If you've written a few strong songs and are ready to pitch to the industry, you'll quickly discover that songwriter publishing contracts come in many variations, and there is no "standard contract," even though those words might appear at the top of the page. Understanding your options can help you make informed decisions—and avoid signing away more rights than you should.
by SongwriterDemoService Staff | August, 9, 2025.
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◈ Single Song Agreements: A one-off deal for a single song, giving the publisher promotion rights.
◈ Staff Writer Deals: An exclusive contract where you write for one publisher in exchange for advances.
◈ Co-Publishing Deals: A split-ownership arrangement that lets you keep part of your publishing share.
Let's look at the three publishing deal types most songwriters encounter, what they involve, and how they fit into your career path.
Keep in mind, within the space of this article, we're only going to do an overview of each songwriter deal type. However, in future articles, we'll provide a deeper dive into each type of songwriter deal separately.
A single song agreement is precisely what it sounds like—an agreement between you and a publisher for just one song. The publisher has the right to pitch and exploit the song for a set period, typically 1-2 years.
The publisher typically controls 100% of the publishing share (50% of the income), while you retain 100% of the writer’s share (the other 50%). The publisher will actively promote the song during the term of the agreement and collect its share of any earnings it generates.
These deals are low-commitment and often a songwriter's first step into the music publishing world. They allow you to test the waters without tying up your entire catalog.
Best for: Writers with one or two strong songs ready to pitch. One advantage of this type of deal is that, because it only affects specific songs and not your whole catalog, you're still free to shop your other songs to other publishers.
A staff writer deal is a more formal arrangement where you're under exclusive contract to write for a publisher—often delivering a set number of songs per year.
In exchange, you receive a regular advance against future royalties. That means, when your song begins earning money, all funds advanced to you must be repaid first.
The publisher owns the publishing share of your songs, and you retain the writer's share. During the term of your contract, the publisher actively promotes your work and helps develop your career.
This setup offers more stability but also more obligation—you're expected to write consistently and at a professional level. The quota typically ranges from 10 to 15 "accepted" songs per year that the writer wrote entirely (100%), meaning the publisher will have a 100% share of the publishing. That means if you cowrote your songs, your share is 50%, which means you will have to turn in 20 co-written songs to meet your quota of ten. Additionally, "accepted songs" refers to songs that the publisher deems marketable. This clause is intended to prevent writers from submitting poorly written songs solely to meet their contractual obligations.
Best for: Songwriters who can deliver a high volume of quality songs and want consistent income while building industry connections.
A co-publishing deal allows you to keep part of your publishing share—often 50%—while giving the other half to the publisher.
In this situation, the publisher will have half of the publishing (25% of the income), and the writer will have half of the publishing (25% of the revenue) plus 100% of the writer's share (50% of the income), for a total of 75% of the income.
This means you earn more than in a traditional publishing contract, but still benefit from the publisher's pitching power, industry connections, and royalty administration.
These deals are generally offered to songwriters with a proven track record or a growing catalog of marketable songs.
Best for: Established writers or those with strong industry momentum who want to retain more ownership while leveraging a publisher's reach.
➡️ Recommended Reading:
☑ Protect Your Songs from Day One: How to Document Your Song's Creation
☑ How to Copyright Your Song on the Cheap
Regardless of which publishing path you take, remember: The strength of your songwriter demos is key to landing a publishing deal. If your song isn't presented professionally, in a way that makes it sound like a hit waiting to happen, a publisher will never realize its potential. A publisher will judge your song within the first 15–30 seconds of hearing it, so a polished, pitch-ready song demo is essential.
A well-structured deal is essential—but without the proper demo, your songs may never get past the first listen.
🎵 At Songwriter Demo Service, we specialize in creating full band, piano-vocal, and guitar-vocal demos that showcase your song's strengths and match your pitching goals. Whether you're targeting a single song agreement, a staff writer deal, or a co-pub offer, we'll help you present your music at its best.
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