Possibly.... I use this theory.... I write what I feel.   If it's in my head and of soul and is seeking a way out through a song I will write it whether I think it has hit potential or not. I simply write each song to the best of my ability.
 
I think every great songwriter write in this manner to one degree or another.
 
It is through the process of writing many, many songs that the truly great ones have a chance to shine.
 
Jeffery Steele, super hit writer in the country music market said in a seminar I was able to attend that he simply writes at least one song a day as a primary goal. 99 out of 100 are throw aways, destined to never see the light of day..... but that other 1% .... yeah, those are the ones everyone is singing the words to at the concerts. He said he doesn't try to write a hit... he simply writes.
 
Of all the stuff I write, there is only a handful which I would even consider letting a publisher hear.
 
I've heard it said another way... Play the game, and the score will take care of itself.
 
Just write.... every month, every week, every day if you can.... just write.

Great way of attacking it Herb.  I like the train of thought.  The more you do it, the better you are and even still, many are garbage/filler.
In my band, we had at one point 4 of the 5 guys in the band wrote entire songs and would bring them to the band to present & possibly work on together... One of which would get upset if we changed a lyric or a melody here and there on "his song".  He was not the youngest in age and one hell of a lead player but he WAS the newest to songwriting/composition.  His songs, and lyrics were often good in concept but unpolished, and amateur sounding (understandably, he was a novice at best).  They had potential but needed work, though he would already be in love with them before he brought them to the table and took it as an attack on his baby.....    
  I explained to him how approx. half of what I write goes in the garbage the next morning.  You always think it's good while writing it but with fresh ears & perspective I could be subjective enough to toss out the trash.  Of what I still felt had merit, some would fit the bands style & ability, some did not, many would be reworked, lyrics scrapped and rewritten 2-3+ times before I brought them to the band, then of those that made it to the point of being presented to the band, about 1/3rd would get shot down out of the gate for various reasons, 1/3rd would be worked on and sit half done into eternity, and a maybe 1/3rd actually ever saw completion, stage time, & our next record.   So yeah I would say 1 in 15 to 20 concepts or ideas became fully completed works and get out of our rehearsal studio.  And in retrospect....  Some of those sucked too!    
 
  It is hard to write "hits" or everyone would.   Some styles I think make it easier though....  Dance/pop stuff is generally at/around 120bpm, almost never involves minor scales and it helps to sing about girls, cars, and all your money.  You're halfway there.
Country:  Similar tempos, add slide guitar, and a fiddle.  Sing about Girls, Trucks, and the fact that you have no money but that's OK. 
BTW, See this video, it's hysterical! 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WySgNm8qH-I
In the broad scope of rock I am always amazed at how weird or different my new favorite song is, there is no way anyone could intend to write it to get my attention.  They wrote it for them, I happened to love it as well.   So all I can do is write for me anymore.  I amaze myself sometimes, like where the hell did that riff come from?   I have never played anything like it in my life?!  haha
 
 
 

Chuck, that video is hilarious.  It is funny that you could do a similar video for any lyrical genre.  I tell my son all the time that most criticisms of a genre can easily be turned around and that he should not be so harsh on styles he does not enjoy because odds are someone has the same perception of what he does enjoy.

Danny Danzi
For mainstream rock, pop, R&B, hip-hop, most definitely.....you go for the hit or you don't write for that market.

Danny,
 
As always, I agree with your post whole heartedly - expect for that one line above!
 
[Warning - I'm going to show my age with the examples in the next paragraph - LOL]
A lot of great songs are hits by accident. For the most part they are just somebody pouring their soul out and it gets captured. "Tears in Heaven" was nothing more than Eric Clapton trying to recover from unimaginable tragedy. "Maggie May" was a DJ flipping the single over and playing the B -Side. "Sultan's of Swing" is one of the most unlikely hits of all time. How did that song resonate with so many people?
 
It's easy to stand back now and say those three songs are classics as is Eddie's tapping as per your example. But was that really what the intent was? If I recall - Eruption was never intended to be a part of the album.
 
For those that say the industry has changed, I think you need to re-evaluate the situation. The industry is and always has been about money - not necessarily good music... It's been that way for decades, if not longer...
 
The rest of your post is dead on. But in my opinion if you aim "just" for a hit, you are limiting what the song could really become. You need to create the best song you can and simply let time dictate whether or not it becomes a hit.

Hi coda,
 
Ah it's quite alright. :) See, that was why I gave the 3 choices in my post. If you read #1 it's saying what you're saying. The other side of the coin is....think about his question again and then look back on the styles he mentions.
 
