Voice Types in the American Public Imagination
Different voice types have different iconographical functions in the United States. To understand this we can examine how the public has come to understand soprano voices (the highest voices in the female range) and black contralto voices (the lowest voices in the female range).
In recent American history, the female soprano voice serves a unifying function. One of modern time’s greatest sopranos, Whitney Houston, was one such unifier. In 1991, ten days in the Persian Golf War, Houston emerged into Tampa Stadium before 73, 813 fans. 115 millions viewers tuned in to watch as Houston performed the national anthem and a flyover of F-16 jets from an Air Force base. The performance served to unify the nation behind a military effort to expel Iraqi troops from Kuwait.
Beyoncé’s mezzo-soprano has been used in a similar fashion. When we think back to the 2008 inauguration of Barack Obama, we remember that the 1st couple’s 1st dance was to the tune of “At Last,” originally by Etta James bother sung by Beyoncé. As the first black President ascended to the highest office of the land, Beyoncé’s voice and song speak out to the feeling of love happening at last, but also the dream of black political power and the hope of change. During Obama’s 2nd inauguration, Knowles would take to the stage to perform the national anthem and unite the country once again.
Female contralto voices, on the other hand, with their allusions to masculinity and husky rattlings disrupt the national fabric. They tell us of hardships that need to be overcome. Rather than wash over society’s flaws, contralto voices have the power to show us the places where society is in desperate need of improvement.
Nina Simone is one such contralto voice. Her songs “Mississippi Goddamn” and “Four Women” speak to the the consternation of black America during the Civil Rights Moment and the plight of black women in particular, respectively. Simone uses her voice to great effect making listeners confront American societal failures. Her contemporaries, like Fannie Lou Lou Hamer, an American voting and women’s rights activist, sang “This Little Light of Mine,” a hopeful song about fully embodying yourself. Her deep voice and musical arrangement conjures the history of slave songs, giving context to the 60’s civil rights movement by reminding us of the history that delivered us there!
In more modern times, artists like Lauryn Hill have taken over the mantle of contralto voices. Inspired by the events in Ferguson and the shooting of Michael brown, Lauryn Hill released a song entitled Black Rage, which interpolated “My Favorite Things” by Rogers and Hammerstein from The Sound of Music. She recalls the three-fifths clause from America’s slavery history as well as the sexual violence of slavery. By reminding herself of her people’s history, she “doesn’t fear so bad” what is coming next. The weightiness of her timbre gives weightiness to her subject matter, forcing the listen to confront the truth.
By analyzing what role different voice types serve in our culture, we glean a better understanding of why certain artist occupy certain roles in the public imagination. It also helps us better consider how we might use our voices. Gone understudied within this particular blog post is the intersection of womanhood and blackness as they pertain to this particular set of artists! Please think deeply on how that angle might apply here as well.
Choosing a Distributor as an Indie Artist
If you are an independent artist, you need to ensure that your music is showing up on Apple Music, Spotify, and all other relevant digital streaming platforms. In order to have your music delivered to relevant DSPs, you will have to utilize a distributor. Distributors, in 2024, are essentially digital middle men who take music from the artist and send them to DSPs for upload. Subsequent to a song's release, distributors will collect master royalties generated from streams, dolling them out to master owners.
Distributors nearly all provide the same service. However, their payment structures vary. In my estimation there are two different types of payment models with which you can engage. There are those that take a percentage of your earnings in exchange for distribution and there are those you pay upfront in exchange for distribution.
Those that take a percentage include STEM or AWAL. Stem takes 10% of all royalties while AWAL takes 15% of all royalties. This can be beneficial for an artist who has very, very little budget for distribution but it does cut into your back end earnings. Of these two distributors, Stem will provide you with more services. Not only do they distribute your songs to DSPs, they also distribute royalties to any other master owners. With AWAL, you will have to do the accounting yourself. In order to use either of these distributors, you will have to apply for their services. This gives each company an air of prestige - one that I advise you to ignore. Choosing a distributor is purely a business decision and you should not be swayed by trivial matters. If, perhaps, one of these distributors has a key person interested in your work or can offer you an advance against earnings, they might have the edge!
Distributors that you have to pay upfront include TuneCore and Distrokid. Both sites have subscription based services that ensure you’re getting the services you want which can include artist revenue split, unlimited track uploading, and pre-save campaigns. With distrokid, certain additions are paid for on top of your subscription service.
For most independent artists I recommend using Distrokid. The upfront fee is relatively small and the guarantee of unlimited releases,100% earnings on streams, and master distribution services really helps artists guarantee they are making the most money and doing the least accounting work. That said, every artist is different and you need to do your own research to figure out which distributor is best for you.
Famous Songwriting Teams
I am the preacher at the pulpit shouting religious proclamations about collaboration: Co-write as much as possible! Bring a producer and an artist into your session! I did not arrive at my beliefs at random. Years in the music industry as a publisher proved that collaboration is a winning formula for any songwriter. Here’s a list of songwriting teams that you should know about.
1. Lennon and McCartney
Genesis: John Lennon and Paul McCartney's musical collaboration started in 1957 when the two met at a church fete in Liverpool. Their bond over a shared love for music sparked the formation of The Quarrymen, which later evolved into The Beatles.
Innovations:
Modal Interchange: Tracks like "Hey Jude" showcased the duo's use of modal interchange, seamlessly blending major and minor modes to create emotional tension and release. Listen to the outro to hear this element.
Polyrhythmic Elements: "Let It Be" experimented with polyrhythms, with McCartney's piano playing against the rhythm of the drums, adding a layer of complexity.
