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Home • Interviews • Writing A Song • Obituaries International Songwriters Association Today's Top Musical Pick       No matter where you are, a musical is being staged tonight in (or near) your town. Each day, we pick a hit musical running today in New York, in London, in Toronto, or in Sydney - or possibly even where you live! Top Songwriters Of All Time     Members of the International Songwriters Association Hall Of Fame were first inducted in June 1981. Uniquely, members of the ISA Hall Of Fame can be elected only by their fellow songwriters worldwide. This is the Top 200, chosen by International Songwriters Association songwriters from the Hall Of Fame Top Albums Of All Time     Although RCA Victor could claim to have invented the "record album" in 1933, it was Columbia that issued the first LP in 1949. ISA Members were asked to choose their Top 200 based purely on songwriting content, which of course meant we ended up with more than than a few "Greatest Hits" compilations! Top Musicals Of All Time     The world's first stage musical is widely considered to be "The Black Crook" which premiered in New York City in September 1866. Even we have to admit that we don't remember that one! Instead, we asked ISA members to nominate their own Top 200, the only criteria being - they had seen the show performed live. Top Soundtracks Of All Time     Quentin Tarantino once said "I always thought my soundtracks do pretty good because they're basically professional equivalents of a mix tape I'd make for you at home". We asked International Songwriters Association members to pick their own Top 200 from TV or cinema movies they had actually seen. Top Music Movies Of All Time     While 1927's "The Jazz Singer" is not entirely a "music movie" in the contemporary sense as it primarily focuses on a narrative story, still it showed the future not just of cinema but also popular music. We asked International Songwriters Association members to pick their own favourite music movies from any era. Top Songwriting Books Of All Time     Surprisingly few songwriters have penned autobiographies, while books about the art of songwriting are also rare enough. However exceptional tomes do exist. We asked International Songwriters Association members to list their Top 200 books about songwriters, songwriting or the music publishing industry. The News Today's Songwriting News Songwriting and Music Publishing news is widely covered nowadays, even in the mainstream media. Here we present the latest news, covering all musical genres, and assembled hourly from 27 different sources Today's Songwriter Obituaries The International Songwriters Association remembers and honours the songwriters, music publishers performers, musicians, record producers, and music industry personnel who have recently died Todays Record Sales Charts The top selling songs of today, comprising physical sales, streaming and airplay, compiled daily from a wide variety of reputable sources and encompassing multiple musical genres worldwide Jim Liddane's Blog Jim Liddane's daily blog recounts the stories (some of them allegedly true!) behind the great songs, along with advice and anectdotes from top songwriters interviewed by the International Songwriters Association The Interviews Andrew Lloyd Webber Interview The New York Times have named Andrew "the most commercially successful composer in history" while ISA members have consistently voted "Evita" as the best musical of all time Dennis Locorriere Interview He found fame as the voice of Dr. Hook, with hits like “Sylvia’s Mother” while as a songwriter, his work has been recorded by Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson!! His name? Dennis Locorriere Buck Ram Interview His songs have been recorded by simply everybody! Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, The Beach Boys, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston etc etc etc! Jim Lauderdale Interview A Grammy-winning performer who once backed Fats Domino, before going on to pen hit songs for George Strait, while releasing 36 solo albums to date. His name? Jim Lauderdale Chip Taylor Interview What could Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Fats Domino, Cliff Richard, Janis Joplin, Dusty Springfield and Shaggy have in common? They've all recorded songs penned by Chip Taylor! Charles Strouse Interview His first song sold a million. His musical "Annie" became one of the longest-running shows on Broadway. But the song that sold 10 million was by rapper Jay-Z. His name? Charles Strouse John D Loudermilk Interview When the first song you've ever written is a Top 10 hit and you yourself get offered an RCA recording contract - well you just have to have it made! Well John D Loudermilk had anyway! Graham Lyle Interview Graham penned not only Gallagher & Lyle's "I Wanna Stay with You", "Heart On My Sleeve" and "Breakaway", but also Tina Turner's "What’s Love Got To Do With It". And many more! P J Proby Interview He went to Hollywood to become an actor, released records, did demos for Elvis, wrote songs for Ricky Nelson and Johnny Burnette before finally emerging as a full-blown rock star himself Larry Henley Interview He scored a #1 as a singer with "Bread & Butter" before writing for everybody from Tina Turner to Wille Nelson, But he's still best known for the classic "Wind Beneath My Wings" Simon May Interview Cliff Richard, "EastEnders", The Pointer Sisters, "Howard's