Hi all,

I don't write pop songs and have no ambitions in that direction but I've read numerous posts here about the subject and thought this article (from the Wall Street Journal, of all places) that presents a lot of current thinking by neurologists/psychologists on what makes a hit a hit.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203646004577213010291701378. html?mod=djemITP_h

It takes as its example Adele's 'Someone Like You' but I think it has much to offer to anyone who wants to write for the mainstream music market that she is in.

Hope it is helpful...

d

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"Patsy had the drug tolerance of Keith Richards and the moral rectitude of Brian Jones." - Dr. Walter Bishop, "Fringe"

thnx ,i dont like much of that song but i'll read it

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Although it was an interesting read, I knew most of it in part already. However I did learn some useful things, considering I've not written a song in quite some time!

Thanks

Nice find.

Thank you.

Xx #LSJ

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Facebook/londonsummerjam or @londonsummerjam (Twitter)
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Lots of people like a weepy moment. Nothing new there. Interesting read all the same.
Why am I moved by Sid Vicious singing My Way? Answer that one Dr.

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17ft here! Too deep for non divers.

Edited by St.Hamund the contrite (12/04/12 03:54 PM)

Quote St.Hamund the contrite:

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Lots of people like a weepy moment. Nothing new there. Interesting read all the same.
Why am I moved by Sid Vicious singing My Way? Answer that one Dr.

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Cos he sounds like a tragic wretch... juxtaposed with the "rollicking" backing by Cook'n'Jones and the 'stirring' strings, which lends further atmosphere of pathos to this deluded defiant nitwit of a young man, blazing gloriously as he topples over the brink to his own demise . Archetypal stuff. Icarus. Don Quixote. Dangermouse.

jeez feline1! Your good!!

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17ft here! Too deep for non divers.

Thanks y'all, I'm here all week!

(well, so long as they don't ban me

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~~~ A weasel hath not such a deal of spleen as you are tossed with! www.feline1.co.uk ~~~

I use Steve Jones rhythm tracks to re-calibrate my metronome. Awesome

DM

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Not much in life worth running for. Or from.

That Adele song is more like fingernails down a blackboard.

When we had the misfortune to have a radio in the office temporarily, all I could hear was that ghastly long yooooooooooooou note belting out 10 times a day.

Shudder, not goosebump.

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Cassette Electrik

Interesting read. Adele has a unique voice, no doubt. However, I wonder if her meteoric rise to stardom is a result of the overall poor quality of the music in the charts today. Is it a case of right place, right time? There are so many songs which come and go which are instantly forgettable because of weak melodies, or even no melody! Do you think her music would be as popular 20-30 years ago?

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http://make-music.net

Quote feline1:

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Quote St.Hamund the contrite:

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Lots of people like a weepy moment. Nothing new there. Interesting read all the same.
Why am I moved by Sid Vicious singing My Way? Answer that one Dr.

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Cos he sounds like a tragic wretch... juxtaposed with the "rollicking" backing by Cook'n'Jones and the 'stirring' strings, which lends further atmosphere of pathos to this deluded defiant nitwit of a young man, blazing gloriously as he topples over the brink to his own demise . Archetypal stuff. Icarus. Don Quixote. Dangermouse.

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I think The Pogues have made a career out of it!!!

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My head hurts!

Very informative article

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Chris Brown songs-Drake songs

For me, it's hard to analyze songs because these writers were inspired and wrote from a different place instead of saying "Wow, this is a good key, and we need to use this specific note in the chorus"

I'd like to think people are sitting and listening to a track and just letting it take them somewhere.

I don't Adele uses a secret formula, but I do think she's a strong writer. That's really it. She's honed her craft, writes emotional lyrics, and performs them extremely well.

Quote turbodave:

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Quote feline1:

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Quote St.Hamund the contrite:

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Lots of people like a weepy moment. Nothing new there. Interesting read all the same.
Why am I moved by Sid Vicious singing My Way? Answer that one Dr.

