Music Business & Contracts

Split Sheet

A written agreement documenting who contributed to a song and what percentage of royalties each party receives.

A split sheet is one of the most important documents in the music business. It records every contributor to a song — writers, producers, featured artists — and the percentage of ownership (and therefore royalties) each receives.

Split sheets should be signed before or immediately after a recording session, while everyone's contribution is fresh. Delaying this conversation is how disputes and lawsuits happen.

A basic split sheet includes: song title, contributors' legal names, their PRO affiliations, publisher information, and agreed percentage splits. All contributors should receive a signed copy.

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