• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Topic: INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR A "HIT"

I saw on my most memorable trip through the USA, bands playing in Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans, better than bands like STYX (if I hear babe is it Billy Joel singing it?), FOREIGNER and the for me OVERRATED TOM PETTY (THE DYLAN CLONE by excellence).
I saw a lot of gigs over a 16 year period being backstage doc,  and some of the bands I saw I would give them 99%.
SO WHAT AM I MISSING HERE? You have a GREAT tune, a great ACT and GREAT musicians BUT NO HIT.
Who or what is in order to have a hit, very important? Driving with your VAN from radiostation to radiostation? Giving great gigs in a club? BUSKING?
Make your own CD'S and give a few thousands to people?
That"s why I ask what is needed?

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • Zurf
  • Zurf
  • Blunt but well meaning moderator
  • Offline
  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR A "HIT"

If I may be cynical, I suggest that what it requires to be a hit is to be the brainchild or "find" of a Music Row mucketymuck.  There are so many incredibly talented musicians playing bars that are better than what we hear on the radio.

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude

3 Reply by Russell_Harding (edited by Russell_Harding 2008-05-14 16:01:33)

  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,865

Re: INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR A "HIT"

I have some information that was emailed me that will answer all your questions and when I get a quiet moment I will forward it, i printed it out all 36 pages for reference but you can read it without printing it the email is from the founder of cd baby and it will answer all your questions and provide a treasure trove of ideas and insite into the music bussiness and I was asked by the sender to forward it to all aspireing artist so I will be doing so later smile I would like to add I have signed a contract with cd baby and they will be distributing my music in stores and streaming individual tracks for ipods and ring tones I will keep all chordians posted when I know more this is only the first step so you gotta crawl before you walk and run

Zurf wrote:

If I may be cynical, I suggest that what it requires to be a hit is to be the brainchild or "find" of a Music Row mucketymuck.  There are so many incredibly talented musicians playing bars that are better than what we hear on the radio.

- Zurf

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Russell_Harding's Website

  • From: Starkville, Mississippi USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,069

Re: INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR A "HIT"

This is one of those eternal questions. Certainly, it requires some real market savvy for an artist to rise above the clamor and have a breakthrough. Seems that an essential ingredient in the elusive 'hit' formula is 'packaging' or 'positioning' of an artist to appeal to some segment of the mass market and find an audience.

Some commercially successful performers are mostly 'package' with very little substance. Some artists sell out and allow themselves to be packaged & positioned like the latest fad merchandise in a trendy boutique.

For the vast majority of people, Music is simply just another product they consume (like fast food) but they never actually discover the joy of making (like a good home-cooked meal).  Here at chordie, we are people who would rather make Music than simply consume it mindlessly.

I don't know what exactly makes a 'hit', but I do know that for me Music is something I would much rather create than consume.

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

James McCormick's Website

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR A "HIT"

Agree, here on chordie WE THINK HOW, WHAT and WHY some performers succeed.
1 example THE MEGA SUPER HIT "WHITOUT YOU" is still credited by 90% to HARRY NILSSON, who took the song from BADFINGER.
They had a "minor" hit he had a major hit, repeated by Mariah Carey's version, 20 ears later.
Comparing the 3 versions
- CAREY = a sterile but perfectly arranged version
- NILSSON = passion, a cry, a MONUMENT of a song, I can only compare it with JOE COCKER singing "With a little help from my friends" written by the GREATEST GROUP EVER: THE BEATLES
- BADFINGER = a catchy tune but no "spirit"
IS THIS A CORRECT COMPARISION? It's how I see it.

Another fact is WHY AND WHERE ARE THE REAL GREAT BANDS IN A PERIOD from 2000-2008, I can't find NO BAND at ALL. If we think logic and see how many possibilities we have to make a song at home: just pick up your guitar, use a device like BOSS BR 1600CD record it and let your PC do the finishing touch, put it on youtube or myspace, I am really surprised that we almost never find a song who becomes a mega-hit. Compared to 15 years ago, every single person can write a song, arrange it and show it to a million public and yet....

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website