---

Cos he sounds like a tragic wretch... juxtaposed with the "rollicking" backing by Cook'n'Jones and the 'stirring' strings, which lends further atmosphere of pathos to this deluded defiant nitwit of a young man, blazing gloriously as he topples over the brink to his own demise . Archetypal stuff. Icarus. Don Quixote. Dangermouse.

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I think The Pogues have made a career out of it!!!

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Why you.. what the.. how can you... Grrrrr!!!!!

(Five minute pause)

I suppose it could be argued that following the popularity of Fairytale of NY young master McGowan has become a bit of a universal favourite P1sshead to Patronise. I've got a few buddies that share a stage with him and are struck by the attitude of the great unwashed to the goodly Shane but he seems not too bothered by it, happy enough to carry on in his own special place.

But the band? Some of the songs (the best of them in my book) were not written by SmcG at all but by Phil Chevron or some of the others.

"If I Should Fall From Grace With God" and particularly my personal fave "Rum, Sodomy and the Lash" will definitely end up in most peoples' "Never Mind The Bollocks" list rather than their "Great Rock and Roll Swindle" list.

Rant Over.

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Ohm's Law states, "Your PA isn't as powerful as you think it is".

Interesting article, but I'm not convinced that using one song as a typical example is that useful. it can tell you a lot about why that particular song 'works', but extracting from that some general principles of how pop songs work in general, hmmmm.... There's so much diversity within the genre.

And let's not forget that how popular a song becomes has so much to do with the PR campaign, not just the content.

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My audience check is my wife. She is not a musician and is my best critic. I asked her why she likes Adele, and why she thinks so many people do.

She says 'Because she can sing. And her live music sounds just like the record, so we know she can really sing.'.

I think Adele's popularity is because she is authentic. People are craving that now instinctively.

also this track uses the magic I V vi V formula
axis of awesome 4 chords

Or better yet the I V vi IV as most of those tunes are instead to my ear.

Hilarious video. Thanks for that.

"...stumbled upon a formula for commercial success: Unleash the tears and chills with small surprises, a smoky voice and soulful lyrics, and then sit back and let the dopamine keep us coming back for more."

Where is all this leading I wonder? Are we to be tickled, pricked and poked only to react as predictably as a crocodiles? Are we supposed to emrace the formula and deny our creative urges? Is it about brain science or commercial success, or both?

I suppose it's about how to affect the musically apathetic market most easily.

I mean, all the greatest pleasures in life are acquired tastes to some extent. As children we can all be easily affected in those sugary ways described in that article. But surely as our taste develops with age, we might look down the alleyways, notice that the weeds growing out from the cracks in the road are quite beautiful too!

Quote DC-Choppah:

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My audience check is my wife. She is not a musician and is my best critic. I asked her why she likes Adele, and why she thinks so many people do.

She says 'Because she can sing. And her live music sounds just like the record, so we know she can really sing.'.

I think Adele's popularity is because she is authentic. People are craving that now instinctively.

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If you replace that with "apparently sounds like the record" then I'll go along with it - cus there sure as hell ain't any live playing ON that record.....

Quote Josif A. Soterίou:

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I suppose it's about how to affect the musically apathetic market most easily.

I mean, all the greatest pleasures in life are acquired tastes to some extent. As children we can all be easily affected in those sugary ways described in that article. But surely as our taste develops with age, we might look down the alleyways, notice that the weeds growing out from the cracks in the road are quite beautiful too!

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And yet... we are all products of our cultural experience, it's impossible to escape it. How we make use of an react to the culture we find ourselves thrown into may depend on our personality, DNA, upbringing... we can't completely escape its influence, it's in there forever even if we make a conscious decision to reject it.

So music is created to fit the cultural expectations of the likely purchasers.... or it wouldn't sell.

To those not brought up with it, classical music can appear a hideous noise... as hip hop can to those brought up only on classical, etc etc.

Thing to do is take what you have culture wise and add to it by experiencing and learning to appreciate other cultures, which does take work and effort and a desire for something new and challenging. Some people never notice those weeds growing in the alley, or if they do, think only of applying weedkiller .

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