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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.

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Composition Information

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Core Fields

FieldDescriptionRequired
TitleComposition titleYes
ISWCInternational Standard Work CodeRecommended
Alternative TitlesOther names for the workNo
LanguageLanguage of lyricsNo

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Writer Information

FieldDescription
WritersSongwriters and composers
Writer SharesPercentage ownership per writer
Writer IPIInterested Party Information number
PRO AffiliationPerformance rights organization

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Publisher Information

FieldDescription
PublishersPublishing companies
Publisher SharesPercentage controlled
Sub-PublishersTerritory-specific publishers
Admin RightsAdministration details

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Viewing Compositions

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List View

The compositions list shows:
  • Composition title
  • Writers
  • ISWC code
  • Publishers
  • Products (albums/singles/compilations with their source store)
  • Linked recordings
  • Statement earnings

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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 compositions by:
  • Title (partial match)
  • ISWC (exact match)
  • Writer name
  • Alternative title

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Composition Detail View

Click on any composition to see full details:

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Tabs

Basic composition information including title, ISWC, and language.

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Writer Splits

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Understanding Splits

Writer splits indicate ownership percentages: 
Song: "Example Song"
├── Writer A: 50% (Lyrics)
├── Writer B: 25% (Music)
└── Writer C: 25% (Music)
Total: 100%

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Publisher/Writer Split

The typical split between publisher and writer: 
Total: 100%
├── Publisher Share: 50%
│   └── Publisher A: 50%
└── Writer Share: 50%
    ├── Writer A: 25%
    └── Writer B: 25%

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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%.
Writer shares must total exactly 100%. The system will warn you if shares don’t add up correctly.

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Adding Compositions

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From Contract Extraction

Compositions are automatically added when publishing contracts mention them:
  1. Upload a publishing agreement to Smart Drive
  2. AI extracts composition references
  3. Streaming platform data enriches metadata and links to recordings
  4. Compositions appear in your catalog linked to the contract

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Manual Addition via Contract

To add compositions not captured by extraction:
  1. Open the contract in Contract Details
  2. Navigate to the Catalog section
  3. Use the Edit Catalog feature to search Spotify and add compositions

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From Statement Suggestions

Compositions can also be created from statement suggestions:
  1. Upload royalty statements
  2. Unmatched composition assets trigger Spotify search
  3. Accept suggestions to create catalog items

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ISWC Management

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What is an ISWC?

The ISWC is a unique identifier for musical works: 
T-034.524.680-1
│ │         │
│ │         └── Check digit
│ └─────────── Work identifier (9 digits)
└───────────── Prefix (always T)

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Getting ISWCs

ISWCs are assigned by:
  • Performance rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, PRS, etc.)
  • ISWC registration agencies

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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.

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Recording Connections

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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.

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Recording Types

TypeDescription
OriginalFirst recording of the composition
CoverRecording by a different artist
RemixModified version
LiveLive performance recording
SampleUsed as a sample in another work

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Statement Matching

Compositions are matched to royalty statements by:
  1. ISWC Match - Exact ISWC match
  2. Title + Writer - Fuzzy matching on metadata
  3. PRO Work ID - Society-specific identifiers
  4. Manual Match - User-defined matching

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Revenue Types

Composition-related revenue includes:
  • Performance royalties (radio, TV, streaming)
  • Mechanical royalties (physical, downloads)
  • Sync licensing fees
  • Print music royalties

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Best Practices

Ensure all compositions are registered with relevant PROs to receive accurate statements.
Keep writer and publisher splits up to date as they may change with new deals.
Add all alternative titles to improve statement matching.

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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.