Chris Robley of CD Baby shares a helpful video from ASCAP on the importance of making sure you get all the co-songwriting from writing as soon as a song is finished, and making sure said splits add up to 100%.

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By Chris Robley of Cd Baby form the DIY Musician blog

Why accurate songwriting splits are crucial when paying music publishing royalties.

Our friends at ASCAP just made a fun little animated video that explains why it’s so important to get all your co-songwriting splits in writing as soon as you finish a song — and why those splits better add up to 100%!!!

The video about songwriting splits says:

As songs are co-written with an increasing number of contributors, it is more important than ever that co-writers amicably agree on splits – in writing – that add up to exactly 100%, and share accurate publishing info with each other.

Without working this out early in the creative process, bad title registrations and disputes can end important creative relationships and wreak havoc on a global scale, causing songwriters to lose royalties for years.

By learning how to make some simple, positive changes to our creative business practices, songwriters can create a world of good – for ourselves, our families, our community, our industry, and billions of music lovers.

Add it up, and get your songwriting splits in writing

CD Baby has made it easy for you. Download our FREE “split sheet” template you can use whenever you collaborate with other songwriters.

Better to address these matters when the songwriting process is fresh in your mind. Don’t wait. If you do, you could find yourself with bitter feelings, legal bills, and unpaid royalties.

Get your free PDF split sheet for songwriters.

Chris Robley is the Editor of CD Baby’s DIY Musician Blog. I write Beatlesque indie-pop songsthat’ve been praised by No Depression, KCRW, The LA Times, & others. My poems have appeared in Poetry Magazine, Prairie Schooner, The Poetry Review, & more. I live in Maine and like peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, a little too much.