Credits and Splits: What to Agree On Before You Create Together

Many collaborators put off talking about credits and money because it feels awkward at the start. But the conversation gets much harder after the song is done, especially if it does well. Over time everyone remembers their own contribution a little differently, and setting rules at that point turns into an argument about whose memory is right.

Agreeing up front doesn't mean pinning everything to exact numbers. Deciding how you'll split things, how each name will be credited and where you'll keep the agreement already prevents most later conflict. This guide is based on common collaboration practice and doesn't prescribe specific percentages or legal conclusions.

Credits are the official record of who made a song. They get reused when you register a track on streaming platforms or add it to a portfolio, so it's worth agreeing on artist names and role titles early. Decide whether each person uses a legal name or an artist name, which spelling to use, and if several people share a role, in what order they're listed.

A finished credit list might read “Lyrics: Haneul / Music: Haneul, JUNO / Arrangement: JUNO / Vocals: Haneul / Guitar: Minseo / Mixing: Dawn”. Once it's written down, you don't have to rewrite it every time the song goes somewhere new, and nobody's name gets accidentally dropped.

Contributions to a song aren't all the same kind. Some create the composition itself, like lyrics, music and arrangement. Some perform it, like singing and playing. Others shape the final sound, like recording and mixing. Rights and income for these are often handled differently, so record them separately rather than lumping them together.

The record doesn't need to be formal. The voice memo where a melody first appeared, lyric drafts and revisions, dated version files and decisions made in team chat all count. Putting version numbers in file names and leaving a one-line note for each change builds this record naturally. If someone substantially reworks another person's part, leave a short note on what changed.

Every team splits ownership its own way. Some divide by contribution; others agree from day one to split equally among everyone involved. Either approach can work, but verbal promises fade. Once you agree, write it down somewhere every participant can see, and get a confirmation from each person.

Here's what a good agreement document covers. If you can't fill everything in at the start, at least note when you'll come back to the open items.

IGNITE competitions build a copyright agreement step into the submission process. The team leader uploads the entry file, sets a copyright split and agrees to it, then each teammate reviews the split and agrees individually. Only the leader can edit the split, and the leader can finalize the entry only after every teammate has agreed. Once agreement begins, the entry file can't be replaced, so lock in your final file before you start.

Having this step doesn't replace the conversation inside the team. If the leader talks through the criteria with teammates before setting the split, nobody gets surprised at the agreement stage. How submitted tracks are distributed, along with fees and payout terms, is laid out in IGNITE's Music Distribution Terms, so read them together before you enter.

Before using samples, loops or parts of other songs, check the license terms. Even free sources can restrict commercial use or redistribution. IGNITE's competition entry notice also states that submissions must be the original work of you or your whole team and must not infringe anyone else's copyright.

If the direction changes significantly or a new member joins, revisit the existing agreement and add the changes to the document. When you disagree, talking from the written record rather than from memory feels fairer to everyone. If you still can't resolve it, bring in outside help before things get more personal.

This article is general guidance for co-creating music and is not legal advice. Specific questions about ownership, split percentages or contracts depend on your situation and country. When needed, check with a lawyer or other professional, or with a collective management organization such as KOMCA in Korea or the equivalent society where you live.