Want to land one of YOUR songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart?  Then an important step is to study what kind of songs already DO land on the chart.  If you want to hit a target, you gotta know where the target is.

Today, let’s dive into the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of May 25, 2019.  We’re going to look at some of the important qualities of those songs- qualities that can help YOUR song get on this chart someday.

If you want to write hits… read on!

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I focused on the top 15 country songs on the chart.  I looked the writers, the tempos, the overall vibe, point-of-view, and a few other aspects of these songs.  Here are my biggest takeaways.

1. Keep It Positive!

Of the top 15 country songs, not a single one was a “downer.”  There were a couple of lost-love or breakup songs: “Whiskey Glasses,” “Beer Never Broke My Heart” and “Miss Me More.”  But even those songs felt really good or were empowering.  None of them was a cry-in-your-beer song.

So that’s the biggest takeaway: keep it positive.  Even if it’s a breakup song, it doesn’t have to feel sad or make you wanna cry.  True, some downer songs can still be hits, no doubt.  But look at the math.  Most hits – and EVERY SINGLE ONE of these 15 songs are feel-good or positive songs.

 2. Write Tempo!

Of the top 15 country songs, 11 were mid-tempo or up-tempo.  This means they have a good groove to them or have a beat you can rock out or dance to.  Energy!

Even looking at the 4 songs I listed as “slow,” they aren’t all sloooow ballads.  “Beautiful Crazy” is the most ballad of them.  After that, “Good As You” “Speechless” and “Talk You Out Of It” each have some R&B elements to them.  They don’t just sit there.  They have groove and make you want to move, even if they aren’t true tempos.  And they’re sexy, makeout songs.  That’s different than a slow, contemplative ballad about the singer’s grandpa or how the singer’s girl left him.

Bottom line: Radio loves tempo, so it’s hard to beat a good beat.

3. Write With The Artist.

Yeah, this one is the most painful.  But I’m not doing you any favors by hiding the truth.  Of the top 15 country songs, 9 were cowritten by the artist.

Let that sink in for a moment.

The hard truth is that it’s hard to get a cut of any kind.  And it’s REALLY, REALLY hard to get a hit single without writing with the artist.

Does this mean you should quit?  Give up right now and go back to that cubicle?  No.  But you do have to be honest with yourself about reality.  For one thing, some songs still become hits without the artist in the writing room.  But you do yourself no favors by ignoring that your odds go up dramatically when an artist IS in the room.

So, as you build your songwriting career, it’s wise to 1) start cowriting if you don’t already.  It’s gonna be extra hard to write with an artist if you don’t write with anyone.  2) Try to identify and write with future stars- while they’re fairly unknown and still accessible.  3) Build your music business network.  The more people you know who also know you, the better chance they’ll connect you to an artist someday.

However, one of the best ways to eventually attract an artist cowrite is by writing songs that are hit-worthy.  It IS so much about relationships, but relationships are a whole lot easier to make if you’re writing commercial, compelling, hit-worthy songs.

Great commercial songs will solve so many of your problems.

So, there you go.  These are some of my biggest takeaways from a recent hit country singles chart.  If YOU want to discover even more of the elements of building a hit song, I have an awesome opportunity for you.

In the month of July, I’m hosting a transformative online songwriting event called, “Building A Hit: From Blank Page To Finished Lyric.” In this powerful 4-week online workshop, I reveal:

How to find great song ideas. Kill writers block and fill up that blank page again and again.

How to focus your ideas for maximum impact. Don’t waste any more great ideas by leaving them under-developed or confusing.

How to frame your idea for maximum commercial appeal. Having a great, compelling idea isn’t enough. You have to build your song in a way that an artist will want to sing it and an audience will want to hear it.

How to finish your song. Stop leaving your best ideas unfinished. Nobody loves a song they never hear, and a song that’s only 99% finished will never get recorded, never get on the radio, and never change your life.

If you want to join me on a journey that will help you think and write like a pro songwriter, click on the link below. Spots are limited for this event, and I only host it twice a year. Miss out, and it’s gone for another 6 months. Don’t delay. Transform your songwriting today..

DON’T MISS OUT- CLICK HERE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US, a #1 in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.  He also hosts a top-rated songwriting and music business podcast called, “The C.L.I.M.B.” which can be found on iTunes or your favorite podcast app.