Things to always consider when writing a song that stands out.

There are millions of songs; over a hundred thousand get released on Spotify each day, and it’s hard to stand out from it all.

And the one piece of advice I would give to people who wish to stand out is Write Great Music. There’s a little more to it than that; you also need to think about marketing your music, but when running a business, people would say the most critical aspect is the product you’re selling to your customers, and that means the most important thing is the music you’re sharing with your fans. So it might as well be something they will love more than the others.

Melodies

Melodies are at the front of it all and are what people remember the most about your song. It’s also one of the main elements defining your song and what sets it apart. If the melody is not interesting, catchy or emotional, the song won’t be either. Many songs I make start out as simple voice memos of melodies that I discreetly hum into my phone whenever an idea randomly pops into my head. Usually, when I’m out getting coffee or in bed trying to sleep. And I would later start building a song around that melody.

Chords

Chords set the stage for a song and can play a prominent role in the tone and atmosphere. Chord progressions can have guidelines. You can stick with a simple 4 chord progression like 99% of pop music from the last 100 years, but there are no rules for where to go with them. But regardless of what you decide to do, I recommend anyone writing music to learn how to understand Roman numerals when reading chord progressions, The Wheel of fifths, how to use Borrowed chords, the different Types of Chords besides just Major and Minor, and the 7 different modes, like Dorian and Lydian. Understanding all this will help you navigate and write whatever chord progression you want without much difficulty.

Genre and styles

All genres have their styles and characteristics that define them. Whether it’s rap music or EDM, the decisions about a song's genre will depend on the artist’s preference or whatever is considered mainstream. This is a good time to research and figure out what is considered popular now so you could try and follow an algorithm that would help guarantee success in your music. Like Funk and Disco in the 70s, you need to figure out what people today are listening to so you can attract them to you and your music.

Hook

The Hook is self-explanatory; it grabs the listener’s attention and makes them interested in listening to the rest of the song. It’s the part that gets stuck in your head, and all the memorable songs have great hooks. It might be a simple melody, riff or a phrase of words that gets stuck in your head. It could be heard in the chorus or the intro. Like Espresso, with the phrase “I can’t relate, 'cause I’m a singer” or “H O T T O G O.” With Hot To Go. It’s what people remember the most in music. So, if you want to make a great song that people will remember, it’s got to have a decent hook.

Lyrics

It goes without saying that the lyrics are 50% of the song. It tells the story and expresses a theme and narrative. Lyrics have to have clever wordplay and metaphors that make sense of the narrative and words and rhymes that have real meaning. It can also be done with Lyrical and literary elements.

Story

The story is what makes the lyrics so important. It’s about creating a theme and a narrative that people will understand and relate to. And like the melody, it’s what you build a song around, whether it’s about a breakup, someone you love, a feeling you have or something you have to express. It doesn’t matter what the song is about, just as long as it’s worth writing a song about it.

Length

When the song is too short, it doesn’t give listeners enough time to enjoy it; if it’s too long, people will get bored after a while. The average time expected from most songs is anywhere between 2:50 and 3:40. If it’s any longer, then it better be catchy enough to stop people from getting bored. If it’s shorter than 3 minutes or longer than 4:30, it’s less likely to end up on the radio.

Emotions and reactions

It’s not just about what your listeners hear in your music; it’s about how your music makes them feel when they hear it. A great song brings out strong emotions in your listeners; I wouldn’t bother writing a song if I didn’t think it could bring out strong emotions in me and the people who listen to it, whether it makes them happy, sad or want to dance. And if your song is great, it could make your listeners lose themselves and their inhibitions in their headspace.

A great way to tell if a dance song is considered decent is if you unintentionally bop your head when you listen to it. The same can be said by mouthing the lyrics to the song, tapping a foot to the rhythm, or getting goosebumps. Many songwriters and musicians decide it won't be a good song unless it passes the Head Bopping test.

These are some of the things I consider when writing music that stands out. But be aware there will always be more to think about when writing music if you want it to stand out. Always keep an open mind about what makes a song successful; sometimes, you might be surprised about what makes a song great.

(This post will receive updates over time)