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Q&A: If two or more people collaborate on a song, how should the royalties be split ?
http://www.get-a-record-deal.com/articles/22/1/QampA-If-two-or-more-people-collaborate-on-a-song-how-should-the-royalties-be-split-/Page1.html
Richard Jay
Richard Jay is a songwriter, producer, author of bestselling book How To Get Your Music in Film & TV, and president of The Music Broker Network
 
By Richard Jay
Published on 8th May, 2008
 
Income from a song or piece of music can be split in any way AS LONG AS THEIR IS A WRITTEN AGREEMENT in place between the parties. If there is no agreement, then income would be split equally between the parties.

Traditionally, music represents 50% of a song and lyrics 50%: with the increased importance of production over the past 20-25 years - not to mention the fact that vocalists often write the vocal melody but not chords - it is not unusual for melody to be 1/3rd, lyrics to be 1/3rd and chords/arrangement to be 1/3rd. Anything is possible but the default arrangement is 50/50.

Income from a song or piece of music can be split in any way AS LONG AS THEIR IS A WRITTEN AGREEMENT in place between the parties. If there is no agreement, then income would be split equally between the parties.