7 sins that kill songs

7 sins that kill songs


In all my years as a Music Publishing A&R manager, I’ve heard a lot of songs that didn’t make it.

Some make me shudder just thinking about them.

It was almost always the same deadly songwriting sins:

  1. No clear story

  2. Only used perfect rhymes

  3. The title didn’t feel like the title

  4. Lyrics felt forced into the melody

  5. Songs were just a replica of a hit song

  6. The writer clearly ran with their first idea

  7. Lyrics that sounded like they were afraid of the truth

Realistically, the list of ‘songwriting sins’ could easily be 100+ points long and I could vent on each for days…

But I’d rather give you a tool that helps you avoid the above mistakes (and more) while helping you get more songs across the line – songs worth putting your name on.

Not just advice on what to fix…

But a way of writing so the problems never have a chance to show up.

I’m talking about The Mona Lisa Lyric Method.

It’s a lyric-first songwriting method that draws out your best ideas and keeps your attention locked on the right thing at the right time.

Giving you a reliable and repeatable process for going from blank page to a lyric that feels so complete, the melody practically writes itself – every time.

It’s a step up for any lyric-first writers, melody-first writers, topliners, producers or those who are still finding their lane.

The Mona Lisa Lyric Method is yours if you want it.

Until my next time…

Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me,