There are billions of songs on radios, streaming platforms, television shows, and other forms of media that people may listen to. However, not all of those songs grab listeners' interest. To some degree, the answer is obvious. Many songs are forgotten, while the vast majority will not be around after a few months. So, what does it take to write a long-lasting hit song?
We need to understand what goes into the process of creating a hit to understand what makes a song turn into a radio hit that goes on to amass hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of streams, gain a global audience, and win accolades. You'll need to understand what award-winning songwriters do to produce songs that will go down in history as the greatest tracks of a given genre, just like how you must know how a Michelin star-winning chef creates new dishes.
Some routines stand out in the music process, according to years of working with professional musicians who have advanced through periods of success. Let's take a look at each phase, noting some best practices that can improve the quality of a song and convert it into a fan favorite.
When writing a song, there are three distinct roles to be fulfilled: the lyricist, the composer, and the top-line writer. One person may fulfill one, two, or even all three functions in certain cases. Whatever the case, a lot of planning goes into each of these areas. A great song doesn't just have a catchy tune and excellent content. They must also possess both qualities. It may not appear like it at times, but every melody and phrase to a successful song requires considerable thought.
It's important to remember that catchy doesn't always imply complicated. Sometimes, the beauty of a song emerges in the simplest aspects. Many well-known songs, for example, "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Love Is a Rose" by Neil Young, and "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash, among many others, only use three chords. I've seen instances where up to 10 individuals may collaborate on songwriting alone. Get the individuals who can make a song happen, regardless of what it takes.
After a song is finished, the production phase begins. In this portion of the process, you'll need to look for producers, session musicians, a recording studio, mixing engineers, and mastering engineers. Songwriting is all about creating high-quality material, while production is concerned with putting a song in its ideal form.
Although the equipment may assist in the production stage, it doesn't always imply higher quality. You're looking for talent and experience. What you should be looking for is talent and experience. Equipment in the production stage might help, but it does not always imply higher quality. What you should be on the lookout for are talent and experience. This is where songwriters typically spend the bulk of their money on polishing their songs.
According to a recent analysis of Rihanna's smash song "Man Down," some producers charge $20,000 or more, plus studio time and session musicians. Fortunately, most aspiring songwriters may afford to spend anything from $500 to $1,000 for a service that will help them reach the next level.
A publisher is the last step in getting your music to market after it's been approved by you. Now, getting to one isn't always as simple as it appears, but finding a publisher that appeals to your genre, style, and identity the most is one technique that improves your chances of being published with a major player. Find out what motivates a publisher and what kind of music they are most enthusiastic about, then choose one that matches your unique style.
Don't give up when you get a "no." Networking is critical in most sectors, and it's true in the music business. Most serious music publishers don't accept unsolicited material, so you'll need to come up with a method for getting your songs to them. The greatest approach to accomplish this is to construct your network inside the music business, attend conferences, collaborate, and develop your music portfolio. You never know when that elusive "yes" will come around; therefore, keep trying.
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