Category Archives: Building A Hit

Building A Hit, Write Like A Pro

Are You Ready To “Build A Hit?”

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Are you ready to get more & better song ideas?  And do you want to turn those cool ideas into great songs that impact the listener and make artists want to record them? 

If you do, then you’re in luck!  But you’re also running out of time.

Ready to Build A Hit? Read on.

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To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success.  Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

Nothing can accelerate your songwriting career like consistently finding and finishing great song ideas.  It’s what every cowriter wants and what every music publisher and artist needs.  And if you can do that, they’ll need YOU.

Having the right idea when you walk into a cowrite is a huge deal.  Your cowriter, after some chit chat, will probably say, “So… got any ideas?”  Your answer to that question will not only set the course for that day, it may be the difference in getting ANOTHER day with that cowriter or not.

Avoid the embarrassment of not having any song ideas. Be confident and prepared with not just one, but several strong song ideas every time you walk into the writing room.

But it’s not enough to just have a good song idea.  There are many ways to write an idea.  If you want cuts, HOW you decide to write your ideas will have a major impact on the commercial strength of your song.  Attitude, point of view, imagery, timeframe… they all have an impact on how much impact your song will have in the market (whether that means in a publisher’s office or on the concert stage).

It’s time to stop writing songs that get ignored. It’s time to get noticed.

In July, I’m hosting the “Build A Hit” online workshop series, but THE DEADLINE IS TODAY.

In this transformative workshop, you’ll learn a repeatable process you can use to writer better songs again and again.

In our time together (live and face-to-face online), I will reveal:

1. How to consistently find new and exciting hooks, titles and ideas, again and again.

Be confident when you sit down to write or walk into a cowrite, knowing that you have ideas and hooks you can’t wait to write. Become the writer people call because they know you’ll bring great hooks.

2. How to focus titles and hooks into compelling, killer song ideas.

This clear vision for your songs will help you write them with energy, confidence and enthusiasm. Your songs will be easier to write, they’ll be better, and cowriters and publishers will love you for it.

3. How to build your songs for maximum commercial impact and appeal.

Write songs that artists want to sing and fans want to hear again and again. Touch people with your music. Be seen and recognized as the pro that you’ve become.

4. How to overcome creative roadblocks and finish your best songs.

Feel the accomplishment that comes with finishing songs you love and being able to share them with the world. Become a valued and respected songwriter – because cowriters and publishers know you can see a song through from beginning to end.

This course is designed to take you from a blank page to a new song idea to a fully developed concept to a finished lyric.

This course is INTERACTIVE!  You won’t sit back and just stare at a talking head for an hour-and-a-half.  You won’t be some number on a screen.  No.  We’ll be face-to-face.  I’ll ask you questions.  You can ask me questions.  We’re in this thing together.  That’s why I keep this workshop small- I want to get to know YOU!

We will meet online once per week for 4 weeks. Each session is 1 1/2 hours, for a total of 6 hours.  We use an online video-conference platform, which means you can join us from anywhere in the world with an internet connection!  You can be in Nashville or across the globe!  (Although you can also join by calling from your phone.)

Space is limited, and THE DEADLINE TO SIGN UP IS TODAY!  Don’t miss your chance.

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.

Building A Hit, Write Like A Pro

Does Having A Day Job Make You A Songwriting Failure?

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You’re a songwriter.  You’re passionate about writing songs.  Maybe you’re pretty good.  Maybe you’re even excellent.  And maybe you feel called to do music- called by God or by “the universe.”  But you have a day job.  You haven’t been able to transition to doing music full-time.

Are you a failure?

The answer may surprise you.  Read on!

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To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success.  Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

We’ll get back to that in a second.  First, let me tell you about a guy named Paul.

Maybe you’ve heard of the Apostle Paul.  Paul was passionate.  He was also very, very successful- widely considered the greatest Christian missionary in history.  He was literally called by God to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.  If there’s one guy who should’ve been able (and deserved) to follow his passion full-time, it’s Paul.

But Paul was also a tent-maker.

He made tents to help make ends meet.  At times, he’d work his day job during the week and chase his dream around it.  Sound familiar?

Was Paul a failure because he didn’t pursue his passion full-time?

