty to a string of horrific child sex crimes, is reportedly set to make £100,000 (AUD $182,423) from his music since his arrest, according to a UK music lawyer contacted by Wales Online.

Music lawyer Craig Brookes told the site that Watkins, as the band’s lyricist, will likely get a “big cut” of the royalties sourced from Lostprophets’ music being played during news programs detailing his arrest, with bodies like the Performing Right Society continuing to collect fees on his behalf.

“The biggest income stream will almost certainly be publishing which, even if radio play has stopped, will still be pretty big,” said Mr Brookes. “This is because [Performing Right Society] and their equivalents in different countries allocate money on a spot-check basis.”

“You’re going to get money for plays in gyms and hairdressers and on juke boxes and all that stuff,” continued Brookes. “They will say, ‘This is how much music is in the market place so it is likely you are due this amount.’ He will also get a publishing cut for any play Lostprophets have anywhere.”

Among the broadcasters to feature Lostprophets’ music as part of packages both online and on television include the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Sky News and MTV, with PRS also possessing licensing deals with Apple and online companies Amazon, YouTube, Spotify, Vevo and Google Play.

Despite the details of Watkins’ crimes being made public and despite companies such as HMV refusing to sell his music, Watkins is still receiving play, with Wales Online reporting that during a 24-hour period this week, the Lostprophets song Last Train Home was viewed 3,488 times on YouTube.

“The records could be earning a substantial amount,” Mr Brookes added. “It could easily have translated to 100,000 or 200,000 extra sales,” indicating that Watkins’ crimes and his subsequent arrest and trial have “probably had a positive overall effect on his income.”

“It could be over £100,000 easily,” said Mr Brookes. “It could be less, but there will be another spike when he gets sentenced, in terms of money generated – because of clips when the story breaks, then there will be a spike in online activity. And there are going to be PRS payments…”

(Via Wales Online)

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