The Lightning Seeds’ frontman Ian Broudie has claimed he only pocketed around £6,000 when ‘Three Lions’ reached number one.
The 62-year-old Liverpudlian topped the charts during the 2018 World Cup with the classic football anthem along with comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner.
And in a discussion about the pitiful amount artists are paid from streaming sales, Gomez star Tom Gray recalled being stunned by how little Ian was paid when he asked him about his paycheque in 2019.
Speaking to The Mirror, the former said: “I was playing at a festival in 2019 with the Lightning Seeds.
“And I said ‘Hey, you know that song of yours. How much money did you make from it during the world cup?’… He said about six grand. And it took me a while to wipe my jaw off the floor.”
The song’s co-writer, David, admitted “as an outsider to the music industry, the economics of streaming shock me”.
He continued: “I get a fair few folks suggesting that Frank [Skinner] and I must be making a packet from ‘Three Lions’ and all I can say is: I’m very glad it’s not my only source of income.
“I’m lucky enough to do more than OK from broadcasting, writing and performing comedy, but that’s not the case with young music-makers who can hardly pay rent and feed themselves.”
‘Three Lions’ was originally penned for the 1996 UEFA European Championship and saw a resurgence in popularity following the 2018 World Cup and this year’s Euro’s tournament.
The trio reunited to perform the song before England’s match against Italy in the final earlier this month.
They played London’s iconic 229 club for The National Lottery and Music Venue Trust’s Revive Live grassroots campaign, with 200 lucky fans in attendance.
Ian said before the performance: “We are delighted to be supporting a campaign that is backing so many small music venues up and down the country.
It’s in venues like 229 that bands hone their craft and learn how to entertain an audience.
It’s great to be back out playing in front of live audiences and brilliant to be back on a stage with Frank and David in the biggest day for English football since 1966.”