Category: FILM & TV SONGS

Every year thousands of songs are used in film, TV series, and commercials. Find out how to write a song that will work with hundreds of scenes by studying these successful film and TV songs.

What Is the Singer-Songwriter Genre?

You can draw a straight line from Joni Mitchell’s Blue album, the intimate vocals of Tim Hardin, and the floating melodies of Nick Drake to the compelling sound of today’s Singer-Songwriter genre.

Indeed, the Singer-Songwriter genre has been around for decades, yet no one seems able to describe exactly what it is. We might agree that Dermot Kennedy, Sheryl Crow, Novo Amor, and Ingrid Michaelson are all singer-songwriters, but they all sound very different. What does the Singer-Songwriter genre sound like? And how do you know if you’re in it? Why is that important?

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Americana Songwriting: “And It’s Still Alright” by Nathaniel Rateliff

FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 22: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats performs onstage during day 2 of the 2019 Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival on September 22, 2019 in Franklin, Tennessee. (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival)

“And It’s Still Alright“ is the kind of song you won’t find on the Top 40 Pop music chart but with millions of streams it clearly has plenty of appeal.

Rateliff has the ability to write powerful songs about common emotions that are shared by many, just the kind of emotions that show up in television scenes. His songs have had TV placements in Roswell, New Mexico; Yellowstone; Lethal Weapon; Grace and Frankie; Nashville; Fargo, NCIS: Los Angeles and more. Let’s see how he does it.

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Three Film and TV Songs: Banners, Freya Ridings, & Gregory Alan Isakov

Film and TV songs are hot. Commercials, TV dramas, Reality TV, and competition shows are using more songs than ever. Original programming from producers like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO have erased the notion of “seasons.” It’s a year-round gig and music libraries want to fill the need.

Together, let’s take a look at three singer-songwriters who get a lot of film and TV placements. We’ll dive deep into a song from each to see why these songs are so successful and how you can use many those ideas in songs of your own.

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Writing Songs for TV Commercials

More and more indie songwriters are getting their songs in TV commercials. It’s a market that pays high fees and offers great exposure if you’ve got what they need—songs that express the energy and emotion they’d like people to associate with their product.

Let’s take a look at three songs used in national ad campaigns for major brands. Listen to the songs, watch the ads, read my analysis, and then see if you can write and record something in a similar style.

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Song Guide: “Heroes” & “Next Level” by Zayde Wolf

Songwriter and Music Producer Zayde Wolf.

Recently three different songwriters have mentioned the name Zayde Wolf to me. Now, I am a true believer in the “Rule of Three,” and therefore I made sure to check him out. (Ron Fair, former president of A&M records and a top A&R exec, once told me that if three people — any three people — told him about a band or artist, he would be certain to take a look at them.)

So, I spent some time listening to Zayde Wolf and reading his bio, and I’m glad I did. Here’s a guy who has very rapidly garnered hundreds of Film, TV, Advertising, Trailer, and Video Game placements. Naturally, I began to wonder: Who is he? Where did he come from? How many years of dues-paying has he put in? Turns out none of these questions really apply.

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