FRANK Skinner and David Baddiel’s iconic football anthem is a must-play whenever England take to the World Cup pitch.
But the amount the comedians earn from Three Lions might surprise you.
Three Lions was first released in 1996 Credit: PA:Press Association
Frank Skinner and David Baddiel don’t make much from streams Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
The nation’s beloved footie tune was released back in May 1996, to mark that year’s UEFA Euros tournament, hosted in .
Ian Broudie of The Lightning Seeds was responsible for composing the song’s music while Frank and David penned the famous lyrics.
Despite the success of Three Lions and its revival every time the and Euros roll around, the song isn’t a big money maker.
Frank and David reportedly get just 0.003p every time it’s downloaded.
Thanks to modern music streaming sites like , the duo and Ian Broudie don’t earn as much in royalties as you might think.
When he joined Grace Dent for her Comfort Eating podcast back in 2024, David was asked what the release of Three Lions had brought to his life.
“Not money, for a start. It brought me, Frank and Ian Broudie of The Lightning Seeds a fair wedge,” he said.
“But not since Spotify took over has it brought us much money. In fact, when England played in the 2018 World Cup, it was downloaded four million times.”
Revealing exactly how much that surge in downloads earned him, David added: “For which Frank, Ian and I received £1,200 from Spotify.”
Despite not making millions from the release nowadays, David admitted it made them more than a few pence when it topped the charts 30 years ago.
“Three Lions came out in 1996, and it went platinum in 1996 – just to be clear, we’ve done okay.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