Of course not!  He was relentless in following his calling.  He went about it with passion and intelligence.  He never quit.  Even as he lived out his last days in a prison, he was writing letters to churches- letters which would become much of the New Testament.  And you can bet his jailers were getting an earful of the gospel!

He was faithful to his calling, and that made him successful.  The results, he understood, weren’t in his control.  God didn’t “deliver” Paul from his day job (I sometimes wonder if that was the “thorn in the flesh” Paul talked about.  But that’s probably just my personal issues showing.).

God used Paul’s day job to fund some of his missions work.  There was a reason it was best for Paul to step back at times and make tents. (Read my blog post: “Day Job: A Songwriter’s Prison or Patron?“) What was God doing in his heart and mind during those hours that made him even more effective when he was preaching?

So if Paul, the greatest missionary in history, was not a failure in spite of his day job, you probably shouldn’t see yourself as a failed songwriter based on your day job status.  Maybe being a full-time songwriter isn’t the plan for you.  Or maybe this season is to prepare you for full-time writing later.  It’s sure not for me to say.

The question isn’t, “Am I able to write full-time?”  The question should be, “Am I being faithful to my calling?”

If you want to use your time wisely- to use it improving your craft and learning about the music business, I have a great 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.

Building A Hit, Write Like A Pro

Day Job: Songwriting Prison or Songwriting Patron?

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If you have the dream of being a full-time songwriter, singer/songwriter, or other type of creative, it’s easy to think of your day job as a prison.

You feel chained to your desk or the sales floor or the job site all day. You feel imprisoned by the 8-to-5 because you aren’t free to do what you love all day. Your commute feels more like a long walk in hand cuffs and leg-irons.  Seeing your day job as a prison understandably breeds resentment and despair.  I know- I’ve been there.

But what if there’s another way to look at it?

What if, instead of being your prison, you day job is your patron?  Read on!

________________________________

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success.  Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

It’s never been easy making a living from art. Way back when, artists used to find a rich person to provide financial backing so they could work on their art. This person was known as a “patron.”  (Maybe you’ve heard the term “patron of the arts.”)

Of course, these days I wouldn’t expect to find someone to give you room and board just so you can write songs. (Of course, there are a few publishing deals out there, but they don’t usually pay enough to feed a family.)  So, instead, I offer up a more obtainable solution.

Let your day job be your patron.

I know, I know… that’s not very sexy.  But so much of songwriting is a mental game.  Amazing things happen when you switch the story in your head from, “this job sucks!  It’s keeping me from living my dream” to “this job is going to help make my dreams come true.”  For one thing, your resentment and stress level decreases, as does your need to Netflix-and-ice-cream the night away when you get home.  Instead, you know you’ve spent all day funding your dream, so it feels even more important to spend your evenings chasing that dream.

Here are a couple ways your day job can help you reach your songwriting goals:

Let your day job pay for your art.

Let the company paycheck cover the roof over your writing room and the coffee in your mug.  Let your job during the day fund your art on nights and weekends.  Let your vacation time pay you while you spend time in Nashville or another major music center.  Let a percentage of your salary cover workshops and conferences (online or in person), while you build connections and learn the craft of songwriting.

You won’t mind rolling in on Monday morning (as much) when you realize your boss is paying for your demos- and he won’t even ask for your publishing!

Let your day job buy you time.

Believe me, it’s easy to resent that your day job doesn’t allow you time to write as much as you want.  Years ago, I spent a lot of frustrated hours in my Alltel cubicle wishing I were writing songs instead of listening to them on my little desk radio.

But, in reality, my day job (call center… ugh) WAS buying me valuable time.  And your day job DOES buy you more time, too. It buys you time to learn and get better while there’s very little to lose by failing.

I wasn’t ready to turn pro back in my Arkansas days.  I wasn’t ready to quit my job and make that jump yet.  I needed that time to grow as a person and as a writer.  Sure, I could’ve grown faster as a writer if I’d been able to tackle it full-time… but how would I have paid for bread and lunch meat?

Relying completely on songwriting to feed yourself or your family is extremely difficult and stressful- I know from experience.

So use this time to improve your songwriting, to build relationships, and to grow your business.

