Guide · Songwriting

How to become a songwriter: what to do first, and what actually matters

You do not need a degree, a label or permission to be a songwriter. You need finished songs, and a way to keep making them. Here is the path most working songwriters describe.

1. Write a lot

Most songwriters write far more songs than they release. Volume is how you get better. Aim for a song a week, finished or not.

2. Finish what you start

An unfinished song cannot be heard, pitched or released. Learn to call a song done and move on to the next.

3. Learn an instrument well enough to demo

Guitar or piano and your voice is enough to show a song to anyone.

4. Record demos

A clear, simple demo is how a song gets judged. It does not need to be polished.

5. Get honest feedback

Play songs to other songwriters, not just friends. Ask a specific question: "is the chorus strong enough?"

6. Co-write

Writing with others teaches you faster than anything else, and most songs on the radio have several writers.

7. Register your songs

Join your country's performing rights organisation (for example PRS in the UK, ASCAP or BMI in the US) so you are paid when your songs are played.

8. Get your songs heard

Release your own, pitch to artists, enter competitions, play open mics, and send demos to producers and publishers.

Questions

Do you need a degree to be a songwriter?
No. A music degree can help, but finished songs and good demos matter far more.

How do songwriters make money?
Mainly royalties when songs are streamed, broadcast or performed, plus sync (songs in TV, film and ads), and fees for co-writing or writing for other artists.

How many songs should I write before I am good?
There is no number, but most songwriters say their first hundred songs taught them the most. Keep writing and keep finishing.