Revisiting Earlier Songs… As A More Experienced Writer
I try to do my best when I write a song. When I feel it’s…
When You Hear That Inner Voice Saying Your Song Could Be Better…
Sometimes I finish a song… and I feel pretty good about it; it seems to…
Like ‘I Took A Pill In Ibiza’, Your Ballad Might Be A Dance Hit
Most people know Mike Posner’s ‘I Took A Pill In Ibiza’ from the SeeB EDM…
Is ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ the Perfect Song?
I’ve heard people call Somewhere Over The Rainbow “the perfect song”. I don’t even think…
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…
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