WHO OWNS THE COPYRIGHT?
If you...
1. Wrote it yourself?
You do! You own 100% of the copyright.
2. Co-wrote the Song?
Ownership is split between all songwriters.
3. Recorded a Cover?
You don’t own the original song but you may own the recording!
Co-wrote your Song?
ALL SONGWRITERS SHARE THE COPYRIGHT ....But how do you split it?
Nashville Splits
Everyone involved in writing a song gets equal credit/copyright claim.
- Got 4 people? You each get 25%.
Proportional Splits
Shares based on who did what.
For example:
- Singer wrote lyrics & melody → biggest share
- Guitarist wrote the chords → smaller share
- Drummer added rhythm → smallest share
How do you write down your songwriting split?
Is your song an individual or collaborative effort?
If it’s collaborative how will you split the songwriting royalties?
Whichever it is, make sure you write it down.