Turn your prison into your patron.

If you want to use your time wisely- to use it improving your craft and learning about the music business, I have a great 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.

Building A Hit, Write Like A Pro

Want Artists To Record Your Songs? You Need S.P.I.N.S.

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Want to make a living as a songwriter?  Want a publishing deal? Would you be happy just to get a song or two recorded, even if they don’t become hit singles? The answer for all this is the same...

If you want artists to record your music, write songs with built-in S.P.I.N.S.

So, what are S.P.I.N.S., and how do they help you get cuts? Read on.

________________________________

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success.  Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

These days, it seems like it’s harder than ever to land a cut on a major artist.  There are literally tens of thousands of songwriters in Nashville trying to get one of their songs recorded by a handful of major artists.  And that’s not counting the thousands of songwriters in other major music cities and small towns around the world who are competing for cuts on those same records.

But the competition (and opportunity) doesn’t stop there.  A quick check of any online music platform will reveal that there are thousands of independent artists who are releasing new music every day.  How do you get a song on one of their projects? 

You get cuts by writing songs with S.P.I.N.S.  (You know how much I love acronyms.)  Let’s break it down.

S. is for Stickiness.

Your song has to get stuck in the listener’s head.  It has to be memorable- to stick with the listener.  You can do this multiple ways.  A great way to start is by having a unique, compelling hook or title.  Avoid titles that have been done a million times.  “I Love You.”  “Over You.”  Those titles aren’t going to send any publisher, producer or artist scrambling to hear your song.  Be more creative and more memorable.

Have melodic hooks in your song that are ear-worms.  There have to be some melodic pieces that stand out and stay with the listener after the first listen.  If a listener can sing along by the time you hit your last chorus, that’s a great sign.

Imagery is a great way to be sticky.  Give the listener something to see in their mind’s eye, something fresh, real and unexpected, and there’s a much better chance the song will be memorable.

P. is for Positioning.

Your song should be well-positioned for your target market.  It has to make sense for your target genre and its artists.  Your “I’m a whiskey-drinking, fist-swinging rebel” song is not going to work for an artist who is positioned as a “lover, not a fighter.” 

Also, it helps to write songs that are artist-friendly.  Do your songs make the artist look good?  Do they say what an artist wants to say to their audience?  That’s being artist-friendly.

If you song is sticky, but it’s not well-positioned, an artist isn’t going to record it.

I. is for Impact.

Your song needs to make an impact on the artist and listener.  It should make them feel something.  Does your song make the listener want to laugh, cry, dance or think? Will a large audience care about your song’s subject matter ?  This is called being “universal.”

Start by having a clear emotional goal for your song.  Is your song all about getting the listener on the dance floor, on their knees praying, on the phone with mama, or on their boyfriend?  If you don’t know the response you want to get from the listener, you’re probably not going to get it.

Write about something emotional.  It’s not enough for your song to be based around an interesting turn of phrase.  The song must impact the listener’s emotions.

Keep it simple.  Make your song about one clear thing.  If you throw too much at the listener, you’ll confuse them.  If you confuse the listener, you lose the listener, and they won’t be emotionally moved by your song.  Keeping it simple also helps it be more sticky.

Use powerful imagery.  It’s a great way to bring the listener into the story and keep their attention.

It doesn’t matter if your song is sticky and well-positioned if it has no impact on the listener.

N. is for Network.

You and your song have to get connected to the right people.  This is where relationships are key.  Can you get your songs to a legit publisher- who can then get the song in the right hands?  Can you play your songs for a producer?  Are you writing with the artist?Building and leveraging your network is the major difference between great songwriters and great songwriters with great careers.

Your song can be sticky, have positioning and impact, but it’ll never get recorded if it isn’t networked.

S. is for Start Again.

One song written with S.P.I.N.S. isn’t going to be enough.  S.P.I.N.S. isn’t a guarantee.  And even if it were, one song doesn’t make a career.  But the more songs you write with built-in Stickyness, Positioning, Impact and Networking, the better your chance for songwriting success.

S.P.I.N.S. : Stickiness – Positioning – Impact – Network – Start Again

If you want to write songs with S.P.I.N.S. and get your songs recorded by artists, I have a great opportunity coming up.

