Top Ten Qualities of a Good Song

Very good list - it finally explained for me why I like Blind Guardian and Deep Purple (because their songs have all these qualities!).

Examples:
Deep Purple - "Knocking At Your Back Door"
The intro is that unique element - the "knock, knock" sound. Besides, this sound is reproduced by the band.

Blind Guardian - "Majesty"
It opens with a barrel organ version of "The Blue Danube," a waltz by Johann Strauss II. "Majesty" is one of the fastest speed metal songs, which is also pretty aggressive, and the contrast with the intro is cool. A waltz isn't common in contemporary music, let alone metal.

Edguy - "Love Tyger" (check out the intro!)

Van Der Graaf Generator is considered a progressive rock group, but are they even prog? They don't sound anything like Pink Floyd, King Crimson, or Yes. There aren't even any guitars, just a saxophone and organ. I guess you could call them "full prog," so progressive that they're more of an experimental group rather than a progressive one. There is no other band or genre that sounds like them.

Example - Bright Eyes by Blind Guardian.

Nobody can say what metal subgenre it is. This song is very odd - everything is odd, from the music to the lyrics. I had to listen to it five times in a row to figure out what was going on. But now it's one of my favorite songs by Blind Guardian because it doesn't sound like any other metal song I know.

I agree that music is of bigger importance in metal. However, there are many metal bands with an excellent balance of "music-vocals," and the vocals are outstanding.

Examples:
Demons & Wizards - "Path Of Glory," "Crimson King"
Edguy - "Nailed To The Wheel," "Sacrifice"
Primal Fear - "Diabolus," "Strike"
Blind Guardian - "Ride Into Obsession," "Wheel of Time"
Iced Earth - "Melancholy," "Dracula"
Deep Purple - "Highway Star," "Perfect Strangers"

Neither should overpower the other. In pop and hip hop, it's all vocals, and the music seems nonexistent, while in metal, it's just the opposite. The same problem exists with electronic music, where the beats and music get the main focus.

I have three good examples for this one.

1. Tool - Schism: While it may not be the most complex song based on beats, its time signatures make up for it.

2. King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man: Just listen to the song, one of my favorite Progressive Rock songs.

3. Kansas - Lightning's Hand: Not their longest song, and not even close, but still a great song with lots of complex beats, and better than Carry on Wayward Son.

A poppy song with a single tempo and a pretty simple beat is boring, however catchy that may be. While a complex song with a range of beats mixed together haphazardly isn't desirable at all.

Believe it or not, most metal songs have very meaningful lyrics about society, politics, personal struggles, etc. My list of examples can be endless, but check out a couple of songs:

Iced Earth - Anthem
Blind Guardian - The Bard's Song (In The Forest)
Megadeth - Peace Sells
Annihilator - Alison Hell

By the way, these songs also have all the other qualities of a good song mentioned on this list.

It really depends on whether the lyrics are the main focus of the song. If it is a long, complex song, then lyrics do not matter. However, a shorter, simpler song with great lyrics is also great. Just why do you think Imagine by John Lennon is my favorite song of all time?

A rather bland intro to a really great song doesn't make the song really great. An intro is the most important piece of music after the outro, and the quality of it will either make or break the song.

A lot of listeners just define the song by its intro, so it's important to have a good intro.

Example - The Throne by Blind Guardian.

Blind Guardian's sound is very dense, full, live, and rich. Vocal harmonies are not typical in metal, but Hansi Kürsch does complex overlapping harmonies. Additionally, his signature practice of overdubbing his own voice creates a choir effect that fills the space, making you feel surrounded by many singing voices. It's amazing because his voice is the only one you hear (lead and background vocals), but it's a godly voice.

The Throne is a well-balanced song. There's a lot happening per minute, yet you can clearly hear every instrument and vocal. And there are many instruments because it's symphonic metal.

My emotional response to this song, and Blind Guardian in general, is powerful and uplifting to the spirit, bringing a sense of excitement and grandeur. Enjoy.

Examples:

1. Deep Purple - Child In Time: (it's an anti-war song). The most emotional and epic outro I know, which is 1 minute long.

2. Demons & Wizards - Heaven Denies: Trust me, this 2-minute-long outro is the most beautiful vocal performance in the world! Hansi Kürsch has a powerful metal voice, but in this outro, he uses his softest, most angelic, and almost spiritual voice - a Gregorian chant. Hansi does all the vocal harmonies alone, and his voice is the only one you hear in the song.

3. Iced Earth - Damien: This outro is pretty unusual and should be praised for not being ordinary: whispered lines backed by Gregorian chanting in the background. Jon's reversed voice repeats the message that is also in the middle silent section of the song. So, if the song is played backward, the true message can be heard.

Most AC/DC songs are just the same, but It's a Long Way to the Top is better than the rest because they included a bagpipe solo, which was not expected in any rock song.

Overkill - Motörhead: Twice does it trick you into believing the song ends.

AC/DC - It's a Long Way to the Top: Never have I seen any other rock song have a bagpipe solo.

Unexpected elements in these songs make them awesome:

Rainbow - Stargazer, Gates of Babylon (Arabic scales in metal songs. Yes, Ritchie Blackmore is a genius)
Primal Fear - All For One (awesome mini drum solo right before the guitar solo)
Scorpions - Sails of Charon (guitar solo in the intro and not in the middle of the song)
Foreigner - Urgent (intense sax solo in a hard rock song instead of the expected guitar solo)

My old favorite song (Heaven in Hiding) had this, and my favorite song, which technically doesn't exist, has this (Wasting Time), but Tokyo Narita does not!

Example: Rainbow - "Hunting Humans (Insatiable)."

There is a unique musical dialogue between the guitar and the singer. I've never heard such a beautiful thing before. I also like the whisper at the very end: "Don't cry." I told you, Ritchie Blackmore is a genius.

No. I'm afraid the song title says nothing about the music behind it. There are great songs with not-so-great titles, let alone "eye-catching" ones. And vice versa - most of the hit songs in mainstream music are eye-catching but...

Example of an eye-catching title: "Talk Dirty" by Jason Derulo. But then, listen to the song and lyrics.

I think "Heaven in Hiding" could be eye-catching, but "Slow" is not because it just sounds like it would be a song about my running speed.

The reason why Metallica's Death Magnetic and ...And Justice for All were terrible.

I don't care about the speed or heaviness of the song. But I like complex solos and riffs.

I see it in good songs all the time.