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Tips & Resources, The CLIMB Show by Brent Baxter, Team SWPro on June 02, 2020
How does a songwriter stand out in today’s songwriting world? How can YOU get that publisher to say "HELL YES!!"??
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Here are the show notes:
Some of you are writing your songs really well. You’re paying attention to the radio. You’re carefully considering and removing any lyrical landmines in your song. You’re knocking off those rough edges. You’re polishing your songs to a smooth commercial surface.
And that’s why you’re not getting any attention.
I was a workshop guest for NSAI the other night, and a songwriter asked a good, valid question: what kind of song should I play for a publisher? My most commercial song or my “best” song?
Great question. And it sent me on a rant. And this is a conversation I’ve been having with some of my cowriters and songwriting buddies lately, too.
IF ALL YOU DO IS GIVE SOMEONE NO REASON TO SAY “NO,” THEY’LL NEVER SAY “YES.”
Don’t worry so much about why someone might say “no.” Focus on why someone might say “yes.” And not just “yes.” Why would someone say “hell, yes!”
That’s what I’ve been trying to do lately. On my best days, I’m just swinging for the "hell, yes."
I've seen this work out in my own catalog with a lot of my cuts. They all have reasons to say “no.” But they also had enough reasons for someone to say “hell yes.”
AGAIN, DON’T WORRY ABOUT WHY SOMEONE MIGHT SAY “NO.” FOCUS ON GIVING THEM A REASON TO SAY “YES.”
Disclaimer #1:
The reason to say “no” that you must remove is, “it’s not well written.” These songs can’t just be different or edgy or whatever. They, like any song, must still be written really well. Just because it’s really honest doesn’t mean you can have a forgettable melody or jack up your rhyme scheme.
Disclaimer #2:
This advice is for anyone, but especially for those trying to get INTO the business. Once you’re in, reality warps for you a bit.
For example, when Byron Hill and I wrote “When Your Lips Are So Close” with Gord Bamford, we were trying to write a hit for Gord as the artist. We had the artist and the producer in the room, and that’s a different game. That song was kinda edgy for Gord, but it wouldn’t have been considered edgy for a lot of US country artists. And it went huge for him. It won Single Of The Year for him at the 2014 CCMAs.
Right now, I’m blessed to have the #1 song on Southern Gospel radio. It’s called “Can I Get A Witness” and it’s by The Sound. I wrote it with Kenna West and Jason Cox. This is like writing with Ashley Gorley and Hillary Lindsey in country music. They have a track record of #1 singles a mile long, and they and their teams can get their songs to anyone and everyone in Southern Gospel.
So with”Witness,” we weren’t trying to get attention. We were just trying to write a great big hit single. A big fat fastball right down the middle. But even with that, we knew the song was a progressive Southern Gospel song. The more traditional artists probably wouldn’t cut it. But we didn’t back it up to be right down the middle. Kenna just pitched it to an artist that fit that song. And they loved it. It’s the first single off the project, and it was their very first #1.
So you might look at both “When Your Lips Are So Close” and “Can I Get A Witness” and say, “well, those aren’t really edgy.” Hopefully, you think they’re well crafted, a little different, and great songs. But don’t let that defuse everything I told you before.
What got me into the music business? A crisis-of-faith-yelling-at-God "Monday Morning Church." What got me a Randy Travis cut? “The spork song.”
So, again, don’t worry about why someone might say no. Focus on why they’re gonna say “hell, yes.”
Hey, would like some face-to-face time with two hit music publishers?
Want to play YOUR song for two legit music publishers? Well, this is your chance! In July, Songwriting Pro is hosting another Play For A Publisher online event! Our guests are Butch Baker of Mojo Music & Media and Courtney Allen of BMG Music. Connect with these pros live, online, from anywhere in the world! However, the deadline to submit your song is coming up soon, so don't miss out. CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS AND SUBMIT YOUR SONG TODAY!
God bless,
Brent
