5 Ways to Make a Song Unforgettable

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There are lots of songs that seem on the surface to be good songs, but the proof is in their ability to bring listeners back. The best songs out there demand our attention. They reel us back in, and make us want to listen over and over again. Some songs have all the makings of a hit, but they just lack that something that hooks us. Are you writing songs that seem to have all the elements you’ve seen in hit songs, but they just… lie there. What’s missing?

There are lots of reasons why a song can seem right but fail to attract attention. Take a look that the five aspects of successful songs listed below, and see if there’s anything you can do to take your song from good to GREAT:

1. Devise a short, catchy hook that mixes rhythm with melodic shape. A prominent hook is a great way to ensure that people will hum your song all day long. Ideally, hooks are best placed at the beginning of a chorus. Allow the verse melody to move upward to meet the chorus, and then present that short hook – usually the title – over and over. Example: “Born in the U.S.A.” (Bruce Springsteen)
2. Make sure the stresses of your words match the pulse of the music. Nothing cornier than a word that is placed incorrectly. If a word has the stress on the first syllable, make sure that the first syllable is placed on a strong beat in the music (beat 1 or 3). The smooth, natural flow of text makes words much easier to hear, recognize, and (most importantly) remember.
3. Make sure that verses tell the story, choruses tell us how you feel. It’s amazing how many songwriters get this simple tip wrong. Remember, “telling the story” still holds true even if it’s not a story you’re telling. Even if your verse is simply telling the listener who you are, save emoting until you’ve given the listeners something to identify with. Starting a song with some strong emotions, and then moving on to stronger ones, just makes the singer sound complainy and self-centered.
4. Give the backing instruments something interesting to do. Even if you’ve hired some really fine professional players to record your tune, you may have to give them some strong direction in order to have backing tracks that work. And a good band can make your song memorable. Give your players suggestions for implementing instrumental hooks and other elements.
5. If your melody dwells on one note, throw something in that grabs attention. Think of the chorus of P!nk’s “Raise Your Glass” as a good model here. Without the word “underdogs”, the melody sits mainly on the tonic note. That leap upward is a memorable, hooky moment that keeps people coming back.

Identifying when your song needs something like what’s been listed above can be hard to do. Many songs don’t show signs of lacking something memorable: they can seem just fine when you sing them to yourself.

But if you find that your songs are just not building an audience base, it may be time to take it apart a bit, and see if you can improve its ability to stick in the memory of the listener. One of the suggestions listed above should help.

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Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website
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