Things I Apparently Like, According to My New Pandora Radio Station
- acoustic rhythm guitars
- acoustic rhythm piano
- acoustic rock instrumentation
- acoustic sonority
- an aggressive male vocalist
- angry lyrics
- basic rock song structures
- blues influences
- a breathy male lead vocalist
- a busy horn section
- call and answer vocal harmony (antiphony)
- classic soul qualities
- a clear focus on recording studio production
- disco influences
- a distinctive male lead vocal
- a dynamic male vocalist
- electric guitar riffs
- an electric guitar solo
- electric guitar wall-o-sound
- electric pianos
- electric rhythm guitars
- electric rock instrumentation
- electronica influences
- an emotional male lead vocal performance
- extensive vamping
- folk influences
- folk rock qualities
- folk roots
- a good dose of acoustic guitar pickin'
- gospel influences
- a gravelly male vocalist
- great lyrics
- groove based composition
- heavy electric rhythm guitars
- intricate melodic phrasing
- latin influences
- major key tonality
- melodic songwriting
- mild rhythmic syncopation
- minor key tonality
- mixed acoustic and electric instrumentation
- political lyrics
- a prominent accordion part
- prominent bass riffs
- prominent drums
- a prominent flute part
- a prominent harmonica part
- a prominent harpsichord part
- a prominent mandolin part
- prominent percussion
- prominent synth drums
- prominent use of synth
- punk influences
- punk roots
- repetitive melodic phrasing
- rockabilly revival style
- romantic lyrics
- slide/pedal steel guitars
- a smooth male lead vocalist
- subtle use of acoustic piano
- synth rock arranging
- the subtle use of a horn section
- subtle use of strings
- subtle use of the accordion
- a subtle use of vocal harmony
- thru composed melodic style
- triple note feel
- a twelve-eight time signature
- upbeat lyrics
- use of ambient synths
- a vocal-centric aesthetic
- vocal harmonies
I've only been listening to this for an hour and a half or so, but here are all the characteristics of songs I like, according to the Music Genome Project. Some of these made me laugh. For example, I apparently like songs with "a prominent harpsichord part?"
You may notice a prevalence of male vocalists. For some reason the female vocalists I've heard don't have attributes identifying them as "[adjective] female vocalists." Also, I don't really like synths this much; pretty much all the synth/disco attributes come from me liking one song ("Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode).
By the way, I think the most common things in the songs are "a subtle use of vocal harmony" and "major key tonality." So if you want to write a song I'll like, write a major key song with some vocal harmony but don't overdo it. That won't ensure that I'll like it, but it will be more likely. Also, throw in some harpsichord.
clickety-clackety-clickety-cla*k-ching*
You should listen to Yellow Moon by the Neville Brothers.
Come to think of it, everybody should.
Art Neville plays a mean harpsichord. I imagine.