Hit Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com

The "Model" Hit Pop & Q4 In Review

Songs The #1 Hit Club The “Model” Hit Pop Song New Arrivals & De-Charted Hits Song Attributes Key Trends To Watch

Back to Top

The Songs: There were a total of 21 songs that landed in the top 10 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart during Q4-2011. Katy Perry and LMFAO led the pack with two top 10 hits.

1 / 14 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com

The #1 Hit Club of Q4-2011:

*Give Me Everything, *I Wanna Go, *Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.,) *Moves Like Jagger, *Party Rock Anthem, *Stereo Hearts, We Found Love, Without You

Note: An (*) indicates that the song was also a #1 hit in the preceding quarter (Q3)

The Songwriters: During Q4-2011, 79 songwriters were involved in crafting the 21 hits that landed in the Billboard Pop Songs top 10. Of those songwriters, 12 had an especially good quarter, landing two or more top 10 hits:

2 / 14 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com

The “Model” Hit Pop Song The “Model” hit Pop song is derived from taking the key characteristics and attributes that shaped the majority of top 10 Pop hits in Q4 and putting them together to get a picture of what an exceptionally effective hit Pop song would look like.

3 / 14 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com

New Arrivals vs. De-Charted Hits

New Top 10 Arrivals In Q4

4 / 14 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com

During the quarter, there were eleven songs that entered the Pop Songs top 10 for the first time. Of those eleven, the vast majority (64%) were Dance/Club in nature, possessed a Love/Relationship lyrical theme and contained a bridge in their framework (both at 73% of songs.) Interestingly, only four out of eleven songs contained a pre-chorus, and only two contained an outro. Lady Gaga’s You and I was the only song to contain a solo. Also note that there weren’t any new straight-up Rock or Hip Hop/Rap influenced Pop songs to enter the Pop songs top 10 during Q4-2011.

Dance/Club:

Good Feeling In The Dark Love You Like A Love Song Sexy & I Know It The One That Got Away We Found Love Without You

R&B/Soul:

It Girl It Will Rain

Country/Rock:

You & I

Ballad:

Someone Like You

De-Charted Top 10 Hits From Q3

5 / 14 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com

In regard to the twelve songs that charted in the Pop songs top 10 during Q3 but didn’t make it into Q4, a small majority (33%) possessed a Dance/Club sub-genre influence, Love/Relationships and Partying/Clubbing were tied for the most dominant lyrical theme (each accounting for 33% of songs,) the vast majority (75%) contained a pre-chorus (as opposed to the 36% of new arrivals) and the majority of songs contained a bridge in their framework. Only 33% of songs contained an outro, and just like with new arrivals, Lady Gaga was the only artist to utilize a solo in the song’s framework (The Edge Of Glory.)

Dance/Club:

On The Floor The Edge Of Glory Till The World Ends

Rock:

Good Life Tonight Tonight

Hip Hop/Rap:

Just Can’t Get Enough The Show Goes On

Soul/Blues/Rock (Combo):

Rolling In The Deep

Straight-Up Electro Pop:

6 / 14 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com

E.T.

R&B/Soul:

How To Love

Reggae:

The Lazy Song

Key Point Comparison – New Arrivals vs. De-Charted Hits:

Dance/Club oriented songs that entered the top 10 during Q4 were significantly greater in number than those that de-charted from Q3. The result is a higher concentration of Dance/Club influenced songs in Q4.

There was a much greater mix of sub-genre influences that de-charted from Q3 in comparison to what entered the top 10 in Q4 (seven vs. four.)

The vast majority (75%) of de-charted hits contained a pre-chorus, while only 36% of new arrivals incorporated one into the song’s structure.

A much higher concentration of Love/Relationship themed songs entered the top 10 during Q4 (73%) than those that de-charted from Q3 (33%,) resulting in much more Love in Q4.

Song Structure: Q4-2011

Form:

As you would expect, the most widely used form was A-B-A-B-C-B (verse-chorus-verse-chorus- bridge-chorus,) comprising a majority 43% of top 10 hit Pop songs during the quarter.

Only 43% of songs utilized a pre-chorus in their framework, while a majority 71% featured a bridge. Only two songs (Lady Gaga’s You & I and Katy Perry’s Last Friday Night) included a solo. There were a number of songs that made ample use of breaks, however, which included Party Rock Anthem, We Found Love, Good Feeling, and Pumped Up Kicks.

In regard to section “positioning,” only six out of twenty one songs kicked off with the chorus as opposed to the verse (Give Me Everything, Party Rock Anthem, Good Feeling, In The Dark, Stereo Hearts and Lighters). As for when the bridge would hit, most of the time it was right after the second chorus (third if the song kicked off with the chorus.) The exceptions were Party Rock Anthem (occurring after the third verse,) Good Feeling (after an instrumental break,) Lighters (after the second verse,) and You & I (after the solo.)

7 / 14 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com

Intros

In Q4-2011, 18 out of 21 songs contained an intro in their framework. The three exceptions were In The Dark, Lighters and Stereo Hearts, all of which immediately kicked off with the chorus. Of those 18 songs, the vast majority (72%) had an intro length of 0:14 or shorter, with the majority landing between 0:05-0:09 and 0:10-0:14. Note that there were only two songs (Party Rock Anthem and Pumped Up Kicks) which had intro’s longer than 0:25 (they landed at 0:29 and 0:33 respectively.)