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.

Building A Hit, Write Like A Pro

Building A Hit: Billboard Country Chart Breakdown

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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!

________________________________

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success.  Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

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.

Building A Hit, Write Like A Pro

5 ways you’re making your song “too old!”

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Are you hurting your song’s chances of being recorded by a major artist because you’re making it “too old?”  You might be- without even knowing it. 

I’m not talking about how long ago your song was written.  I’m talking about how old your lyrics make the singer.  You see, most artists sing “young.”  They sing from a young point of view, no matter how old they really are.

Songs that written “too old” are too hard to get cut.

________________________________

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success.  Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

It’s amazing how one line in a song – or even one or two lines in your song might disqualify it for most artists.  And you might not even notice those lines or words because they make sense in the story – or because it’s your story.  But remember, you want the singer to make your song their own story.

So here are some ways songwriters “age” their lyrics.  Please keep in mind that none of these things are bad in and of themselves.  However, they may limit who will sing it.  Also, I’m not telling you to never put these into your songs- they may be a vital part of a great song.  Just make sure that if you include these points in your songs, they’re there on purpose and with good reason.

1. Shacking up.

Saying things like “you came home” or “you’re moving out” means the singer and their lover/ex-lover are living together.  That’s an adult situation, and a younger singer may not sing that.  Does your song HAVE to say the person is moving out?  Or are you just writing that line because you’ve heard it done in so many songs?  Is there another way to say it?

2. Kids.

You might have a nice love song that works for a singer of any age, but as soon as you mention kids, the singer has to be old enough to have kids.  It definitely puts the singer in a more mature phase of life.   Are kids really necessary to your song?  They might be.  But it they aren’t, you could be unnecessarily hurting your chances of getting that song recorded.

3. Drinking.

If you’re drinking on the riverside, you might just be 17 or 18.  If you’re drinking in a bar, you’re at least 21, unless you have a fake ID.  If it’s a drinking song (and a lot of those get cut), you can’t leave out the drinking.  But if it’s an otherwise young love song, do you NEED that one line about a beer?  Is the line worth the limitation?

4. Working.

Have you noticed how almost no one in country music has a job these days?  “Worked all week” or “my boss is a jerk” makes the singer seem older.  Maybe your bad week at work is WHY you want to blow off some steam at the party- and the party is the point of the song.  That’s fine.  But do you have to put that “work” line in your song?  Is there a way to write a compelling line that leaves it more open?  The point of your song – the party – doesn’t change.  But who all can cut it might change for the better.

5. Old love.

Talking about how you’ve been together “all these years” may be true for the songwriter and his wife, but it might not make sense for the 20-year-old singer who is selling tickets to 18-year-old girls.  If the point of the song is that it’s an old love, that’s fine.  But if the point is just that you love the girl, maybe you don’t need that one line that ages the singer.

Again, none of these things are bad, and I’m not saying you should avoid them in all your songs.  That’s not the case.  Some songs need these things.

But I want make sure that if you decide to use any of these in your song, that you do it intentionally, with purpose, knowing the effect it might have on the song’s ability to get recorded by a major artist.

Speaking of getting your songs recorded, I have a great opportunity for you.

In the month of January, 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 ideas 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, get on the radio, or 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 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.

Building A Hit, Write Like A Pro

Turn a negative (title) into a positive!

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Commercially-speaking, positive songs are in higher demand than negative songs. 

That’s not really a surprise if you listen to the radio.  Most of the songs are happy love songs or fun party songs.  But what if most of the titles and ideas you come up with are sad or negative?  What do you do then?

Turn that negative title into a positive idea.

________________________________

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success.  Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

I believe that most titles that sound negative can be used for a positive song if you’re creative enough.  And if you want to be better songwriter, your job is definitely to be “creative enough.”

Here’s an example. “You Broke My Heart” could mean “You Broke My Heart out of it’s chains, You Broke My Heart of stone wide open so I could love again.” “I Hate You” could be a love song about how “I Hate You took so long to come into my life. I Hate You didn’t grow up next door so I could’ve loved you since I was a kid, etc.”

Same negative titles, new positive angles.

