CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMERCIAL SONGS

Source: by Seth Jackson

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A commercial song:
Communicates real emotion that andiences want to relate to. People will buy songs that make them feel something they want to feel. Everyone likes to feel happy, which is why so many love songs and fun dance songs become hits. They also like to feel the comfort of knowing that sad or painful experiences they've had in their lives are shared by others, which is why we hear so many songs about lost love and loneliness. People don't want to be depressed, though, which is why most sad songs that become hits include a ray of hope that the singer will somehow deal with the pain and that things will get better. Audiences usually don't want to be preached at or have fingers pointed at them. The most successful message songs are ones that tell a story that draws the listener in, and then leads the listener to draw his own conclusion. Most audiences don't want to be grossed out with graphic images of violence, although some audiences, mostly teens, do like this sort of thing.

Fits within an identifiable genre that is played on the radio. A perhaps unfortunate reality of the music business is that it is a business, and most record companies spend money to create a product that they think is likely to make a profit. If you love to write Ethiopian drum music, for example, you should take a look at the market for Ethiopian drum music to assess your chances of getting your material recorded and played on the radio. If there are no radio stations playing that kind of music, then it's going to be very difficult to have a hit in that genre. If you write country, pop, or rock music, however, there are radio stations throughout the country that play these formats, so you may stand a chance of having a hit record if you write music in one of these genres. Markets do exist for even the most obscure types of music, so if that's your passion, seek out those markets and promote your music there, but realize that the amount of money to be made is likely to be modest.

Fits within the constraints of the genre. If you listen to country radio, for example, you may notice that most songs are around three minutes long, tell a clear story in plain, simple language, and have a definite structure that includes a repeating "hook line". Therefore, if you hope to write hits for this market, it's probably a good idea for your song to include these features. If you listen to "alternative" rock radio, you may notice that a lot of the songs contain strong, vivid images that conjure strong emotions without necessarily telling a clear story. So, songs like this have a chance at success in the "alternative" genre. On the other hand, you should be aware that in the alternative rock market, most of the artists write all their own material. Usually, the only way to get a song recorded with these artists is to co-write with the artist or producer.

Is something that a recording artist will want to sing. Most recording artists have concerns above and beyond their current hit song. Artists need hits, but they're also concerned with developing their careers. They generally want to stay around for a long time and to give themselves the best possible chance of becoming a star. The songs they choose to record are going to be songs that they believe will help them achieve that goal. A star is someone that fans look up to and admire. Therefore, artists are going to want to sing songs that portray them as someone that people can look up to. They probably aren't going to want to sing songs that make them appear to be weak, helpless, hopeless, or stupid. If they do take on that sort of material, it's most likely to be a something humorous or tongue-in-cheek. Songs that are recorded usually portray the artist as someone real and human who experiences both joy and pain, but has the strength and self-confidence to face and deal with his problems.

Says what it needs to say as concisely, uniquely, and as powerfully as possible. There are thousands and thousands of songs competing for each slot on an album. In order for your song to get chosen, the decision-makers need to feel that your song is better than all the others. They want to hear something fresh and original, something that stands out, something that makes a strong emotional impact. It's often true that the more concisely you can state something, the more power it has. Consider: "Try as I may, I continually fail in my efforts to achieve a state of contentment" vs. "I can't get no satisfaction". Which makes a stronger impact? Originality means coming up with unique and interesting ways of saying things rather than relying on old cliches. For example, consider these two song titles: "My Buddies at the Honky-Tonk" vs. "Friends in Low Places". Which one is more original and provocative?

Is believable. People will relate better to characters and situations that come across as real and believable. Ironically, basing a song on a true story does not guarantee that the song will come across as real believable. It's not important whether or not the story actually did happen in real life; what's important is for the writer to convince the audience that the situation did or could happen. The situation and the behavior of the characters must make logical and emotional sense to the audience.

Is memorable. Hit songs are usually songs that are easy and fun to sing along with. This means a strong, catchy melody, and a structure that provides a balance of variety and repetition. Structure is important because it gives the audience something to grasp onto. It allows them to be involved in the song. It allows them to remember the song and hum it in their heads. If there are too many sections, or if there's no logical flow from one section to the next, most people won't be able to follow the melody, and they'll lose interest. On the other hand, if your melody is too predictable, it will probably be boring. Song structure helps create interest by creating natural points within the song for melodic contrast.