From my understanding and experience of how people make money within the music business, all 3 components must be at the highest possible level. In this article I want to tell us how to get the song component of the product.
Contrary to popular opinion amongst artists, not many individuals can stand in the place of Paul McCartney or Cathy Dennis as real singer songwriters. You will find that someone like that late Whitney Houston did not write all of her songs. For example, 'I Will Always Love You' was written by Dolly Parton with Whitney's version going Platinum in key territories. Let me give 3 ways of getting hit songs on your albums.
1. Cover Versions: the law is that once a song has been released to public domain anyone can cover that same song. Although you will still need to get a clearance license from the appropriate bodies, in the UK that will be MCPS/PRS. Technically you can cover any song. Now think of all the songs you are able to sing that you do not need to write. Sometimes artists have been told to only sing songs they have written. That is bad advice because 100% of 0 is 0. Although the writers royalty will not come to you, the performance royalties will be all yours (in the UK system). A song that does not make money will not make you money. So search for songs that have been released that will really suit your voice you will be on to a winner.
2. Sing Cross Genre Hits. 'I Will Always Love You' was originally sung by Dolly Parton who is a Country artist; Whitney Houston was an R&B artist. Why don't you find great songs in other genres you can sing? You will be amazed at the hits songs that are transferable to your genre. Find R&B hits that can be sung in Rock. Remember the song 'Walk This Way' by Aerosmith the Rock Band? It had a rendition by the group Run DMC 11 years later and took the track to number 4 on the Billboard charts.
3. Find Song Writers Who Will Write For You: many people feel intimidated if they realise they aren't such great writers. Please snap out of that kind of thinking. Be sure that the way GOD made us; no one has all the knowledge. Think about Michael Jackson; most of his hit songs were written by other people. If he was not embarrassed to sing other people's songs but made them a fortune in the process, why would you shy away from a process that can make you extremely successful!?
Start looking for songs today, knowing that good lyrics are always good whether they were sung 10, 20 or 30 years ago. The music and style is what requires an update. So why keep on struggling to write songs when you can also sing other songs too!