Hits:
"Hey Jude" (1968) - Billboard Hot 100: #1
"Let It Be" (1970) - Billboard Hot 100: #1
"A Hard Day's Night" (1964) - Billboard Hot 100: #1
2. Goffin and King
Genesis: Carole King and Gerry Goffin's collaboration began in 1958 when they started dating in high school. Their songwriting journey took off when they penned "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," which became a breakthrough hit for The Shirelles.
Innovations:
Extended Chord Progressions: "Natural Woman" introduced extended chord progressions, contributing to the song's sophisticated and rich harmonic structure.
Hits:
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (1960) - Billboard Hot 100: #1
"Natural Woman" (1967) - Billboard Hot 100: #8
"Up on the Roof" (1962) - Billboard Hot 100: #5
3. Elton John and Bernie Taupin
Genesis: Introduced by Liberty Records as potential collaborators, Elton John and Bernie Taupin's partnership began in 1967. The two never wrote together in the same room, with Taupin first providing lyrics to John, who would then compose the music.
Innovations:
Harmonic Complexity: "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" showcased Elton John's willingness to experiment with complex harmonic progressions, pushing the boundaries of pop music.
Lyric-Driven Melodies: "Rocket Man" featured a melody intricately crafted to complement Taupin's lyrical portrayal of an astronaut's isolation.
Hits:
"Your Song" (1970) - Billboard Hot 100: #8
"Rocket Man" (1972) - Billboard Hot 100: #6
"Tiny Dancer" (1971) - Notable Hit
4. Rodgers and Hammerstein
Genesis: Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II formed one of the most influential partnerships in musical theater. Their collaboration began in 1943 when they joined forces to create the groundbreaking musical "Oklahoma!"
Innovations:
Integrated Song and Story: "Some Enchanted Evening" from "South Pacific" exemplifies their innovative integration of songs with the narrative, elevating the emotional impact.
Unconventional Song Forms: "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" in "The Sound of Music" introduced an unconventional song structure, enhancing the storytelling aspect.
Hits:
"Some Enchanted Evening" (1949) - Broadway Hit
"Climb Ev'ry Mountain" (1959) - Broadway Hit
"Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" (1943) - Broadway Hit
5. Mann and Weil
Genesis: Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil's collaboration began in high school when they shared a passion for music. Their songwriting journey officially took off in the late '50s when they joined Aldon Music at the Brill Building.
Innovations:
Narrative Storytelling: "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" introduced a narrative storytelling approach, creating a cinematic quality in pop music.
Orchestral Pop Elements: "On Broadway" incorporated orchestral pop elements, expanding the sonic palette of the Brill Building sound.
Hits:
"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (1964) - Billboard Hot 100: #1
"On Broadway" (1963) - Billboard Hot 100: #9
"We Gotta Get Out of This Place" (1965) - Notable Hit
6. Mann and Hillel (Max Martin)
Genesis: Max Martin, then known as Karl Martin Sandberg, and Denniz PoP (Dag Volle) began collaborating in the early '90s at Cheiron Studios in Stockholm. Their partnership laid the foundation for Martin's later collaborations with various artists.
Innovations:
Hook-Centric Songwriting: "Baby One More Time" epitomized Martin's hook-centric approach, creating instantly recognizable and memorable melodies.
Millennial Whoops: "I Want It That Way" popularized the "millennial whoop," a melodic sequence that became a hallmark of pop music in the late '90s.
Hits:
"Baby One More Time" (1998) - Billboard Hot 100: #1
"I Want It That Way" (1999) - Billboard Hot 100: #6
"It's My Life" (2000) - Notable Hit
7. Porter and Hayes (Leiber and Stoller)
Genesis: Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller's partnership began in 1950 when they met as teenagers in Los Angeles. Their collaboration bloomed as they immersed themselves in the R&B and blues scene.
Innovations:
Blending Genres: "Hound Dog" featured a groundbreaking blend of R&B, blues, and rock, setting the stage for the evolution of rock and roll.
Novelty and Wit: "Stand By Me" incorporated witty and novel elements, showcasing their ability to infuse humor into their compositions.
Hits:
"Hound Dog" (1956) - Billboard Hot 100: #1
"Stand By Me" (1961) - Billboard Hot 100: #4
"Jailhouse Rock" (1957) - Billboard
April Songwriting Challenges
Library Lullaby: In an era of online content creation, referencing can get you a lot of attention. Write a song that incorporates titles or themes from classic literature, weaving them into a coherent and melodic story.
Layered Harmonies: Write a chorus in which you can layer stack vocal harmonies and layer multiple tracks. Let different intervals and arrangements make your chorus that much more impactful.
Breath Control Mastery: And iiiii-ee-iiiii will always love you! Hold that note honey! Focus on crafting a song where breath control is required by the vocalist. Use an artist’s vocal ability as inspiration to create challenging or long sections.
Cartoon Soundtrack: Create a song that could fit perfectly in a cartoon, exaggerating sound effects and musical elements to enhance whimsy. Get silly. Get goofy. Write a smash.
Simple Chord Progression: Create a song using basic chords (like C, G, Am, F) and experiment with their order to form a melody. Arrange and rearrange basic chord progressions is an essential song craft skill.
Call and Response: Create a song with a call-and-response structure, where one musical phrase is answered by another. These types of moments are fun for audiences and artists alike!
Beat Making: Create a simple drum beat using a digital audio workstation (DAW) or drum machine, experimenting with different sounds and rhythms. Build a song over this beat!
