How To Write a Potential "HIT" Song in 5 Easy Steps

Writing a "HIT" song might turn out to be much easier than you think, but getting it to resonate and gain traction with a large nationwide or global audience could be the difficult part. In the following article please find some tips as they relate to writing a "Potential" "Chart Topping" song every artist dreams of. In the future I will publish additional comments on some of the best and easiest ways to promote it which should increase the odds of conversion to that ever elusive "HIT" minus the "Potential". This part is certainly not easy but if it's what you truly desire then by all means go for it, pursue this goal with uncompromising energy and then just let the "CD's Fall Where They May".

Song Length 3 To 4 Minutes

I believe a song should be at least long enough for the listener to learn some of the lyrics and get familiar with the rhythm or beat which will give them a chance to commit at least a small portion to memory so the next time they hear it a comfortable feeling of "Knowing" the song and artist to a certain degree will be present. It shouldn't be too long though, I think the threshold of "Enjoyable" to potentially "Annoying" is when the duration reaches 5 to 6 minutes or longer. Unless it's the next "Stairway to Heaven" any song over this threshold runs the risk of crossing that fine line.

The perfect time duration in my opinion is at least 3 minutes but no more than 41/2 minutes. I think if you adhere to this first unwritten rule you will accomplish the "Get Familiar/Non Annoyance" aspect which can significantly increase your chances of producing a potential bona fide "Hit".

Up Tempo

Try to write "Up Tempo" or "Up Beat" songs ( Unless of course it's a traditional love song ), even if the subject matter is "Dark" or from the "Street", always try and keep it snappy. Sure you can make it with obscure slow sleepy tempo tunes similar to "Moby" but how many "Moby's" do you hear on the radio today? Not many I'll bet, but on the flip side, how many "Foo Fighter" style bands do you hear? I think it's safe to assume possibly a few more than the Moby likeness. Not to imply Moby isn't a great song writer or artist but I believe he was fortunate to find a very loyal niche audience that appreciates his underground style music for it's unusual appealing quality, however I would personally save the slower downbeat tempo tunes for your first or second CD release after being signed . 1 or 2 of these will be  acceptable when mixed in with more energetic selections.

Broad Audience Appeal

I would forget the mainstream conventional wisdom about playing what you like as priority unless pleasing yourself is more important than commercial success. I'm sure you've heard it at least 3 to 4 million times from your favorite artist via an MTV or VH1 interview, or from a radio Disc Jockey talking about the ins and outs of the record business. Everyone within the industry are usually unanimous in espousing a common philosophy that they believe is the ultimate recipe for success. I've personally heard several variations on this theme but all have a similar root nucleus, and it goes something like this,

• "Don't try to please anyone else but yourself, play the kind of music you enjoy and don't compromise artistic integrity just for the sake of trying to make it in the Music Business" -

Well, it's certainly a nice cliche' that we've all heard time and time again but I believe there are certain inherent flaws in this strategy. If your playing for your own self gratification and have no desire to "Make It" in the music business this advise of course would be relevant, however if your desire is to take the "Universe by Storm" in an unbridled whirlwind of syncopated audio splendor by writing commercially successful songs that appeal to the entire world then it might not be the best advise to follow.

What it really comes down to is your ultimate goal. Are you playing for fun as a hobby or are you serious about becoming a bona fide "Paid" professional artist. If your goal is the latter, in my opinion it is absolutely essential that you write melodies & lyrics that will appeal to the broadest audience possible, even if it means slightly tweaking or completely overhauling your current writing style. If you take this advise and craft songs that will appeal to a larger demographic your odds of actually making it in the business will indeed go up dramatically even though from the very beginning they are overwhelmingly stacked against you. But why make it even harder by playing the style you "like" if indeed this type of music is way out of the mainstream or overtly obscure, for instance "Punk Opera" or "Grunge Polkas". Sure if your extremely lucky this might pan out but what are the odds? If your current style is indeed more mainstream then by all means write songs with that in mind.

• Once again, if your writing songs to become "HITS", you may find it necessary to compromise your Desires & Self Gratification and write commercially acceptable music that appeals to the largest audience possible. Think along the lines of "Coldplay", "Lady GaGa"( Yes a little off the wall but very Danceable & Singable with great hooks ) , "Kings of Leon", or even the "Beatles" if you dare -

Concise Lyrics

A perfect example of a song that is lyrically unappealing to me is the "Red Hot Chili Peppers" "Scar Tissue". The melody is good but the words leave something to be desired. Sure I can sing along with it but I have no idea what I'm singing and what the lyrics actually mean, hence a slight disconnect. A little too abstract for my taste and I would assume for many others but the "Chili Peppers" are one of the most popular bands in the business with an extremely talented lineup of musicians who can get away with that now because they have built a huge loyal following and are considered Bona Fide Rock Stars, however if you listen to some of their earlier works when they were struggling for airplay the lyrics were more clear and concise, to the point, and easily deciphered. Example "Underneath the Bridge" " Higher Ground" ( Even though the latter was a Stevie Wonder "Knockoff" ).

So in essence, try to be transparent and easy to understand with lyrics, at least in the beginning stages of your career. I think people like to sing what they can relate to more so than abstract passages that mean very little in their life. When you make it to the "Big Show" There will be plenty of time to write in metaphors and "Egyptian Heiroglyphs".

Catchy Chorus

You've heard this one a million times before but believe me it's very true. Even an average song can become a mega hit if the chorus is "Catchy". Something that will make the general public sing it in the shower, at work typing, or just about anywhere else. Nothing complex here so let your imagination run wild, sing it out loud before putting it on the digital recorder and hope for the best.

NOTE:

• Back in the day, the process of promoting a song or band was nearly impossible without the assistance of an agent or manager who had connections with one or more major record labels. If you didn't have credible and competent representation one of the only other ways to gain publicity and a potential contract was to play the club circuit, slowly build a following, then hope a talent scout would catch your act and sign you to a label.
• Fortunately those days are behind us and unlimited virtual free publicity is a simple click away via YouTube and any number of other web sites designed to attract unique content for worldwide distribution. That's the good news, the bad news is the general public will always be subjected to mediocre and in some cases down right awful acts in between the genuinely talented individuals. But then again one persons "Awful" is another's "Work of Art", so maybe we should reserve judgement on what constitutes "ART". In any event, write your new "Potential" "HIT" song without sparing a drop of Vigor & Enthusiasm, Then use the huge wealth of "REAL" & "VIRTUAL" resources available at your fingertips to get it out in front of as many people as possible and who knows, your "Potential Hit" someday just might evolve into that ever elusive "HIT".

• Best of Luck and please do return in the future to find additional articles published on this and other music industry related topics -
  

^{<> All images & borders courtesy of Alternative Prime's "foto-prime" collection  <>}