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Lyrics & Credits Display

Getting your lyrics and credits displayed correctly on streaming platforms helps fans connect with your music and ensures everyone involved gets proper recognition.

Why Lyrics Matter

  • Fan engagement - Listeners spend more time with songs that have lyrics
  • Social sharing - Lyrics can be shared to Instagram Stories
  • Accessibility - Helps hearing-impaired fans enjoy your music
  • Discovery - Some platforms index lyrics for search

How Lyrics Get to Platforms

Lyrics appear on streaming platforms through two main paths:

  1. Direct delivery - Include lyrics in your LabelGrid release metadata
  2. Lyrics services - Third-party services like Musixmatch

Which Platforms Show Lyrics

PlatformLyrics Source
SpotifyMusixmatch (primary)
Apple MusicDirect delivery, auto-sync
YouTube MusicDirect delivery, Musixmatch
Amazon MusicMusixmatch
DeezerMusixmatch
TikTokCaption overlay, not traditional lyrics

Musixmatch for Artists

Musixmatch is the leading lyrics platform, powering lyrics on Spotify, Amazon, and others.

Portal: artists.musixmatch.com

Getting Verified

  1. Go to artists.musixmatch.com
  2. Create an account
  3. Verify your identity as an artist
  4. Link your social media or website
  5. Verification is usually granted within 48 hours

What Verified Artists Can Do

FeatureDescription
Add lyricsSubmit official lyrics for your songs
Edit lyricsCorrect errors in existing lyrics
Sync lyricsAdd timestamps for karaoke-style display
Verify lyricsConfirm community-submitted lyrics are correct
AnalyticsSee how often your lyrics are viewed

Submitting Lyrics

  1. Sign in to artists.musixmatch.com
  2. Search for your song
  3. Click Add Lyrics or Edit Lyrics
  4. Enter the lyrics exactly as sung
  5. Submit for review

Syncing Lyrics (Time-Stamped)

Synced lyrics scroll as the song plays, karaoke-style. To sync:

  1. Find your song in Musixmatch
  2. Click Sync Lyrics
  3. Play the song and tap when each line starts
  4. Review the timing
  5. Submit for review

Tip: Synced lyrics appear on more platforms and are more engaging for fans.

Including Lyrics in LabelGrid

You can submit lyrics directly through your LabelGrid release:

  1. Go to your release in LabelGrid
  2. Navigate to the track details
  3. Find the lyrics field
  4. Paste your lyrics
  5. Save and submit

Lyrics submitted through LabelGrid are delivered to platforms that support direct lyrics ingestion, including Apple Music.

Formatting Guidelines

  • Use standard capitalization (not ALL CAPS)
  • Include line breaks where natural pauses occur
  • Don’t include chord notations or musical directions
  • Don’t include timestamps (those go in a separate sync file)
  • Avoid special characters that might not display correctly

Credits & Expanded Credits

Credits give recognition to everyone who contributed to a song: songwriters, producers, engineers, musicians, and more.

What Credits Include

RoleExamples
SongwriterLyricist, composer
ProducerBeat maker, music producer
PerformerFeatured artists, background vocalists
EngineerMixing, mastering, recording engineer
MusicianSession players, instrumentalists

Adding Credits in LabelGrid

When creating a release in LabelGrid:

  1. Go to your track details
  2. Find the Contributors/Credits section
  3. Add each contributor:
    • Name (as they want to be credited)
    • Role (select from dropdown or enter custom)
  4. Save your changes

How Credits Appear on Platforms

Spotify: Shows credits when users tap the three dots menu > Song Credits

Apple Music: Expanded Song Credits (2025) show all delivered credits for each track, giving visibility to writers, producers, engineers, and musicians

YouTube Music: Credits displayed on song info pages

TIDAL: Detailed credits page for each track

Songwriter Pages

Some platforms have dedicated features for songwriters.

Spotify Songwriter Pages

Songwriters with 5+ eligible songs can get a Songwriter Page:

  • Display credits for all songs you’ve written
  • Written By playlist auto-generated
  • Songwriter Promo Cards for social sharing

To claim your Songwriter Page:

  1. Ensure you’re credited on songs in Spotify
  2. Apply through Spotify for Artists or your publisher
  3. Wait for verification

Apple Music Songwriter Features

Apple Music’s expanded credits give more visibility to writers:

  • Full credit information displayed in-app
  • Searchable by songwriter name
  • Helps editors discover your work

Troubleshooting

Lyrics aren’t showing on Spotify

  1. Check if lyrics exist in Musixmatch
  2. If not, submit them as a verified artist
  3. Allow 24-48 hours for updates to sync
  4. Some older songs may take longer to update

Credits are missing or wrong

  1. Update credits in your LabelGrid release
  2. Submit an update to re-deliver metadata
  3. Allow time for platforms to update (can take days to weeks)
  4. For urgent fixes, contact LabelGrid support

Lyrics are incorrect

  1. If community-submitted: edit them in Musixmatch
  2. If you’re verified, your edits take priority
  3. Report incorrect lyrics through the platform’s app

Someone else’s lyrics appear on my song

This can happen with similar song titles:

  1. Flag the issue in Musixmatch
  2. Submit correct lyrics as the verified artist
  3. Contact Musixmatch support if needed

Best Practices

  1. Submit lyrics before release - Have them ready in Musixmatch before your song goes live
  2. Include all credits in LabelGrid - The more complete your metadata, the better
  3. Use consistent names - Credit people the same way across all releases
  4. Sync your lyrics - Time-stamped lyrics perform better
  5. Verify your Musixmatch profile - Gives you control over your lyrics
  6. Check credits after release - Verify they appear correctly on each platform

Resources