What makes a song good? Best tips and recommendations

When you imagine a good song, you likely envision something catchy and enjoyable to listen to. There are many explanations for why we think a piece of music is nice or why we adore it and want to listen to it.

Perhaps it's because you can identify with the lyrics, it makes you feel good, it's a terrific pop song that cheers you up when you're down, or it's just a great melody. Perhaps you just like the singer's voice, or perhaps the song itself is extremely memorable and sticks with you long after it is over.

What makes a song good? Let's look at some key characteristics, some songwriting advice, and how a songwriter could use these characteristics in their own creative songs.

A strong emotional connections

If there is one factor that will unquestionably make a song fantastic for YOU, it is a song that emotionally connects with you. It will be difficult to persuade you that a particular piece of music is bad if it makes an emotional connection with you.

There is nothing wrong about that. It's okay to ignore critics or your friends if you are experiencing a deep connection to a piece of music that they don't like. Music is meant to connect with us on a deep level.

You, as songwriters, have limited influence over how well your songs will connect with listeners. The emotion you put into the music, though, is something you can control.

Make sure that emotion is being evoked through the words, the instruments, the rhythm, the melody, and pretty much everything else. And by doing so, your song will have a strong emotional foundation.

Good melody lines

Well-written melodies that are frequently catchy are a hallmark of good music.

Again, catchiness is not necessary, but many excellent songs have distinctive melodies that are instantly recognizable to the listener. When a song has a good melody line, it sounds exactly as it was supposed to from the beginning.

A wonderful melody line emphasizes the appropriate syllables that would flow nicely, whether sung or spoken, and fits the lyrics of a good song extremely smoothly.

Good songs frequently accentuate important phrases in the lyrics with dynamically suitable melodies that you can feel in your soul. This pairs the melody effectively with the emotional beats of the lyrics.

It is not necessary for the vocalist to be the best to perform the song properly. A great song's melody speaks for itself as long as the performer is in the correct key and hits the majority of the correct notes.

Remarkable and original lyrics

The words of a song are among the most crucial elements to take into account. The lyrics of a song must be excellent. After hearing the song just once, it's unlikely that anyone will remember the words if they aren't interesting.

There is a fine line to be drawn here. On the one hand, phrases that are quite straightforward and repetitive might stick with you for a long time. And the truth is that a remarkable lyric, the one you'll remember right away, is what makes a song good. There is nothing wrong with that.

However, there is a whole category of excellent songs with complex words that we dare say no one could learn after only one hearing.

Although there are several ways to go about making your lyrics memorable, the most important thing is to actually do it! For instance, hundreds of songs use essentially the same blues chord pattern, but only a select number have endured, in large part due to the lyrics.

A solid song structure

There must be a connection between the chords and the lyrics in some way. Having a strong song structure is helpful in this situation. The general form of your song can be determined by mapping the intro, chorus, verse, and possibly a bridge (or melodic leap).

Imagine a song with the following parts: A = melody/chorus, B = verse, and C = bridge.

As a result, some song structures use the ABAB format, and in other instances, ABABCA. Your song's structure might be something like BABACA since catchy melodies occasionally benefit from repetition.

Although there isn't exactly a correct way to organize a song, if it's your first time creating one, it might be simpler to keep things straightforward and begin with the ABAB or BABAA format. Since songwriting is a taught ability that requires a lot of practice, it's a good idea to start out with straightforward chord progressions, melodies, and lyrical structures.

Be unpredictable

When writing music, you should think about how you can make your songs unique, distinctive, and wholly your own. And one of the finest ways to achieve this is by doing something unexpected for the audience.

Everyone has a different idea of what makes a song good. However, the biggest tool you have at your disposal for writing music that people will remember is surprise.

Great songs frequently catch the listener off guard with brilliant lyrical turns, unexpected melodies, or a sudden change in the chords (harmony).

Your songs shouldn't necessarily be shocking at every turn just for the purpose of trying something out-of-the-ordinary. The audience may become perplexed by this. Be selective with your timing and try to make a point with your twists and turns.

Good rhythmic flow

Many hip-hop songs lack strong melodic lines and instead rely entirely on their catchy lyrics and catchy beats to carry the listener through. Writing a song by fusing your lyrics with rhythmic phrasing may seem difficult, but it's a wonderful approach to get started.

You need a variety of rhythmic phrases that work well together for your lyrical poetry to flow in song style and sound good. You want it to be memorable but not excessively repetitive.

For instance, the words in the verse and the words in the chorus typically don't follow the same rhythmic pattern. To keep the listener on their toes, the rhythms of the melodic lines are frequently changed throughout the verses at least once.

What makes a song good - Conclusion

Combining mystery and charm with structure and craft is what makes a song good. You can tell when a song is good when you hear it, and ultimately, you'll be able to tell when you write a good one.

We hope you enjoyed reading this post, and if you'd want more career-related guidance, on our blog section, there are many more beneficial articles, advice, and recommendations to be found.

You are undoubtedly here because you love music, so please take advantage of the chance to listen to it while interacting with other users via webcams in CalypsoRoom.

Are you a music artist or label and do you want to give your music a further dimension? Do you own or co-own the master and publishing rights to your music? Consider to post it on CalypsoRoom listening to it together with your super fans, at the same time, connected by webcams.

Thanks for reading,
CalypsoRoom Team

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Written by CalypsoRoom Editorial Team
The CalypsoRoom Editorial Team is a skilled and diverse group of writers, researchers, and industry specialists who have access to Calypso's data and information in order to give you broad knowledge about the music industry as well as helpful advice to help you manage your music and dancing career.

Updated January 2023

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