[KEROUAC1957]

Just wondered if anyone can answer this hypothetical question. Lets just say I am lucky enough to get a song published and artist A wants to record my song. In the studio they decide to change the melody, not for any devious reasons but they believe it sounds better that way. So you end up having your name to a song which you don't fully endorse.

Is this a scenario that comes up? Can an artist alter your songs? I know there are many interpretations of well known songs but I would have thought that generally the initial version sticks to the way it was intended to be done.

[Alan Starkie]

If new parts are added, it's a remix and the songwriting credits/royalties are generally shared equally. It'll all be written into the contract with the artist whether or not they are going to be/want to be co-writers.

[KEROUAC1957]

Thanks Alan. But as the songwriter don't you have any say as to whether someone can add their name onto the credits?

[Alan Starkie]

Yes you can either sign or not sign the contract.

If you have a lot of success to your name you could negotiate a bigger percentage for yourself too.

[Onelabel]

This is becoming more commonplace now as typical mech royalties have fallen over recent years. It's now quite usual for producers to ask for a writing share (and quite reasonable IMO if they've the clout to really push the song). Some artists are now also expecting this - irrespective of whether they've actually contributed to the song at all!

However think of it this way, it's better to have 33% of a song with a major artist and producer attached - than 100% without. Get a couple of hits under your belt and you can start to negotiate!

[Boydie]

Hypothetically the songwriter owns "the song" so will get final say

HOWEVER - in the real world, like every other type of negotiation, the one in the strongest position is the one that has the BATNA - the Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement

In this scenario the songwriter has managed to get a publisher to pick up a track, the publisher has managed to secure a cut, the artist and producer are discussing the actual recording

These are 3 MASSIVE steps for any songwriter - even those WITH hits under their belts

Would the songwriter really want to risk going back to square one!?!?!?!?

I think the songwriter knows they wouldn't, the publisher would know this - and most importantly the artist and producer would know this

They would argue that there are 100s of songs they can choose from - and they are probably right

The song would have to be an absolute guaranteed smash hit for the songwriter to have any kind of "batna" and even then a smash hit is no good with nobody to record it

You would also risk alienating yourself and getting known as a "precious" high maintenance song writer - like any industry, the music industry is a small world!

Unfortunately I think you would need to take what you are given at this point - and everyone knows this!

It is nothing new and has been happening since the birth of "popular music"!