Ten Tips for Songwriters: Credits, Copyrights, and Coauthors
by Attorney Richard Stim
You may have a great song, but you need these ten legal and business tips to make a hit.
You may have written an outstanding song with a fabulous melody, great lyrics, and memorable hooks. But that, by itself, is not enough to fill your mailbox with royalty checks. Somebody who understands the music publishing business -- either you, your cowriters, or your manager -- has to aggressively milk the song for its full potential. These days this has to be done by guerilla marketing, timing, coincidence, and luck. Here are ten legal and business tips that will help.
1. Figure Out Songwriting Credits, Now!
If you're working with another songwriter or if you're writing songs in a band, don't wait until there's a deal or somebody wants to record your song to determine who wrote what. If you wait, you could find yourself trying to sort out credits and payments with band members who have long since left the group. When you finish creating a song, talk openly about it with your collaborators and agree as to how to split any potential revenues. Keep in mind that many bands include nonwriting members in the loop for songwriting income. You don't need a formal contract on who gets the credits; an informal written agreement will suffice.
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| Consider a Band Partnership Agreement | If you're in a band that's earning money, owns equipment, and has a working career, a band partnership agreement -- an agreement that sorts all kinds of band business details -- is a good idea. For help on creating a band partnership agreement, including blank agreements on disk, see Music Law: How to Run Your Band's Business, by Rich Stim (Nolo). |
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Copyright 2006 Nolo
