Songwriters craft the words and melodies that form the foundation of a song. Some songwriters perform their own material; others write for other artists as hired professionals.
In modern music production, songwriting often happens collaboratively in 'writing camps' or studio sessions where multiple writers contribute ideas. Credits and royalty splits are typically agreed upon via split sheets.
Songwriters earn through performance royalties (radio, streaming, live), mechanical royalties (physical/digital sales), and sync fees (film, TV, ads). Registration with a Performance Rights Organization (PRO) is essential.