Music

Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins made $150,000 while awaiting sentencing

by Mark Teo

December 16, 2013

While music stores have pulled Lostprophets albums off their shelves after learning about the horrific crimes of their pedophile singer, it hasn’t prevented Ian Watkins from making money. And lots of it.

Despite admitting to a barrage of sex crimes, Watkins is still earning royalties from when his music is used on broadcasts—and since he’s been sentenced, reports the NY Daily News, he’s raked in upwards of $150,000.

That money is being collected by organizations like Performing Right Society for Music, an organization which is collecting funds on Watkins’ behalf.

“The biggest income stream will almost certainly be publishing which, even if radio play has stopped, will still be pretty big,” music lawyer Craig Brookes told Wales Online. “This is because PRS and their equivalents in different countries allocate money on a spot-check basis.”

And while Lostprophets songs might not be getting much play on commercial radio, they’re still being played elsewhere. “So you’re going to get money for plays in gyms and hairdressers and on juke boxes and all that stuff,” added 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.”

When he’s sentenced, too, he’ll earn even more: It’s expected that news media will use clips of Lostprophets music when covering his story, resulting in even more royalties for Watkins. “There’ll 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.”

The Ian Watkins is Innocent Facebook group—which, yes, shockingly exists—would be happy. The rest of us? As ever, we’re a little grossed out.