The Handshake Agreement Nightmare

“We agreed to split the song 50/50 in the studio, so we’re good.”

You’re not. Verbal agreements mean almost nothing once royalty checks start moving. Collection societies and streaming platforms do not honor a handshake. If there is ever a dispute, they freeze the money. Worse, whoever registers the work first can accidentally (or on purpose) claim 100% of the composition.

Get it in writing before it drops

Figure out the splits before release day, put them on a split sheet, and register those exact percentages with a publishing administrator. RightsTune routes each writer’s share automatically so you are not chasing friends when the statement finally lands.