How to make a modern number one song, according to science
Crafting a number one song in today’s music landscape might appear simple. You’d think it involves blending a catchy, infectious melody with an engaging rhythm, sprinkling in some fundamental synthesizer tunes or guitar riffs, and voila! However, science suggests there’s a bit more to it than meets the ear.
The factors contributing to the enduring global popularity of artists like Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran are widely acknowledged. They’ve deciphered the formula; their tunes are incredibly infectious, all prompting humming or singing along, even when you don’t plan to. Therefore, it’s no surprise that ‘Shape of You’ ranks among Spotify’s most streamed songs, and Swift claims the title of the world’s most streamed artist.
Nowadays, chart lists can encompass anywhere from 20 to 200 artists or even more. Yet, there existed an era when simplicity prevailed. In the 1950s, for instance, the charts consisted of merely 11 number ones. Determining who made the cut relied on contacting a few retailers via phone calls to gather their sales data and compiling a list of chart-topping songs.
Now, however, over 6,500 retailers contribute to the chart data, encompassing audio streams from platforms like Spotify, Deezer, and Napster, all of which factor into a track’s chart placement. This makes it even more difficult for a song to reach number one because in order for audiences to like a tune and for it to reach that desired number one spot, they need to hear it. A lot.
The most common way for this to happen is for a track to be playlisted, either by a platform’s algorithm or handpicked, especially by the radio station’s presenter or programme controller. However, before all of that, you have to make sure that your song is actually worthy of attention. In order to do this, you’ll need to incorporate a number of distinctive features to ensure a song becomes successful.
Foremost, certain songs become successful more quickly than others because, in essence, they sound happier. They also seem lighter and more “party-like”, which would include using major chords and an upbeat tempo to ensure maximum “danceability”. Catchiness is also key, which is most certainly why Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’ became such a hit, despite the tune itself being completely divisive.
However, a mere catchy melody isn’t sufficient to secure a number one hit — there must be an additional touch of ingenuity regarding listener expectations. This involves taking something seemingly predictable and intentionally infusing creativity into the song’s structure. The outcome is a tune that’s easy to sing along with yet possesses enough intrigue and dynamism to entice repeated listens.
While a straightforward, catchy pop song can attract attention, its ascension to chart-topping status often involves using repetition cleverly to craft something both familiar and sufficiently distinct, making it captivating and engaging. Songs in the pop charts typically adhere to a familiar formula, but with an added layer of distinctiveness, they might just clinch that coveted number one spot.
