Yes, lyrics can be protected separately from music under UK copyright law. When you write lyrics, they receive copyright protection as a literary work, distinct from the musical composition. This means:
- If you write only lyrics, you own the copyright in those lyrics
- If someone else writes music to your lyrics, you each own your respective contributions
- Lyrics can be licensed independently for uses like printed songbooks or merchandise
- Digital platforms increasingly need separate lyric licences for display features
This separation becomes important in collaborations. If you're a lyricist working with a composer, you'll need to agree on ownership splits for the complete song. Industry practice typically treats the finished song as one copyright work for licensing purposes, with agreed percentage shares between all contributors, regardless of whether they contributed words, music, or both.
