What percentage does a topliner get?
Topliners write the melody and lyrics over an existing instrumental. They typically receive 25%–50% of the composition, depending on their contribution and the arrangement with the producer.
Common ranges
- Melody only: 25%–35%
- Melody + lyrics: 40%–50%
- Melody + lyrics + hook/concept: 50%–60%
- If the producer also contributed to the melody: percentages are negotiated down
Topliner vs. songwriter
A topliner is a songwriter, but the term specifically refers to someone who writes over an existing beat or instrumental. The distinction matters because the producer’s contribution is already established, and the topliner’s percentage must fit within what’s left.
Ready to run the numbers?
Open the calculatorHow to calculate
Use the music split calculator to weight the topliner’s contribution (lyrics, melody) against the producer’s contribution (production, chords, arrangement). This gives a fair starting point for negotiation.
How to document it
Create a split sheet with both the topliner and the producer listed. If the arrangement includes licensing or publishing terms, use a co-writer agreement instead.
Calculate the topliner’s share
Weight contributions and determine fair percentages.
CAZEN is free for now.
Continue your workflow
Use these tools to put what you learned into practice.
Music Split Calculator
Calculate ownership splits using equal, manual, or weighted methods.
Calculate splitsSplit Sheet Generator
Create a split sheet PDF with names, roles, and percentages.
Create split sheetProducer Split Calculator
Estimate fair producer ownership based on role and contribution type.
Estimate producer splitCo-Writer Agreement Generator
Draft a co-writing agreement with custom terms and signature lines.
Draft agreement