How Cher lost millions from hit single 'Believe' due to a ‘stupid’ error

Cher has openly acknowledged that she suffered significant financial loss from her chart-topping single "Believe" due to what she described as a "stupid" error.

The music icon released the electro-pop hit in 1998, achieving chart-topping success in over 23 countries and selling over 11 million copies. "Believe" not only earned Cher a Grammy but also stands as one of her best-selling records. However, in an interview on BBC Radio 2’s Tracks of My Years with Vernon Kay, the 77-year-old admitted to a major error during the recording process.

Cher revealed that she neglected to request proper recognition for her contribution to the song's lyrics, expressing regret over her failure to secure a financial stake in the song. The official songwriters credited for "Believe" are Brian Higgins, Stuart McLennen, Paul Barry, Steven Torch, Matthew Gray, and Timothy Powell. Cher specifically mentioned her disappointment in not advocating for acknowledgment, particularly considering she wrote two of the song's most iconic lines.


“You can’t even imagine – about 30 people wrote on it. And I wrote it and was so stupid – I didn’t even ask to get a writer’s credit! I wrote, ‘I’ve had time to think it through, and maybe I’m too good for you,” she told Vernon.


“The verse was so bad. I couldn’t make it good. I got into a big fight with Mark [Taylor, producer], and Mark kept saying, ‘You’ve got to sing it better.’ And finally I went, ‘If you want it sung better, get somebody else,’ and I walked out,” she explained.

Cher was resolute in her desire to have her vocals modified to align with the electro-pop vibe of the song. Initially, the producers rejected her suggestions, but they eventually yielded to her preferences.

"I couldn’t believe how fabulous it was, and my favourite thing was that you didn’t know it was my voice at the beginning,” she said.