Songwriting Tips for Artists: How To Create a Hit Song with a Proper Arrangement

Contrary to what you may believe, almost anyone is capable of writing a song. However, with a little bit of education and experience, anyone can be capable of writing a hit. For many songwriters, writer’s block is a common occurrence. However, sometimes you don’t even know how to begin writing a song. That is why EAR has compiled a list of songwriting tips for artists who struggle with letting the words flow out of them.

Arranging a song by each section is crucial to the flow of your music and the structure of your message. In the same way one would write an essay for school, or an email to a colleague, a song should have a beginning, middle, and end. Or an introduction, body, and conclusion. The contents of these sections can be whatever your heart desires. After all, that is the beauty of creativity and songwriting. However, there are some key factors to note when scribbling it down on a piece of paper.

The Opening Line

The opening line is arguably the most important line in a song. It introduces the listener to the story or message you are about to tell. Your opening line should be attention grabbing and set the stage for the rest of the lyrics. 

Some artists start their songs with a time and place. For example, “Beautiful People” by Ed Sheeran and Kahlid starts with “LA on a Saturday night in the summer.” This sets the stage for the rest of the song - which is about the darkness and corruption that hides behind a curtain of opulent and wealthy people - by establishing the time and place as a blissful summer night in a glamorous city. 

Another way to start off a song is by describing a person, place, or thing. Take BTS’ hit single “Butter”: the opening line is “smooth like butter/ like a criminal undercover” which uses comparisons as a device to describe themselves. Opening a song with a description plants the seed of an image in the listeners mind, and it can give them a great jumping off point to interpret your music in their own way.

Lastly, you can use the opening line of your song to make a bold exclamation or statement. In the song “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo, the opening lyrics are “I just took a DNA test, turns out I’m 100% that b**tch” which expresses a strong sentiment that captures the listeners’ attention while also setting them up for the main theme of the song.

The Hook

The hook is also an extremely important part of a song arrangement. This is essentially the part that will make your song distinguishable from other artists’ music, and it will be the main part that your fans are sure to know.

You want your hook to be catchy and memorable. Whether this be through a stuck-in-your-head melody or by cleverly crafted lyrics, you really don’t want to drop the ball on crafting an effective hook like. Songs such as “Baby” by Justin Bieber have stood the test of time despite their hook line only really consisting of a few lyrics because of the catchy melody to which the lyrics are sung. However, when you examine other songs such as “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift which has a hook line that goes, “I have a blank space baby, and I’ll write your name” it stands out because the lyrics themselves are carefully crafted to end the hook with a statement that both rounds out the chorus and leaves the listener wanting more.

The Bridge

As a songwriter myself, the bridge is personally one of the harder elements of a song to get right. Writing a bridge can be difficult because you are introducing something totally new as a way to conclude the song. This can be by introducing new themes, changing up the chord progression, or even switching keys of the song entirely. 

However the challenging part is making sure the bridge still makes sense in the context of the rest of the song, so it does not feel like something totally new and unrelated. Some artists opt for an instrumental break or a different chorus to replace a bridge, or some choose to leave it out entirely. 

No matter how you choose to tackle this part of a song, it is important to note that bridges are helpful to connect two key points of a song together and help provide a path for a song to reach its climax. Therefore, it is best to include one if you feel that it will serve the rest of the song better.

The Outro

Lasting impressions are just as important as first impressions. Which is why the way you end a song is just as important as the way you begin one. Some artists choose an abrupt ending that lets the silence speak for itself. This is great for an ending with strong lyrical content that leaves the listener both satisfied with ending on a high note yet craving more (which is a great opportunity for them to listen to more of your music.) 

However, you can also choose to fade out the song or gradually break it down through the instrumental, which can help ease the listener out of it. However you choose to end your song, it is important to leave enough room for the listener to sink it all in and feel the emotions of the music. The way you leave off a song can have a large impact on a fan coming back to your artists page and looking through more of your catalogue.

These tips may seem like a lot, however songwriting is an art that has many avenues to go about it. If songwriting is not your thing however, there is no need to worry! Many artists possess a talent for singing without being able to put their words down in a lyrical format. This is why EAR offers songwriting services through EAR Ghost. With EAR Ghost you will never have to worry about saying the wrong thing or having nothing to say at all. You will be able to hire a lyricist that will ghostwrite your music for you in any genre of your choice, while maintaining 100% exclusive rights. This way, you can focus on refining the way in which you deliver your story, rather than worrying about the contents of the story itself.