songstress abroad

One of the most important things you can do as a songwriter is listen to music. If you want to write a top 40 pop song, then LISTEN to top 40 pop songs, or country songs, or metal songs-whatever you are into-and dissect them.

Why is it a hit song? Does it have a catchy, repeating melody or phrase that gets stuck in your head? Try to make one of your own.  Does it have a political or controversial subject? Who wrote the song? Read CD liners and bios.  You’ll find the same songwriters coming up over and over again.  Do a little research on them, and find out how they like to write.

There is no formula for a hit song, but by listening to what consumers are buying, you will get a basic idea of songwriting basics. When you listen to these songs, see if you can discern a recognizable song structure or beat pattern.  Very few songs become chart toppers without following basic structural, rhyming, and rhythmic rules.  More on these later.

Now that you’ve listened to the genre that interests you most, go listen to something different.  Can you take your love of grunge and salsa and fuse the two together into something completely innovative? Then you just might have a hit song.  The most important thing you can do is keep in touch with the industry by listening to music and following ratings publications like Billboard.

Want to know more about the basic songwriting rules? Stay tuned!

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