It’s common for technically-focussed music-making websites (including vast swathes of our own) to expound on the nuts and bolts of music production, and spotlight those elements that are proven to ‘work’ in the context of commercial success.
With pop music in particular, the view that ‘maximisation’ is critical in a song's arrangement - for it to land with impact - is widespread.
So too is that notion that carving an uplifting hook, rippling with positivity, is the only sure-fire way to appeal to the widest possible audience.
But while the maximalist mindset is certainly worth analysing, it’s absolutely not the only route to appeal to the hearts and minds of potentially billions of human beings.
