Sampling vs. interpolation: what they are and how they generate music royalties

You have probably had this experience: a brand-new song comes on, and the melody, hook, or beat reminds you of something you have heard before. That is not always your memory playing tricks. It may be sampling or interpolation at work, two of the most common techniques in modern music.

Many people associate sampling and interpolating with “copying” or “stealing”. Far from taking value away from the original song, when properly cleared and credited they often do the opposite: they give the original song a second, third and fourth life, in front of new audiences and generations, positively impacting the royalties of the original creators.

In line with this, indeed, historically sampling and interpolation are long established creative practices found across almost every genre, from hip-hop and pop to dance, rock, and country. 

For instance, did you know that the iconic melody behind the song “Toxic” by Britney Spears takes elements (e.g. “samples”) from the soundtrack of an Indian movie released in the 80s (“Tere Mere Beech Mein”)? Learn more about how this song was sampled here. 

Given the relevance of such practices in terms of royalties generation, in this article we will explain what these techniques are, how they differ, and how they translate into music royalties for the original songwriters, producers and composers — using one real catalogue available on ANote Music to illustrate how these mechanics work in practice.

What does it mean to sample or interpolate a song?

Both techniques consist of reusing a part of an existing song to create a new one. The difference is how this is done. Let’s break down each of them:

What does it mean to sample a song?

‍Sampling consists of taking part of an existing sound recording (e.g. “song”) and using it in a new recording. This can be a drum loop, bassline, vocal phrase, melody, hook, or short sound effect. The key element is that the new track uses actual audio from a pre-existing recording.

What are some famous examples of sampling in music?

• One More Time by Daft Punk, which samples “More Spell On You” by Eddie Johns released in 1979;
• California Love by Tupac and Dr. Dre which samples the song “Woman to Woman” by Joe Cocker, released in 1972
• Porcelain by Moby which samples the song “Fight For Survival" by Ernest Gold, released in 1961
• "Sing for the Moment" by Eminem samples the song “Dream On” by Aerosmith, released in 1973.

What does it mean to interpolate a song?

‍Interpolation happens when a new song recreates or reinterprets part of an existing composition without using the original recording. In simple terms, the artist does not copy and paste the original audio into the new song. Instead, they replay, re-sing, or recreate a recognisable musical element from the original composition.

This can mean recreating a melody, reusing part of a hook, adapting a lyric, or transforming an instrumental phrase into a vocal line.

What are some famous examples of interpolation in music?

• Janice STFU by Drake (2026) which interpolates “I Follow Rivers” by Lykke Li, released in 2011.
• Famous by Kanye West (2016), where Rihanna’s vocals in the intro interpolate the 1968 classic “Do What You Gotta Do” by Nina Simone.
• Gangsta’s Paradise by Coolio (1995) which interpolates the song “Pastime Paradise” by Stevie Wonder, released in 1976
• 7 Rings by Ariana Grande (2019) which interpolates the song “My Favourite Things” by Julie Andrews (1965) from the musical “The Sound of Music”.

What is the impact of sampling and interpolations on master and publishing royalties? 

To understand the impact of samples and interpolations on royalties, it is important to separate the two different layers of music rights involved in each practice: the master rights and the publishing rights. 

The difference comes down to whether the original audio is used. 

• Sampling uses the actual recording, so it can involve both the master and the publishing rights: the master owner and the songwriters and publishers of the original composition may all need to clear the use, and once a sample is properly cleared they can be credited and share in the royalties the new song generates.
• Interpolation re-records the part instead of copying the audio, so it usually involves only the publishing rights, not the master. That is exactly why interpolations matter so much to songwriters and publishers: the original composition can keep earning royalties even when its recording is never used.

Who approves and collects royalties for samples and interpolations?

Samples and interpolations do not automatically generate royalties for the original creators. Royalties are only generated upon proper clearance, crediting, registration, and agreed contractual royalty shares. 

Who handles this depends on which rights are involved, as shown in the table below. The key difference is that a sample touches two rights at once — the recording and the composition — so it must be cleared on both sides, whereas an interpolation only involves the composition. This is why samples are typically harder and more expensive to clear.

A practical case from ANote Music: Dieter Kranenburg Catalogue

Dieter Kranenburg is a Dutch songwriter and producer, best known as a founding member of The Sunclub. The group's 1990s release "Fiesta (De Los Tamborileros)" became one of their signature tracks, but its influence extended well beyond that decade. Over the following years, musical elements from "Fiesta" reappeared in numerous later songs, carrying the composition across genres, artists, and generations of listeners.

The catalogue illustrates how a single composition can move across decades — and continue generating royalties — through successive samples and interpolations:

• 1996:  "Fiesta (De Los Tamborileros)" by The Sunclub is released - No.3 in the Dutch Top 40
• 2002: “Fiesta” is interpolated in "Remember (Na Na Na Hey Hey)" by Summer Love, which later will become the foundation for "Right Now (Na Na Na)" by Akon
• 2003:  "Fiesta" is sampled in "Summer Jam 2003" by The Underdog Project — No.1 in the Netherlands and Belgium, 80M+ streams
• 2008: Akon’s "Right Now (Na Na Na)" — Billboard Hot 100 No.8, 1 billion YouTube views and 700M+ Spotify streams 

Because Akon's "Right Now (Na Na Na)" interpolates "Fiesta" indirectly — by way of "Remember (Na Na Na Hey Hey)" — every subsequent song that sampled or interpolated the Akon track also credits Dieter Kranenburg as a songwriter. A single 1990s composition therefore sits at the root of a chain of releases spanning nearly three decades. 

• 2020: “Now” by Olivia Dean 
• 2023: "Gelosa" by Sfera Ebbasta, Guè, Shiva & Finesse (5x Platinum in Italy), “Bon Ton” by Drillionaire, Sfera Ebbasta, Blanco  and "She Knows It" by Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, David Guetta and Akon
• 2025: "Drunk Right Now (Na Na Na)" by Josh Ross and Akon

Songwriter royalties from the Dieter Kranenburg Catalogue are listed on ANote Music. 

This catalogue is a useful case study for understanding how samples, interpolations, and derivative works can affect songwriter royalties. When a composition is reused in new songs, and when the relevant credits and royalty shares are properly registered, the original songwriter may continue to receive royalties from the new works.

In Dieter Kranenburg’s case, the same musical idea has travelled from 1990s European dance music to global pop, contemporary rap, dance-pop, and country-pop. 

Conclusion: why samples and interpolations matter for music catalogues 

Sampling and interpolation are more than creative techniques. They are part of the way songs evolve over time. A sample can bring an older recording into a new production. An interpolation can recreate a melody or hook for a new audience. 

For songwriters, producers and rights holders in general this matters because their works can continue to generate royalties beyond their first release. For music royalty investors, it helps explain one of the reasons why some catalogues remain relevant across decades.

If you would like to understand how music royalties work as an investment, these resources are a good place to start:

• Music royalties explained: what they are and why they matter to investors
• How ANote Music works: a complete guide for investors
• “A best-kept secret”: a long-term investor’s journey into music royalties

Every catalogue on the ANote Music marketplace includes detailed information about its distributors, historical royalty distributions, and payout calendar. You can check this information on each catalogue’s royalties section.

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*This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Performance and returns are not guaranteed and may fluctuate over time.