Top 10 Songwriting Books
If you’re serious about songwriting, it’s important to educate yourself about your craft. A lot has been written on the subject so there’s no point trying to figure out everything yourself. My advice to you is to read, read, read. Learn all you can about songwriting. On this page I present you with some of the best books available. Check them out below. The links will take you to the Amazon store where you can buy them.
UPDATE:
I recently released two songwriting books loaded with songwriting tips and advice that you should definitely check out. I have decided to offer them at a very low price for now. Learn more.
- Click here to check out my new book, Songwriting For Beginners.
- Click here to check out my other new book, Songwriting Success.
1. The Songwriters Idea Book: 40 Strategies to Excite Your Imagination, Help You Design Distinctive Songs, and Keep Your Creative Flow – By Sheila Davis
I highly recommend this book. If you’re looking for concrete ideas, if you want to write songs with commercial lyrics, this is the book for you.
2. Writing Better Lyrics – by Pat Patterson
This book does exactly what it’s name suggests… i.e. help you write better lyrics. It has so many exercises and ways to generate lyric ideas. Awesome!
3. The Craft & Business of Songwriting – by John Braheny
So many examples, from world class songwriters such as Paul McCartney, Lenny Kravitz and TLC, among others. Wow! You can read the various reviews and see whether it is right for you.
4. Melody in Songwriting: Tools and Techniques for Writing Hit Songs (Berklee Guide) – by Jack Perricone
Remember when we talked about examining hit songs and learning from them? This book really made me appreciate the value of this idea.
Find out what Jack Perricone has to say on the topic with his songwriting book Melody In Songwriting: Tools and Techniques for Writing Hit Songs (Berklee Guide).
5. Songwriters On Songwriting: Revised And Expanded -by Paul Zollo
I learned a lot from this book. Popular songwriting giants like Carole King, Paul Simon, Frank Zappa, Randy Newman, and Madonna discuss their songwriting methods and the way their classics came to be.
6. The Craft of Lyric Writing – by Sheila Davis
This is a good book with a strong focus on the lyrical side of songwriting. What I like about it is that apart from being educational, it is quite entertaining.
7. Songwriting For Dummies – by Jim Peterik et al
Learn from performer, songwriter, Jim Peterik, a 35-year veteran in the business and author of dozens of top-40 hits. This is one of my favorite, easy to understand songwriting books ( song writing books ). Not that I’m a dummy. Ha ha!
8. Six Steps to Songwriting Success, Revised Edition: The Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Marketing Hit Songs – by Jason Blume
Written in plain English by a guy who has had songs recorded by The Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, among others.
9. Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting: 126 Proven Techniques for Writing Songs That Sell – by Robin Frederick
You need to check this one out. I really learned a lot from it. I love how well the author explains everything as well as the various “Do It Now” exercises at the end of each section. A must read for any songwriter who is serious about their craft, or anyone who wants to learn how to write.
10. Composing Music: A New Approach – by William Russo et al
This book is by far one of the best books I’ve come across to deal with music composition. If you already have a background in the basics of music theory, you will find it very useful.