how to write a hit song?

[Valeria Merk]

Hello guys, by the way, about writing a hit song, yesterday I came across a video on YouTube, where a girl analyzes popular hits, for example, David Kushner and gives secret life hacks, if anyone is interested, I share the link https://youtu.be/Zp1Vldp1urY

[MikeRobinson]

If there actually were a "formula" for "writing a hit song," (1) everybody would be a bezillionaire, and (2) nobody would be listening to [the radio], because there wouldn't be anything interesting to listen to. 😀

 

On the one hand, a "fairly mechanical" music-production industry is always looking for "fairly mechanical," very formulaic "hits" which [of course ...] don't actually last very long.  These songs are their product, and they have developed a fairly consistent machine by which to produce them.

 

"True creativity," on the other hand, is a very curious thing: you usually don't know that you have "an enduring hit" until you do.  And, when you do, the craftsmanship of your invention is largely unappreciated.

[Glammerocity]

The guys in KLF, Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty, wrote The Manual (How to Have a Number One the easy Way) as a guide to how they did it with Doctorin' the Tardis. I believe Trio followed the guide when they made their number one, Da Da Da. But for every Trio there were a whole bunch of people who didn't have a number one, which nobody heard about. So one hit hardly confirms the fomula was foolproof. Bill and Jimmy were old heads who knew how to work the biz, not a couple of get-lucky neds in a garage.

 

I've said before that if writing a good hook was that easy, there'd be more pop stars and fewer lawyers. And no matter how cool and creatively self-indulgent you are, it's the hooks the fans want. I love a bit of XTC, who nobody could call formulaic pop, but there's a reason their Mayor of Simpleton has 2.4m YouTube views, while Travels in Nihilon, their rant against fashionable youth culture, has 31k: Mayor of Simpleton has more hooks than a fishing trip at a Peter Pan convention. Indeed, they moved away from their archetypal hook-laden "quirky" rock in the 80s, trying to be more artisticly adventurous but had to return to more familiar waters when the royalties dried up.

 

I suppose it depends what you regard as formulaic but formulae certainly last. The blues: E A E B A E. Metal: A C D. New wave: E A B. Teen angst: C Am F G. ACDC hit on a winning formula in the 1970s and got an entire career out of it.

Edited June 19, 2023 by Glammerocity

[MikeRobinson]

Now, let me also interject this angle ...

 

In most of the "grand old times" that we are still talking about, the only way to get your music out to the masses was to have it pressed onto a vinyl disc.  Thousands of wannabe artists spent fruitless dollars with musical "vanity publishers" only to see their musical aspirations turn into dust.

 

But also ... and I actually have a bit of family experience with this and still a few royalties ... even the "biggest stars" spoke of "flinging songs against the wall, to see which ones will stick."  Many of the "big hits" were surprises.  Plenty "better songs" pancaked.

 

Today's music market is "crazily different." Suddenly, there are no technical obstacles.

Edited June 21, 2023 by MikeRobinson

[RoderickWalter]

When it comes to writing a hit, I've noticed that emotions play a huge role. Some of the most powerful and relatable songs are born when artists pour their heart and soul into the lyrics and melody. Whether it's love, heartbreak, joy, or even anger, tapping into genuine emotions can connect with listeners on a deeper level.
By the way, thanks to the awesome person who shared that YouTube video analyzing popular hits – I checked it out, and wow, mind-blowing insights! It's amazing how dissecting successful songs can offer valuable lessons for our own songwriting journey.
And speaking of tips, have you guys checked out audiotipz.com? I stumbled upon it recently, and it's packed with incredible recommendations and tricks for music production! Definitely worth checking out if you want to take your music to the next level!

Edited July 24, 2023 by RoderickWalter

[El Diablo Songwriter]

Personally, making a hit song isn't my goal.

 

But if I wanted to make one today, I'd get a piñata, fill it up with lyrics, hang it high, wear a blindfold, and use a bat to try and HIT it... Once I hit, it... It then becomes a HIT...LOL

[El Diablo Songwriter]

Actually....

 

It's not what you know, or how you create the song.... It's who you know that makes you famous.  

[El Diablo Songwriter]

Reach out to as many communities as you can... Talk with people... Spread your self out to people.... It's all about getting yourself seen.

 

To me... I want to be seen without being seen.  I want the views, but want to remain anonymous.  So .... My road will be much harder to conquer than any normal musician... I've got a higher chance of getting struck by lightning than making it big.

 

It could be why all my music is depressing.

Edited November 15, 2023 by El Diablo Songwriter

[Christophe Tatlocke Holmes]

I think one reason it's so difficult to come up with a formula to write a hit song is that the song itself is not the only determiner in it becoming a hit.

 

The seat of power lies with the producer when it comes to determining how the song will sound - and where it ends up. If your song is chosen, chances are that when a real producer (i.e. one with a proven track record and industry connections) gets through with it, it will probably sound unrecognisable!

 

Then there's effective marketing, promotion and placement, legal etc. This is not a one person job. That there are so many examples of songs that bombed when released, and then smashed on re-release or covered by another artist probably illustrates better than anything else the fine line between success and failure and the sheer amount of commercial muscle usually needed to force a song into the public consciousness.