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How I wrote ‘Why Does It Always Rain On Me?’ by Travis’ Fran Healy

August 15, 2019 in Interviews, Songwriting Magazine Spring 2019

The Glaswegian frontman talks about piecing together their precipitative breakthrough hit single in the arid climes of Israel and Spain…

Songwriting Magazine Summer 2019 issue out now

August 12, 2019 in Features, News, Songwriting Magazine Summer 2019

Our new edition features Black Francis, Jamie Cullum, Gabriella Cilmi, Guy Chambers, Grant Nicholas, Jenna Andrews, Gretchen Peters and more…

How I wrote ‘Girl From Mars’ by Ash’s Tim Wheeler

July 31, 2019 in Interviews, Songwriting Magazine Autumn 2016

The Northern Irish frontman recalls how a song he wrote as a 16-year-old schoolboy became the rock band’s breakthrough hit…

How I wrote ‘Forever Lost’ by The Magic Numbers’ Romeo Stodart

July 30, 2019 in Interviews, Songwriting Magazine Spring 2019

The English pop-rockers’ songwriter tells us how their debut single managed to blend an uplifting melody with a darker lyric…

Timothy Showalter’s Songwriting Survival Kit

July 25, 2019 in Interviews, Songwriting Magazine Spring 2019

The Indiana-based singer-songwriter behind acclaimed alt-rock outfit Strand Of Oaks takes us into his world and reveals his essential gear…

Jonathan Donahue: My Songwriting Hero, Bobbie Gentry

July 18, 2019 in Interviews, Songwriting Magazine Spring 2019

The frontman of psych-pop veterans Mercury Rev reveals his love for the Mississippi songwriter and why they reimagined her album…

How I wrote ‘Fireflies’ by Adam Young (Owl City)

July 14, 2019 in Features, Interviews, Songwriting Magazine Winter 2015

The singer-songwriter-producer explains how insomnia, a new synth and Blink-182 inspired a multi-platinum single that topped charts across the globe…

Four strategies for improving your lyrics

July 10, 2019 in Songwriting Magazine Spring 2019, Tips & Techniques

Nashville songwriting coach Mark Cawley gives us an extract from his book ‘Song Journey’, offering some helpful advice for lyricists…

Geoff Wilkinson: how to win friends and collaborate

July 8, 2019 in Interviews, Songwriting Magazine Spring 2019, Tips & Techniques

If you’re a vocalist/topliner looking for a collaboration, then the Us3 and YLD producer has some top tips for you…

Dean Friedman on the art of the performing songwriter

July 3, 2019 in Songwriting Magazine Spring 2019, Tips & Techniques

In this extract from ‘The Songwriter’s Handbook’, the chart-topping recording artist expounds the importance of producing an authentic live performance…

Lists & Opposites

June 26, 2019 in Songwriting Magazine Spring 2019, Tips & Techniques

Founder of The Song Foundry, Ed Bell presents us with two powerful lyric-writing techniques: creating list lyrics and using contrast…

Diary Of A Songwriter: Ruarri Joseph

June 23, 2019 in Interviews, Songwriting Magazine Spring 2019

The William The Conqueror frontman delves back into his family history to chronicle the evolution of a deeply personal song…

The Album That Changed Everything (Spring 2019)

June 20, 2019 in Interviews, Music, Songwriting Magazine Spring 2019

Some of our favourite past Songwriting interviewees reveal the seminal albums that have inspired them the most over the years…

How I wrote ‘Ho Hey’ by The Lumineers’ Wesley Schultz

June 4, 2019 in Interviews, Songwriting Magazine Winter 2016

The frontman explains how their breakthrough hit single was inspired by a decidedly uninspiring period spent living in New York…

How I wrote ‘Graffiti’ by Maxïmo Park’s Duncan Lloyd

May 2, 2019 in Interviews, Songwriting Magazine Summer 2017

The guitarist recalls creating a song that helped his Newcastle-based band reboot the UK indie-rock scene in the post-Britpop years…

Songwriting Magazine Spring 2019 edition out now

April 30, 2019 in Features, Songwriting Magazine Spring 2019

Our latest issue features Kiefer Sutherland, Ashley Monroe, Chris Difford, Howard Jones, Tim Burgess, Nile Rodgers, Fiona Bevan and more…

The Album That Changed Everything (Winter 2018)

April 20, 2019 in Interviews, Music, Songwriting Magazine Winter 2018

Some of our favourite past Songwriting interviewees reveal the seminal albums that have inspired them the most over the years…

Writing to a brief for film & television

Peter Raeburn on writing to a brief for film and television

April 14, 2019 in Interviews, Songwriting Magazine Winter 2018, Tips & Techniques

We asked the award-winning composer and producer how he approaches creating music for the media, alongside writing songs for himself…

Diary Of A Songwriter: Marsicans

April 9, 2019 in Interviews, Songwriting Magazine Winter 2018

Returning from tour gives this Leeds band a chance to get back to songwriting, fuelled by cheese and bean toasties…

10 writing tips from Grammy Award winner Mike Farris

April 2, 2019 in Interviews, Songwriting Magazine Winter 2018, Tips & Techniques

The Nashville rocker collected the Best Roots Gospel Album trophy in 2015. Here he reveals the secrets of his success…

Songs & Strings: Patrick Hamilton’s tips for arranging and orchestration

March 31, 2019 in Songwriting Magazine Winter 2018, Tips & Techniques

The producer, composer and arranger takes a break from the studio to offer some tips on writing and orchestrating strings…

How I wrote ‘Perfect’ by Fairground Attraction’s Mark Nevin

March 28, 2019 in Interviews, Songwriting Magazine Spring 2017

The songwriter and guitarist behind the 80s pop-folk band’s chart-topping debut single tells the compelling tale of its imperfect inspiration…

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