Song Credits Made Simple: A Guide for Artists

Breaking Down the Roles Behind Every Track

Jan 28, 2025

(TL;DR at the bottom)

Have you ever found yourself listening to one of your favorite songs, scrolling to the “credits” section of the “Now Playing” screen on Spotify and realizing that the bass player, who doesn’t even sing backup vocals or have much of a stage presence, is the one who wrote and composed the entire album? Or hours later you now know everything about a random songwriter who isn’t even a member of the band you were listening to… but your mind is blown when you realize he has co-written songs for several of your favorite groups and how did you not know about this?! Well, same. If you’re like me, nerding out on credits can be super fun and also illuminating.

But, aside from being merely interesting, song credits are also very important. Credits allow for public acknowledgement of contributors and ensure fair distribution of royalties. Before we jump into the topic of royalties (a fun one!), let’s first understand the various types of song credits. The purpose of this article is to review some common types of credits, which will be useful for understanding future articles on royalties.

Categories of song credits

There are several categories of song credits - and I’ve done my best to organize them them in a meaningful away. Below is a list of the major categories with brief explanations. Each category will then be broken down in the sections that follow.

Songwriting and composition credits - credits for songwriters, lyricists, and composers.
Publishing credits - credits for music publishers.
Performance credits - credits for those who performed the song (whether live or in the studio).
Production credits - credits for producers, sound engineers, mixers, etc.
Ownership & label credits - credits that indicate the copyright owners and record labels.
Visual and artwork credits - credits for album artwork designers, photographers, visual directors, etc.
Legal and business credits - credits for attorneys, business managers, and other professionals.
Special thanks and dedications - acknowledgments for individuals or organizations that inspire or contribute, directly or indirectly, to the final product.

1. Songwriting and Composition Credits

Songwriting and composition credits recognize the individuals responsible for creating the melody, lyrics, and overall structure of a song.

Here are some of the most common songwriting and composition credits that you’ve likely seen before:

Songwriter and co-songwriter (Ex: “Written by…”) - The person(s) most involved in creating a song’s melody and lyrics; the foundation of the song.
Producer-Songwriter (Ex: “Written and produced by…”) - In some cases, and more so in the pop, hip-hop, and electronic genres, Producers contribute significantly in the songwriting process. For example, the beloved late producer Jerry Finn, aka: the “fourth member of blink-182”. Although Jerry received producer credits on several albums, one could argue that he may have deserved a producer-songwriter credit as well, since legend has it that he significantly contributed to the structure of some blink songs. RIP, Jerry <3.
Lyricist (Ex: “Lyrics by…”) - The person(s) who wrote the words of the song.
Composer (Ex: “Composed by…”) - The person(s) who wrote the music and/or melody of the song.
Arranger (Ex: “Arranged by…”) - The person(s) who shape the structure of, enhance, rearrange, add to, and/or re-interpret songs that were written by someone else.

When you read the next section on publishing credits, you’ll probably think, “wait, aren’t publishing credits and songwriting credits, like, the same thing?” Well, the difference between the two is almost blurry, but think of it this way - songwriting and composition credits are about who made the song, while publishing credits are about who controls the rights to the song and manages its use and royalties. It’s not always the same person, especially when a record label is involved.

2. Publishing Credits

See our last article, “One Song, Two Rights: Breaking Down Composition and Master Copyrights” for a refresher on the difference between “composition copyrights” and “master copyrights.” The TL;DR of that article is: a single recorded song is divided into two distinct copyrights: the composition copyright (covering the song’s melody, lyrics, and structure), and the master copyright (covering the actual recording). Both can have different owners and generate separate revenues.

Publishing credits identify the person(s) and/or entities that own the composition copyright of a song; the song itself (the melody, lyrics, structure, etc.). Publishing credits are incredibly important since they clarify ownership and who gets paid royalties, and also dictate how a song can be used, licensed, and monetized.

