Do we need a written agreement for a small collaboration?

At minimum, a signed split sheet plus a short written note of what you agreed on money, credits and release. Disagreements usually start after a song does well, when it's harder to agree.

Who should hold the master?

There's no single answer. Options include joint ownership in agreed shares, one artist owning it and paying the other a fee or share, or a label owning it. Whatever you choose, write it down.

Can I use this checklist as a contract?

No. It's a list of questions to agree on. Get a lawyer to draft or review the final agreement, especially when money, a label or a brand is involved.

Collaboration agreement checklist

Getting started: documents · Document 5 · By Ayush Panda · 21 October 2026 · 2 min read

This checklist is general information, not legal advice. Use it to agree the terms, then have a lawyer draft or review the agreement.

Artists / collaborators: ________________________________________

Project or song(s): ________________________________________

1. The song (composition and lyrics)

☐ Who wrote what? (Record it on a split sheet.)
☐ What share of the song does each writer own?
☐ Who registers it with IPRS, and by when?
☐ Is any writer signed to a publisher who needs to approve?

2. The recording (the master)

☐ Who owns the recording, and in what shares?
☐ Who paid for the recording, and is any of that cost recouped first?
☐ Is anyone signed to a label that has rights over their recordings or needs to approve?
☐ Are session musicians paid a fee, and have they signed a release?

3. Release

☐ Who releases it, and through which distributor or label?
☐ Whose artist profile is it released on: primary artists, or a featured artist?
☐ Release date and who decides if it changes?
☐ Who controls the distributor account and receives the money?

4. Money

☐ How is recording income (streams, downloads, YouTube) split?
☐ How often is it shared, and who sends statements?
☐ How is sync and licensing income split, and who can approve a licence?
☐ How are costs (video, marketing, ads) shared and recovered?
☐ Are there any upfront fees (producer fee, feature fee)?

5. Credits

☐ Exact artist names and how they appear on platforms
☐ Writer, producer and musician credits
☐ Credits on artwork, videos and social posts

6. Usage

☐ Can each artist perform the song live without asking?
☐ Can each artist use the song in their own content and ads?
☐ Who approves remixes, alternative versions and covers?
☐ Who approves use in brand campaigns or ads, and how is that income shared?
☐ Can either artist use the other's name, voice or image to promote it, and for how long?
☐ Is AI use allowed on the stems or vocals (for example voice models)? Usually the answer should be no without separate written consent.

7. Promotion

☐ What content does each artist commit to (posts, Reels, Collab posts)?
☐ Who pays for and owns the music video and photos?
☐ Who handles the Spotify pitch and press?

8. Changes and exits

☐ What happens if someone wants to remove the song?
☐ What happens if a label or brand offers to buy or license it?
☐ What happens if a collaborator can't be reached?
☐ How are disagreements settled (talk first, then mediation, then which court)?

9. Signatures

Name	Signature	Date