Most publishing agreements grant your publisher the right to license your lyrics alongside the rest of the composition. In practice, though, many publishers control the rights without actually holding the lyrics text. That disconnect creates problems: if your publisher does not have accurate lyrics on file, the versions that reach platforms may come from crowdsourced websites or automated transcription instead of from you.
If you have a publishing deal, check whether your publisher has your actual lyrics. Many do not, and they may be relying on third-party sources. Provide them with the definitive text for every song in your catalogue – the complete, formatted lyrics exactly as you intend them to appear. If your publisher works with a lyrics aggregator like Musixmatch, confirm that the correct versions have been submitted.
Coordination matters when it comes to direct uploads too. Some streaming platforms allow artists to upload lyrics directly, but if you have co-writers or a publishing deal, you may not have the unilateral right to do so. Your publishing agreement likely gives your publisher control over lyrics distribution, meaning they should handle it through proper channels. Even with co-writers who are not published, you would need their agreement before uploading shared lyrics.
Ask your publisher how lyrics revenue appears in your statements. Lyrics licensing generates income through a separate channel from standard performance and mechanical royalties – platforms pay aggregators based on lyrics impressions, and that revenue flows through the publishing chain. If you are not seeing lyrics income on your statements, it may be because your publisher is not actively exploiting that right, or because the income is bundled into a broader line item without being broken out. Either way, it is worth asking the question.