3. Performance Credits

Performance credits acknowledge those who perform music (in both live performances or studio sessions). The various Performance credits include:

Lead Performer/Artist (Ex: “Performed by…”) - a soloist, lead singer, or front(wo)man of a band. Think: Fat Mike of NOFX (wearing a sequined spaghetti strap tank top).
Featured Artist (Ex: “Featuring guest vocals by…”) - a guest performer on a song. Think: Kellin Quinn on MGK’s “Love Race” (a banger, even if you aren’t a fan of MGK, trust me).
Backing Vocalist (Ex: “Backing vocals by…”) - pretty self-explanatory. Think: Nick Cassanto of Knuckle Puck, or Jake Bundrick of Mayday Parade.
Instrumentalist (Ex: “Guitar solo by…”) - hired professionals that play with, but are not members of, a group. Think: Jason White, the touring guitarist for Green Day.
Others - Orchestra, Choir, Ensemble, Soloists, Featured Instrumentalists, Spoken Word Performers, etc.

4. Production Credits

Production credits acknowledge those involved with the recording of a song. Here are some of the more common production credits:

Producer (Ex: “Produced by…”) - oversees both the creative and technical processes of recording a song, from start to finish (not so much on the financial or administrative aspects, in most cases).
Co-Producer (Ex: “Co-produced by…”) - works with the producer and often knows a little bit more about a particular genre, style, or instrument. A co-producer typically focuses on specific parts of the recording process, rather than the entire thing.
Executive Producer (Ex: “Executive Producer: [Name].”) - deals with the financial and administrative aspects of recording (not so much on the creative side, in most cases).
Engineers - handle the technical aspect of recording, mixing, and mastering a recording. Engineers for sure deserve a separate article, but, for now, here is a brief breakdown of some of the various types of engineer credits:
- Recording Engineer (Ex: “Recorded by…”) - physically sets up, or supervises the set up of, the studio and operates the recording equipment.
- Audio Editor (Ex: “Edited by…”) - cleans up raw tracks so that the mixing and mastering engineers can get to work.
- Mixing Engineer (Ex: “Mixed by…”) - combines the various individual audio tracks that are mixed into a single track, balances levels, adds effects, etc.
- Mastering Engineer (Ex: “Mastered by…”) - ensures the final track is clean and polished and ready to be played through various playback systems.
- Assistant Engineer (Ex: “Engineered with assistance from…”) - supports the main engineers, does more of the grunt work, documents settings, notes the main engineer’s preferences, etc.
- Live Sound Engineer - present at live performances to create the best audio experience for the performers and the audience. Live performances and live recordings include various sub-categories of live sound engineers, which we will dive into in future articles.
- Others - Broadcasting Engineer, Sound Designer, Pro Tools Engineer, Vocal Engineer, Re-Recording Engineer, etc.
Session Musician (Ex: “[Name] - Drums (tracks 2, 4, 9)”) - musicians and/or vocalists that are hired for part of a recording, but are not themselves members of the band.
Vocal Producer (Ex: “Vocal Producer: [Name]”) - guides vocalists and helps the engineers select the best vocal tracks.
Assistants and other Technicians - extremely underrated positions that require technical skills and knowledge, as well as soft skills like excellent communication and problem-solving abilities. These positions are generally entry-level, but allow the assistant or technician the opportunity to learn from the best and gain exposure to industry professionals. Steve Albini, notable engineer, producer, and musician who worked on Nirvana’s In Utero and the Pixies’s Surfer Rosa, began his career as an assistant.

