It's incredibly important to me that you remember a song right after the first or second time you hear it. That something sticks to you, something that makes you feel, 'I need to hear that song again.' That's fundamental. Something you want again. And again.
Max Martin
It's music. It's supposed to be fun and inspirational. You have to be inspired. If I did it because it was my 'job,' and I only did it to make money, I don't think I'd still be doing it.
There are so many traps, so many ways of getting screwed in this business.
You need a balance at all times. If the verse is a bit messy, you need it to be less messy right after. It needs to vary. 'Shake It Off' is a good example, where the math behind the drama is pretty clear.
If you listen to the first, second, and third chorus of a song, they don't sound the same. It's the same melody and all that, but what really happens is that the energy changes. It's all about getting the listener to keep his or her concentration.
There was a phase when I and people around me listened to Prince a lot. A lot. We took Prince fandom to the extreme.
I try to make the songs as good as I can - the way I like it, you know? And I guess my taste sometimes happens to be what other people, particularly radio programmers, like too.
If you've got a verse with a lot of rhythm, you want to pair it with something that doesn't.
If the chords change a lot over the course of a song, it's better to stay within the same melodic structure.
It's never like, 'Now I'm going to sit down and write this or that kind of song.' The melodies may show up in the car, in the shower.
I believe in the cause, and I believe in the people, and by supporting Music Rights Awareness, I very much hope - and believe - we can make a difference.
It's one thing to speak about it and another to actually do something about it.
Sometimes you have to think about letting people move on.
I remember that I started playing brass - not so much because I had a calling but because I thought it looked cool.
As songwriters, we are lucky to have ASCAP on our side, offering support and fighting for our rights.
I want to be part of every note, every single moment going on in the studio. I want nothing forgotten; I want nothing missed.
The producer should decide what kind of music is being made, what it's going to sound like - all of it: the why, when, and how.
Nothing wrong about EDM. Great songs came out of it, but there was a period when everything had to have a pace of 128 bpm and be DJ-related.
My tastes have always been pretty cheesy. I like Def Leppard. At the same time, my tastes might be pretty universal. I don't know.
I first began with the recorder in our community music school. After that, I played horn and participated in the school orchestra.
I believe you have to start with yourself, think about your bad habits and prejudices, not only in your profession but generally in life. Why do I assume that a doctor is a man? Something is indoctrinated from very early on.
The sound itself, the production, is of such great importance that it has become an integrated part of the composition.
I'm a perfectionist.
I just believe in collaboration. I mean, I've written songs on my own, you know, but I think if the artist has something to bring to the table - someone like Pink, for instance - where they have something to say, it makes your job easier and more special.
When I was young, people didn't even really know what a producer was.
I spent two years day and night in that studio trying to learn what the hell was going on.
I love being part of the ASCAP family of songwriters and composers.
Life is so much easier without the attention.
A great pop song should be felt when you hear it.
You can hear songs that are technically great, songs that tick all the boxes. But for a song to be felt, you need something else.
I've never been cool.
When pop culture can influence things in any way, when a song becomes something bigger than just a song, that's the greatest thing to me.
If nobody recognizes you, if nobody cares, it's easier to avoid getting carried away. That's way harder if you're a famous artist.
I don't think most people who listen to music are that interested in all the work that goes into making it. It's the artist you like.
I thought it was so cool that all you knew about Prince was about his artistry and music.
Singing involves a great deal of psychology.
If the artist isn't having a great day or finds it all boring, my role becomes that of a coach. Getting the very best out of the artist. Helping them perform at their very best when it's game time. One way to get them there is to bring them out of their comfort zones.
I've learned that things change. The whole boy band thing almost turned into a stock market crash.
Pop music follows the evolution of society in general: Everything moves faster.
