Adding / editing songwriters for your release

When signing up a new release with CD Baby, you'll be asked to include songwriter information for each track, so we know who contributed what to the music and lyrics. This will be done using the songwriter bank. 

Songwriter Bank

The songwriter bank contains and remembers all songwriters you may have entered for a previous CD Baby release. However, if it's your first release, you'll need to add new songwriters to the songwriter bank, and then add them to the appropriate track(s).

From the songwriter bank you'll have two choices:

+ADD NEW SONGWRITER or +ADD TO THIS TRACK.

This just depends on if the songwriter was already entered into the bank from a previous release.

If you want to use a songwriter that already lives in the songwriter bank, click +ADD TO THIS TRACK.

If you choose to add a new songwriter to the track, click +ADD NEW SONGWRITER. 

Songwriter Details

For a new songwriter, you'll be prompted to fill out the information below👇. Remember to use a full LEGAL name (not a stage name or band name):

Songwriter Contributions

Next, you'll need to decide what each songwriter contributed to the track by ticking the necessary box and filling out the percentage they own. These percentages will vary depending on the agreement you come to with your fellow songwriters. Just be sure that the percentage adds up to 100% (see screenshot below).

*Note: A contribution to the songwriting refers to the person/people who composed the lyrics or music. If someone played/sang on the track but did not contribute to the composition of the lyrics or music, you'll want to add them as a Featured Artist. See how to do that here. 

If you're the only songwriter on the track, tick both MUSIC and LYRICS and enter 100%.

Not sure what to enter for the publisher question?

Then it likely doesn't have one. Also, if you do not have your own publishing affiliation entity with a Performing Rights Organization like ASCAP or BMI, you can select "no." 

*Keep in mind, organizations like ASCAP, BMI, SACM, HFA, PRS and SOCAN are NOT publishing companies. They are rights organizations.

Track Menu

Once you have entered songwriter information for each track, you will see green checkmarks next to each one on the Track Menu, like this 👇

✅ At this point the songwriter information is all filled out, and you can continue to the next section!

*Note: If you need to make songwriter updates to a Legacy Pro Publishing release, you'll find those instructions here.