Possible Elements of a Pop Hit

I'm brainstorming a blog post right now, but I'll just write down what's on my mind in the moment.

Pop music, like all mainstream media, is both adorned and detested at the same time. Once in a while, it has critics thinking, "WTF" while it's climbing the charts.

Regardless of how bad a song is, I think it takes just one element to shine through. With either luck or opportunity, a song can dominate the radio waves until everyone's sick of it.

So, the elements:

Memorability:

This is probably the most common element among #1 hits. It's the fact that everyone remembers them that makes these songs successful.

When it's stuck in your head, you remember it. It doesn't matter if it's annoying, but you remember it. So when you consider buying a song...guess what's in the line-up?

I remember a classmate saying that she once called a radio station to make a request, except she forgot what song she wanted. So she said [[Music/Kesha "Tik Tok"]]...even though she hated that song.

Most So Bad, It's Good fall under this. Friday, anyone?

Don't underestimated the Earworm.

Dancibility:

Dancing feels good. When a song makes you dance, you associate that good feeling with the song, so you either buy it or keep requesting it so you can groove on.

Escapism:

This is the boy band's #1 tool. It's the swoon factor of having five boys singing their love to you.

Of course, escapism isn't that narrow. It can take other forms, anything that makes the listener submerge themselves into the lyrics.

Anthem/Ballad Appeal:

They're similar (and "anthem" has a wide definition), but I'm describing the type of song that has depth in its vocals. It doesn't matter if it's melodramatic; it sounds good.

Unusual:

Of course, there's the occasional darkhorse who sneaks through and has appeal because it's unfamiliar. These are the cross-overs, or just the unusual, often done by those far from the pop spotlight.

Resonance:

This is the rarest elements. Very few songs in the mainstream has real resonance. This can either be pure chillness, or even tears. Part of the success of "Someone Like You" was the fact that many found it a Tearjerker.

Resonance can be on many different levels, but relating to a song helps.

Familiarity:

In the end though, there's both unusual hits and..."safe" hits. People love being uncomfortable. Formulas work.

I was tempted to throw in "it sounds good", but I think that's not as tangible as these already subjective factors.

Anything I missed? Anything you disagree with? Any examples? Thoughts?

I'd argue that Unusual might be a subcategory (subelement?) of Memorability. That is, it stands out in memory because it's so bizarre.

edited 13th Feb '13 3:52:51 PM by KylerThatch

This:

You're forgetting pop's most crucial element:

You might want to give The Manual: How to Have a Number One the Easy Way a read-through. In it, Jim Cauty and Bill Drummond of The KLF allege that topping the UK pop charts is just a matter of writing a 3:20 song with a danceable groove, relatable lyrics, and a verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus structure. Also a matter of shamelessly following the trends and knowing which other musicians to rip off.

It sounds audacious, but the authors actually speak from experience. They set out to abandon their artistic integrity and create a song calculated to top the charts. The result was this piece of crap—a mashup of the Doctor Who theme, Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part 2", and Sweet's "Blockbuster"—which actually did become a number one hit. The Manual was written in the aftermath of that song's release. It's very much a product of its time—1988—but it's still a fascinating read.

The British charts are weird. Didn't a song sung by Isaac Hayes in-character as Chef from South Park go to #1?

Also, I think I know the secret to a pop hit anymore. Beat your audience over the head with the hook. If your title phrase isn't in the song at least 400 times, then it won't be a hit. (I keep forgetting — what kind of place did Rihanna find love in again? She really needs to say it more often so people will remember.)

You really must have a grudge against "We Found Love", don't you?

However, considering it was Rihanna's lead single, it would've been more surprising if it wasn't #1. The only exceptions in her career which a lead single didn't hit that spot was "Pon de Replay" (got #1) and "Russian Roulette" (off-formula; "Rude Boy" got it).

But I think there's a reason why the title is sung so much in many hooks: so it stick in the head. And it works.

edited 14th Feb '13 4:55:42 AM by chihuahua0

And it has the subtlety of being repeatedly pounded on the head with a 10 pound hammer. While another one slams into your 'nads.

Also, there are other songs I can bash far worse for repetition than "We Found Love". I just chose it because it was more recent, and I find it annoyingly annoying annoyingness of annoying.

Seriously, when 80% of your song is, say, "Imma be, imma be, imma imma imma be" or "I gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night / That tonight's gonna be a good good night" repeated 9001 times, where's the joy in listening to it? I like a song that has variety.

In that case, I've written a new pop song. I hope you enjoy:

I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
I couldn't be more in love if I tried
(Repeat chorus 56 times)

edited 14th Feb '13 5:02:34 AM by Twentington

Although in the end, it was only sixteen times.

...but if you think "Imma Be" is bad, you're going to hate "Jump" by Rihanna. At least it has an awesome beat break.

(In the end, I find that some of my favorite songs are sparse with lyrics, but kick it out of the ballpark with everything else.)

edited 14th Feb '13 5:17:37 AM by chihuahua0

Still. I think that repetition to that extreme smacks of Viewers Are Goldfish and/or Padding. You are not a Head On commercial; find something more to say instead of trying desperately to lengthen the song and/or beat the listener over the head.

@Twent: Funny thing is, I'm taking a songwriting class right now, and my professor seems to be emphasizing more than anything that the hook is the thing that matters the most. So you're not inaccurate there at all.

I still try to at least add some variety when I write a song. I'm not talking an Uncommon Time nightmare, but I at least try to make it not sound monotonous, and I don't jam the hook down your throat.