Short, plain‑English definitions for split sheets, PROs, and royalties.
A written agreement that documents who owns what percentage of a song.
The underlying song, melody and lyrics, not the recording.
The specific recorded performance of a composition.
The portion of ownership paid directly to the songwriter(s).
The portion of ownership paid to the publishing entity that administers the song.
A simple model where half goes to writers and half goes to publishers.
A fixed split set by a society, for example 33.3/33.3/33.3.
A model where 100% goes to the creator when there is no publisher.
The total song equals 100%. Writer share is capped at 50% and publisher share at 50%.
Writer and publisher each have a full 100% share. The total shows as 200%.
A performance rights organization that collects and pays performance royalties.
A unique 9 to 11 digit identifier assigned by your PRO to track your works.
A US PRO that operates on a 100 percent total share model.
A US PRO that uses a 200 percent total share model, 100 writer and 100 publisher.
A US PRO that licenses performance rights for its members.
The business side of a composition that controls licensing and royalty collection.
Royalties paid for reproductions of a composition, such as streams and downloads.
Royalties paid when a composition is publicly performed or broadcast.
Permission to use a composition with visual media like film or ads.
An agreement where the creator gives up ownership in exchange for a fee.
The vocal melody and lyrics created over a track.
The instrumental production of a song, often created by the producer.
A portion of a previous recording used in a new work.
Recreating a melody or lyric from an existing composition without using the recording.
The data fields used to identify a song and its owners.
Submitting song ownership data to a PRO so royalties can be paid.
A unique code assigned to a composition after PRO registration.
A unique code assigned to a specific sound recording.
Any collaborator who contributes to the composition and owns a share.
A writer who also controls their own publishing share.
A company that manages publishing and collects royalties on your behalf.
A record of who signed a document, when, and from where.
An electronic signing method that is legally binding when properly recorded.
A single split sheet workspace shared by collaborators.
Quick reference for how major PROs structure split scales around the world.
| Society | Country | Total Scale | Structure (W/P) | Same as ASCAP? | Key Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASCAP | USA | 100% | 50% / 50% | Yes | Total must equal 100%. |
| BMI | USA | 200% | 100% / 100% | No | Total must equal 200%. |
| APRA | Australia | 100% | 50% / 50% | Yes | Simple 50/50 logic for most. |
| GEMA | Germany | 100% | 60% / 40% (avg) | No | Rigid distribution rules, varies by genre. |
| PRS | UK | 100% | 50% / 50% | Yes | Writer share is legally unassignable. |
| SACEM | France | 100% | 33.3% / 33.3% / 33.3% | No | Uses a statutory split (author, composer, publisher). |
| SESAC | USA | 100% | 50% / 50% | Yes | Invitation-only society. |
| SOCAN | Canada | 100% | 50% / 50% | Yes | Can pay 100% to writers with no publisher. |
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