The 6 rules of commercial music success
Over the years I have had many conversations with musical artists about commercial music, which generally leads them to reveal their disdain and hatred for it. Some refer to pop music (“Pop”, as in what is popular now) as commercial music.
Others think of anything that is getting a heavy turnover on the radio as commercial music. Whatever its definition, one thing is often overlooked: commercial music is the heart of the music industry that pumps the blood that keeps it alive.
So why are so many musical artists reluctant to make commercial music? The answer they often give me is because they don’t want to “sell” their creative integrity under some industry version of what is popular (ie, what is currently selling). It is very obvious to me that the problem is not commercial music, but its perception and definition.
The misconception is that the music industry created this superficial definition of commercial music to strip art and the true identity of artists in order to make money; forcing the artist to create songs that the “masses” will enjoy. That fallacy is often perpetuated by musical artists who are generally unable (not reluctant) to create commercially viable songs. The truth is that the public, not the industry, dictates what is commercial, and for decades they have gravitated, embraced, and bought songs that adhere to a commercial music format.
If commercial music is the rule for success and sales in the music industry, there will inevitably be some exceptions, but unfortunately, the trend is for music artists to try to become the exception, rather than observing the rules and why. they do. exists.
Bottom line: the rules of commercial music success have not and will not change. Neither in his life nor in the lives of his children. They exist because it is in human nature to reject the unknown; In the music industry, similarity is the cornerstone of acceptance. This is why so many popular songs sound similar and contain familiar elements.
It is a rule that prevails in all genders and on all continents. There are those artists who do a masterful job of observing their own artistic values while delicately balancing the demands for commercial music by industry professionals. Artists like Prince, Sting, and Bjork have pushed the limits of creativity for years. But artists of his caliber who possess such sublime talent and vision are rare.
For the sake of clarification and argument, I will offer my explanation and industry definition of what commercial music is; based on 25 years of listening to recordings as a music lover, music industry professional, and music critic. They are songs that have the following:
1.) A STRONG HOOK / MEMORABLE CHORUS.
If no one knows what your song is called, they won’t be able to request it when they hear it on the radio. More importantly, they can’t buy it in retail … or track it on the internet to download a copy illegally.
2.) GOOD MELODY.
Commercial music is characterized by having good melodies (that is, verses, choruses, and sometimes bridges that get stuck in your head and make you want to sing). What can the best-selling hip-hop artists of the last 10 years (Tupac, Notorious BIG, Jay-Z, Eminem, and 50 Cent) attribute their success to? Good melodies (not great beats) that increase the commercial value of your music.
3.) WELL PRODUCED.
Coming from an R&B background where producers are a critical part of commercial music success, I didn’t realize until I became a consultant that many rock bands don’t use or value producers like R&B musical acts. Perhaps they should, as the record company often assigns top-tier producers to improve the quality of the songs (through their musical experience) and enrich the records (through their experience and competence in the recording process), which ultimately makes them more enjoyable to listen to and listen to. , you guessed it … more commercial!
4.) APPEALING LETTERS.
The lyrics don’t have to be deep; people just have to be able to emotionally connect and mentally relate to them. If you have a way of saying common things in an unusual way, your lyrics will have an advantage over the composer whose song is about the same topic. Write about what is closest to your heart for credibility and sincerity, and others will be able to relate to your songs, especially if it is a topic they know or have.
experienced.
5.) LET IT BE BRIEF.
Keep the length of your songs to a maximum of four minutes. Jazz and world music are exceptions. A song that is well written makes people want to listen to it over and over again. The longer the song is, the less likely it is to happen. You do not believe me? Check the length of your favorite songs.
6.) TALENT / WELL PERFORMANCE.
Top vocalists are often surprised at how low this rule is on the list. The fact is, there are more mediocre songs performed by featured vocalists than there are mediocre vocalists performing featured songs. A good song that is well performed gives you an edge, but if the song is missing, all the screaming and vocal stunts that singers tend to use to make up for it won’t make it a better song … although it can help. the singer to attract better songwriters to work with. If you lack talent and it’s a really good song, someone more talented can (and will) sing the song and improve it.
Now that you know the 6 rules of commercial music success, hopefully you can use this information to your advantage and create songs that increase your chances of success in your professional music endeavors … or you can just ignore them and move on. I wonder why no one (other than his friends and family, all of whom listen to commercial music) likes his songs.
