DEED FOR SONGWRITERS

PUBLISHED. PROPERLY.

Writer splits signed at the source, registered with the right societies, so the money reaches the right names.

THE SITUATION

Songwriting is a business built on invisible ownership. A co-write happens in an afternoon, a demo goes out that evening, and the shares live in whoever's memory is loudest.

The gap between writing a song and registering it is where publishing money leaks. When the collection society finally pays out, the split that was obvious in the room is a fight in an email chain.

THE RISKS

WHAT BREAKS.

01
UNSIGNED CO WRITES
A room of four writers, four different memories of who wrote the hook.
02
MISSED REGISTRATION
Songs that earn from day one but are registered months later, if at all.
03
PUBLISHER OVERREACH
Publishing deals that quietly claim future work, remixes and lyric translations.
04
TOPLINE OWNERSHIP
Toplines sent to producers with no record of what was granted and what was retained.
05
CROSS BORDER SPLITS
Collaborators in different territories with different rules on what a signature is worth.
HOW DEED HELPS

FOUR STEPS.

01DROP

Add every writer in the session and the working title before you leave the room.

02EXAMINE

Deed checks the split against publishing deals already on file and flags conflicts.

03EXECUTE

Everyone signs the split sheet, and Deed hands off to registration with the correct societies.

04DEFEND

New uses of the song trigger a notice, so a sync or a cover is met with paper, not surprise.

QUESTIONS
+Can I split a song differently per territory?
Yes. Deed lets you record territory specific splits and shows collectors and publishers what applies where.
+What if a co writer refuses to sign later?
Deed keeps the timestamped record of the session and the offer to sign, which is often enough to unlock the money the society is holding.
+Do I need Deed if I already have a publisher?
Yes. Publishers register what you give them. Deed makes sure what you give them is right.

START A DEED.