Studying The Top Songwriters Throughout Music History

So much of society's most heralded and life-changing art all began with a simple idea and putting pen to pad. This is just as true in music as it is in any other artistic genre. It pays to study the top songwriters of various eras if you're an aspiring artist. It's also helpful to study these songwriters if you just want a look behind the curtain at how music is made. The information below offers a roadmap for studying these prolific writers so that you gain a broader appreciation of music and art as a whole. 

Research some of the top songwriters of the day and of all time

Before anything else, you should start thinking about your favorite songs and the most successful songs of today and forever. Once you have accumulated a list of songs, look up the song credits to find out who handled the writing duties. From here, you can comb through entire discographies and catalogs of the best writers. This will help you learn more about them, who influenced them, and how they left their mark on the industry.

Understandably, the best songwriters transcend genres and demographics because of their ability to use music and lyrics to tap into the human spirit. 

Study their process and learn how they work at their craft

Once you have found some songwriters that you admire, take time to read, watch, or listen to as many interviews with them as you can. What you will find is that these writers are often asked about their process, and many are more than happy to go into detail about it. When you study a songwriter's process, you'll learn how they overcame procrastination and writer's block, brainstormed ideas, turned their emotions and life moments into art, and so much more. Getting down to the specifics of the process takes the mystery out of it and will help to inform how you work if you're an aspiring songwriter. 

Keep up with the way the industry is headed

In addition to studying individual songwriters, make sure that you study the industry as a whole. This way, you can learn more about how today's songwriters are adapting to changes, and how people digest music. You'll also be able to learn how digital media streaming will affect how music is made, shared, and financed for years to come. 

Consider the points above and begin doing your research on the best songwriters


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