This Song is Good Because...

Wicked Bass and Drum solos lol
I love them.

The unique sounds of the earlier Korn, for example, are really nice imo.

And the beginning of "Opium for the People" by Slipknot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL2MVbsR3TA

 

Some songs for me do just sound really good and it makes it great, but for me its basically always the lyrics. These days I look for some good originality in a song, that's something I really appreciate. My genre of music (country) has gone awful lately, every song singing the same stereotype over and over.

 

The instrumentals and how the vocals sound. Add some lyrics with relatively deep meaning, or something simple but well put, and you've got a great song to me.
Those aren't the only things that make a good song imo but that's the basic skeleton of it.

 

Personally I think songs are good if I like them ahhaha ;;.

Though I do get very invested in song lyric and lyric meanings and how there are so many ways they can be interpreted. it's why I like themed playlists a lot haha-
you'd know, gengar

 

A lot of the songs just have to have a catchy beat that appeals to me, but the lyrics still must be at least half-way decent. I cannot stand songs that have a lot of consecutive repeating words (e.g. "Wait, wait", "Yeah, yeah!", "Stop, stop!"), or songs that basically repeat the same phrase over and over again throughout the whole song (I'm talking about you, Kiss).
Of course, there's sometimes exceptions. Like at the end of a song, it might be okay to repeat the same words or phrases, because it is considered the "grand finale" and needs a proper outro, so to speak.

That being said, I like songs that appeal to me, whether if they relate to me or not. There are songs that I like that happen to be mainstream and popular, but there are also songs I like that aren't so well known.

 

I have two main things that are perhaps contradictory: rhythm and changing-ness.

I want something that I can tap my toe to, wag my finger to, bang my head to, or otherwise physically involve myself in the music. Like if I can't dance or do any of those other things to a song, then it slips through the cracks of my enjoyment. This is a big reason why I spend a lot of my time listening to classical music and heavy metal. Classical music tends to be built on solid structures of harmony, which in turn encourages a steady rhythmic structure. Heavy metal, on the other hand, has the best rhythmic drums. Ever. (Here's a pretty okay live song that starts off with a solo drum warmup. Feel it aligning with your heartbeat. Feel your head beginning to bang as the rest of the (literal) band of brothers comes together with you (Also bear in mind that sound quality goes Live>Record>LiveRecording)). But really, any good metal song ever has plenty of emphasis on good percussion and a strong rhythm. It's the heartbeat.

Changingness is what makes me able to listen to a song more than once. If a song is two and a half minutes of the same 20 second vocal line over and over again with no other instrument aside from an A-B stomp-clap in the background, I'm going to get bored after 40 seconds. That song I linked to before, for instance, starts with that steady beat for a while, then pops into a steady strumming focal, back to the original pace, over to a new rapid-fire segment, then an all-out rage howl for the ending line. It's got more sections to it than a pop song and five times as many instruments! And that's just a moderately good song, not even all-that!

 

I think what makes a song good is a mix of different factors.

First things first, a good song should be recognized. Now a song can be all sorts of beautiful, but if it doesn't really mean anything until it's recognized. I think someone besides one self should be able to appreciate the musical quality for what it is to make it truly good. After all, a song created by a wailing child is completely different from a song by a popular artist.

Secondly, catchy-ness/memorability really takes the cake for me. A good song is one that is memorable. Things like memorable lyrics are a big hit for me, or even a catchy tune. I mean look at amazing songs by artists such as Mozart who have no lyrics in their work, but create beautiful compositions. Being memorable is such a huge thing that really makes a good song.

Lastly, the mood of a song. If a song has the power to change your attitude or emotion, even for a short period of time, that makes it all the better. Songs that can make me feel powerful emotions such as joy or despair really get close to the heart for me.

Personally, I think that's what makes a good song.