What Makes Rihanna and Drake’s ‘Work’… Work
The more I listen to “Work’ by Rihanna (featuring Drake) – the video’s below – …
When Song Ideas Come, Forward Motion Is Everything
Overthinking a song can be fatal when ideas are flowing. At a later point, I…
The Quickest Way To Bring Fresh Ears To A New Song
Deep into a new song, at some point it becomes hard, almost impossible, to get…
2 Reasons Why Hit Songs Are Different Than They Used To Be
It’s been clear in recent years that popular songwriting has been going through another significant…
Why You Sometimes Like Songs With Bad Lyrics
In a song, everything is sound. So, before we even perceive the content of lyrics…
When In Doubt… Follow The Melody
A songwriter for whom I’m producing an album recently asked for my ideas about what…
Inside An Indie Song That Became A Hit
‘Lost Stars’, sung by Adam Levine in the movie ‘Begin Again’, is a powerful and…
How To Set Up a Chorus Like Justin T. & Max Martin
Justin Timberlake’s smash ’Can’t Stop The Feeling’ delivers 4 minutes-plus of happy happy joy joy…
Don’t Give Away Your Chorus Before Its Time
This post is about avoiding something that I think can hurt a song – I…
6 Takeaways from the 2016 ASCAP EXPO in L.A.
Last week I went to the ASCAP ‘I Create Music’ Expo in Los Angeles. It’s…
Songwriting’s ‘Dirty Little Secret’? It’s…
Sometimes the message of books and blogs (including this one) about writing can make it…
What’s The Best Tool For Finishing A Song?
I just started a 5 week ‘Finish Your Songs’ workshop at my studio. Among other…
The Importance Of Being Picky… Very Picky
I’ve written various posts related to how important it is to write without judgement… to…
How To Pull Off A Classic Pop Song
It’s rare when a song feels modern but also catches a believable retro vibe. These…
Whatever My Mood, The Sh*t Won’t Write Itself
For most of us it’s natural and normal to have ups and downs – in…
By Now Hip Hop Has Influenced All Songwriting – Even Country
It’s no secret that by now Hip Hop has influenced every kind of popular songwriting…
Coldplay’s ‘Viva La Vida’ – The Art of Generating Momentum
Coldplay’s 2008 hit, ‘Viva La Vida’ is an intense, rousing, and satisfying song. It combines…
FKA twigs’ ‘Pendulum’: Addition By Subtraction
This is an adventurous song. It’s also an exceptional song, recording, and piece of music…
In Songwriting, The Importance of Getting the BIG THINGS Right
In working with songwriters (and tracking my own development) I’ve noticed something about writers who…
‘Take Me To The River’ – Al Green, meet David Byrne
In 1974 Al Green wrote the song ‘Take Me To The River’ with Teenie Hodges,…
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