I had an old idea called, “Minutes From A Memory” about a guy that knew his girl was about to leave him and become a memory.  Thankfully, my cowriter, Jason Cox, saw it as a guy knowing he and his girl are about to make a great memory.

That’s so much more commercial! As a matter of fact, my publisher at the time liked it enough to pay for a demo of it and pitch it around.

That’s a positive result of a positive spin!

I confess to being a negative-first kind songwriter.  Maybe pain is just more interesting.  Who knows? But I’ve really worked on not settling for a negative idea just because it’s my first impression of the title.  Not only are those negative-title-positive-songs more commercial because they’re positive, they’re also more interesting because you have to dig deeper into your idea and twist it more than most writers will.  That’a win-win!

Dig deeper.  Turn some of your negative titles into positive ideas. Try it. If you don’t like the results, you can always go back to your original angles. There’s nothing to lose, but a whole lot to gain!

Speaking of having a whole lot to gain, I have a great opportunity for you.

In the month of January, 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 ideas 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, get on the radio, or 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 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.

Building A Hit, Write Like A Pro

Building A Hit: Kenny Chesney & “Better Boat”

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Kenny Chesney’s current single, “Better Boat,” is navigating up the country singles chart. Today, let’s take a look at some of the ways the songwriters built this song to be a Chesney hit.

Great songs don’t happen by accident- they’re a series of wise choices.  And the songwriters (Travis Meadows and Liz Rose) made some great choices when building “Better Boat.” Now, I wasn’t in the room with them, so I can only speculate at the thought process behind the end results. But as a professional songwriter myself, I can take an experienced and educated guess.

If you want to write hits, too… read on!

________________________________

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success.  Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

1. Stick to the brand.

Overall, this song is built to fit Kenny’s brand of country.  Kenny is like the tide- time and again, he returns to the ocean.  So a song with a title like “Better Boat” certainly fits that bill.

Chesney is also tends toward introspection every now and then.  If you’ve listened to his beach albums especially, you get that feeling in several of his songs.  Some artists don’t tend to go there, but Kenny will.

 2. Fill a G.A.P.

We all know how much Kenny likes “beach songs.”  But at this point, he’s done so many…. like… a LOT of them.  So how do you bring something different?  Well, you get it into his brand (as mentioned above) by the theme of a better boat.  Then you open it up by making it a metaphor for dealing with life and growing as a person.

Maybe the Chesney of 10 years ago wouldn’t have released this.  But as a mature superstar, he’s going to these more thoughtful themes.  He’s doing more introspection, as also mentioned above.  Mixing these two things: a boat-song-not-about-the-beach and introspection, puts “Better Boat” into a gap in Kenny’s catalog that isn’t over-served.  It gives him (and the listener) a little different slice of the familiar pie.

3. Hit me in the feels.

This doesn’t go where you’d think a country song with “Boat” in the title would go.  It’s not a good-time-boats-and-beaches song.  It’s very emotional.  It’s honest, raw, bittersweet, and ultimately hopeful.

It doesn’t spell everything out.  What put the singer in this emotional place?  What demons haunt him?  What “ain’t workin'” and what’s “still hurtin’?”  While it leaves out many details, the song does a great job of painting enough of a picture that we don’t feel lost.  It contains enough imagery to anchor us.  It presents the moment wonderfully, while leaving the backstory open.  It’s a really hard thing to do, but I think they did it well.

The song makes you FEEL.  It’s not a “heady” song.  It’s not an intellectual thing, and it’s not a toe tapper.  The writers know that if you’re gonna write a ballad, you sure better bring the EMOTION.  It doesn’t mean you can’t also bring imagery, but you sure better bring the feels.  What’s in this song for the listener?  It moves them.  And if they’re dealing with something like the singer is, it lets them know they’re not alone.

4. Break every rule (for a superstar).

First of all, this song is a ballad.  That’s one strike “against” it.  The production is also strikingly sparse.  It’s just acoustic guitars (courtesy of Mac McAnally).  Of course, that kind of simple production worked out okay for “The House That Built Me,” but it’s still a risky move.  It really sticks out on country radio, and country radio doesn’t usually like that.  It takes both a killer song and a powerful artist to make that risk a worthy gamble.

