What makes a hit song?
When you sit down to write a song, get comfy with all your materials at hand. Photo by Julianne Littlefield.
Personal insight and tips from the pros shed light on what makes a hit.
Do you ever wonder what makes certain songs so popular? Scroll through the right YouTube playlist and you’ll find songs with hundreds of millions of views. These songs you’ve likely heard before.
But what makes these songs so special? And why do masses of people keep returning to listen to them year after year?
The beat
On a run with my friends the other day, we agreed that sometimes it’s the beat and not the lyrics that makes you replay a song. We felt this was the case for running, especially.
My friend commented that your feet match in step with the beat, and your music choice can make or break a run.
The lyrics
But, at least in my own experience, the lyrics can either make or break a song for me.
There are certain songs whose lyrics make me uncomfortable, causing me to skip them every time. And there are others with the simplest accompaniment but most beautiful lyrics. I come back to these songs again and again.
Familiar but unexpected
Tying these two ideas together, writer Ian Leslie shared a music executive's secret: people like the familiar and the unexpected at the same time. Leslie cited Derek Thompson's book, Hit Makers, which says that it's this combination that draws in the audience and keeps them coming back.
Executives weren't expecting songs like Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and Elton John's "Your Song" to become hits because they weren't conventional, but people liked them anyways.
“Your Song” was also thought to be too ordinary at the same time. And Leslie identified Harry Potter and Star Wars as falling under this same category; executives didn't think they would be successful because much of the concept was common in similar works.
All these cases defied expectations and became largely popular.
Practical composing tips
Now all of this is well and good, but let’s get down to the nitty gritty of songwriting.
Back in 2007, popular music artist Babyface was interviewed by Cosmo Girl. This magazine is no longer being published, but his advice seems timeless.
Be relatable
Babyface said relatability is key. Your songs should be about what many people go through, not just yourself, and common phrases can be a good addition to lyrics.
Study up
He also recommended studying the lyrics and music of past successful musicians and following in their footsteps; what worked before can work again.
Good hooks make earworms
The artist said that having a hook, the part of the song that people remember best, is crucial for getting people to remember it.
And, in my experience, if a song is rattling around in my head, I’ll reach for my phone to put it on and sing along more often than not.
Don’t keep it hidden
Finally, Babyface mentioned that playing your song for strangers and accepting honest feedback can help you improve.
Once your song gets published, you’ll need people to keep listening to make it a hit. That’s why it’s important to make something others genuinely like listening to.
Ideas without opportunity
But, once you’ve written your hit, you might not get recognized if you don’t have the opportunity to publish your songs.
Sometimes producers take notice of songwriters who haven't had a shot at creating their own pieces. For example, Sony Music U.S. Latin's "Sony Secret Sessions" began in 2015 with the hopes of making hits for female artists.
During the "Sony Secret Sessions," Sony executives Alejandro Reglero and Jorge Fonseca put together artists who had ideas but lacked opportunity, and they created hit songs.
However, those who don’t receive this kind of support must use their own methods to create hits.
An art not a science
Overall, you may not want to hear this, but writer Ian Leslie reminds us that making a hit song isn't an exact science. Sometimes the best route is to make something you like and see what happens.
References
Cobo, L. (2018). Sony’s Secret Sessions. Billboard, 130(27), 32.
Leslie, I. (2019, July 5). Both familiar and strange: Elton John's "Your Song" and the elusive art of hit-making. New Statesman, 148(5478), 38.
write a rockin’ tune! (2007). Cosmo Girl, 9(1), 30.