You can learn the tools and techniques of any hit songwriter just by listening to their biggest hits. My in-depth Song Guides show you what to listen for and how to use what you hear in songs of your own.
HOW IT WORKS: Read the Hit Song Guide as you listen to the song and look at the lyrics. Then try the lyric, melody, and chord techniques in songs of your own using the “Try It Now” sections in each Guide.
- 1. Choose a song from the Hit Song Guide list below.
- 2. Listen to the relevant parts of the song as you read the Guide so you can hear how these techniques actually sound.
- 3. Do the “Try It Now” exercises in the Song Guides to start or rewrite a song of your own.
You can hear all of these songs on my Spotify playlist Study the Hits.
NEW SONG GUIDES…
“SOMETHING IN THE ORANGE” – Zach Bryan
“TROUBLE WITH A HEARTBREAK” – Jason Aldean
K-POP SONGS – BTS, (G)I-DLE, Got7
ALL SONGS (Listed by title)
CLICK TO SEE THE LIST SORTED BY ARTIST NAME.
“All My Days” – Alexi Murdoch (Genre: Folk, Singer-Songwriter)
“Almost Lover” – A Fine Frenzy (Genre: Pop, Singer-Songwriter)
“All Of Me” – John Legend (Genre: Pop)
“All On Me” – Devin Dawson (Genre: Country)
“And It’s Still Alright” – Nathaniel Rateliff (Genre: Americana)
“Beautiful Day” – Joshua Radin (Genre: Folk, Singer-Songwriter)
“Before You Go” – Lewis Capaldi (Genre: Pop, Singer-Songwriter)
“Believer” – Imagine Dragons (Genre: Pop/Rock, Indie Rock)
“Blackout” – Freya Ridings (Genre: Singer Songwriter)
“Bones” – Galantis & OneRepublic (Genre: Dance)
“The Bones” – Maren Morris (Genre: Country)
“Brave” – Sara Bareilles (Genre: Pop, Singer-Songwriter)
“Brightside” – The Lumineers (Genre: Alt Rock / Indie-Pop)
“Classic” – MKTO (Genre: Pop)
“Carried Me With You”- Brandi Carlile (Genre: Americana/Alt Country)
“Cold” – Chris Stapleton (Genre: Alt Country, Blues Rock)
“Come On Get Higher” – Matt Nathanson (Genre: Pop)
“Cruel Summer” – Taylor Swift (Genre: Pop)
“Don’t Start Now” – Dua Lipa (Genre: Dance, Dance/Pop)
“Driver’s License” – Olivia Rodrigo (Genre: Pop, Singer-Songwriter)
“Dynamite” – Taio Cruz (Genre: Pop, Dance/Pop)
“Fallin’ For You” – Colbie Caillat (Genre: Pop)
“Flowers” – Miley Cyrus (Genre: Pop)
“Fly” – Nick Drake (Genre: Folk)
“Ghost” – Justin Bieber (Genre: Pop)
“Gone, Gone, Gone” – Phillip Phillips (Genre: Indie Folk)
“Got It In You (Acoustic)” – BANNERS (Genre: Singer-Songwriter)
“Grenade” – Bruno Mars (Genre: Pop)
“Halo” – Beyoncé (Genre: Pop/R&B)
“Hands Tied” – Toni Braxton (Genre: R&B)
“Hello” – Adele (Genre: Pop, Singer-Songwriter)
“Here” – Rascal Flatts (Genre: Country)
“Heroes” & “Next Level” – Zayde Wolf (Genre: Pop/Rock)
“Highway Don’t Care” – Tim McGraw (Genre: Country)
“Hold Back the River” – James Bay (Genre: Folk Rock)
“The House That Built Me” – Miranda Lambert (Genre: Country)
“I Drive Your Truck” – Lee Brice (Genre: Country)
“I’m Yours” – Jason Mraz” (Genre: Pop, Singer-Songwriter)
“If I Were a Boy” – Beyoncé (Genre: R&B/Pop)
“King of Anything” – Sara Bareilles (Genre: Pop, Singer-Songwriter)
“Leave the Door Open” – Silk Sonic (R&B/Soul)
“Let Her Go” – Passenger (Genre: Folk Rock)
“Like I’m Gonna Lose You” – Meghan Trainor (Genre: Pop)
“The Other” – Lauv (Genre: Pop)
“Outnumbered” – Dermot Kennedy (Genre: Pop/S-S)
“Place to Be” – Nick Drake (Genre: Folk)
“Play It Again” – Luke Bryan (Genre: Country)
“Poison & Wine” – The Civil Wars (Genre: Indie Folk)
“Rolling In the Deep” – Adele (Genre: Pop, Adult Contemporary)
“Royals” – Lorde” (Genre: Pop, Singer-Songwriter)
“Say You Do” – Dierks Bentley (Genre: Country)
“Save Me” – BTS (Genre: K-Pop)
“Second Chances” – Gregory Alan Isakov (Genre: Singer-Songwriter)
“Set Fire to the Rain” – Adele (Genre: Pop)
“River Man” – Nick Drake (Genre: Folk)
“Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” – John Mayer (Genre: Singer-Songwriter)
“Slow Down Summer” – Thomas Rhett (Genre: Country)
“Smile” – Uncle Kracker (Genre: Pop, Pop/Country)
“Someone Like You” – Adele (Genre: Pop, Singer-Songwriter)
“Something In the Orange” – Zach Bryan (Country)
“The Sound of Madness” – Shinedown (Genre: Rock)
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” – Kelly Clarkson (Genre: Pop)
“Tattoos On This Town” – Jason Aldean (Genre – Rock)
“These Days” – Foo Fighters (Genre – Rock)
“Thinking Out Loud” – Ed Sheeran (Genre – Pop, Singer-Songwriter)
“Trouble With a Heartbreak” – Jason Aldean (Genre: Country)
“We Don’t Talk Anymore” – Charlie Puth (Genre – Pop)
“Why Don’t We Just Dance” – Josh Turner (Genre – Country)
“You Belong With Me” – Taylor Swift (Genre – Pop/Country)