Split sheets are very important for all songwriters that collaborate with others. It can mean the difference between getting paid & not seeing a dime.
What is a split sheet?
A split sheet is a simple document that lays out who owns what part(s) of a particular song. It should have the following:
- Song title
- Date
- Names, Publishers & PROs of all writers
- Split Percentages
- Signatures of all writers
Standard practice is to split the percentages equally amongst the writers. For example, if there are four writers, each person gets 25%. You can also break it down by lyric & melody. For example, if Writer A wrote the music & Writers B and C wrote the lyrics, Writer A would receive 50% and Writers B and C would each receive 25%.
Why are split sheets important?
The importance of the split sheet comes into play when a song is placed. If you have this split sheet signed and dated by all co-writers, you have proof of ownership. If you don’t, you don’t.
Discuss and complete this form shortly after complete the song. This isn’t 100% foolproof, as there are exceptions to every rule, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Several scenarios could occur without this backup, including (but certainly not limited to) the following:
- Someone could claim more than their fair share & put the song into dispute. When a song is in dispute, no one gets paid until it is resolved.
- You could miss the chance of a song placement because a writer couldn’t be found.
- Someone could erase you from the credits. No credit = no royalties.
- There could be additional writers in the credits that you weren’t aware of.