Vampire's Reverie: Write a song from the perspective of a vampire, exploring eternal life, loneliness, and the allure of the night. It might sound insane but there’s a lot of people still bumping those Twilight soundtracks!
Sunshine Serenade: Create an upbeat, feel-good song inspired by the warmth and brightness of a sunny day. This song should be easily chantable or singable, something that one could bring to a campfire and easily teach to children.
Love and Laughter: Explore the lighthearted side of love, writing a song about laughter, playfulness, and shared happiness. We could all use a little joy after all.
Ask For Master
The music industry has a lopsided precedent for the compensation of producers and songwriters. Producers are often pulling in money from production fees, points on a master, and a slice of the publishing. Fees upfront, while master points recieve royalties as they come. Songwriters, on the other hand, are mostly pulling in revenue from co-equal slice of the publishing. For the most part, they only pull in back-end royalty money if a song streams well, gets played on radio, or received a large sync. There are exceptions to this custom, but these are largely accepted industry norms. That needs to change.
Songwriters, like producers, have had their role evolve over time. They are no longer just writing songs one session that will be cut by an artist in the next. Frequently, they are helping to develop an artist in the room or, at the very least, develop a song with an artist that fits their identity. Often times it is the songwriter who is helping to direct an artist's diction and delivery and arrange background harmonies to thicken out the production of the track. These duties, which were formally entrusted to a vocal producer, impact the recording, the production, and the final master. Songwriters often have a hand in returning production and mix notes as well.
Despite these shifts in the songwriting process, publishers and songwriters alike have failed to advocate properly for a shift in how songwriters are compensated. And yet, a shift is necessary. In my opinion, songwriters can and should set a precedent for asking artists for points on the master. The bulk of streaming revenue is delivered to owners of the master and songwriters deserve a cut of it. Likewise, producers should be sharing a portion of the production fee with writers who are helping them lock in cuts with their amazing top lines. Co-writing is a team sport. Without master ownership or a share of the producer fee, a songwriter, especially an independent one, cannot make a living wage at their job.
The precedent for a shift in payment custom can be found in the trend of giving producers a share of the publishing. Up until the turn of the millennium, industry precedent reserved publishing money for songwriters. As CD sales declined in the early aughts, producers sought to shore up their lost revenue by asking for part of the publishing. Songwriters obliged. Now that we're in a streaming era where songwriters too have seen their revenue decline, it is time for songwriters to think like a producer and ask for profits that have not been historically guaranteed to them. In other words, songwriters need to ask for a share of the master.
In 2024, we must, all of us, reevaluate industry norms so that we can determine if we are being compensated fairly for our work. In the case of songwriters, it is obvious that we deserve more. One way that we can ensure that songwriters are compensated fairly is if we ask artists to cut us into ownership of the master.
Songwriter To Artist Strategy
The music industry, at its most obtuse, espouses a delineation between songwriters and artists. Put simply: songwriters craft song while artists perform them. Of course, we know that there are many songwriters who also have successful artist projects (Priscilla Renea became Muni Long, Julia Michaels became, well, Julia Michaels) or artists who end up songwriting for other artists (Ariana Grande for Normani, Ed Sheeran for Justin Bieber).
A fairly consistent strategy I’ve seen replicated is a songwriter beginning their career writing for others and then transitioning into an artist career. Billboard charting cuts help songwriters garner industry attention that they then can leverage for deals and good pr.
One of my favorite examples of this strategic positioning is Victoria Monet. This bright star was one of the writers responsible for Ariana Grande’s career defining album, “thank u, next,” as well as heavy involvement in Positions. She then leveraged her friendship with Grande to release a collaboration called “Monopoly.”
Monet’s subsequent albums, Jaguar and Jaguar II, garnered public attention allowing her to tour widely to sold out audiences. Her music is currently licensed to RCA records.
What I like about Monet’s story is that it proves one can transition from the realm of songwriting to others to being a star in their own right. Her story also demonstrates that origins in the songwriting world can propel you to new heights! When we think about artists like Monet, one surmises that, perhaps, many artists would benefit from spending some time writing for others!
Team Members for Songwriters
One way to elevate your career is to surround yourself with team members you trust who do work that pushes your reputation and financial life forward. Let’s look into who these team members are and what they can do for you.
1. Music Publishers: Intermediaries between songwriters and the commercial world, ensuring that your compositions are monetized to their fullest potential.
Why You Need Them:
Licensing Expertise: Publishers secure licensing deals for your music in films, TV shows, commercials, and other media, expanding your reach.
Royalty Collection: They handle the collection of royalties from various sources, ensuring you receive fair compensation for your creative work.
Session Calendar: Publishers can connect you with other writers, artists, and producers, ensuring that you’re working as often as you’d like.
Pitching: Publishers can make sure that pitch songs and songs languishing in your back catalogue find new homes with signed or indie artists.
2. Music Lawyers: Legal counselors who protect your rights, navigate contracts, and ensure that your creative assets are safeguarded.
Why You Need Them:
Contract Negotiation: They negotiate and review contracts, ensuring that you enter fair agreements with publishers, labels, and collaborators.
Copyright Protection: Music lawyers help protect your intellectual property, enforcing copyright claims and resolving legal disputes.
Networking: Many music lawyers are heavily connected individuals who can help you link with other members of your team. There are certain lawyers who relish the act of putting a writer or artist’s team together.
3. Managers: Managers oversee your career trajectory, handling day-to-day operations, and acting as your strategic partner in decision-making.
