In it's heyday, when Radio was still breaking artists, a 3:30 minute track with two verses, three choruses, etc. was the expected standard but today, with the Internet rapidly becoming king...a "cookie-cutter" track isn't always required to capture the listeners attention and make them want to hear it over and over again.

Thankfully, the days of major labels shoving their "corporate" wares down a narrow pipeline for us all to buy like sheep have ended. Now the new game in town is the Internet.

What this means is that new aspiring artists no longer are forced to "sound like" this or that flavor of the month that's being touted by the majors. Their music is no longer subject to securitization and homogenizing by committees or executives afraid for their jobs thus wanting to stay on the safe and sunny side of the street.

Yet, the labels as formatted as they were, did provide for their new talent, a certain level of artist development and direction. Stars were built slowly and methodically much like the old film studio system. Sadly today, those days are long gone.

And, although the Internet has leveled the playing field offering incredible opportunities for expression and creativity, in order for a new recording artist to be successful, to stand out and be heard, their music still must move people on some level and make them "feel" something when they experience it.

It's my belief then, that even though the delivery system has changed, the elements that still make a commercially successful record have not changed and will never do so.

I found in my productions of classic artists like Tracy Chapman, Joe Jackson, Cat Stevens, etc. the first step in making a hit record was not to try to hard to make one. Hardly anyone could ever say that Tracy's "Fast Car" or Joe's "Steppin" Out" fit into any kind of mold. Yet each were unique and powerful in their own way. You see, I have found that some of my biggest hits have not been predictable, stiff, or forced but each of those records as well as others I have produced did share some key elements. So what are those elements?

I have discovered seven of them. They are the same elements you will find yesterday, today or 20 years from now.

SEVEN KEY ELEMENTS:

(1) Is the song memorable? Is there some element of it that hits you deep in your soul? Are you moved by a lyric, a phrase, a concept and does something about it make you identify with it in your own life? Does the writer take a risk of looking bad and share something personal with you that you have felt yourself at some time or another?

In a commercial record, there is a structure in place that contains dynamics and sections i.e. a verse or pre-chorus exploding and releasing into a chorus. This creates excitement and differentiates the sections.

(3) Musically there are "hooks" which can be catchy phrases, melodic lines, rhythmic lines, etc., which stick in your head and you find yourself singing.

(4) Does the record create an emotion or mood when you hear it? When you think about it, are you affected by it in any way...make you want to dance, cry, laugh or think etc.

If you hear it between to other records how does it compare? Does it stand up and grab you or fall on it's face? Is it special?

(6) Does it make the hair on your arm stand on end when you hear it the first time or do you feel little flutters in your stomach?

(7) Would you bet your life's savings on it becoming a hit and are you willing will to risk them to back up your belief in the record?

At the end of the day...a hit record takes on a life of it's own. It transcends style or genre. It is timeless and will be as significant today as next year or in 10 years.

It's a great time in music for the musical creator. The last few years have been a major disappoint in regard to breaking new meaningful talent. So, if we are to produce the "Bob Dylan's", "Peter Gabriel's", or "Stings" of tomorrow, it must still be done with recordings that entrance the listener and take them into another place for the few short minutes they spend listening to it.

Copyright (c) 2008 David Kershenbaum