If you are going to write a pop, hip-hop or rock song TODAY and want to be successful, you go for the hit or you don't try to be successful. I'm talking from my own personal experience. We do jingle work, music for documentaries and weekly shows....it's all about the hook in MY business as that is what we get asked to do. When I do stuff for like say Rob Pincus who is one of our clients, (does a show on guns and we have done a majority of the music) we get to do heavy instrumental rock stuff and can be more experimental.
 
But when you work in the bigger leagues, experimentation is often times not going to sell and the same can be said for pop, rock and hip-hop. It all follows a format. Though one does NOT have to conform to that format, you have a better chance at making a few bucks while doing so...and that was what my line you quoted was geared more towards. :)
 
You're using quite a bit of classic rock there brother. Therefore, we're probably both close in age. LOL! :) While it is fantastic music, in today's times it would tank due to people not being concerned with the journey classic rock took us on. From the way the artists were unique (in a good way) to the album covers and art helping you to enjoy the album (or just about anything classic rock) I sincerely believe none of it would do well today the way it was back in the day. So I would say it's a bad example because most of the songs those great classic rock bands were known for, were not songs that got radio airplay at all or it may have happened at a later time, know what I mean? People accepted things differently back then....it's a totally new music business.
 
As for VH, the tapping thing I mentioned wasn't about Eruption. It was the style that was delivered I was talking about. "You Really Got Me" was the first released single....which had tapping in the solo. My point about the tapping is, when something is done right to where it is accepted by the masses, it matters not how you do it as long as that delivery is right and people are ready for it. Think about all the bands you can name that were "before their time". Most never amounted to anything other than for we that enjoy that stuff. I've always loved Traffic, but they weren't huge. The guys in the band wound up doing cool things, but that band was pretty awesome to me...yet it really didn't catch on. Heck, I remember playing Rock and Roll Stew when that album came out and people looked at me and said "what band is that kid?" LOL!
 
My point is...the choices we make depend on where we are in our careers, if we even have a music career and if this is a source of income. By all means, everyone should try for #1 or #3 in my post regarding this...but if you see a window of opportunity that tells you "write me some hits and I'll pay you some money" do you ignore that and continue to work on stuff that is weird hoping you may make a few bucks? If a person has no expectations and just wants to write and enjoy it, by all means....go with #1 and stick to your guns until YOU decide it's time to change your game plan.
 
I'd never talk anyone out of artistic creation. But the other side of the coin is just as valuable. You most times don't become a huge actor unless you do commercials. The same with music really...you usually have to practice your craft and meet the right connections while doing so. Over-night success stories are 95% fallacy. Anyway, I'm honestly not trying to sway you to think like me, just trying to explain how I meant my post if by chance it was unclear. :)
 
-Danny

My problem is that I want international admiration of my music and huge dumpsters full of cash, but I can't think of anything worse than being famous.

Great video Chuck.
 
I just try to write something good. That usually weeds itself out pretty quick by all the time and energy it takes to write anything. If it sticks around, I go with it. 
 
I don't think anyone knows what a "Hit" is coming from an unknown. That's just plain luck.
If working for an established top ten artist, I could write hits all day long because the artist and money behind them would make sure of it.

Danny,
 
I certainly respect your thoughts on this. For the most part I think we are saying the same things - just seeing it from a slightly different angle :) Your three approaches were great ... I loved reading those. It was just your first line I didn't agree with.

ChuckC
.... we had at one point 4 of the 5 guys in the band wrote entire songs and would bring them to the band to present & possibly work on together... One of which would get upset if we changed a lyric or a melody here and there on "his song".  He was not the youngest in age and one hell of a lead player but he WAS the newest to songwriting/composition.  His songs, and lyrics were often good in concept but unpolished, and amateur sounding (understandably, he was a novice at best).  They had potential but needed work, though he would already be in love with them before he brought them to the table and took it as an attack on his baby.....    
  I explained to him how approx. half of what I write goes in the garbage the next morning.  You always think it's good while writing it but with fresh ears & perspective I could be subjective enough to toss out the trash.  ......... many would be reworked, lyrics scrapped and rewritten 2-3+ times before I brought them to the band, then of those that made it to the point of being presented to the band, about 1/3rd would get shot down out of the gate for various reasons, 1/3rd would be worked on and sit half done into eternity, and a maybe 1/3rd actually ever saw completion, stage time, & our next record.  
 .....  It is hard to write "hits" or everyone would.  
 

