The veteran singer-songwriter says digital plays still generate income but worries about younger musicians trying to build sustainable careers
MANILA — The royalty checks Jose Mari Chan once received from sales of records, cassette tapes and compact discs have largely disappeared as listeners have shifted to digital platforms.
Chan, whose recording career spans more than five decades, said he continues to earn royalties, particularly from streaming. His remarks concerned payments tied to physical-album sales, not all income generated by his music.
The distinction reflects a music business transformed by technology. In the era of physical recordings, royalties could be calculated from the number of albums sold under an artist’s contractual agreement. Streaming relies instead on digital plays, licensing arrangements and contracts involving platforms, labels, publishers and other rights holders.
Chan said the changing model has made him concerned about younger Filipino singer-songwriters trying to support themselves through music. Established performers with extensive catalogs can use streaming to keep older recordings in circulation and reach new listeners. Emerging artists, however, often must build sizable audiences across several platforms and supplement recording income through concerts, endorsements and commercial work.
Music royalties can arise from several separate rights. Under Philippine copyright rules, songwriters and performers may receive different forms of compensation. A composer may earn from reproduction, public performance, broadcast, streaming or commercial licensing, while a singer may hold separate rights connected to a recorded performance. Publishers, record labels and collective-management organizations may collect and distribute those payments depending on ownership and licensing arrangements.
As both a singer and songwriter, Chan has built a catalog of romantic ballads and Christmas songs familiar to generations of Filipino listeners. His official discography began with Deep in My Heart in 1969 and includes Constant Change, Christmas in Our Hearts, Thank You, Love, A Heart’s Journey and The Manhattan Connection.
His best-known compositions include “Beautiful Girl,” “Can We Just Stop and Talk Awhile,” “A Love to Last a Lifetime,” “Please Be Careful With My Heart,” “Christmas in Our Hearts” and “A Perfect Christmas.” Digital services have extended the commercial life of those recordings while allowing younger audiences to discover songs first released decades before streaming became the dominant way of listening to music.
Chan has said the bond between his songs and their listeners matters more to him than commercial measurements. At the same time, his comments point to the difficulty many musicians face in turning the reach of digital distribution into dependable income.
He continues to perform with younger singers as his catalog moves from records and cassette tapes to compact discs and streaming playlists, even as the business supporting those songs continues to evolve.