Way", Richard Clayderman, "Eldorado", and Ruby Turner all share just one thing in common. Which is? Simon May! Beth Nielsen Chapman Interview She's written songs for Tanya Tucker, Bette Midler, Faith Hill, Neil Diamond, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, but has in addition also released several outstanding solo albums Gary Osborne Interview His first song was published at age 15. He has had covers ranging from Cliff Richard to Jennifer Warnes - yet is still best known for his co-writing with Elton John and Jeff Wayne! Jona Lewie Interview As a teenager, he backed Gene Vincent. Then scored his first hit "Seaside Shuffle" in 1972, going on to produce "Stop The Cavalry" and "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties" Mitch Murray Interview The Beatles record your first song, but you're not too impressed. Instead, you go on to pen dozens of hits for other acts, and a country issues a set of postage stamps in your honour! Wayland Holyfield Interview To date, he has scored more than forty US Top Ten Country hits, including fourteen Number Ones, and he even got to pen his own state's song - "Arkansas (You Run Deep In Me)"! Dan Hill Interview An international singer-songwriting star at 23 whose first hit "Sometimes When We Touch" was covered by more than 130 other singers, Dan Hill is undoubtedly the stuff of legends Les Reed Interview When he can pen songs recorded by artists as diverse as Elvis Presley, Garth Brooks, Bing Crosby, Marvin Gaye and Luciano Pavarotti, then Les Reed is clearly no ordinary songwriter! Chas Hodges Interview He worked with Joe Meek, backed Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent, played with hit-makers Deep Purple, to finally emerge as one-half of one of Britain's most loved acts - Chas & Dave Steve Harley Interview Most often praised for an innovative approach to music, his band, Cockney Rebel and the song "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)", bear testament to a unique musical talent Guy Clark Interview A luminary in the realm of American folk and country music, Guy Clark leaves an indelible mark on the hearts of those who have been fortunate enough to listen to his compositions Mel Tillis Interview He has released a hundred singles, scored six Number One hits, and penned million-sellers not just for himself, but also for such luminaries as Kenny Rogers, Tom Jones and Patsy Cline Bill Anderson Interview He wrote his very first hit in 1958, his latest was nominated for a Grammy in 2023, and Steve Huey of AllMusic called him "one of the most successful songwriters in country music history" Eric Woolfson Interview Starting out as a session pianist during the heyday of Merseybeat, Eric Woolfson emerged as a songwriter of note, before founding what would become the legendary Alan Parsons Project Mike Read Interview When you are an iconic BBC DJ, and have edited the "Guinness Book of Hit Singles", what is left to do? Well how about penning a raft of hit songs? Mike Read has done all this. And more Marty Wilde Interview Marty Wilde is an iconic singer, songwriter and record producer - one of the tiny number of music personalities to have scored a British hit in every decade from the 1950s to the 2020s Nik Kershaw Interview Nik has released 27 singles, and 20 albums. Has worked with everybody from Elton John to Genesis' Tony Banks. And he also performed at Live Aid, alongside Sting, Queen and Bowie! Jerry Reid Interview As a singer-guitarist, he is the tops. As a songwriter, well how about his songs for Elvis and Johnny Cash? And as for his acting - well there's always "Smokey & The Bandit". 1, 2 and 3! Ron Miller Interview Ron Miller pens hits for Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand and Ray Charles - yet manages to maintain the lowest profile of any hit songwriter we know.  But he spoke to us! Stephen Schwartz Interview Stephen Schwartz conquered Broadway at the age of 23 with 'Godspell' and his work includes 'Wicked', 'The Hunchback Of Notre Dame' and 'Enchanted', winning 3 Grammys and 3 Oscars! Keith McCormack Interview Given just how many new songs are released each and every day, what are the chances of a new songwriter penning the best-selling song for any given year? Well Keith McCormack did! Hank Cochran Interview He arrived in Nashville on a bus, but within a year, his songs were at the top of the Billboard charts. Since then, every country star of importance, has recorded at least one of his tunes Mick Hanly Interview Limerick-born Mick Hanly is the only Irish songwriter to be awarded both the prestigious BMI Most Played Country Song Of The Year Award and the equally prestigious BMI MillonAir Award Bruce Welch Interview Bruce Welch co-founded The Shadows who backed Cliff Richard. But then, he went on to pen million-selling songs for Olivia Newton John and to set up his own music publishing company Guy Chambers Interview His production and songwriting credits include Queen, Diana Ross, Tom Jones, James Blunt and Kylie Minogue, while his co-writing with Robbie Williams has so far sold fifty million units Dallas Frazier Interview He cut his first record at fourteen, and three years later, had his first US Number One as a songwriter. Elvis Presley, Number 1s, Gold Discs and Grammies, Dallas Frazier has done it all Bill Martin Interview Bill Martin, the Eurovision-winning writer whose songs have been recorded by everybody from Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Van Morrison & The Bay