 
I totally hear you on that Chuck.  Just recently on a different forum, I heard a song that was extremely well written.  Great verses,  as I'm listening I'm thinking wow... what a great song.... it hits the prechorus and the energy and feel are building nicely .... it sounds like a HUGE PAYDAY CHORUS is coming up... right here....  huh?  what? ... the prechorus continues past it where the chorus should have started.... 2 more freaking lines adding nothing new and exciting...... and deflating the energy..... when the chorus finally started, it was good but the energy was gone....
 
I kindly and carefully suggested to this individual that the PC be shortened.  I explained my reasons from a writer's POV.
 
I was attacked by that writer, and just about everyone else on that forum for even suggesting such a thing.... sacrilege ..... they all, to a person said....that song was "written well and needed no changes" It was as if I wanted to sacrifice his child to the fiery furnace....
 
Nope... Writers who refuse to even listen to a different viewpoint have a long way to go. One thing I have learned about writing is that nothing is ever written in stone and recommendations to change things from other writers is not a full frontal attack on either you, or your "baby".  I've worked with a writer who feels the same way I do.... nothing is sacred in a song lyric or musically. We've scrapped each others verses, choruses, changed things around and we came out the other side with a much better and more well written song as a result. It's only on rare occasions that we do stick up for a certain line or word..... and when that happens, the other accepts it and works with it.
 
Perhaps a way to get that fellow to see the light of a songwriter's day would be to first work with him on a collaborated song so he gets a real world experience and see's that lyrics are often replaced with something so much better than the original first thought rough draft.  After seeing that, he may even come forward and ask for some "review" on his other, older stuff.  Start gentle... Instead of saying it that way, how about if we said this instead? .. sure beats, "that's a sucky line".....  I know YOU would never say that to someone.... but trust me... I have heard those kinds of comments about my stuff from other musicians.
 
 
 
 

cool video.... should be entitled How to write a hit country song.
 
 
On other issues..... this came in: You can copy and print this out for your buddy.
 
5 Tips for Newbies

I am very new to songwriting, as in one year new, but I have already made some interesting observations that I thought I’d share with my other “newbie” friends:
1. You’re not a Pro yet I found a lot of us “newbies” got into songwriting because it was an outlet, “good therapy” even. As a result, we literally have poured our hearts, souls, sweat and tears into our first songs. We ASSUME that same emotion is going to be understood by and “wow” our audiences. WARNING: Most times your first songs will not “wow” your audience. We haven’t learned the proper skills yet or “honed the craft”. Don’t fret. What started as a great, original idea will still be a great, original idea. You can come back to it after your skill set has caught up with your passion. It’s what the pros refer to as a “rewrite”

2. It’s Not Personal When sitting before a panel of judges, or asking friends for a critique, you expect that they are going to LOVE your songs. Remember: your judges are there TO CRITIQUE. Critiquing is not fun. (Even though all the judges at my first critique were extremely nice and helpful, I still left the room and asked a co-writer if I still had a butt, cause I felt like it had been chewed up lol) Remain calm, and remember: it’s not personal. Record, or transcribe what they are saying & then come back to it later when you are calmer and can edit from your head rather than your heart.

3. Don’t expect too much We all think we are good writers. You might even half expect to be offered a writing contract THAT DAY. That won’t happen. In the beginning, if you are able to get some ACCURATE feedback and MAYBE make some potential co-writing contacts. That is a SUCCESS!

4. Don’t Compare Apples to Oranges Many times I’ll try a new style, or pitch a song at my NSAI meeting and get soooo discouraged when I’m then followed up by someone like Mitch Townley. I start to go into my “Why am I even here? I suckity, suck suck” mode, but then my husband’s voice reminds me “He’s been writing for 10 years!” Don’t get too discouraged if your writing isn’t as good as another’s. Marty says lots of songwriting can be honed and crafted. Don’t compare your apples to another’s oranges.

5. Show up! At this year’s SMSWF I made all the above mistakes. After my last critique, I felt like mud on the bottom of my shoes. I saw mirrors with my smiling face and “songwriter” title being smashed by a steel hammer. It was bad. So bad I went to the bathroom. I would like to say I went to “collect” myself, but the truth is I went to collect my guitar and leave! Thankfully, an attendee who had tried to make me laugh by drawing a funny picture saw me & flagged me down. I went back. It was a hard moment to be in, but later that day I met 3 new friends, and 3 people I have co-written with. And that friendly, funny drawing attendee? He (Barnett Carr) and I send songs to each other at least twice a week now. Cut to another example: I was once listening to a girl present her songs. They were lyrically intriguing, melodically modern, and fresh! She waaaaay outdid me. But at one point, she also became verklempt. She left to collect herself, too. But she didn’t come back. The next day I got to meet with a producer – not because I was the best, but because I showed up. Point: take time to collect yourself, but always go back! You can’t make connections if you’re not there.