There are many resources out there for discussing how to write a ‘hit’ song.

And there are a number of techniques, like analyzing past hit songs to determine common characteristics and emulate them. That’s useful information if you plan to pursue a hit-based career.

However,  I am more concerned with being unique than hit.  Why?  It’s because being unique is much more reliable and practical way to ensure that you have a lasting career as an original recording artist.

Quickly, here are the reasons why. 

By pursuing hits,

• you’re pursuing something that is not really in your control.  Sure, you can study and emulate past hits, but there are multitude of factors that affects a song’s chance of becoming a hit — such as the label’s push behind it, the climate of the popular radio at the time, what other artists/genres/sounds are hot, etc.
• you’re placing yourself in an extremely competitive market.
• you’re having to keep producing hits if you want to remain relevant.  Sure, there’s only one Billboard #1 song at a time, but they change constantly.  Unless you miraculously pull off the stints of producing hits constantly, you quickly become dated — associated with the time when your song was a hit — if you are remembered at all.
• because of Here Today Gone Tomorrow nature of music industry, having one hit is really not enough to forge a loyal fan base.  This is why so many bands are one-hit wonders.  They chased producing hits, got lucky once, and were subsequently forgotten.

In contrast, pursuing uniqueness will result in:

• you embarking on a pursuit that is entirely achievable on your own.  Uniqueness doesn’t happen by accident — like many other talents and skills, it’s a trait you can develop intentionally.
• removing yourself from comepetition.  Since only you can create the kind of music you make, if people like it, they’ll keep coming back to you for more.  All right, I wouldn’t say you can completely eradicate competition totally — any commercial pursuit involves competing — but you have much less of it if you’re the only afro-zydeco-tuba-fronted polka band in existence, as opposed to being just another country songwriter.
• your success doesn’t depend on hits or other climates.  Styles go in and out of vogue, but there will always be people who need the music only you can make.
• though harder at first, once you carve out a niche for your unique music, it has the potential to last a long time. Because once again, your fans are into you because they like your music — not because it’s hip, not because it’s on radio, not because you’re famous.  As long as you keep making your music, you can always find and retain fans who dig it.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I’m not saying that pursuing hits is wrong.  But be sure to know what you’re getting into, and that what you’re after is what you actually want.

For me, I’d rather choose the direction in which the outcome is something I can control and what it provides has the essence of what I’m after.  The reason I want to be a musician is because I love creating music.  Fame, fortune, prestige, nice gear — I want them, too, and I’ll go after them, but they are not essential to me.  That’s why I’m choosing an approach where I can plan and count on achieving, rather than leaving a large portion of achievability to luck and other elements outside my control.

So weigh the pros and cons of being unique vs. pursuing hits.  They are really after two completely different kinds of market acceptance — niche vs. mass.  Writing what pleases you and your niche vs. writing to mass appeal.

Which is more “you?”  Figure it out now, so you can align your steps toward your goal.  I guarantee you, it’ll increase the likelihood of your achieving your goals.