Hit Song Guide: “Cruel Summer” – Taylor Swift

WHY THIS SONG?

Taylor Swift currently has multiple songs on the charts. Each one is a master class in melody and lyric writing you can apply to your own songs in any genre. “Cruel Summer” is filled with songwriting goodies you can use to add listener appeal but still say what you want to say in your song. So let’s dive in!

Hit Song Guide: “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus

WHY THIS SONG?

Not only is this song a huge worldwide hit but it’s also a great example of solid song craft that combines a well-written lyric with a catchy melody and cool dance club groove.

But wait, there’s more! This track features a smooth blend of successful old and new music styles. If you crave that ’70s vibe, you’ll love the Disco-happiness of this tune with its Funk bass and soaring strings mixed with today’s tight, punchy drum loops.

Guide to Writing K-Pop Songs

K-Pop is a high energy, glossy style that’s built on teenage dreams, catchy hooks, pulsing rhythms, and a collision of Korean and English lyrics. Recently, the demand for this genre has exploded—more than doubling since 2020. There are definitely opportunities here for songwriters and music producers. So, let’s take a listen to a few monster hits from the current and classic K-Pop charts and look for shortcuts that will help you write and pitch in this style.

What is a K-Pop song?

The K-Pop genre features highly rhythmical melodies, memorable chorus hooks, stacked harmony vocals, and danceable grooves. While it clearly shares similarities with the U.S. boy bands of the 1990s, like Backstreet Boys and ’NSYNC, there is a kind of super-charged energy to today’s K-Pop hits. The tempo is faster, the song sections are shorter, and there’s a lot more phrase repetition.

To hear a great example of a current K-Pop hit, listen to I AM by the K-Pop girl group IVE on Youtube. (Turn on Closed Captioning to see the English language lyrics. It’s the tiny box with “CC” in the lower right of the YouTube video screen.

Song Guide: “Bones” – Galantis & OneRepublic

Galantis

WHY THIS SONG

The song “Bones” by Galantis and OneRepublic has been successful in three different music markets: a Dance Club hit, a Pop/Dance Radio hit, and Film & TV placements. Like many Dance genre songs, this one is the product of several talents including Swedish production duo Galantis and Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic.

In fact, there are nine songwriters credited with writing this song. You’ll see crowds of songwriters like these on many Pop and Dance hits, and even some Country songs. These songs are the result of a songwriting process called toplining.

Your Songs In TV Commercials

I know TV commercials can be a major pain. But if you’re a songwriter, don’t hit that mute button just yet. Instead, take a little time to listen to the kinds of songs that are being used in today’s TV ads. There are opportunities there that you don’t want to miss.

Don’t have time to watch TV? For a quick and easy way to see TV ads with songs without actually watching any TV, visit websites like iSpot.tv and TVadvertMusic.com.