Tag: chords

Hit Songwriting: “Carried Me With You” by Brandi Carlile

If you could ask a question of any successful hit songwriter, what would you want to know? You’d probably ask how they do it. In fact, you can ask that question and get an answer… just by taking an in-depth look at their hits.

WHY THIS SONG?

Brandi Carlile is not only a Grammy Award winning songwriter and performer, she has also written and performed songs featured in a wide range of motion pictures—from Barbie: the Movie to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants—and hit television shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Ted Lasso. (Visit Tunefind.com for a long list.) “Carried Me With You” was written for the Pixar film Onward and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media.

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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.

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Hit Songwriting: “Cold” by Chris Stapleton

Why this song? 

“Cold” is a powerhouse Alt Country song that adds to Chris Stapleton’s solid reputation as one of Country’s great songwriters.

Although Chris Stapleton has had Mainstream Country hits, his songs don’t fit easily into the Contemporary Country style. The big hits he’s written or co-written for other artists—including “Drink a Beer” for Luke Bryan and “Never Wanted Nothing More” for Kenny Chesney—tend to fall into a neo-traditional Country style that harks back to the acoustic, folk roots of Country music. When Chris Stapleton finally recorded his own songs as an artist, he scored big with “Broken Halos,” a song with a lot of that folksy, roots appeal.

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Write a song like “Don’t Start Now” – Dua Lipa

 “Don’t Start Now” is a great Disco-influenced Club Dance hit that I just couldn’t pass up. Dua Lipa can always be counted on to deliver solid songs that appeal to the Dance crowd and radio listeners as well.

Number 1 on the Dance Club and Top 40 charts, and on its way to a billion listens on Spotify, this is yet another score for Lipa, her cowriters, and producer. So, let’s find a few techniques you can try in your own dance hits.

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Hit Songwriting: “The Bones” by Maren Morris

As a songwriter in Nashville, Maren Morris has always expressed what was on her mind and never pulled punches. Her demand for honesty from other women in “Drunk Girls Don’t Cry” is forthright and refreshing. An edgy sense of humor and fresh Hip Hop-style rhymes light up the lyrics of “Rich.” And she successfully combines elements of the Rock and Blues genres in songs like “My Church” and ‘I Wish I Was.”

So it shouldn’t have come as a total surprise when Maren agreed to lend the power of her voice and attitude to Pop/Dance smash “The Middle,” helping to make that song a #1 Pop smash. Now here she is back in the Country genre with another big hit single.

 “The Bones” – Maren Morris

Songwriters: Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz

TECHNIQUES TO HEAR AND TRY: 

  • Give your singer plenty of character in the lyric. 
  • Add a fresh twist to a familiar lyric phrase or cliché. 
  • Change the beat emphasis in your melody to get attention.
  • Use a different phrase length in each song section.
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