City Rollers, to country's Waylon Jennings! Tony Hatch Interview Tony Hatch has written hits for Petula Clark, Chubby Checker, Jackie Trent, Bobby Rydell and Connie Francis. And of course, he also penned the legendary theme for TV's "Neighbours"! Janis Ian Interview Janis wrote and recorded her first Top 20 hit at 14, and since then has had songs covered by Celine Dion, Bette Midler, Joan Baez, Cher, Shirley Bassey, Sheena Easton & Dusty Springfield Gordon Lightfoot Interview Gordon remains Canada's greatest singer-songwriter whose songs have been covered by Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Barbra Streisand, Eric Clapton, and Olivia Newton John Gene Pitney Interview A legendary star in his own right, Gene Pitney was also a talented songwriter who penned several hits for other stars, including Phil Spector, Bobby Vee, Roy Orbison & Ricky Nelson Roger Cook Interview Starting out as a pop star, Roger wrote 50+ hits for people like Cliff Richard, before moving to country music, becoming the only British songwriter in the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame Mike Batt Interview Mike Batt introduced The Wombles to TV. Then he discovered, and wrote hits for Katie Melua, penning 'Bright Eyes' for Art Garfunkel, and even setting up his own hit-making record label Don Black Interview Don's very first songwriting attempt actually won him an Oscar! He has also written themes for several James Bond movies, and collaborated with Michal Jackson & Andrew Lloyd Webber Barry Mason Interview Barry Mason left London for Hollywood hoping to become a movie star. Instead he became a songwriter, selling more than 50 million records for Barbra Streisand, Tom Jones and more! Lionel Bart Interview Lionel's first Gold Disc song was written in ten minutes, and he went on to pen the musical 'Oliver' which won a shower of Oscar nominations gaining him the title "King Of Tin Pan Alley" Johnny Marks Interview Johnny Marks wrote one of the two most valuable songs of all time, which so far has sold 168 million copies. It is the song which everybody, everywhere, has sung - no matter how badly! John Spalding Interview After twenty years working for other publishers, John quit to set up his own Bocu Music. His very first signing? Abba! And he still runs the entire business without using a single computer! Herbert Kretzmer Interview At the age of 59, the TV critic for the Daily Mail got a call from Cameron Mackintosh asking if he could possibly pen lyrics for a musical. Herbert agreed. And so was born 'Les Misérables'! Terry Noon Interview Terry Noon backed Gene Vincent, and was part of Them with Van Morrison. But when offered a job in publishing, he took it, to become the era's most successsful independent publisher Norman Petty Interview A superb musician with several Gold Discs to his credit. A producer with his own studios who recorded countless hits, writing many of the songs. And he managed one of rock's immortals Rodger Hodgson Interview Rodger Hodgson founded the legendary Supertramp, both singing and writing most of their big hits, including 'Dreamer', 'Give A Little Bit', 'The Logical Song' and 'Breakfast In America' Hal Shaper Interview Lawyer Hal Shaper left South Africa for London to become a songwriter. His first hit was for Elvis Presley, allowing him to launch the mega-successful Sparta Florida Music Company Marijohn Wilkin Interview Marijohn's classic inspirational song 'One Day At A Time' is so big that people forget that she also penned songs for Johnny Cash, The Beatles, Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, and Patsy Cline Sonny Curtis Interview Sonny Curtis carved out a career as a country singer. But he also penned hits for Buddy Holly, Hank Williams Jr, The Clash, Leo Sayer, Bobby Vee, Andy Williams and The Everly Brothers Allan Rich Interview Allan is not just a Grammy and Oscar nominee. His songs have also sold more than 80 million copies for stars like NSYNC, Tina Turner, Barbra Streisand, Rod Stewart and Whitney Houston Patricia Rose Knapton Interview One of ISA's longest-serving interviewers, Patricia Rose has penned musicals ('Pied Piper' and 'Bella'), while also winning the Las Vegas 'International Songwriter Of The Year' title 3 times! The Profiles Charles Strouse The pinnacle of his career came with the musical "Annie", which ran for nearly six years on Broadway and won the Tony Award for Best Musical, while the song, "Tomorrow," became a standard in musical theatre. Connie Francis The singer who became the first female to top the Billboard Hot 100, sold 200 million records worldwide, and wrote such classic hits as "Vacation". Dave Cousins The singer-songwriter from Hounslow in Middlesex, who founded The Strawbs and subsequently took them to worldwide success, while simultaneously enjoying a substantial broadcasting career himself. David Lynch David Lynch was best known as a visionary filmmaker whose work included such classics as “Twin Peaks”, “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive”, but he also made significant contributions to the world of music. Johnny Rodriguez One of his top songs was "You Always Come Back (To Hurting Me)", his first Number 1 single and he followed it with "Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico," a song that still resonates with audiences today. Johnny Tillotson Johnny's "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'" peaked at number 3 on the Billboard chart and was later covered by numerous