Songwriting Checklist Lesson by AaronCain

NSAI Checklist (courtesy of the late great Conner D. Smith)

This is a checklist we sometimes use at the local Nashville
Songwriters' Workshop. I thought it might help those of you who are
 new to critiquing the work of others to gain some confidence in
 taking a stab at it. These guidelines are pretty generic and should
 work for almost any musical genre.


IS YOUR SONG READY FOR THE COMMERCIAL MARKETPLACE? - A CHECKLIST

THEME:

1. Is the idea one that a lot of people can relate to?
2. Is it a unique or fresh approach?
3. Is the idea believable?
4. Does the song confuse the listener with too many themes 
or details that don't lead to the hook?
5. Are the characters interesting or believable?

LYRICS:

1. Is there a memorable title or hook?
2. Is there a strong opening line?
3. Do the words sound old fashion or out of date?
4. Are the lyrics something you would hear in a 
conversation today?
5. Are the lines concise and does every word count?

MELODY:

1. Is there a strong marriage between the melody and 
the lyrics?
2. Has an appropriate mood been established through 
the rhythm and tempo?
3. Is the musical hook memorable?
4. Is there an interesting melodic change between 
the verse and the chorus and/or verse and bridge?
5. Does the melody build into the chorus?

OVERALL IMPACT:

1. Does the song have a beginning, a middle and an end?
2. Are all the verses strong and non-repetitive?
3. Is the message powerful?
4. Does the song generate emotion? Is the storyline good?
5. Does the song resolve itself to the listener's satisfaction?