Every musician wants to write and record songs that will be heard by as many people as possible. But how does this process take place? How to start creating a future hit potential?
As a musician and composer, I know that each of us’s goal in our home 
studio is to create killer hits that sound equally good on radio and TV, as well as on social networks and other sources.
We will not talk about any specific techniques: from this guide, you will not learn which knobs to turn on the equalizer and mix the bass drum. I’m going to talk about how to work on quality music, nothing more.
High-quality and hit songs begin long before visiting the studio. Their starting point is good lyrics and a bright melody. Even the coolest vocal microphone is useless if the lyrics are boring, and the melody is not remembered.
Despite these words’ obviousness, it never ceases to amaze me how home musicians ignore the work on the text and the melodic component of the composition. The song hasn’t been invented yet, and painful discussions about equipment and recording techniques are already in full swing.
Before thinking about recording, you have to write a great song. You cannot write down what does not exist.
It’s hard to say what defines a hit – these are very subjective things. However, I do believe that good songs have several ingredients.
Every great song has a catchy melody
The melody takes the song forward and makes it memorable. With the help of the melody, the track “gets stuck” in the listener’s head. If the melodic line you have invented is too simple and faded, it will quickly be forgotten: after 2-3 songs, the listener will no longer remember what you wrote there. Do everything to make the melody sticky and catchy.
Every great song has catchy lyrics
Words are inextricably linked with the melody – through it, they go 
straight to the listener’s brain. It’s not about writing lyrics with deep philosophical meaning: just one really good line or phrase that people will remember. By combining decent lyrics with a bright melody, you will ensure your song is memorable.
How do you start working on a song: from the lyrics or the music? I usually start with music, with vocal melodies – I create them without thinking about the lyrics. It seems that starting with music, we impose pleasant restrictions on ourselves, which make the lyrics better and, at the same time, iconic.
Every great song has something special
Most songs follow a tried and tested script: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, breakout, chorus, ending. Walking the beaten path is normal; there is nothing wrong with that.
However, there must be an element in the song that will surprise the listener and make a good impression. It can be an unexpected loss, some unique instrument, or sound in the arrangement, even a vocal move.
Listeners need something to make them think, “This is cool! This is unusual! “
Regardless of your favorite style (EDM, rock, jazz, pop), you must write a bright, boring melody, decent and catchy lyrics, and come up with at least one unusual element for the song.
It is not simple. The good news is that everything comes with experience: the more you compose, the better your songs become, and the easier it is for you to come up with cool melodies, lyrics, and arrangement elements.
You don’t have to be a genius from birth to write good songs. You can become one over time. The songs are bound to get better, just make sure they have these three secret ingredients.
The bad news is, songwriting is hard work. You cannot sit back and wait for the muse to come to you. Songwriting has to be treated like a job – the best songwriters do just that.