Songwriting Splits in Co-Writing: A Practical Guide
By Written by Peter McVeigh
How to fairly agree, document and register songwriting splits when writing with other people - from the co-write session to PRS registration.
Why Splits Matter More Than You Think
A songwriting split is the percentage ownership each writer holds in a co-written song. It determines who gets paid - and how much - every time that song earns a royalty.
When a song is streamed, broadcast on radio, performed live, synced in a film or covered by another artist, the money flows back to the registered writers according to their agreed percentages. If the split is wrong, unregistered, or disputed, income goes unclaimed or ends up in the wrong account.
The good news: agreeing splits is simple when you do it at the time of writing. The bad news: many co-writers leave the room without documenting anything, assuming they'll sort it out later. That's where problems start.
The core rule: Agree your splits on the day, in writing, before anyone leaves the session.
How Splits Are Typically Divided
There is no single 'correct' formula for splitting a song - but there are common approaches the industry uses.
Equal split (50/50, 33/33/33, etc.) The simplest and most common approach. Every writer in the room gets an equal share regardless of who wrote what. This works well in sessions where the writing is truly collaborative and it's hard to separate individual contributions.
Contribution-based split Each writer's share reflects their actual contribution - lyric writers, melody writers, and topline writers may each have different percentages. This requires honest conversation and clear agreement on who brought what to the song.
Hybrid approach Some writing teams use a base equal split and then adjust it slightly to reflect standout contributions (e.g., if one writer brought the complete hook, title idea, and concept, others may agree to give them a larger share).
Key principle: There is no legal formula. The only thing that matters is that all writers agree, and that the agreed split is documented and registered. PRS and MCPS will pay out exactly according to what is registered - not what you assumed.
Common Scenarios and How to Handle Them
Scenario 1: You write the music, they write the lyrics This is one of the most common co-write setups. The default assumption is 50/50 (music vs. lyrics), but this isn't a legal rule. If one contribution was significantly more substantial, it's worth having the conversation. The important thing is agreeing before the session ends.
Scenario 2: A third writer joins mid-session If someone joins after the song has started, the original writers should agree a share for the newcomer before they contribute. Don't wait until the song is finished - by that point, everyone's idea of what's 'fair' will have shifted.
Scenario 3: You bring a pre-existing idea or demo If you walk into a session with a chord progression, topline, or lyric already written, you are entitled to claim that portion as pre-existing material. Be upfront about this at the start of the session. 'I have this chord progression I wrote last week - I'm happy to use it as the starting point, but I'd like to retain X% for that' is a completely normal conversation.
Scenario 4: A producer is involved In the UK, if a producer contributes melodic or harmonic elements (not just beats and programming), they may have a claim to a share of the composition - separate from any production fee. This should be discussed and agreed at the session or, at latest, before release.
Scenario 5: One writer is on a publishing deal If one co-writer has a publishing deal, their publisher may own a percentage of everything that writer creates. This means the publisher effectively becomes a co-owner of your song too. Always ask co-writers upfront whether they have a publishing deal, and if so, get the publisher's details for registration.
The Co-Write Session: What to Agree Before You Leave
Before you close your laptop, pack your guitar away, or leave the studio, there are a few things every co-write session should nail down:
1. The percentage split for each writer Agreed, spoken out loud, and confirmed by everyone in the room.
2. Who is registering the song with PRS One writer should take responsibility for registering the work. All writers' PRS/MCPS membership numbers should be shared so they can be included on the registration.
3. The song's working title Even a placeholder title is useful - it helps identify the work later.
4. A quick written record This doesn't need to be a formal contract. A text message thread, a shared note, or an email chain confirming the split is legally sufficient in most cases. Something like: 'Agreed - Writer A 50%, Writer B 50% on [song title], date [x]' is a solid paper trail.
For more formal documentation, a Songwriting Split Agreement (available in the Apps section of this platform) produces a professional written record that all parties can sign.
Registering a Co-Written Song with PRS
Once the song is complete and the split is agreed, the next step is registering it with PRS for Music. This is what turns your agreement into a live royalty stream.
Who registers? Any one of the co-writers can register the song. Typically it's the writer who takes the lead on admin, or whoever has the most PRS experience.
What you'll need: - Song title - ISWC (International Standard Musical Work Code) - PRS generates this on registration - Each writer's full name and PRS Membership Number (or CAE/IPI number for international writers) - The agreed percentage split for each writer - The publisher details for any writer who has a publishing deal
How it works: Log into your PRS Online account and navigate to 'Register Works'. You'll input the details above and confirm the split. PRS will send a notification to all registered co-writers, who may be asked to confirm their share.
Important: PRS registers the composition rights. PPL handles the sound recording (the master). If you are also the performing artist on the track, make sure you have separately registered the master with PPL using the ISRC code.
For a full walkthrough of PRS and PPL registration, see the 'Essential Guide to Rights Registration' article in the Industry Guides section.
Disputes: How to Avoid Them
The vast majority of split disputes come from one thing: nothing was written down at the time.
Here are the most common flashpoints - and how to avoid them:
'I wrote most of the hook, so I deserve more' This is the single most common post-session dispute. The hook is the most commercially valuable part of a song, and everyone remembers their contribution to it more vividly than their contribution to the verses.
*Prevention:* Agree splits at the session, not after release. Once a song gains traction, financial interests cloud judgment.
'I only played the guitar riff, I didn't really write anything' Instrumental arrangements generally don't attract composition rights (they're performance contributions, not writing contributions). But a distinctive, original riff that becomes the hook of the song is a different matter.
*Prevention:* Be explicit about what counts as a writing contribution before the session starts.
'I wasn't there but I helped with the concept before the session' Contributions made outside the session (a title idea texted the night before, a concept discussed over coffee) can be claimed - but are very hard to prove without documentation.
*Prevention:* If you're contributing ideas before a session, keep the message thread. If the idea ends up in the finished song, include that person in the split conversation.
The nuclear option: PRS has a formal dispute process. It is slow, expensive in time, and unpleasant for all parties. It is infinitely better to have a direct, honest conversation the day of the session than to ever reach this point.
Using the Songwriting Split Agreement Tool
This platform includes a dedicated Songwriting Split Agreement generator, available in the Apps & Documents section.
The tool allows you to: - Add all co-writers with their contact details and PRS membership numbers - Assign percentage splits that must total 100% - Document any additional terms (who controls the master, sync licensing approval, etc.) - Export a clean PDF that all parties can sign
When to use it: For casual co-writes with trusted collaborators, a text message confirmation may feel sufficient. But for any session that has real commercial potential - a single, an album track, a sync-targeted piece - a formal signed agreement is always the safer option.
It takes five minutes to complete and creates a document that protects every writer's interest for the full lifetime of the copyright (70 years after the death of the last surviving writer under current UK law).
Having the agreement signed and on file also makes PRS registration smoother, since all the details you need are already documented in one place.
A Quick-Reference Checklist for Every Co-Write
Use this before you leave any writing session:
☐ Percentage split agreed and spoken out loud by all writers ☐ Split confirmed in writing (text, email, or signed agreement) ☐ Song title (working title is fine) noted ☐ All writers' PRS/MCPS membership numbers exchanged ☐ Publisher details noted for any writer on a publishing deal ☐ Agreement on who will register the song with PRS ☐ ISRC obtained from distributor (before registration) ☐ Song registered with PRS once the recording is ready for release ☐ Master registered with PPL using the ISRC code
Getting into the habit of completing this checklist after every session will save you significant time, stress, and potentially thousands of pounds over the course of your career.