Why You Need Them:
Career Guidance: Managers provide strategic vision, helping you make informed decisions about projects, collaborations, and overall career direction.
Industry Navigation: They navigate the complexities of the industry, connecting you with opportunities, collaborators, and key industry players.
Wheeling and Dealing: Managers can help you negotiate splits and fees so that you don’t have to get into the weeds with your collaborators
Calendar: Managers ensure that you’re booked and busy!
4. Producers and Songwriters: Collaborators who help you to craft and refine your musical vision, bringing technical expertise and creative input to the recording process.
Why You Need Them:
Sound Enhancement: Producers elevate the quality of your recordings, ensuring that your music is competitive and resonates with your audience.
Collaborative Catalyst: They contribute creatively, adding a fresh perspective to your work while respecting your artistic vision.
Diverse Perspectives: Collaborating with other songwriters introduces new ideas, styles, and perspectives, enriching your creative output.
Shared Network: Your creative community can connect you with artists who they work with, allowing you to expand into new creative and business territory.
6. Agents: Music industry professionals who secure live performance opportunities, endorsements, and other career-boosting engagements, maximizing your visibility for artists.
Why You Need Them:
Performance Opportunities: Agents secure bookings for live performances, helping you connect with fans and build your brand through touring. They can secure opening slots, festival dates, corporate gigs, or entire tours!
Negotiation Skills: They negotiate deals for appearances, endorsements, and other opportunities, ensuring you get the best terms.
7. Labels: Labels provide support for recording, marketing, and distributing your music, amplifying your reach in the industry. They’re like music industry banks with a plethora of people hired to make you that money!
Why You Need Them (you might not!):
Resource Access: Labels offer financial support, resources, and industry connections, aiding in the promotion and distribution of your music.
Artist Development: Although this has become rarer in this post-Soundcloud TikTok era, labels might focus on artist development, nurturing your talent and helping you grow and evolve in your career.
March Songwriting Challenges
Inanimate Anthem: Personify an everyday object (like a toaster or a lamp) and write a song detailing its secret ambitions and feelings. Animated characters are often fashioned from these inanimate objects (Toy Story anyone?). Use songs from relevant cartoons or animated films to inspire you.
Sensory Symphony: Compose a song that aims to evoke a specific sensory experience (taste, touch, smell) through music and lyrics. By evoking one—or all—of the five senses, we can put listeners in the moment.
Time Signature Fusion: Create a song that fluidly navigates through multiple time signatures, showcasing complexity and rhythmic diversity.
Biome Ballad: Craft a song inspired by a specific biome (e.g., rainforest, tundra) and its ecological elements, using sounds to mimic the environment. Think ASMR or sleepy time music!
Word Tag: Get together with a co-writer and trade lines. Each line should begin with the word that ended the previous line.This exercises cohesiveness.
Minimalist Mastery: Limit yourself to a small number of tracks (e.g., 4-8) and create a full, compelling song within those constraints.
Sampling Challenge: Create a track using only samples you've recorded yourself, manipulating them to form the entire musical arrangement. Go out into the field and use your phone to record sounds of birds, crickets, cars, or whatever else is in your lived environment.
Villain's Lament: Pen a song from the perspective of a classic villain, expressing their misunderstood emotions and motivations.
Superhero Serenade: Switch it up nowWrite a song about the trials and triumphs of an unconventional superhero with unique but not-so-heroic powers.
Traditional Songwriter Revenue Streams
In the short history of recorded music, American songwriters have been entitled to certain revenue streams. I believe that all songwriters who seek to make songwriting the primary economic engine of their life, must have an understanding of the different revenue streams that songwriters collect on. Today I present you with a listicle defining the classic revenue streams for songwriters and how that money is collected: mechanical royalties, performance royalties, sync fees, print royalties, and writer’s fees.
1. Mechanical Royalties: compensation paid to the copyright holder of a musical composition for the authorized reproduction and distribution of that composition. These royalties are generated when a third party, such as a record label or digital streaming service, manufactures and distributes physical copies of a song (e.g., CDs, vinyl records) or when the song is digitally downloaded or streamed. The payment is based on a statutory rate per unit (e.g., per copy sold or per stream).
Example: When an artist records and releases a cover or their own version of your song, you earn mechanical royalties for each sale or stream. For instance, when other artists cover “Yesterday,” McCartney earns mechanical royalties for each copy sold or streamed.
Payout Mechanism: Mechanical royalties are often paid out through performance rights organizations (PROs) like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. Record labels or distribution platforms pay these organizations, which, in turn, distribute the royalties to the rightful songwriters based on established formulas and agreements.
2. Performance Royalties: compensation paid to the copyright holder of a musical composition for the authorized public performance of that composition. These royalties are earned when a song is performed or broadcast in public settings, including on the radio, in live concerts, on television, in clubs, and through digital platforms
Example: Each time your song is played on the radio, performed live, or streamed on platforms like Spotify, you earn performance royalties.
Payout Mechanism: PROs play a crucial role in collecting and distributing performance royalties. They monitor and report the public performances of your music and ensure you receive fair compensation. Live performances are often tracked through setlists and venue reports.
3. Sync Fees: Compensation for a synchronization license, which is a legal agreement that allows the licensee (typically a filmaker, producer, or ad agency) to use the song in conjunction with visual conten such as films, television, commercials, video games, or other audiovisual products.
Example: Getting your song featured in a hit TV series can lead to a sync deal, bringing in revenue and increasing exposure.
