Essential Elements of Excellent Music

To say I was disappointed with the Grammy's last week would be somewhat of understatement. There's something about a bloated awards show that can really make great music (U2, Coldplay, Robert Plant, McCartney, Radiohead, Neil D) sound so boring and corporate. But it did get me thinking about one thing. It gave me the opportunity to catalog the key components of my favorite songs. This list is incredibly subjective but I believe that it adequately describes the essential ingredients to great music.


My Essential Elements of Excellent Music:

• Emotion- The greatest songs are forged in the exceptional emotions. The best artists, music or otherwise, don't wear dockers and live on main street. Their trials and tribulations have created the necessary emotional currency that gives them the license to offer their songs. One of the reasons why most pop music rings so hollow to me is due to the fact that it generally tries to artificially inseminate the essence of the song with faux emotions.
  

Examples:

"Bad"- U2
"Riders on the Storm"- Doors
"Waiting in Vain"- Bob Marley

• Innovation- Sure, not everyone can be the Beatles or Floyd or Roxy Music but that doesn't mean that there isn't still room for fresh ideas. Unfortunately most music these days is as formulaic as the latest CBS procedural show, nothing more then a few savvy music executives looking to plug the latest "pretty" face into their Billboard 100 algorithm. But keep in mind that innovation, in and of itself, isn't the ideal end. It must be coupled with the other listed ingredients in order to really succeed. Radiohead has given us some pretty interesting sounds but at the end of the day most of their music is just ....interesting sounds. The most innovative music will spawn legions of followers and can create spurts of creative genius that can last years.
  

Examples:
" "Wolf Like Me"- TV on the Radio
"A Day in the Life"- Beatles
"Heroin"- Velvet Underground

• Production- A good sound needs to be captained by someone who can successfully guide the true essence of the song from the mind and heart of its author to the exciting reality of vinyl and mp3 play. Too much or too little production can kill a song. Each additional layer or track should provide necessary depth.

Examples:
"Made Up Lovesong #43"- Guillemots
"One"- U2
"Nights in White Satin"- The Moody Blues

• Lyrics- The words behind a song might be the forth or fifth thing I look for in a song but that doesn't diminish their overall importance. Words can create as much imagery as any exotic instrument or arrangement. Conversely, nothing can kill a song as quickly as stupid lyrics. (Just ask Bono why he felt compelled to sing about moles digging in holes)
  

Examples:
"It's the End of the World as We Know It"- REM
"Trying to Throw your Arms Around the World"- U2
"Luckiest"- Ben Folds

• Vocals- The words of the song is the beautiful rose while the vocals are the manner in which it is presented. You may offer up a gorgeous lily but if it is placed in a tin can, the only thing that the recipient will look at is the rusty tin can. That's how it goes with vocals. Some of the most memorable artists (Dylan, Reed, C. Martin) don't have professional quality voices. But they don't need to, so long as they don't distract from the song. If anything the unique and somewhat flawed voice gives an honest texture to the song that gives it a stronger connection to the average listener.

Examples:
"Be Here Now"- Ray Lamontagne
"Wonderful World"- Louis Armstrong
"Anyone Else But You"- The Moldy Peaches

• Staying Power- A good song will provide just as much enjoyment on the 100th listen as it did on the 10th. It will continue to be relevant and won't be unnecessarily tied to the era from which it sprang. It is timeless. "Staying power" is usually the sum result of doing the aforementioned other things right.
  

Examples:
"Where the Streets Have no Name"- U2
"Imagine"- John Lennon
"Fake Plastic Trees"- Radiohead


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This list is in no way comprehensive or complete. The author (ME) reserves the right to update and edit this list as he(ME) sees fit.