Outros

During Q4, only 6 out of 21 songs contained an outro in their framework. As you can see in the graph above, there was no specific trend that defined outro length. They all range from the very short to the very long.

First Chorus Occurrence: Time Into Song

8 / 14 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com

Not surprisingly, the vast majority of songs had their first chorus occurring relatively early in the song, with 71% occurring 0:49 or earlier and majority landing between 0:30 and 0:39. Only six had their first chorus occurring at 0:50 or later into the song (Without You, Sexy & I Know It, You Make Me Feel, It Will Rain, Pumped Up Kicks and Someone Like You.)

First Chorus Occurrence: Percent Into Song

In regard to the percent into the song where the first chorus occurs, The vast majority (76%) had their first chorus occur at a quarter of the way into the song or earlier, with a small majority landing in the 15% to 19% range.

Song Attributes: Q4-2011

9 / 14 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com

Sub-Genre Influences

For anyone who was scared that Dance/Club influenced Pop was on the way out after embarking on a three quarter decline, don’t worry. The Dance/Club sub-genre is still very much alive and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Far behind we have Hip Hop/Rap, R&B/Soul and the “other” category, which contains songs that didn’t fit into any of the primary sub-genre influences above. These songs were Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.,) Someone Like You and You & I. Only one song during the quarter possessed a Rock sub-genre influence – Pumped Up Kicks.

*Refer to the song chart at the beginning of the report for a breakdown of songs and their respective sub-genre categories.

Lyrical Themes

After seeing a steady decline in number for almost one year, Love/Relationship themed songs

10 / 14 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com continued on the rebound and accounted for the vast majority of top 10 Hit Pop songs in Q4-2011. The “other” category accounted for songs that didn’t possess any of the primary lyrical themes that we see in mainstream Pop .

Love/Relationships:

We Found Love Without You The One That Got Away Love You Like A Love Song Stereo Hearts Super Bass It Will Rain It Girl Someone Like You You & I

Hooking Up:

Give Me Everything I Wanna Go Moves Like Jagger

You Make Me Feel In The Dark

Other:

Lighters Pumped Up Kicks

Partying/Clubbing;

Party Rock Anthem Last Friday Night

Inspirational/Self Esteem:

Good Feeling Sexy & I Know It (in a comical manner)

Primary Instrumentation

11 / 14 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com

In Q4-2011, a small majority of songs possessed a combination of instrumentation that functioned in a primary role in the mix. Most of the time it was a synth plus another instrument, such as Electric Guitar (Moves Like Jagger) and Sax (In The Dark.) Not to fear, though, the lone synth is still in full effect, especially considering that the majority of top 10 Pop hits are Dance/Club in nature. Only one song featured a sole Piano (’s Someone Like You,) and there weren’t any songs that purely guitar driven.

Combo:

Moves Like Jagger (Electric Guitar, Synth) The One That Got Away (Piano, Up Front Bass, Strings) Good Feeling (Acoustic Guitar, Synth) In The Dark (Synth, Sax) Stereo Hearts (Synth, Electric Guitar) Lighters (Synth, Electric Piano) It Will Rain (Piano, Synth, Strings) It Girl (Acoustic Guitar, Synth) Pumped Up Kicks (Electric Guitar, Synth) Last Friday Night (Electric Guitar, Synth) You & I (Electric Guitar, Piano)

Synth:

Give Me Everything I Wanna Go Party Rock Anthem We Found Love Without You Sexy & I Know It You Make Me Feel Love You Like A Love Song Super Bass

Piano:

12 / 14 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com

Someone Like You

Lead Vocal Gender

It was neck and neck when it came to lead vocal gender during the quarter, but male lead vocalists edged out female leads by just one song. There were only two duets during the quarter – Moves Like Jagger ( featuring Christina Aguilera,) and You Make Me Feel (Cobra Starship featuring Sabi.)

Electric Vs. Acoustic

As you would expect, Electric based songs comprised the vast majority of top 10 Hit Pop songs during the quarter. There were a couple of songs that featured a pretty much equal combination of acoustic and electric based instrumentation (It Will Rain and It Girl – both of which are R&B/Soul in nature,) while only one song was purely acoustic in nature (Adele’s Someone Like You, which features a solo acoustic Piano.)

Key Trends To Watch:

Sub-Genres: After embarking on a steady decline since Q1-2011, Dance/Club influenced songs made a substantial rebound in Q4. The only other sub-genre to show an increase in number was R&B/Soul, which had been in a steady decline for over a year before turning around in Q4. Other sub-genre’s, including Hip Hop/Rap and Rock, are now in a decline.

Lyrical Themes: Love/Relationship themed songs continued to grow in number after

13 / 14 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com

embarking on a steep decline that started back in Q3-2010 and ended almost a year later in Q2-2011. Inspirational themed songs continue to spiral downward (since Q2-2011) and songs that possess a “unique” lyrical theme other than any of the “primary” themes continued to rise.

Lead Vocal Gender: Woman look poised to take over the primary lead vocal gender title in Q1-2012, while duets are still pretty much few and far between. As of Q4-2011, the lead vocal gender split was 48% male, 43% female and 9% duet.

Primary Instrumentation: The lone synth has been in a steep decline since Q2-2011, dropping from 79% of songs to just 43% of songs in Q4. The big gainer was the number of songs that are utilizing a combination of primary instrumentation in the mix, such as synth and guitar. The lone guitar looks to continue as being a non-factor in top 10 hit Pop.

14 / 14

Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)