Lyricist

作词者 (Lyricist) is the person who creates the written content to be sung in a song. Lyrics are integrated with the melody through their meaning, rhythm, stress, rhyme, and stanza structure, and are considered part of the creative composition of a musical work; a lyricist is distinct from the vocalist who performs the lyrics.

Lyric writing can precede composition, be completed based on an existing melody, or develop simultaneously during a collaborative creative process. A single person may write both the lyrics and the music, in which case they are credited as a “songwriter” or “composer-lyricist”; when multiple people contribute to the verses, chorus, or different language versions, they may also share the title of “lyricist.” The credit distribution is determined by the creators and the publishing system. A distinction must be made between translating and adapting lyrics. Literal translations may be credited as “translator,” while rewrites that adapt the content to the rhythm of another language often use credits such as “adapted lyrics” or “new lyrics”; whether this constitutes a new, protected work depends on agreements and applicable laws. When original poetry, scripture, or public domain text is set to music, separate credits such as “author,” “text by,” or “source” may also be listed.

Text in rap, spoken word, and narration can constitute lyrics and may be credited as “writer,” “author,” or “performer”; industry practices are not entirely uniform. For improvised vocals included in the final work, whether participants receive lyricist credit depends on the recognition of their contribution, rather than solely on whether they appear in the recording.

作词者 does not have to be a recording artist, nor does ownership of the rights to the lyrics and music automatically confer ownership of the master rights. Royalties for the use of a work are distinct from the rights arising from the recording, performance, production, and distribution of the work.