What is a Lyric Sheet and When Do I Need One?

Most artists don’t think twice about lyric sheets… until someone asks for one and they don’t have it. Whether it’s a music supervisor interested in your song, a blog requesting materials for a feature, or a distributor asking for assets, not having a proper lyric sheet can not only slow you down but even cost you a big opportunity. In this post, you’ll learn everything you need to know so you’re prepared and ready to go when the time comes. Here’s the rundown…

What is a Lyric Sheet and When Do I Need One?

The Importance of Lyric Sheets

It may seem like a small thing, but having a lyric sheet does, in fact, make a huge difference. Whether you’re pitching your music for sync, registering songs for publishing, building out your press kit, or just staying organized, a solid lyric sheet helps you look more professional and be ready for whatever comes next.

These are simple yet essential documents to have. All they are are your lyrics, typed out clearly and professionally, without any chords or notes. It’s one of those things that might not feel urgent until suddenly, it is. Having one ready to go shows you’re serious, prepared, and easy to work with. And in an industry built on fast decisions and first impressions, that can make all the difference.

So… When Do I Need a Lyric Sheet?

There are more moments than you might think when a lyric sheet can come in handy. Some of the most common situations include:

🎬 Sync Licensing Opportunities: Music supervisors need to know what your song is saying to see if it fits their project. A clear lyric sheet helps them review your song quickly without having to listen to the whole thing.

💰 Publishing Registration: If you’re registering songs with a PRO (like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC) or a publishing admin, you’ll often need to submit a lyric sheet as part of your song data.

🎙️ Copyright Registration: Want to register your lyrics with the U.S. Copyright Office? You’ll need a properly formatted lyric sheet, even if you’re just registering the lyrics on their own.

📝 Press Kits & Blog Features: Journalists, playlist curators, and blogs may request your lyrics to include in a feature or to better understand your music before covering it.

👯‍♀️ Collaborations & Splits: When working with other songwriters, having a finalized lyric sheet can help ensure everyone agrees on the final version of the lyrics before registering splits.

🪩 Live Performance Prep: Especially helpful for rehearsals or when prepping a new set, having a lyric sheet to reference can save time and avoid forgotten lines.

What Goes in the Lyric Sheet?

A good lyric sheet is one that is simple, clean, and easy to follow. No need to overthink it, but you do want to make sure it’s as polished and professional as possible. In it, you’ll need these things:

• Song title: Centered at the top. This is the first thing people should see.
• Artist name: Optional, but helpful to include right under the title, especially if you’re sending it out for press or licensing.
• Lyrics in full: Write out the lyrics exactly as they’re performed, with no missing lines or placeholders.
• Clearly labeled sections: Use headers like [Verse 1], [Chorus], [Bridge], etc., to break things up and make it easy to follow.
• Consistent formatting: Keep spacing neat between sections and avoid switching up fonts or text sizes mid-way through.
• Proper spelling and grammar: Even if your song has a casual tone, your lyric sheet should be typo-free and polished.

Keep in mind here, leave the creativity for your songs. No need for fancy fonts with different colors, production notes, fun facts, or even chords and sheet music. The point of the lyric sheet is to make your lyrics as clear and easy to read as possible. Whoever’s reading it should be able to quickly understand the structure and content of your song without any distractions (no matter how fun you may think they are).

Think of it like a resume for your lyrics: clean, professional, and easy to scan. Nothing more, nothing less.

📚 To help you out, BMI (one of the major performing rights organizations in the U.S.) actually has a great example of what a perfectly formatted lyric sheet should look like. Be sure to check that out right here.

To wrap things up…

Imagine this: A music supervisor is working on a tight deadline for a new Netflix series. They love your track, and it fits the vibe perfectly. But before they can move forward, they need to review the lyrics to make sure it’s a match for the scene… And get this… You don’t have a lyric sheet ready. And by the time you put one together, they’ve already moved on to the next artist who had everything ready to go.

That’s a real, tangible opportunity lost. Not because your song wasn’t good enough, but because you weren’t prepared.

At the end of the day, being organized gives you the edge you need to make things happen. So do yourself a favor, take ten minutes, and create a clean, professional lyric sheet that’s ready to go for whenever opportunity strikes.

Future you (and your future opportunities) will thank you.

👀 But before you go… 

Odds are, you don’t write every song completely on your own. You’ve got co-writers, producers, and other creatives who have contributed to the creation of your finished song. If you want to ensure everyone is paid exactly what they’re owed, you need to master your split sheet game.

To help you out, we’ve created a free split sheet you can download and use for your next project. // Click here to download it for FREE. 

Happy creating!