WHAT IT IS Penning a chart-topping tune
WHY YOU WON’T DO IT Besides talent, you need big luck and bigger bucks
Despite the changing landscape of the music industry, there is still nothing quite like having a Number One record to your name. It might be tricky to keep track of the many different charts – physical sales, air play, digital downloads and so on – but in the end it’s all about having a song that people want to listen to.
Writing songs is a bit like kissing frogs in search of a prince. You’ll probably have to write a lot of them before you hit upon the one. For instance, Guy Chambers, Robbie Williams’s former writing partner and one of today’s most successful hitmakers, reportedly scores one hit for every 47 songs he writes. And songs don’t write themselves, so get on with it – a bit of daydreaming is fine, but you need to get all those words and tunes that are in your head down on paper.
Having a Number One hit is a delicate balance of quality songwriting, great performance, clever marketing and great good luck. Immerse yourself in music. Seek out different styles from different eras. Educate yourself in the theory of songwriting – you don’t have to spend years at a salon, but it helps to have a basic understanding of melody, harmony and rhythm. Familiarize yourself with basic song structures. Don’t be constricted by theory, but use it to free your creativity. According to Billboard Magazine, the average length of a hit song is 4.26 minutes, with a tempo between 117 and 122 beats per minute. For your best statistical chance of a hit, write in the key of C and stick to major keys. If you struggle with lyrics, get a partner to look after that side of things – an arrangement that worked out nicely for Elton John and Bernie Taupin.
When you have a song that you think might work, play it to people. If they don’t leave whistling it, perhaps it’s not your hit. However, be sure to copyright your song and don’t sell the rights too cheaply or without royalties. Decide if you want to link up with a major record label or not. A multinational will always have the resources and know-how to reach places that you as an individual might not, but increasingly musicians are able to strike out on their own or on smaller labels. Once upon a time, a record’s success depended on radio airplay – if the DJs were on your side, the chances of your song succeeding were good. These days, thanks to the internet, there are more methods than ever of garnering attention, and a wily songwriter will make use of all of them.