What percentage do songwriters get?

Standard songwriter splits

In a two-writer collaboration, 50/50 is the most common default. But this only makes sense if both writers contributed equally. If one wrote the lyrics and the other wrote the melody, a 50/50 split is natural. If one person wrote everything and the other added a few lines, the split should reflect that.

Lyrics vs. melody

Traditionally, lyrics and melody are weighted equally — each worth 50% of the composition. A pure lyricist and a pure melodist would split 50/50. But modern collaborations often blur these lines. Use the music split calculator to weight contributions across categories.

When a producer is involved

If a producer contributed to the composition (chords, melody, arrangement), they’re a songwriter too. Their percentage comes from the same 100%. Use the producer split calculator to estimate a fair share.

How to document it

Create a split sheet with all writers listed. Agree on percentages during or immediately after the session. Don’t wait until release — by then, memories differ and conversations get harder.