These days, most country singers seem to reach into the pop world for a female guest spot (Florida Georgia Line’s “Meant To Be feat. Bebe Rexha,” Keith Urban’s “Coming Home feat. Julia Michaels,” and… Chesney’s own “Setting The World On Fire feat. P!nk”) .  However, Chesney brings Mindy Smith, an Americana darling, on board.  She’s great, but she’s not a name that’s going to bring over a ton of pop listeners.

And this song isn’t a fun positive uptempo.  It’s not shallow (boat pun intended).  That’s not the mark of the usual radio hit.  Again, Chesney is bringing his superstar muscle to bear on this one.  Most artists simply couldn’t get away with this type of song.  But Chesney has earned it by years of bringing radio hit after radio hit.

What’s the lesson here?  If you’re going to break the rules, realize that you’re hurting your changes of getting a cut.  And know that you better be writing something AMAZING that also happens to fit right where an artist is or is going in his or her career.  Travis and Liz wrote the heck out of it, that’s for sure.  But there are probably only a couple of major artists that could cut this song, and only one who could make it a hit.  Just so happens they got it to him.  And I’m glad they did.

Okay, those are four areas in which Travis Meadows and Liz Rose built “Better Boat” to be a surprising hit song. Of course, those aren’t the only elements that make the song a hit, but they’re four important ones. 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 January, 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.

Building A Hit, Think Like A Pro

Before you play your song for an artist, ask yourself these 6 questions.

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You’ve just written your new favorite jam, and you can’t wait to pitch it to every artist and label in town.  Congrats!  But DON’T play that song for an artist just yet!

Before you send that email or make that call, you need to ask yourself these 6 questions that can keep you from wasting your time AND hurting your songwriting reputation.

________________________________

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success.  Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

Let’s say you have the opportunity to pitch to an artist.  Maybe Aunt Betty knows a guy that mows the lawn of the guy that cuts Luke Bryan’s hair.  Or maybe you’re a staff writer who knows you shouldn’t leave all the pitching to your plugger (which is wise, by the way).  Either way, you want to make the most of your pitches.  Here are some questions to ask yourself as you’re going through your songs.

1.  Does my song fit the artist’s brand?

Artists are brands.  Simply put, if your song is a french fry, don’t bother pitching it to Taco Bell.  They don’t DO french fries- it doesn’t fit their brand.  Likewise, don’t waste an artist’s time by pitching him a song that doesn’t fit what he does.  You’ll look like you just didn’t bother to do your homework.  That doesn’t respect the artist’s artistry or their time, and you come off looking bad.

 2.  Can the artist sing the song?

I was in an A&R pitch meeting at a label, and I pitched a certain song for a certain artist on their roster.  The A&R rep said the lyric was right up his alley, but she didn’t think he could sing it.  Pass.

My buddy, Anthony Orio, has pitched songs to a publisher before, and the publisher told him, “What guy can sing this melody?”  Well, Anthony could, but Anthony didn’t have the record deal!  The point is that not a lot of guys could sing a song that rangy, so it wasn’t as attractive to a publisher as a song they could pitch everywhere to pretty much every male artist.

3.  Does the artist already write this type of song?

For example, Keith Urban tends to write his own feel-good mid-and-uptempo songs.  Most of his ballads and darker songs, however, tend to be written by other writers- “Raining On Sunday” “You’ll Think Of Me” “Making Memories Of Us” and “Stupid Boy,” for example.  Your best bet for getting a Keith Urban cut is probably to bring him something he records but doesn’t typically write himself.  The same goes for most artists.

4.  Is it a quality recording?

I’ve gotten cuts from demos.  I’ve gotten cuts from good guitar/vocals.  But unless it’s something I wrote with the artist, I’ve never gotten a cut off a worktape.

There are writers that can pitch a worktape, but they’ve had enough success that the listener already expects to hear a great song because of who wrote it.  Also, they can probably play it directly for the artist or producer.  Depending on how close you are to the project, your song may have to get past an A&R intern, a production assistant, and who-knows-who-else before it can get to someone who can give you the “Big Yes.”

