Artist Tip: Clear Splits First – Before the Upload
The beat is hard, the vocals sit cleanly in the mix, and the master is ready to drop. In the creative buzz of a session, paperwork is usually the last thing on anyone's mind. Yet this is where release nightmares originate: when nobody has documented who owns what percentage of the composition, lyrics, and recording.
Step 1: Sign the split sheet before leaving the room
Never leave the studio without a written split sheet. Once a snippet catches traction on social media, memories fade and expectations inflate. A split sheet does not require complex legal jargon: a simple piece of paper or a digital note listing the track title, date, percentages, and signatures of all contributors is completely valid.
Always differentiate between two distinct revenue streams: publishing rights (lyrics and composition) and master recording rights. While producers and artists frequently share both, publishing societies and distribution platforms track these splits separately.
Step 2: Legal names and IPI numbers over artist aliases
Stage names belong on streaming covers, credits displays, and promotional artwork. For collective management organizations and publishing administrators, however, aliases are useless. Every valid split sheet requires the full legal names of all contributors alongside their unique IPI/CAE numbers.
Without these precise identifiers, performance and mechanical royalties end up in unidentified holding accounts. Tracking down missing funds later takes months of manual claims. Clean metadata at inception ensures your publishing money flows directly to your account.
Step 3: Eliminate financial friction when tracks take off
When a song generates zero streams, nobody cares about ten percent. But the moment a track gains viral traction or lands major editorial placement, unresolved ownership turns hostile. Verbal agreements offer zero protection against formal disputes or copyright strikes.
An alienated producer or co-writer can easily request a copyright takedown across DSPs like Spotify and Apple Music. Your release gets pulled, algorithmic momentum collapses, and marketing spend goes down the drain. Putting signatures on splits upfront protects both personal relationships and your discography.
Automate payouts instead of managing spreadsheets
Once percentages are locked on paper, automate the payouts at the distributor level. Calculating minor streaming shares and wiring money manually each month wastes hours. With OGRECORDS™ at /royalty-splits, you can assign unlimited recipients per track or release with real-time accounting and optional confidential splits.
Distribute to 38+ DSPs in 240+ territories via /distribution under a non-exclusive 10 % revenue-share model with zero recurring subscriptions. Payouts arrive mostly within 24 hours, letting you focus entirely on your craft.
Finalize your split agreements today and distribute seamlessly with automated payouts through OGRECORDS™.