Payout Mechanism: Sync fees are negotiated and paid upfront, typically through music publishers or licensing agencies. Additionally, performance royalties may be generated each time the synced content is broadcast or performed.
4. Print Royalties: While less lucrative in the age of online guitar tabs, print royalties are earned from the sale of printed sheet music or lyrics.
Example: If your song becomes popular, printed sheet music featuring your composition may be sold, and you receive print royalties for each sale.
Payout Mechanism: Music publishers often handle print royalty payments. The royalties are calculated based on the number of copies sold and are typically paid on a quarterly or semi-annual basis.
5. Writer's Fees: Like a producer’s fee, writer’s fees are payments received by songwriters for their creative work during a collaborative writing or recording session.
Example: If Sia Furler is hired to write with an artist, they may pay her in advance of her session.
Payout Mechanism: These fees are negotiated and paid upfront, often through agreements facilitated by managers, agents, or music publishers. The payment terms and structure depend on the specifics of the collaboration and the parties involved.
Bad Mentors
Over the past several decades, I have made it my mission to cultivate talent in songwriters. I advise them in various writing exercises, help them link with potential collaborators, and reflect back at them what their strengths and weaknesses are, which allows them to identify optimal strategies for self-development. My years of experience as a publisher of financially successful and culturally impactful songwriters is evidence that my methods are widely applicable. What I’ve noticed is that a lot of young writers (young in the sense that these writers are new to the industry), don’t know how to identify when one of their mentors is having a negative impact on their work output. So let’s identify some traits we DON’T want in a mentor.
A lack of relevant experience in the music industry. There are so many people dolling out poor advice about creativity or music business who have never had a successful career in the industry or who, more alarmingly, have never written or released a song. Please, for the love of G-d, avoid these types of self-procliamed know-it-alls who lack the requisite experience to help you propel yourself forward.
Feedback is always negative. Look, it’s no secret that the music industry can beat you down. When you’re already on edge from it all, you want to be able to connect with a mentor who can affirm your talent and give you tips for how to improve. There are those who thrive on giving out destructive criticism to their acolytes, diminishing the fire that burns inside of them. If you find that you frequently leave interactions with your mentors feeling negatively, you may need to seek out new mentorship.
Selfish Motives: A mentor should prioritize the mentee's growth rather than their own personal gains. If a mentor is more focused on exploiting the mentee for personal benefits it can lead to a toxic mentor-mentee relationship. If you’re feeling taken advantage of financially, spiritually, or even physically, then you are in a dangerous position! Get out of there fast.
Failure to Foster Independence: A mentor's role is to guide and empower the mentee to become independent in their career, both creatively and financially. If the mentor micromanages or restricts the mentee's decision-making, it can hinder their ability to develop their own identity and skills. A good mentor knows that one day you should fly out from the nest.
Unwillingness to Share Industry Insights: There are those in the industry who, for whatever reason, feel precious about sharing wisdom about creativity or navigating sticky business situations. They feel that the next generation should go through what they went through, as opposed to ensuring future generations are instilled with knowledge that allows them to circumnavigate hardship. A good mentor shares industry insights and knowledge generously. A bad mentor may hoard information, limiting the mentee's access to valuable resources and preventing them from making informed decisions.
Choose your mentors wisely young Padawan. The information you intake will help you with your output! Always surround yourself with people who’s love and care and wisdom is self-evident!
Black History Month: Required Listening
Get out your notes! This is required listening for 2024’s black history month.
Jazmine Sullivan. While already established, Sullivan’s husky contralto voice is reaching new heights. Her recent effort, "Heaux Tales," and a live performance of The Black National Anthem are essential texts of black female sexuality and love and Black American identity respectively.
Bibi Bourelly. Bibi Bourelly is a German-American singer-songwriter known for her raw and authentic approach to music. She penned “Bitch Better Have My Money” for Rihanna, as well as Thousand Miles on Miley Cyrus’ recent record.
Flyana Boss. The rap duo who changed the TikTok gain have garnered opening dates with Janelle Monáe and remixes by Missy Elliot. They’re brash and they’re fun and you can’t help but smile when you bump their tunes.
Jensen McRae. A guitar weilding singer-songwrter, McRae’s lyrics are bound to win a Pulitzer Prize someday, not unlike Kendrick Lamar. With her contralot voice and poetics, McRae is sure to break soon.
Kara Jackson. A folk artist and contrato vocalist, Jackson has been championed by artists at the forefront of culture like Solange. As we experience the folk revivals of led by acts like Noah Kahan, Jackson is primed to enter the mainstream fold.
Coco Jones. One of Def Jam record’s brightest stars, Coco Jones has recently collaborated with Renee Rapp and Justin Timberlake alike. Her voice is golden and her music recalls the magic oc 90’s RnB. When people talk about great vibrato, they’re talking about Coco.
February Songwriting Challenges
Imagination Station: Create a song about your favorite imaginary place or adventure. Actualize the imaginary in melody.
Seasonal Sensations: Describe your feelings and experiences associated with a particular season. Seasonal songs are great because they can be released at a specific time each year.
Modal Exploration: Write a song using a specific musical mode (like Dorian, Mixolydian, etc.) and explore its unique mood.
Extended Chords: Oftentimes, writers can get bogged down in basic minor or major triads. Experiment with seventh chords, ninth chords, or other extended chords to add richness to your song.
Sound Palette: Create a song using a specific instrument or sound as the focal point (e.g., a vintage synth, a sampled field recording).
Collaborative Remix: Take an existing song and create a remix or reinterpretation by adding your production elements and arrangement. If you’re a more lyric/meldoy focused writer, use an interpolated melody in your chorus.
