How to Top the Charts

[Scourge of God]

Firstly, it has to have a dance groove that will run all the way through the record and that the current 7" buying generation will find irresistible. Secondly, it must be no longer than three minutes and thirty seconds (just under 3'20 is preferable). If they are any longer Radio One daytime DJs will start fading early or talking over the end, when the chorus is finally being hammered home - the most important part of any record. Thirdly, it must consist of an intro, a verse, a chorus, second verse, a second chorus, a breakdown section, back into a double length chorus and outro. Fourthly, lyrics. You will need some, but not many.

The Manual (How to Have a Number One the Easy Way

What's interesting, of course, is the degree to which this remains relevant (despite its relative antiquity). The truth, of course, is that virtually any song that achieves large scale success in fact works by precisely these rules (though more specialized media, such as rock radio, might be more tolerant of deviations in some aspects - "Enter Sandman" and "Hell's Bells" both work by these basic principles, although their running times are slightly longer than what would be tolerated in a straight pop format).

 

[Hell Awaits Us All]

uh how is this related to metal?

 

[Scourge of God]

Look at almost any semi-mainstream metal band, they paint by the same numbers.

 

[Hell Awaits Us All]

what about bands like mastodon with no chorus-verse formula at all?

 

[skeptik]

Verse-chorus-verse-chorus is awesome.

 

[Scourge of God]

what about bands like mastodon with no chorus-verse formula at all?

Leaving aside the fact that Mastodon songs are often built repeated instrumental 'choruses,' their success has come largely as a touring band (like most trippy hippy jam bands).

 

[rfe]

Thx SoG~!! Now I finally found a way to make it BIG.

No more whoring our bass player to old men to get a record deal!

 

[AgoliantLives]

uh how is this related to metal?

Some metal bands practice these rules.

 

[hibernal_dream]

The Manual (How to Have a Number One the Easy Way

What's the hard way?

 

[Scourge of God]

Probably the most important thing to take away from this, though, is the emphasis of the authors on the primal importance of 'groove' in popular music.

'Groove' as such comes out of the intersection of bass, percussion and the lead rhythm instrument (guitar or keys, typically). It's what you get when you set syncopation among the other instruments (and the bass drum) against straight four on snare and symbols. Groove has two main effects:

1. It almost demands a physical response - toe tapping, headbanging, dancing, whatever. Groove is felt more than heard.

2. It breaks up the other elements of the song into short, easily digestible phrases that quickly become comfortably familiar (the 'hook').

In other words, groove is the perfect backbone for music that is meant to be commodified, as it basically flips the 'off' switch to the brain. Remember that the next time someone tells you how cool Pantera is.

 

[Hell Awaits Us All]

but I find "groove" in bands like dismember and even burzum. "groove" is one of the things that makes most metal listenable IMO (although my idea of groove is probably different than what you are eluding to)

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

I really don't like this thread and think you could've done a better job trying to bring up said points and arguments rather than by citing a retarded source.