artists, including Elvis Presley, Billy Joe Royal, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin and Slim Whitman. Khalil Fong At 15, he taught himself to play the guitar, and by 17, was penning songs for Andy Lau and Jacky Cheun, gaining him a recording contract, leading to him becoming China's most important singer-songwriter. Larry Bastian One of his most notable collaborations was with Garth Brooks. when together with Pat Alger, they co-wrote "Unanswered Prayers," a song based on a true story that became a significant hit for Brooks. Loretta Lynn Her songs may have reflected a specific life and a specific voice, but they resonated far beyond her own story, giving voice to women who hadn’t been given much of one in country music before her. Mike Berry His career, spanning over 6 decades, and which saw him release 10 albums and more than 40 singles, reflected his passion for music, while his songwriting formed an essential part of his artistic identity. Patricia Rose Knapton A "Songwriter Magazine" contributing editor, Patricia built legacy spanning books, songs, stage musicals, audio recordings, CDs, and greeting cards - touching audiences, readers, and listeners across the world. Roger Nicholls In a career spanning 60 years, Roger's songs were recorded by Frank Sinatra, The Carpenters, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Petula Clark, Jackie DeShannon, Bobby Darin, Paul Anka and The Monkees. The Cranberries The ability of Fergal, Noel and Mike to blend melodic beauty with emotional intensity, paired with Dolores O’Riordan’s singular voice, enabled The Cranberries ro sell over 40 million albums worldwide. Troy Seals Through his thoughtful lyrics and deep understanding of the genre’s emotional core, Troy Seals played a crucial role in shaping the voice of country music while demonstrating the power of storytelling. The Articles Songwriting Basics I have my song written. Now what? What should I look out for in a publishing contract. What is a shark music publisher? Do I need a music publisher? Is there a free songwriting course? Frequently Asked Questions How difficult is it to make money writing songs? How can I stop my songs being stolen? Can songwriting be taught? How good does my demo have to be? How do I build up the contacts? Song Copyright Should I copyright my song? Can I copyright just words without any music? How much does copyright cost? Can I copyright online? Suppose I don't copyright? What if my song is stolen? Song Plagiarism Have you ever accidentally stolen somebody else's song? Who decides that a song has been plagiarised? Can you use an out-of-copyright melody? What is a good defence in court? Writing Song Titles How impprtant is the title? Sometimes thinking up song titles can seem more difficult than it needs to be. Here are a few tips to put you in the right direction next time you need a title Writing Song Lyrics Although there is no "proper" way to write song lyrics, there are some basic elements that most songs do have in common. (1) Hook (2) Slant (3) Chorus (4) Verses and (5) Bridge Writing Song Melodies Songwriting is about doing two main things - writing a good story for your audience and then crafting the chords, groove, and melody so as to deliver and effectively enhance that story Selling Your Song How can I sell my song? Can I sell it to a singer? Can I sell it to a music publisher? Can I sell just words without music? Can I sell my songs online? How much money can I hope to make? Music Publishers Well all know that a music publisher is a company or individual that acts as an intermediary between songwriters or composers, and the music industry. But what exactly do they do? Promoting Your Song Despite what you may hear, there are no "magic bullets" - no "secret methods". Sadly, most promotion remains hit or miss, and what may work on one outlet may not work on the next Your Songs On The Web There are three important factors to consider if you want to put your songs up on the web - Credibility, Money and Time. Here we examine the several varied options available to you Your Songs In Movies To sit in a darkened cinema, and hear your song played over the opening credits, is magic! It is also something which most songwriters just dream about. But is is not all that impossible! Money Matters You started songwriting hoping to make some money. But instead, people are trying to get money from you! When this happens. it is time to ask a few pertinent questions of your own How Much Money Do Songwriters Make? 100 years ago, a songwriter had just one source of income, namely sales of his song in sheet music format. Nowadays there are so many sources, that some songwriters can miss out! Songwriting & Artificial Intelligence It's been here for a while. but recently AI or Artificial Intelligence has made great strides in the music biz. Can it help you write that elusive hit? There is only one way to find out Crowdfunding For Songwriters You need money to release your own record? Well, banks will not help. But you could always consider the crowdfunding model. Just make sure you have covered all possible consequences The Songwriter & Social Media "If you build it - they will come". But how will they come, if they don't know anything at all about it? Social Media may provide some of the answers to this question - or it may not! Starting Your Own Band If you're a songwriter, then the quickest way to get your songs out there is to find an existing band willing to perform