Conversational Tune: Write a song that feels like a conversation between two people. Give each person a different line, as if they’re trading bars or melodies.
Hook-Centric: Develop a song focused primarily on a catchy hook or chorus, with a brief verse.
Album Concept: Develop a song that fits into a larger album concept or thematic collection of songs. You can use one of your favorite albums to center the sound.
Mini-Opera: Compose a song with different acts or sections, conveying a narrative or story arc…Bohemian Rhapsody anyone?
An Examination of Concept Records
Concept records have had a bit of a resurgence in the past few years as artists of all genres seek to delve into hyper-specific worlds of their own invention. Definitively, concept records are albums where all the tracks are unified by a central theme or narrative, often telling a story or exploring a specific idea. They appeal to listeners hoping to escape their own worlds and see reflections of their own realities in music. Today, let’s analyze different concept records that have defined the past 20 years or so of music!
"Lemonade" by Beyoncé (2016):
Concept: A visual album exploring themes of marital infidelity, black female empowerment, and black southern cultural identity, "Lemonade" takes the listener on a journey of emotional turbulence and self-discovery, as Beyonce moves from a space of pain to healing. As Beyoncé stated in her Grammy’s acceptance speech, her intention “was to create a body of work that will give a voice to [Black Southern female] pain, our struggles, our darkness and our history, to confront issues that make us uncomfortable -
Why it Matters: Beyoncé's "Lemonade" is a groundbreaking work that blends music, poetry, and visuals to address personal and universal struggles within relationships, particularly the experiences of Black women. A game-changing visual album, Lemonade posits that the visuals are just as important as the music in creating an artistic identity.
Album Sales/Chart Position: Certified Platinum; debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200.
Judy’s Track Picks: "Formation," "Sorry," "Freedom"
"The Suburbs" by Arcade Fire (2010): A reflection on suburban life, exploring nostalgia, societal change, and the struggle for individuality within the constraints of suburban existence. It paints a vivid picture of the tension between personal memories and the shifting landscape of suburban America. Win Butler of Arcade Fire said, "I was in my late twenties, and there were all these details of my childhood in Houston… I would close my eyes and imagine riding my bike through town and trying to find the edges of my memory. There was kind of all this emotion that came up through that, and I wanted to capture it.”
Why it Matters: Arcade Fire's exploration of universal themes resonates across generations, creating a sonic tapestry that captures the essence of a shared suburban experience, an American experience deserving of its own artistic record.
Album Sales/Chart Position: Certified Platinum; peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200.
Judy’s Track Picks: "The Suburbs," "Ready to Start," "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)"
"The Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance (2006): "The Black Parade" unfolds as a rock opera, chronicling the journey of "The Patient" through death and the afterlife. It explores themes of mortality, identity, and the pursuit of meaning in the face of one's impending demise. In one quote that captures the band’s artistic mission during this particular era, Gerard Way said “The difference we wanna make is, number one, to let these kids know that they’re not alone, that they’re actually not that messed up and that they can do whatever they want. They can express themselves however they want without be persecuted or called a ‘f***ot’ or some kind of racist thing.”
Why it Matters: My Chemical Romance's theatrical and emotionally charged approach to storytelling pushes the boundaries of the rock genre, making "The Black Parade" an iconic piece of mid-2000s music culture. Bands like Twenty One Pilots and Waterpark are inheritors of sonic palettes perfected by MCR.
Album Sales/Chart Position: Certified triple Platinum; peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200.
Judy’s Track Picks: "Welcome to the Black Parade," "Famous Last Words," "I Don't Love You
"To Pimp a Butterfly" by Kendrick Lamar (2015):
Concept: Kendrick Lamar's critically acclaimed album, released in the wake of the BLM movement, is a nuanced exploration of African-American identity, institutional racism, and self-discovery, using the West Coast as its focal point sonically and aesthetically. It unfolds as a complex narrative, utilizing a variety of musical influences—jazz, poetry, hip hops— and Pulitzer Prize winning lyricism. Speaking to the political moment and his place in it, Kendrick Lamar said in an interview with The Gaurdian, “It’s already in your blood because I am Trayvon Martin, you know. I’m all of these kids.”"
Why it Matters: "To Pimp a Butterfly" transcends the boundaries of hip-hop and establishes itself as a landmark cultural commentary and Lamar as a power player in that world.
Album Sales/Chart Position: Certified Platinum; won the Grammy for Best Rap Album; debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200.
Judy’s Track Picks: "Alright," "King Kunta," "The Blacker the Berry"
"The ArchAndroid" by Janelle Monáe (2010):
Concept: Janelle Monáe's concept album serves as a sci-fi epic, featuring an android messiah named Cindi Mayweather. The narrative explores themes of identity, love, and rebellion within a dystopian future, drawing from various musical genres.
Why it Matters: "The ArchAndroid" showcases Monáe's versatility as an artist, blending funk, R&B, and rock in a genre-defying exploration of societal issues and personal empowerment. It was a pre-cursor to future concept albums by black female artists like Beyoncé
Album Sales/Chart Position: Certified Gold; peaked at #17 on the Billboard 200.
Judy’s Track Picks: "Tightrope," "Cold War," "Q.U.E.E.N. ft. Erykah Badu"
10 Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block
No matter where you are in your creative endeavors, you’ve run into that beast we call Writer’s Block. Whether go through it, over it, or under it, you will inevitably meet this repetitive creative virus at some future point. Its best to have some strategies prepared for overcoming Writer’s Block, so…today I present you with 10!
