Songwriting: How Your Favourite Artists Do it!

Have you ever sat down at a piano or strapped in your guitar with the intention of creating something beautiful and struggle to conjure any sort of creativity at all, wondering how iconic stars manage to pen some of the best tunes of all time? Songwriting is a challenging mountain to climb because learning chords, lead lines and playing in rhythm is all something which can be honed over time; writing almost always derives from something deeper, a natural moment you cannot force. However, artists seem to take inspiration from other songwriters, the world around them, and because musical combinations have a limitless potential, the best musicians find individualised methods to provoke their soul into action.

1) Artist Identity

Some Indie songwriters use music as a vehicle to channel their observations of the world around them which prompts a sense of personal identity, whether that be through social commentary or expressing national pride. A striking example of this is Fontaines D.C. and their Mercury Prize-nominated debut album, Dogrel. The album, steeped in the cultural and social landscape of Dublin, showcases the band's connection to their Irish roots through vivid imagery and punk energy. Extracting an essence of poetry, not too dissimilar from Irish Nationalist Seamus Heaney, and combining this with Irish folk influences, Grian Chatten encapsulates the gritty nature of Dublin in songs like "Liberty Belle", which nods towards typical Irish pub culture.

Other indie artists also leverage their personal and national identities in their music. Perhaps the pioneer of this technique, lyricist of the best selling debut in UK history, is Alex Turner. 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not' walks us through Turner's nights out in Sheffield, from the voice of a Taxi-hopping, police agitating, alcohol fueled teenager. Similarly, American rap artist Kendrick Lamar's "good kid, m.A.A.d city" uses autobiographical storytelling to paint a vivid picture of his upbringing in Compton, mainly addressing societal issues, turning his experiences into 12 tracks which will stand the test of time.

2) Use a Stimulus

Another principle method of songwriting is the use of stimuli and concepts. This fuels a writer's idea for a song from an angle, separate from their personal ventures, submerging listeners into a state of voyeurism. Tom Ogden from Blossoms provides an excellent example with his songwriting for "Your Girlfriend" and "Gary." Ogden's inspiration for "Your Girlfriend" came from external sources. He wanted to spin a love song from the stance of someone from the outside of a relationship looking in, utilising an online blog he stumbled upon about unrequited love for a friend's partner. The narrative merges with a catchy hook which resulted in one of Blossom's most played songs on Radio to date. In their recent podcast, Ogden also states how he read an article about the name "Gary" going extinct, and reports about a porcelain gorilla going missing in Scotland, and the song was born.

Similarly, concept albums emerge from an initial stimulus to allow artists to fully explore a broad subject across a thematic set of songs. A typical case of this is Pink Floyd's "The Wall", a famous concept album that tells the story of a rock star's isolation from the real world, using the wall as a metaphor for his emotional setbacks. This album exemplifies how artists use conceptual frameworks to delve deeply into complex ideas, immersing listeners into a scene they can't instantly resonate with, but leaves them with food to actively reflect on the record's message.

3) Structure.

When crafting a song, many musicians start by developing the musical structure before focusing on the lyrics. Chris Martin of Coldplay exemplifies this method, often beginning with a song title and then pairing it with a pre-existing piano or acoustic guitar sequence. This approach emphasizes creating a strong musical foundation first, upon which the lyrics are built. Songwriting is often a repetitive process of refining both music and words until they fit perfectly together sonically; sometimes writers hit a wall on a certain lyric, and struggle to find the words to fit the melody until months later. George Harrison’s "Something" is a shining example of this as he took the song into the studio with The Beatles, stuck on the lyric "attracts me like no other lover". Paul McCartney is also an advocate for this iterative process, recognising that sometimes the right lyrics can be elusive but are worth the effort to get just right. This method of structuring songs ensures that both musical and lyrical components are thoughtfully integrated into the final composition.

There is no linear path to songwriting enlightenment, and each artist's journey is unique. Writers often encounter blocks and need to continually evolve their sound to maintain their passion and creativity. A notable example is the Arctic Monkeys, who dramatically shifted their musical direction with their 2018 album 'Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino', moving from their established indie rock sound to a more experimental, lounge-pop aesthetic. This evolution continued with their 2022 release The Car, which further showcased their willingness to explore new sonic landscapes. These changes not only kept their music fresh but also helped them navigate creative ruts and re-ignite their inspiration. This flexibility and openness to change are crucial for artists striving to keep their creative spark alive, demonstrating that the path to creating impactful music is often winding and unpredictable. Although not everybody is a fan of when artists do this, we can appreciate how hard it is to write any song at all, let alone to revolutionise your sound.

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