by Andy Orrell

Created on: August 14, 2010

What makes music good? This is a very broad question with no simple answer. In many ways good music is simply down to taste, what one person enjoys another will detest. However as the quality of main stream music seems to be heading in a downward spiral it begs the question, what has happened to real music? Are the days of classic anthems and massive tunes a thing of the past? Are we doomed to hear an endless stream of mass produced spineless pop? Well lets now have a look at what truly does make music good.

There are many factors that go into making a song. The vast majority of songs contain lyrics, these can really inspire a listener and put across the emotions of the writer. Songs such as ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon spring to mind when you think of classic lyrics. One thing that all great lyrics have in common is passion. If an artist is passionate about their subject matter this comes across in their lyrics. The words can move a listener to experience a range of emotions by simply listening to the feelings that the artist is trying to convey. For a song to be ‘good’ the lyrics must have a real passion about them and actually mean something significant.

Some songs are slow, some song are fast. However all songs have a basic rhythm or beat. Again how someone enjoys the pace and tempo of a song is down to personal opinion but one key factor is often present when it comes to a ‘good’ song. Power is one of the key elements in making a high standard of music. That does not necessarily mean the song must be loud and angry, a Gaelic Lament can still be powerful. The pace of the music and the beat play a key part in how the song feels, a powerful song has the ability to sweep the listener along and draw them into the music. If an artist can combine a powerful sound with strong lyrics then this will go along way to making ‘good’ music.

The third factor that really controls how good a song will be is the melody. Some songs you can instantly identify by the first few bars. Some simple little riffs can stick in your head for years. Often the best melodies are the most simple, some artists can transform three simple chords into a magical engaging sound. Whereas other musicians will use very complicated mixes of instruments to create an eclectic mix of sounds that all harmonise together perfectly. Whatever technique is used if a song has a great melody it can really become something special.

 If a musician can combine

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