Splits Before Hits

We’ve all thought about this at some point, right? After a session you feel you’ve pulled more than your weight. Should you ask for (or demand) a higher split? Or perhaps you were having an off-day. You were present but not quite on your game and you were asked to take a lower split. 😡

Awkward conversations ensue. Because how do you really measure a contribution — a catchy title vs. an entire first and second verse? What if Jack writes 90% of the lyric on the hook but the room was stuck on the pay-off line until Will spouted it in one fell swoop after being verbally MIA the whole session? And suddenly the whole song comes to life. I know you know what I mean.

Is there some objective scale on which to weigh a song? 

Well, it will behoove us all to establish some pre-session protocol because starting Jan 2021 a new database — The MLC (Music Licensing Collective) — is going to be introduced to the songwriting community nationwide. The MLC was established in order to enshrine a mechanical roylaty into an interactive stream — a royalty that disappeared when physical copies were replaced by digital delivery. The MLC will be issuing blanket mechanical licenses to DSPs and in turn collecting royalties and paying us. This is a very good thing!

And so…all self-administered songwriters, music publishers, administrators, composers, lyricists will need to become Members of The MLC in order to upload and access their Portal and receive payments. 

What does this have to do with Song Splits? Stay with me. 

Up until recently DSPs (Spotify mainly!) often lamented that if collaborators reported ‘unmatched’ percentages on any given song they didn’t know who to pay what. At first we thought it was all bullsh*t — that they just didn’t want to pay us. But to be fair how could they? 

Now, if all data is uploaded comprehensively and correctly, they won’t have an excuse. Perhaps they’re betting we can’t get it together in which case they could hang onto our royalties indefinitely. So…we have to prove them Wrong! In order for this to work all co-writers on a song must report the exact same percentages down to the 1% in a three-way (33.3/33.3/33.4). And since it’s not uncommon to have 5, 7, 15 writers on a song… see where I’m going?

This means you have to have the talk!!!

Understandably, most of us just want to make beats and songs all day (and night) and not think about paperwork, data, and codes. But with a little practice it’s going to become a part of our pre-creative routine much like brushing teeth before we leave the house (even if we’re wearing a mask! Especially if we’re wearing a mask, right? Ew.)  

In my view songs should be divided equally between everyone in the room and afterwards, if someone feels disenfranchised, they can decide whether they want to rock the boat. Just remember, next song, it may be you who has an off-day. And if these are peeps you work with all the time, chances are it will all balance out in the end. 

Having said that, if you decide to have that post-session talk anyway and there’s push back, I’d advise you to leave it alone. It just gets ugly. Trust me. And then you feel so icky. Find other co-writers. There are plenty.

Oh and there’s something else. Don’t let anyone bully you into taking less…”assigning” you a percentage. Your even share is your share to give away if you so choose. No one can take it from you without your permission.

Now granted, if you’re fortunate enough to get in the room with Beyonce (congratulations, btw) and she feels that because she’s Beyonce and you’re writing for her record she deserves the lion’s share of credit, you may want to consider it. No judging. There’s no right or wrong, people. I’m just trying to help you get paid. 

So…Splits Before Hits! Good luck. Tell a friend.

Here’s the link to become a member of the MLC. Even those of us who have publishers should check their work occasionally. They have a lot on their plate and they do make mistakes.  

Email me if you’d like a SONA split sheet. Follow SONA on IG (@wearesonala) because we’ll be hosting webinars on how to get started with your MLC membership. And while you’re on IG, follow me too. @ShellyPeiken 😃

PS… Speaking of SONA… we’ve created a fund that will distribute emergency grants to qualified songwriters who have suffered work cancellation and other financial losses as result of the coronavirus pandemic.  We're very grateful to be in a position to help. Click here for more info 

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