Freewriting Exercises:
This is my initial suggestion to all blocked writers. It should really be a daily practice, so if its not yet, make it one!
Set a timer for 10-15 minutes and write whatever comes to mind without worrying about structure or coherence. This can help loosen up your creativity.
Join a Songwriting Community:
Connect with fellow songwriters in online forums or local communities. Sharing experiences and feedback can provide valuable insights and encouragement.
Sometimes a block can come from a feeling of solitude. If that’s the case, reach outward and let connection re-inspire you.
Collaborate with Other Songwriters:
You knew this one was coming from me! Collaboration is everything!
Join forces with fellow songwriters. Collaborative efforts often bring fresh perspectives and break the monotony of working alone.
Write in a Different Medium:
Experiment with poetry, fiction writing, or even a spat of journalistic music criticism.
Sometimes departures from our medium of focus, can help us refocus in that given medium.
Take Breaks and Rest:
Allow yourself breaks to recharge. Overworking can lead to burnout, hindering your creative flow. Rest is essential for sustained inspiration.
Revisit Old Material:
Look back at unfinished songs or ideas. Sometimes, a new perspective or skillset acquired since the initial attempt can breathe life into older material.
The added benefit here is that your old material might already be half done!
Use Visual Stimuli:
Look at photographs, paintings, or other visual stimuli to trigger emotions and inspire songwriting. Create a narrative based on what you see. Getting into someone else’s visual world can help you get unstuck from your own perspective.
Create a Songwriting Ritual:
Establish a consistent routine or ritual before you start writing. This can signal to your brain that it's time to enter a creative space.
For example, I tend to eat a healthy meal and do a bit of meditative yoga in advance of creative output.
Experiment with Songwriting Games:
Play songwriting games, like Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt’s “Oblique Strategies” Cards. Random word generators, constraint-based writing, or playing with songwriting apps can also serve to inject a bit of playfulness back into your process.
Take a Songwriting Workshop:
Join a songwriting workshop or class. Interacting with other songwriters and learning new techniques can provide fresh perspectives. Perhaps, even, one of my retreats! Being in a deliberate environment of creation surrounded by songwriting peers can only serve to energize you!
Spotify Retools Payment Model
In November, Spotify made public their new royalty model as well as plans for its implementation in early 2024. Per their website “tracks must have reached at least 1,000 streams in the previous 12 months in order to generate recorded royalties.” Rather than keep the extra money for themselves, Spotify will instead “use the tens of millions of dollars annually to increase the payments to all eligible tracks, rather than spreading it out into $0.03 payments.” Spotify stipulates that %99.5 of all streams are of tracks that have at least 1,000 annual streams,” so this new model will be more impactful for “those dependent on streaming revenue.”
The issue is that this new model, obviously, benefits those at the top. Labels with access to Spotify’s editorial playlists and more well down indie acts will see revenues increase. But, then, the question is how does this impact the bottom run of the earning later. Luminate recently published a report, concluding that “north of 150 million tracks could cease earning recording royalties under Spotify’s new compensation model.”
Indeed, Spotify’s decision is polarizing. Long seen as an accessible streaming service, Spotify’s move will cancel payments—albeit payments that come out to be fractions of a dollar—to millions of tracks. Ethically, does Spotify have this right? Or should all tracks generating any semblance of listenership be guaranteed compensation?
One wonders what this will do to fringe artists or artists on the come up. If they never see an initial payment, then why would they upload to Spotify? Will people still see Spotify as a platform that needs to be uploaded to?
UMAW, United Musician & AlliedWorkers which is positioning itself to be a songwriter and artist union, posits that “all artists deserve to be paid fairly for our work, not just huge artists on major labels.” Obviously, they have a point.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the long and short run. One has to wonder if this will further galvanize the economically marginalized classes of artists toward a greater unionization effort, eventually spiraling into something like the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes of last year!
January Songwriting Challenges
Reverse Songwriting: Start with the chorus or bridge and work backward to create the verses. See how shifting where you start impacts how you end!
Found Objects: Use random objects or items around you as inspiration for a song (e.g., a book title, a piece of furniture).
Instrument Swap: Write a song for an instrument you're less familiar with or try composing without your primary instrument. If you don’t have another instrument to try, start with a beat you drum on your lap.
Song Deconstruction: Take an existing song and reconstruct it into a completely different genre or style. Then amend the lyrics to be your own.
One-Word Inspiration: Choose a single word and build an entire song around its meaning, emotions, or associations. A one-word chorus can go a long way….
Silence as a Tool: Intentionally use moments of silence or space in your songwriting to enhance its impact.
Personal Manifesto: Write a song that encapsulates your artistic manifesto, beliefs, and values as a songwriter.
Uncommon Song Settings: Craft a song specifically tailored for a unique performance space (e.g., a cathedral, a cave, a moving vehicle). Consider what type of song might be useful in that space.
Historical Retelling: Rewrite a historical event through song, adding a modern twist or alternative interpretation.
Interview-Based Songwriting: Conduct interviews with people and use their stories, quotes, or experiences as the foundation for a song.
The Financial Implications of A Christmas Smash
Internet estimators wager that Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” generates roughly $2-4 million every year. Yearly streams and radio play make up the bulk of this yearly gift from Santa Claus. 30 years after song first debuted, Mariah Carey is still making a yearly fortune on the song.
