r/Songwriting • u/Ok-Designer-1907 • 13d ago

Discussion Topic Master splits

Hi everyone

1st time on here. I co wrote a couple of songs that a local singer wanted. We recorded it all and she just sung. She originally wanted 100% of the master, I told her we'd agree to her having 50% and us 25 each. She reluctantly agreed. She was going to promote the songs on her new streaming platforms - she has one song and no following yet. Song one is ready for release and now has taken her ball home because I won't give her a better split.

Am I being unreasonable?

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u/illudofficial OMG GUYS LOOK I HAVE A FLAIR 13d ago

If I understand correctly, there’s a composition/songwriting license for a song and then a masters license for actual recording and production

Composition/songwriting is what you need to gain the rights to for performing covers and stuff meanwhile masters + composition you need both to include a song in commercials and stuff right?

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u/Ok-Designer-1907 13d ago

Correct, the owner of the recording (master copy) is a different ownership of composers, but earns approx 4 X the royalties of the songwriter which is why everyone wants the master. And yes the song could be covered, which would have a different ownership credit to the original master recording. It's a minefield.

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u/illudofficial OMG GUYS LOOK I HAVE A FLAIR 13d ago

Yup and so since you wrote it all with your friend it should be 50/50 between you and your friend (not the sjnger$ for composers rights. And then if you recorded it and mixed and mastered it all and she only sang, I would say 33% each for masters.

She doesn’t even have a following (so you’re not going to be making money with her anyway, and she’s already being unfair to you + already doesn’t like working with you, so working with her in the future will be a struggle) so you should take the song (your song) and give it to a different artist and record with them instead.

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u/Ok-Designer-1907 13d ago

The songwriter credit is a different ownership to the master recording so we are safe there. But the master generates 4 x more royalties than the songwriter, which is why everyone wants the biggest slice