them for you. Or failing that - why not start your own? Getting Your Songs On Radio Having your record played on the radio can be a crucial step in gaining exposure and growing your fan base. Jim Liddane explains how to use radio to further your career as a songwriter Your Own Publishing Company At some stage, most songwriters will think of setting up their own music publishing firm. The former Head Of Copyright at EMI Music, Dennis Sinnott tells you exactly how to go about it The Information Songwriter Hall Of Fame The International Songwriters Association's Hall Of Fame - whose earliest members were inducted in June 1981, and are still uniquely elected only by fellow songwriters worldwide Songwriting Contacts Legal advice? Ogrganisations which can collect your song royalties? Copyright services? Demo recording specialists? Tip Sheets? The songwriting internet? All of the relevant links are here Song Contests Writing songs may bring money, but rarely fame - unless you are also a performer. However, Song Contests can bring you both! We look at song contests worldwide from the US to the UK Musicals • West End To Broadway Over eighty musicals are running on London's West End and New York's Broadway. Even if you have no interest in writing for the theatre, no songwriter should miss seeing a live show Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest is one of those TV shows that you either love, or hate. But it has been, and still remains a wonderful gateway to success for many songwriters just starting out Eurovision Song Contest Winners The definitive listing of every Eurovision Song Contest winning song since its 1956 foundation San Remo Song Festival Founded in 1951, this festival was the inspiration behind the Eurovision Song Contest Songwriting Trivia Did you know there are more songs about New York than anywhere else? If you like trivia, this is for you. The ISA All About The ISA The ISA started life in Limerick City, Ireland, back in October 1967, with members in just one country, Ireland. Forty years later in 2007, the ISA had members in more than sixty countries What People Say About The ISA No matter what people claim, they do appreciate the occasional compliment. In our case, we store them in a huge trunk and gaze lovingly at them every night. And if you believe that.... All About Limerick Limerick City, Ireland, boasts Terry Wogan, Richard Harris, The Cranberries and Bill Whelan & Riverdance. Oh - and let's not forget - the International Songwriters Association is here also! All About Jim Liddane In 1967, he founded the ISA. 20 years later, he opened Limerick's first licensed radio station. Here's everything you ever wanted to know about Jim Liddane - but were afraid to ask! Cookies, Privacy and AI The ISA's view on cookies, your privacy, your rights and the use (yours and ours) of Artificial Intelligence. Plus our copyright policies regarding the contents of this site. The Main Menu The FAQs • Writing_Songs • Selling_Songs • Interviews • Obituaries • Copyright • Plagiarism • Publishing • Songwriting_&_Artificial_Intelligence • The_Eurovision • Songwriter_Hall_Of_Fame • Jim_ Liddane_Blog • The_International_ Songwriters Association_ (The ISA) • The_ News • The_Charts • The_Site_Menu ISA • International Songwriters Association (1967) internationalsongwriters@gmail.com The Small Print This International Songwriters Association 1967 site is a non-profit non-commercial re-creation of portions of the full site originally published by the International Songwriters Association Limited, and will introduce you to the world of songwriting. It will explain music business terms and help you understand the business concepts that you should be familiar with, thus enabling you to ask more pertinent questions when you meet with your accountant/CPA or solicitor/lawyer. However, although this website includes general information about legal issues and legal developments as well as accounting issues and accounting developments, it is not meant to be a replacement for professional advice. Such materials are for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current legal/accounting developments. Every effort has been made to make this site as complete and as accurate as possible, but no warranty or fitness is implied. The information provided is on an "as is" basis and the author(s) and the publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damages arising from the information contained on this site. No steps should be taken without first seeking competent legal and/or accounting advice Some pictures on this site are library images supplied by (amongst others) the ISA International Songwriters Association (1967), International Songwriters Association Limited, Dreamstime Library Inc, BMI (Broadcast Music Inc), ASCAP (American Society Of Songwriters, Authors and Publishers), PRS (Performing Rights Society), PPS (Professional Photographic Services), RTE (Radio Telefis Eireann) TV3, and various Public Relations organisations. Other pictures have been supplied by the songwriters, performers, or music business executives interviewed or mentioned throughout this website, while certain pictures are commercial stock footage of businesses and office environments generally, rather than specific images of the ISA, its personnel, facilities or members. In any event, all images are and remain the property of the individual owners unless indicated to the contrary. 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