[New release] Drop a recipe for pop hits to win an IGNITION KEYS 50 EUR/USD voucher

kormacoma

To create a chart-topping pop hit first and foremost you need catchy hooks & well-crafted choruses

Second, you need a video that viewers will want to watch all the way through.

And finally, you need a marketing strategy that can help you reach as many people as possible.

Bassmechanix

Catchy hook, simple chord progression, simple bass line, mixed for YouTube and the smartphones. Use NI and Ozone.

Dave Murphy

Good song with a catchy hook, sound selection, spice.

The MIDI Maniac

Wait...Wait a miiiinute!

So we have to share our secret about how we make hit records?

Let's ask Coca Cola and KFC for their secret recipe, okis?

Aaah...that's what I thought...

Okay....just one, but just two tip: USE DECENT GEAR and TAKE YOUR TIME

Just reading now that winner will be chosen random. Pfew...I almost shared the magic trick for making that chart topping pop hit ;-)

kleody

Well, the formula for good, successful pop music is primarily all about sex... does it make you want to do it or not? Whether it's sweet and soulful or a classic pump and grind- you know what I'm saying! Pop music like soulful, kindly sex can be a hit or a flop - they re-enforce each other. If it's good, you can be with the one you love and flow with its rhythm and melody.

Anyhow just my 2-cents!

James W.

Asking Paul McCartney to write a song that he’ll let you put your name on.

No, but a catchy beat and a great vocal track are everything to the average pop listener in my experience. Those two elements assumed, the rest is kinda gravy.

T-O

Start with only drums and piano. Piano for bass, chords and melodies. Simple harmonic composition and mainly pentatonic melodies. If it sounds catchy with this simple arrangement it will surely fly when more sofistacted sound design is applied!

fittsgreer

It needs a groovin’ bass line!

Uwe303

OMG soo many cool posts 😎👍

RogerSLO

Catchy bird whistling :)

cl3an!

There definitely is a winning formula behind the perfect pop song. In my humble opinion it is

1. Traditional song structure eg, intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-Bridge-chorus-outro, in other words REPETITION.

2. Surprise the listener with tension and release by resolving chords, introducing counter point melodies, key changes, tempo changes.

3. The song should be relatable, written in simple language that can be easily sung and understood by the masses. The Beatles , songwriting are perfect examples of the above.

Sound design and production techniques changes over the years but the pop formula basically stays more or less the same.

Kaiwan_NI

@Jean Voyage says

Simple, according to the early 2000s formula: Create Nokia 3210 ringtone from your song. If it’s still recognisable and more importantly, still catchy, it’s a certified hit.

You're totally right- back when ringtones were still a thing. This made me miss my Nokia 3310 back in high school!

Kaiwan_NI

@parapentep70 says

Short, easy, chorus repeated a few times, especially at the end. Just few words amotionally loaded. Chorus should be an anthem, easy to remember.

Simple harmony: I-IV-V7, I-vii-ii-V7 or similar.

(This helps) Tempo: 125 to 135. People dancing at these tempos tend to sync the tempo, the body and the heartrate.

And that's a complete formula right there.

Kaiwan_NI

@Uwe303 says

copy, at least, 50 percent from the last hit, that sounds like all hits before last year.

That's a sad but hard truth

Kaiwan_NI

@Michael Hild says

If we take TikTok for example you want to create a really grabby hook to keep the viewer from scrolling so we hear lots of vocals to start the track, and since these videos are only so long the tracks don't have to be made that long and many times have no outros.

Absolutely agree with this. There was an interview with Olivia Rodrigo where she said she wrote her songs with Tiktok dance moves in mind