Overview
Compositions represent the underlying musical works - the song itself as created by the songwriter(s). While recordings are the specific audio, compositions are the intellectual property containing the melody, lyrics, and musical arrangement.Composition Information
Core Fields
Writer Information
Publisher Information
Viewing Compositions
List View
The compositions list shows:- Composition title
- Writers
- ISWC code
- Publishers
- Products (albums/singles/compilations with their source store)
- Linked recordings
- Statement earnings
Compositions that are still being processed — newly extracted from a contract and not yet reconciled into your catalog — are hidden from the list while they finish. A pending badge in the header shows how many are still in progress, and they appear automatically once processing completes. Compositions that need review or that failed to process are real data and stay visible in the list.
Filters
Filter compositions by:- Writer - Songwriter name
- Creator - Who created the catalog entry
- Matched - Whether the composition is matched to statement data
- Source - Where the composition originated (contract or statement)
- Match Type - How the composition was matched (e.g. ISWC & ISRC, ISWC only, ISRC only, ISWC map, Album only)
- Match Store - The DSP store the match came from (e.g. Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube)
Search
Search compositions by:- Title (partial match)
- ISWC (exact match)
- Writer name
- Alternative title
Composition Detail View
Click on any composition to see full details:Tabs
- Overview
- Writers
- Publishers
- Recordings
- Contracts
- Statements
Basic composition information including title, ISWC, and language.
Writer Splits
Understanding Splits
Writer splits indicate ownership percentages:Publisher/Writer Split
The typical split between publisher and writer:Managing Splits
1
Open Composition
Navigate to the composition detail view.
2
Go to Writers Tab
Click on the Writers tab.
3
Add/Edit Writers
Add writers and enter their percentage shares.
4
Verify Total
Ensure shares add up to 100%.
Adding Compositions
From Contract Extraction
Compositions are automatically added when publishing contracts mention them:- Upload a publishing agreement to Contracts
- AI extracts composition references
- Streaming platform data enriches metadata and links to recordings
- Compositions appear in your catalog linked to the contract
Manual Addition via Contract
To add compositions not captured by extraction:- Open the contract in Contract Details
- Navigate to the Catalog section
- Use the Edit Catalog feature to search Spotify and add compositions
From Statement Suggestions
Compositions can also be created from statement suggestions:- Upload royalty statements
- Unmatched composition assets trigger Spotify search
- Accept suggestions to create catalog items
ISWC Management
What is an ISWC?
The ISWC is a unique identifier for musical works:Getting ISWCs
ISWCs are assigned by:- Performance rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, PRS, etc.)
- ISWC registration agencies
Adding ISWCs
1
Register Work
Register the composition with your PRO.
2
Obtain ISWC
Get the assigned ISWC from your PRO.
3
Update Composition
Enter the ISWC in Royaltyport.
Recording Connections
Linking Recordings
Connect compositions to their recordings:1
Open Composition
Navigate to the composition.
2
Go to Recordings Tab
Click on the Recordings tab.
3
Add Recording
Search for and link recordings of this composition.
Recording Types
Statement Matching
Compositions are matched to royalty statements by:- ISWC Match - Exact ISWC match
- Title + Writer - Fuzzy matching on metadata
- PRO Work ID - Society-specific identifiers
- Manual Match - User-defined matching
Revenue Types
Composition-related revenue includes:- Performance royalties (radio, TV, streaming)
- Mechanical royalties (physical, downloads)
- Sync licensing fees
- Print music royalties
Best Practices
Register works with PROs
Register works with PROs
Ensure all compositions are registered with relevant PROs to receive accurate statements.
Maintain accurate splits
Maintain accurate splits
Keep writer and publisher splits up to date as they may change with new deals.
Include alternative titles
Include alternative titles
Add all alternative titles to improve statement matching.
Link to recordings
Link to recordings
Connect compositions to all known recordings for complete tracking.
Next Steps
Radar
Learn how to monitor terms and territories across your catalog.
Edit Catalog
Add compositions to contracts via Spotify search.
Statement Suggestions
Create compositions from unmatched statement assets.