Songwriters Aren't Getting Paid ft. Bonnie McKee

Pop songwriter and hitmaker Bonnie McKee joins Alex and Dylan to discuss co-writing Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream,” why the streaming economy is failing songwriters, and what she believes modern pop music is missing. Bonnie takes us behind the scenes of writing one of the most iconic pop songs of the 2010s including why she ultimately had to let “Teenage Dream” go and what it was like watching the song reach a new generation through Glee. She also breaks down how artists, songwriters, record labels, and streaming platforms actually make money and why the people writing the songs can still be the last ones to get paid. We also get into the disappearance of bridges, TikTok’s influence on songwriting, the death of the pop monoculture, and why today’s music can sometimes feel built for an algorithm instead of an emotional payoff. Bonnie opens up about reclaiming her career, independently releasing *Hot City*, mentoring younger songwriters, directing, screenwriting, and navigating censorship on social media. Plus, Bonnie blind-ranks pop icons including Lady Gaga, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, Beyoncé, and Mariah Carey then joins us for Kiss, Marry, Kill. Do you think modern pop songs are missing something? Let us know in the comments. Follow Bonnie McKee: / bonniemckee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices