Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com Q4 Hit Songwriting Trends In Pop This report provides you with a detailed look at the key hit songwriting trends that defined all of the songs that landed in the Billboard Pop Songs top 10 from January 2013 through December 2013. Contents: Key Findings In Q4-2013 Trend Shifts: Q3-Q4 Average Song Length Song Length Range Average Intro Length Intro Length Range Songs That Contain An Intro Songs That Begin With The Chorus Average Outro Length Outro Length Range Songs That Contain An Outro 1st Chorus Occurrence: Average Time 1st Chorus Occurrence: Time Range 1st Chorus Occurrence: Percent Into Song 1st Chorus Occurrence: Percent Into Song Range Songs With A Pre-Chorus Songs With A Bridge Songs With A Solo Songs With An A-B-A-B-C-B Form Primary Instrumentation Primary Lead Vocal Gender Electric Vs. Acoustic Primary Sub-Genre Influence Lyrical Theme Back to Top 1 / 29 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com The Top 10 Hit Pop Songs of Q4-2013 These are the songs that landed in the top 10 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart during the fourth quarter of 2013: *Applause (Lady Gaga) Blurred Lines (Robin Thicke f. T.I. + Pharrell) Clarity (Zedd f. Foxes) *Counting Stars (OneRepublic) Cruise (Florida Georgia Line f. Nelly) *Demons (Imagine Dragons) *Do What U Want (Lady Gaga f. R. Kelly) *Hold On, We’re Going Home (Drake f. Majid Jordan) Holy Grail (Jay Z f. Justin Timberlake) I Need Your Love (Calvin Harris f. Ellie Goulding) Roar (Katy Perry) *Royals (Lorde) Safe & Sound (Capital Cities) Same Love (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis f. Mary Lambert) *Slow Down (Selena Gomez) *Stay The Night (Zedd f. Hayley Williams) *Still Into You (Paramore) Summertime Sadness (Lana Del Rey & Cedric Gervais) *The Monster (Eminem f. Rihanna) *Timber (Pitbull f. Ke$ha) 2 / 29 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com *Unconditionally (Katy Perry) Wake Me Up (Avicii) *Wrecking Ball (Miley Cyrus) (*) Signifies a “new arrival” top the Pop songs top 10 during Q4. The other songs are Q3 carryovers. In Brief: Key Finding in Q4-2013 Lead Vocal Gender The percentage of songs that feature a female lead vocal reached their highest level in over 4 years, accounting for the majority 48% of all songs. Additionally, note that this was the first time in over a year that the female lead vocal category has topped their male counterparts (the last time was Q3-2012). As for duets, they saw a moderate increase as well, while songs featuring a male lead vocal saw a sharp decline during Q4, decreasing from the vast majority 57% of songs in Q3 down to just 35% by the end of the year. Sub-Genres The majority of top 10 hits continued to feature a fusion of multiple sub-genres despite a slight decline in number during the fourth quarter of the year. Dance and R&B/Soul songs saw a slight increase over the preceding quarter, Hip Hop/Rap remained constant, and Rock songs continued on their downward spiral, accounting for just 4% of all songs by year’s end. Instrumentation There wasn’t a whole lot of fluctuation going on within the instrumentation category throughout the year. Songs featuring a combination of primary instrumentation within the mix held tight in the majority, as did songs that are primarily electric in nature. On the flip side, songs that are primarily acoustic in nature completely dropped off the map by the end of the of Q4. Lyrical Themes Straight-up love/relationship themed songs saw a sharp decline in Q4, decreasing from the vast majority 52% of songs in Q3 down to just 35% of songs by the end of the year. This decline was due to an increase in the number of partying/clubbing, hooking up and non- typical (“other”) themed songs entering into the Pop Songs top 10. Note, however, that the love/relationship theme was a component in ALL of the lyrical fusion 3 / 29 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com songs of the quarter. Song Structure Intro The shortest intro length category (those landing between 0:01 and 0:09) saw a significant increase over the last couple of quarters, increasing from just 26% of songs in Q2 to the vast majority (56%) of songs by the end of Q4. The second most popular category was once again the 0:10 – 0:19 range, which accounted for 31% of all songs. Longer length intros (0:20 and up) were still barely a factor in the Pop songs top 10. As for the percentage of songs that contain an intro within their framework, they saw a moderate decline in Q4 due to an increase in the number of songs that immediately kick off with the verse or chorus. Pre Chorus The percentage of songs that feature a pre-chorus within their framework saw a moderate drop during the last quarter of the year, decreasing from 61% of songs in Q3 down to 52% of songs in Q4. It remains as the “optional” section within top 10 Pop songs. Bridge The percentage of songs that contain a bridge remained pretty much constant over the last couple of quarters, concluding the year at 70% of all songs. Solos and Instrumental Breaks Solos (e.g. guitar) continued to be a non-factor over the last few quarters, with the percentage of songs that feature one hanging tight at 0%. Prominent instrumental breaks, however, have been steadily increasing in number over the past couple of quarters, and by the end of the year could be found in 42% of all top 10 Pop songs. Outro The percentage of songs that contain an outro within their framework saw a moderate decline in Q4, decreasing from 52% of songs in Q3 down to 43% of songs by the end of the year. Of those that do contain an outro, the majority landed in the 0:10 – 0:19 range, which increased to 40% of songs during Q4. First Chorus Occurrence On average, the amount of time that it takes for the first chorus to hit in a top 10 Pop song has been becoming shorter over the last couple of quarters. By the end of the year, first choruses on average were hitting 0:36 / 16% of the way in. 4 / 29 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com TREND SHIFTS: Q3-2013 to Q4-2013 On The Rise Song Count Changes Songs that feature a female lead vocal: 48% of songs (+13%) Songs that feature a non-typical lyrical theme (“other”): 13% of songs (+13%) Songs that feature a partying/clubbing lyrical theme: 9% of songs (+9%) Songs that feature a duet: 17% of songs (+9%) Songs that are primarily Dance in nature: 22% of songs (+5%) Songs that are primarily R&B/Soul in nature: 9% of songs (+5%) Songs that feature primarily electric based instrumentation: 57% of songs (+5%) Songs that kick off with the chorus as opposed to the verse: 22% of songs (+5%) Songs that are primarily synth driven: 26% of songs (+4%) Songs that feature a combination of electric and acoustic based instrumentation: 43% of songs (+4%) Songs that feature a hooking up lyrical theme: 4% of songs (+4%) Songs that contain an instrumental break: 42% of songs (+3%) In Decline Song Count Changes Songs that feature a male lead vocal: 35% of songs (-22%) Songs that contain an intro: 70% of songs (-17%) Songs that feature a straight-up love/relationship lyrical theme: 35% of songs (-17%) Songs that contain an outro: 43% of songs (-9%) Songs that contain a pre-chorus: 52% of songs (-9%) Songs that are primarily acoustic in nature: 0% of songs (-9%) 5 / 29 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com Songs that feature more than 1 primarily lyrical theme (i.e. lyrical fusion): 25% of songs (-9%) Songs that are primarily Rock in nature: 4% of songs (-5%) Songs that contain a bridge: 70% of songs (-4%) Songs that utilize an A-B-A-B-C-B form: 35% of songs (-4%) Songs that feature a combination of primary instrumentation within the mix: 74% of songs (-4%) Songs that feature more than 1 primary sub-genre influence (i.e. Pop Fusion songs): 52% of songs (-4%) Song Time Changes Average time where the first chorus occurs within a song: 0:36 (-0:03) Remaining Constant (+/- 0:01 or 1%) Song Count Songs that are primarily guitar driven: 0% of songs (constant) Songs that are primarily Hip Hop/Rap in nature: 13% of songs (constant) Songs that feature an inspirational/empowerment lyrical theme: 13% of songs (constant) Songs that contain a solo: 0% of songs (constant) Song Time Average song length: 3:51(constant) Average intro length: 0:13 (-0:01) Average outro length: 0:18 (constant) Average percent into a song where the first chorus occurs: 16% (-1%) Hit Songwriting Trends In Pop: Q4-2012 – Q3-2013 6 / 29 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com Average Song Length Shows how average song length has been trending over time As you can see in the graph above, the average length of a top 10 hit Pop song remained virtually constant throughout the entire year.