What makes a song/album good?

[ATZenith]

Can you answer this question? I'm a musician that is try take a serious turn on my music. I am not trying to copy anyone, I am just trying to learn the fundamentals of what makes an impression on someone. Think back to when you listened to some type of song, or any song that you loved. What made it good? I'm trying to make a metal album but the question is for anyone and any genre of music.

[hellhamster]

Just be original and actually put some thought into it and you will be just fine.

[Queen of Hamsters]

Pretty difficult to answer when you on one hand have music by bands like Dire Straits becoming popular, and on the other you have "music" like what Nicki Minaj puts out selling and becoming popular...

The thing I feel with most music I love, is that it's meaningful. The text mean something, tell a story. But then there are also factors like the singer, melody, instruments...

In other words, it's impossible to answer.

[Fencers]

The music that I respond to most communicates human passion, ideas and emotion in manner that is not attainable in other mediums. This is true for good film, good literature... good art.

[Deleted]

For me to rate an album highly the overall quality needs to be very high with 2-3 exceptional songs. Filler songs that suck will drain the life out of otherwise excellent album.

For songs? I need to have orgasmic mind fucks for a song to stick.

Good luck.

[Stormcall]

Can you answer this question? I'm a musician that is try take a serious turn on my music. I am not trying to copy anyone, I am just trying to learn the fundamentals of what makes an impression on someone. Think back to when you listened to some type of song, or any song that you loved. What made it good? I'm trying to make a metal album but the question is for anyone and any genre of music.

What made it good are a combination of the melodies, the musicianship, and the vocals...that's really the only answer, and even THAT is based on personal taste. Melodies, riffs, solos, and vocals that sound godlike to one person can sound awful to another, and vice versa. I know people who think Taylor Swift and Katy Perry make great music, while when I hear them my nerves get set on edge, it's like something is gouging me in the ears and gives me a legitimately unpleasant feeling. OTOH, if you were to play something by any of the thrash, black, or death metal bands I listen to(or even many of the power metal bands), those Taylor and Katy fans would call it unlistenable noise.

Take this band:


I love them, and they even got a $20000 grant from the Australian Institute for the Arts in recognition of their technical skill and virtuoso musicianship. Yet upon the announcement, lots of people complained and said they didn't deserve it cause they were a metal band who didn't make music just "noise"(to the Aussie Institute's credit, they responded that the grant was based on the band's excellent musicianship, and just because many people didn't care for the STYLE of music they play it doesn't make their skill any less valid).

[Lightwysh]

As stated, be original. Don't fall into a marketing segment. Don't look for that one hit wonder for airplay. If you can, find something that makes you stand out, but is not obnoxious.

For an album to be good(for me), all the songs should flow together, yet be distinct enough to where it doesn't sound like a 60 minute song. I should be able to listen to an album and not have 1-2 songs overshadow the rest of the album.

[Wildtree]

Can you answer this question? I'm a musician that is try take a serious turn on my music. I am not trying to copy anyone, I am just trying to learn the fundamentals of what makes an impression on someone. Think back to when you listened to some type of song, or any song that you loved. What made it good? I'm trying to make a metal album but the question is for anyone and any genre of music.

If there was an answer to your question, then everyone who ever made their own music would have been successful with it. Obviously that is not the case, nor was it ever.

The only thing you can do is, to:
1. stay true to yourself and make YOUR music.
2. don't try pandering to some demographics.
3. create your own distinctive unique style.

Examples..... You hear but a few notes of these artists and you know right away who it is..
Van Halen, Black Sabbath, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, AC/DC, Hendrix, Santana, Muse, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes...
The list could be continued with a lot more.
They all are very unique and distinctive.
If you sound just like another one of 10.000 other bands, chances are you won't succeed.

[Halicia]

For me, what makes a song good, and what makes an album good, are different beasts entirely.

A "good album" thrives from a consistent quality to the music and/or builds the sound/emotion from one track to the next in a progressive manner. (not so good for shuffleplay though)

A "good song" is just too broad to define. I guess you could go with form & function. You can be original and develop your own niche, you could excel in an existing niche without having to deviate from the norms much either. And then for function, well... if a song suits the job, then it can be a 'good song', even if noone's going to say that's their favorite song of alltime.

[AndaliteBandit]

When you get chills down your spine from listening to it.

[Apology]

As someone that has gone through the process of writing an album before:

1) Write material that you'd want to listen to.
2) All killer no filler. All of it. You're better off having seven great songs and a short album than seven great songs, three turds and a longer album.

Those are the two golden rules that transcend genres. Everything else is subjective

[Deleted]

Don't try to make your first production your greatest hit.
Be experimental, just try different sounds.
Surprise the person listening to your music.

What I am thinking is, don't make a song that's a straight highway road, few cars passing and stuff.
Make a song that's a road on the mountains, curves, cars passing by, different cars, different speeds.
Experiment.