5. Ownership and Label Credits

Ownership and label credits refer to the individuals or entities that hold the legal rights to a song or recording, as well as those responsible for its commercial release. These credits are critical for understanding who owns, manages, and profits from the intellectual property associated with the music. Here are some examples:

Master Rights Holder (Ex: “Master recordings owned by…”) - the person or entity that owns the copyright to the master recording of the song. In many cases, the record label owns the master copyright (don’t forget the distinction between master copyrights vs. composition copyrights!). However, sometimes it’s the independent artist who owns the master rights, or perhaps the producer who financed the recording.
Composition Rights Owners (Ex: “© 2025 [Songwriter].”) - the person or entity that owns the copyright to the composition (the song itself). In many cases, the owner(s) of the composition may include the songwriters, publishers, or even the label.
Record Label (Ex: “Released by [Record Label].”) - identifies the record label responsible for the song’s production, marketing, and distribution.
Distributors (Ex: “Digital distribution by [Distributor].”) - companies that make sure the music reaches consumers, whether via streaming platforms (such as Spotify) or in physical format (like CDs and vinyl).

6. Visual and Artwork Credits

Visual and artwork credits acknowledge the individuals and teams responsible for creating the visual elements of a musical release. Some common visual and artwork credits include:

Album cover design (Ex: “Album cover design by…”) - acknowledges the graphic designers or artists responsible for the album or single’s cover art.
Photography (Ex: “Cover photo by…”) - credits the photographers who capture promotional images, band portraits, or visuals used in the album booklet, press releases, and digital platforms.
Illustration and artwork (Ex: “Hand-drawn illustrations by…”) - credits the illustrators or digital artists who create custom visuals for a project, such as drawings, paintings, or digital composites.
Art direction (Ex: “Creative direction led by…”) - recognizes the art director or creative director who oversees the visual theme and ensures consistency across all visuals, from the album cover to promotional materials.
Layout and design (Ex: “Vinyl jacket design by...”) - credits those who handle the layout and formatting of physical and digital materials, including the design of CD booklets, vinyl sleeves, and online visuals.
Motion graphics and video design (Ex: “Animation by…”) - credits the motion graphic artists, video editors, and directors involved with any music videos, lyric videos, or animated visuals.
Styling and wardrobe (Ex: “Costume design by…”) - recognizes stylists or costume designers responsible for creating the visual aesthetic of the artist or band in photoshoots or music videos.
Set and prop design (“Ex: Set visuals by…”) - credits set designers or prop creators for music videos, photo shoots, or live performances.
Logo design (Ex: “Band logo by…”) - acknowledges the graphic designers who create a band’s logo.
Special effects and retouching (Ex: “Special effects by…”) - credits those who enhance visuals with special effects or post-production editing, such as retouching photos or adding digital effects.

7. Legal and Business Credits

Legal and business credits recognize the various professionals and entities that handle the legal, financial, and administrative aspects of a song, a release, or an artist’s entire career. Some examples include: attorneys, business managers, agents, managers, accountants, royalty auditors, publishing administrators, licensing specialists, label executives, etc. These may not be the sexiest credits, but once you start digging, you will realize that the bands you see on stage are just the tip of the music industry iceberg; that so much more occurs under the surface.

We’ll dive in to these often over-looked yet very important positions in future articles.

8. Special Thanks and Dedications

Special thanks and dedications credits are my favorite category of credits. Why? Because we get to peek behind the curtain and catch glimpses of who inspired, encouraged, assisted, and empowered our favorite artists. Go take a look at the dedications in your favorite albums, and you may end up down some incredible rabbit holes.

Closing Remarks

If you made it this far - great job! My hope is that by this point you are more familiar with the various types of song credits. Understanding song credits can help ensure you receive recognition for your contributions, and will make upcoming discussions on royalties easier to understand.

As always, the topics covered here contain more twists, turns, and caveats than can possibly be addressed in a single article. This article is merely a broad stroke of the fundamentals and should not be considered as a complete explanation of song credits in any way.

Let me know what other topics you would like to read about!

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TL;DR

Song credits are crucial for giving proper recognition to everyone who contributes to a song's creation, from writing and performing to production and business management, while also ensuring fair royalty distribution and clear ownership of rights. The article explores how these credits reflect the collaborative nature of music, provide transparency, and highlight the often-overlooked roles that make a song possible.