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Every track needs at least one songwriter, one producer or engineer and one performer. A track with vocals and lyrics also needs a lyricist. You add credits in the Credits part of each track, one row per person with all of their roles. Stores use these credits, and a track without them can’t be submitted.

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Open a track’s credits

  1. Open your release in the builder and go to Tracks.
  2. Click a track to expand it and scroll to Credits.
The Credits area of a track with the Original/Cover switch, Composition & Lyrics, Production and Performers The Still needed line under Composition lists what’s missing, for example “Still needed: 1 songwriter, 1 producer or engineer”. When everything is in, it says “Every required credit is in.”

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Add a person

  1. Click Add contributor, or click one of the Suggested credits: Add songwriter, Add lyricist, Add producer or engineer, Add performer or Add mixing or mastering engineer. A suggestion the track still needs is marked.
  2. Under Who was it?, search for someone already on your account. If they aren’t there yet, type their name and click Add “Name” to this account. They’ll be available on your other tracks too.
  3. Click Pick roles and choose every role they had. You can search the role list.
Add each person once. If you produced and sang on the track, add yourself once and pick both roles. To reuse credits, use Copy from to bring in another track’s credits, or Copy to to send this track’s credits to other tracks. Then adjust the ones that differ.

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Which roles count

  • Songwriter: Composer, Lyricist, Songwriter or Composer & Lyricist. An Arranger is credited with the writers but doesn’t count on its own.
  • Lyricist: needed on a track with vocals and lyrics. Lyricist, Songwriter or Composer & Lyricist counts. An instrumental track (No, it’s instrumental under Vocals) needs none.
  • Producer or engineer: Producer, Engineer, Mixing Engineer and similar roles.
  • Performer: vocals or instruments, such as Vocals, Lead Vocals, Guitar or Drums.

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Publishing details

For a writer, you can open Optional publishing details and add their Performing rights organisation (for example ASCAP, BMI or PRS) and their IPI / CAE number. Songwriters are delivered under their legal first and last name. Stores reject a single name, such as a one-word stage name, for writers. When you add a writer, enter their real first and last name. If a writer only has one name on file, Preflight warns that it will be delivered as that name twice (“Name Name”) so the stores accept it. Add their full legal name to avoid this.

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Covers, interpolations and samples

If the track uses the melody or lyrics of another song, switch Original to Cover under Composition and link the original song so its writers are credited. See Cover songs, samples and remixes.

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Preflight messages about credits

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Common questions

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Why don’t my credits show on Spotify or Apple Music?

Each store decides which credits it displays and when. We deliver the credits you enter. It can take some time for them to appear, and some stores show only some roles.

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Do credits affect who gets paid?

No. Credits say who did what. To share earnings, set up royalty splits on the release’s Royalties tab. Related: Create a release, step by step · Cover songs, samples and remixes · Titles, versions and featured artists · Check and submit your release