Even lesser known hits are cash cows. According to NME, Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody (1973) generates $600,000 per year and Wham’s “Last Christmas” pulls in over $500000 per year. When you’re flipping through the radio, walking through the grocery store, or just examining the front page of Spotify you can practically hear the sound of the cash register opening up for the songwriters behind these songs.
This is why every year I encourage young writers to take a big ole swing at Christmas music! If your song enters the zeitgeist your financial future is essentially set in stone. Most songs for Christmas are written earlier in the year with plans made for releases not unlike a standard album cycle. Artist with successful albums tour during this season on the strength o those songs alone.
So, if you’re feeling inspired this Holiday Season, dream up some songs about egg nog, Santa Claus, the winter snow, hot chocolate, whatever floats your boat!! Capture that Christmas spirit so you can capture that Christmas cash.
And if you’re celebrating today, Merry Christmas!
Evaluating 2023
The end is nigh! Well, actually the end of the year is nigh. I know that I have a lot to be proud of and a lot of ways I hope to improve in the year to come. I’m sure you feel the same. Here’s a list of questions songwriters should ask themselves as they evaluate all they’ve accomplished in 2023.
On Co-Writing
Who were my favorite co-writers? Who did I write the best songs with? When did I feel the most comfortable? When did I feel the most uncomfortable? Was I in the right the amount of sessions or should I be in more? Should I be in less? If I got cuts, what contributions did I make to those sessions that helped the song come out? Was I someone that people reached out to to co-write with again? Where can I improve as a co-writer?
On Song craft
How many songs did I write? Did I write often enough? Which songs were my favorite to listen to? Which songs were my favorite to write? Where did I improve my songwriting? Are the songs I wrote this year better or worse than the songs I wrote in years past? Did I develop any new skills in harmony, chordal arrangements, melody writing, or lyric writing?
On Networking
Did I expand my network? Could I have gone to more live shows or did I meet enough folks? Which relationships fell through the cracks that I can reignite next year? Did my networking lead to more or better co-writing or additional cuts? Did I network with folks who can help me push my career forward? Who were my favorite new music industry professionals that I met? Who would I like to continue building community with?
On Listening
What were my favorite new songs? What qualities do these songs have that I can bring into my own work? Did I listen to enough music? Did I discover any new songs to listen to outside of my typical genre? Which popular songs did I dislike and what can I learn from those? Which album did I listen to most this year? What new artist did I fall in love with? What did I learn from listening to music this year?
I hope these questions help you think more clearly about this year and how it will fit into your life moving forward! I wish you all a beautiful end to this year and a beautiful beginning to the next. Thank you so much for reading along this year!
Split Sheets
Many songwriters I know are singularly focused on their creative pursuits. They hustle hard in their home studio and spend hours toiling away at the proper lyric. And yet, they are not so concerned with the business side of things, namely cataloguing their songs through the use of split sheets.
Back when I worked at Warner Chappell, I made sure that my writers were fastidious about filling out split sheets after every co-writing session. In fact, I refused to accept any songs that didn't have split sheets available. Split sheets are documents that record the title of the song, the song's date of creation, the percentage of ownership owed to each songwriter, each songwriter's PRO information, and the name of a writer's publishing company. These split sheets allowed me, the publisher, to have all the necessary information for cataloguing the song. When a song was placed on an artist's album or on a television show, all the business ran smoothly thanks to these pieces of paper.
Some of my songwriter's have filing cabinets full of these split sheets and, recently, I've gotten calls from them thanking me for being so annoying about documentation. These days, music supervisors, folks who places songs in film or television, have been getting into contact with my former writers about using their songs. Because my writer's have all of the information about each song readily available, the music supervisor is able to use the song immediately. This allows my songwriters and their co-writers to get paid quickly and establishes them as credible business people who the music supervisor can rely on in the future.
Until you as a songwriter or artist secure a publishing deal, an agency representative, or a record deal, you are a cottage industry. You must handle the creation of your product (the songs), the distribution of your protect (getting songs to Soundcloud or Spotify or iTunes), the collection of monies (through PROs or private contracts), and the cataloguing of all relevant song information (i.e. split sheets).
I know that keeping these records may seem benign or counterintuitive to an artist's free flowing spirit. However, split sheets will ground your business and allow you to take advantage of opportunities when they show up at your door step. At the end of the day, your songs are your business so you must do what you can to protect them and make them viable money making projects.
December Songwriting Challenges
Can Mariah Carey - the Queen of Christmas - ever be dethroned? Will there be a song we stream more than “All I Want For Christmas is You”? The answer is probably no but I still think its worth all of us trying. Write a Christmas song that can stand with the greats!
Christmas. Hanukkah. Kwanza. Yule. There are plenty of holidays in December in need of new songs. Hell, there’s holidays all year that need new songs! Pen a song for a holiday that isn’t Christmas.
Take the chord progression of your favorite Christmas song and write a new Christmas song over that chord progression.
Snowmen. Winter storms. Cozy fireplaces. Hot chocolate. The sun setting at the ungodly hour of 4pm. There are so many things that remind us about winter. Write a song with a wintry setting and mood.
Winter reminds us how much joy the sun can bring us. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Write a song inviting the sun back into the sky.
Write a duet between a man and a woman that has nothing to do with love.
Chosen family is just as important as blood ties. Write a song dedicated to your chose family.
The New Year is right around the corner (scarily). Write a song about new beginnings.
Write a love song that never uses the word love.
The year is coming to a close. Free yourself from all constraints and internal critiques. Let go of fear at least once. Write recklessly, dangerously, with abandon. Who are you when you write simply for yourself.
Master your craft.
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