I personally don’t count on every person in that chain to be able to hear through a worktape- especially when it’s sandwiched between great-sounding demos.

5.  Is this song a step into the artist’s future?

Right after Brad Paisley hit with “The Fishing Song,” he got blasted with fishing songs from everywhere.  Notice how he STILL hasn’t put another one out as a single?  I’m sure he didn’t want to get pigeonholed as the fishing guy (although that was an important part of his brand at the time).  Besides, he can write a great fishing song on his own- he doesn’t need to pay me for mine when he can make money on his.

Successful artists evolve over time.  Plenty of writers will be pitching them their LAST hit, just giving them more of what they’ve already done.  You need to pitch them their NEXT hit.  Give them a song that will help move the artist forward in their evolution and career.

6.  Is this a great song?

I’ve made the mistake of pitching songs that were the right brand, but just “okay.”  It’s like kicking a field goal perfectly straight… but five yards short.  No points.  There are too many really good and great songs out there- why would an artist cut yours?  It has to be on-brand AND great.  Never, never, never pitch a song that you know isn’t great.  It’ll reflect poorly on you as a songwriter.  It’ll damage your reputation.  And in this business, reputation is huge.

I hope this list is helpful for you.  It’s not an exhaustive list- each pitch opportunity comes with it’s own particulars.  But I think you’ll be well served to keep these questions in mind.  Remember, this is a business, and it’s BIG business.  It’s very competitive.  If you want to get your songs recorded, you have to give your songs and your business every advantage you can.

I can help you write songs that artists want to sing and fans want to hear.

In the month of January, 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 ideas 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, get on the radio, or 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 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.

Building A Hit, Think Like A Pro

Songwriting That Is “Just As Good” Isn’t Good Enough.

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Ever turn on the radio, get mad and think, “Well, my songs are just as good as THAT!  Why aren’t MINE getting cut???”

Raise your hand if you’ve been there.  Yep.  Me, too.  And you might actually be writing songs that are, in fact, just as good as a few of the ones on the radio.

But “just as good” isn’t good enough.

________________________________

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success.  Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

Unless you’re already one of the cool kids on Music Row with a track record and a strong network, being “just as good” equals “just as good as invisible.”  It’s not enough to get you noticed or to get your song on the radio.

If your songs are just as good as a pro’s, expect the pro writer to get the cut.

After all, the pro has paid his (or her) dues, written a lot of really good songs, has industry contacts and might be writing with the artist or producer.  If anyone’s going to get their mediocre song recorded, it’s them, not you.  It might not seem fair, but a songwriter in that position has earned it.

Your songs have to be better. Period.

Not only do your songs have to cut through all the clutter of “bad” songs, they have to leapfrog all the “good” songs and be so good they land in the stack of “great” songs.

Sure, vanilla songs will get cut, but yours probably won’t.  As an outside songwriter (one without strong industry connections), you’re up against songwriters who DO have those connections.  Basically, your song has to be so good or so right for the artist that they pick yours INSTEAD of their buddy’s (or even their own song).

Write songs so good they can’t be ignored.

So… how do you actually do that?  The shortest answer is just to “dig deeper.”  (Have you ever heard that in a song meeting?  I have.  And it used to drive me NUTS.)

Thankfully, I don’t hear that these days.  Why?  Well… I’ve learned to DIG DEEPER!

I’m a lyricist, so I’ve found my advantage in finding and developing ideas.  Find an interesting title.  Then find a compelling, fresh angle to that idea.  Then develop the idea into something that makes sense commercially.  Then finish strong.  Sounds simple.  But it takes hard work and dedication to the craft of songwriting.

However, becoming known for consistently bringing in strong ideas – and knowing what to do with them – will help you attract great cowriters and maybe even land some great cuts.

I want to help you find, develop & finish great song ideas.

A great idea is one of the best ways to get other songwriters to not only notice you, but to tell their friends about you. If you can make another songwriter say, “I wish I’d thought of that!” they’ll remember you.  And if they remember you, it’ll speed up your success in the music biz.

I want you to be memorable.

If YOU want you and your songs to be memorable (in a good way), I have an awesome opportunity for you.

In the month of January, 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 ideas 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, get on the radio, or 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 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.