Decoding Hit Song Lyrics and Rhymes

Decoding Hit Song Lyrics & Rhymes

A Live Two-Part Masterclass | May 3rd & 10th | 1PM–3PM EST

New Case Studies!

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This intimate, interactive masterclass fills quickly—reserve your seat today.

Most lyrics start as a diamond in the rough.

Learn how to make yours shine!

Whether they pour out in a burst of inspiration or come together slowly over time, the best lyrics always come from the heart.

But heart alone isn’t enough—without an intriguing narrative, engaging wordplay, and a carefully structured rhyme scheme, even the most heartfelt lyrics can fall flat.

This masterclass gives you an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at how today’s hitmakers craft their lyrics—and equips you with powerful techniques to write lyrics that truly connect and resonate.

The Hit Songs Deconstructed A.I.D.E Table
© 2010-2025 Hit Songs Deconstructed. All Rights Reserved

"This was one of the most pivotal online classes I have ever taken. I have been writing songs for years and, although I focus on the story and the method of rhymes, I had no idea what I was missing."

Wendy Elston Davis, Writer/Publisher

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Decoding Hit Song Lyrics and Rhymes is unlike any lyrics masterclass you’ve taken before.

Using the acclaimed Hit Songs Deconstructed methodology, it methodically breaks down today’s hits to reveal the powerful techniques that make them connect, resonate, and stand out—and shows you exactly how to apply those techniques to your own music.

The Hit Songs Deconstructed Narrative Structure Table
© 2010-2025 Hit Songs Deconstructed. All Rights Reserved

You'll learn techniques for:

  • Creating a strategically structured narrative designed to keep the listener engaged from start to finish
  • Heightening memorability through methodically structured rhyme schemes
  • Bolstering the impact of your storyline through the use of the A.I.D.E. principle (action, imagery, detail, emotion)
  • Strategically using attention-grabbing opening lines, clever lyricism and nonsense lyrics to take engagement to the next level
  • Writing lyrics that connect with both your target audience AND the artist
  • Objectively assessing your lyrics and rhymes for strengths and weakness
  • And much more!

" I can’t stress enough about how much you can learn in these workshops. So far I have attended two, one for Lyrics and Rhymes and the second for Arrangement & Production. I highly recommend checking them out, it will make you rethink any work you have done in the past and going forward."

Tommy (Blues Buddha) Dudley Singer/ Songwriter/ Performer/ R Club Productions Inc.

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How will you benefit from this masterclass?

  • Learn powerful lyric-writing techniques you can immediately apply to your own music to help them better connect and resonate with your target audience.
  • Discover how to leverage signature rhyme patterns to craft catchier, more memorable lyrics.
  • Learn how to use the Hit Songs Deconstructed methodology to assess and optimize your lyrics and rhymes for maximum impact.

The Hit Songs Deconstructed Narrative Development Table
© 2010-2025 Hit Songs Deconstructed. All Rights Reserved

Here's what you get when you sign up.

Live Masterclass

  • Decoding Hit Song Lyrics & Rhymes Part 1: May 3rd
  • Decoding Hit Song Lyrics & Rhymes Part 2: May 10th
  • Plenty of time for Q&A

$500 in Bonuses!


  • Three Exclusive Lyrics Workbooks ($59 value)
    • Rhyme Optimization Workbook
    • Narrative Structure Workbook
    • Lyrics That Connect Workbook

  • One-Year Subscription to Proprietary Web-Based Interactive Hook Optimization Tools ($89 value)
    • The A.I.D.E. Table
    • The Rhymes Table
    • The Narrative Structure Table

  • 3-Month Subscription to Hit-Scope ($49 value)
    Get unlimited access to our library of 200+ real-world technique case studies used in today’s top 10 hits. Filter by technique type, save favorites, and get a new one delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Are you ready to take your lyrics and rhymes to the next level?

"What I found most valuable was using + and - lines and A.I.D.E. in a balanced and structured way."

Peter Lumley-Savile

"It's really opened my eyes
to the techniques needed to craft hit lyrics."

Rich Sice, Songwriter

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Real Songwriters and Producers. Real Results.

Our masterclasses consistently help songwriters, producers, and artists take their craft to the next level. But don’t just take our word for it…

Brent Baccetti

Singer/Songwriter

"I love HSD. I have done a lot of songwriting classes over the last couple years, and HSD has been the most useful course I've taken. Honestly it's not even close. The level of detail that they go into when analyzing songs is incredible. They have identified the patterns and techniques behind todays hit songs, and present them in a way that is accessible and practical to use in your songs."

Reanne Howell

Songwriter

"You combined elements I've tried to put together through hours of studies, videos, and books into something straightforward and easily comprehendible."

Tommy (Blues Buddha) Dudley

Singer/ Songwriter/ Performer, R Club Productions Inc.

"I can’t say enough about how much you can learn in these masterclasses. So far I have attended two of them. The presenters were highly skilled and knowledgeable. The information was detailed and unlimited. There is something in there for anyone who writes or records to learn. I highly recommend checking them out, it will make you rethink any work you have done in the past and going forward."

Alex Vidovic

Songwriter/Producer

"The most important thing this course gave me is a structure I can use in breaking down why a hit song is a hit song. Some of the ingredients and methods are intuitive, but something magical happens when it is made explicit - you become immediately aware of what is being done and you begin to actively look for it; then incorporating it into your own music becomes effortless."


Anthony Postman

Singer/Songwriter, Music Instructor

In a course that is part songwriting and part music theory, we dove deep, often measure by measure, line by line, or hook by hook! Highly recommended!!!


Hilton Wright II

Record Producer/Songwriter, Billboard #1 RIAA Platinum & Gold winning songwriter & producer, (Drake, Mike Posner, black•𝘪𝘴𝘩)

I can't stress enough how important HSD is to any serious professional hit songwriter. The reports are extremely thorough and the workshops are a great learning experience.

Amy Sky

Recording Artist, Songwriter, Producer, 3x SOCAN-winning singer-songwriter

"I was blown away. So thorough and insightful - a great blend of theory and art."

Khaliq Glover

Grammy Award Winning Recording Engineer (We Are the World, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera),

"I’m going on 40 years of working with top-level artists and you have made me understand even better all the things I’ve learned over the years working with them.
Thanks much for all you do."


Jem Aswad

Executive Editor, Music at Variety

"Hit Songs Deconstructed masterclasses reveals so much detail about things you might never have noticed before in hit songs, but are right in front of you. They go beyond identifying what works and explain WHY it works."

Roy Stride

Hit Songwriter, Producer, Artist, One Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer, Scouting for Girls

"Even though I’ve been writing professionally for over ten years, I’ve found several nuggets of gold that have improved my writing already."

Dr. O

Producer, Young M.A., Chris Brown, Lil Wayne

"Spot on with the analysis and relevant to any composer, songwriter, or producer in the game now.”

Kory Fulton

Songwriter/Performing Artist

The Hit Song Matrix Masterclass has been instrumental in my learning and creative processes. The knowledge given was vast yet digestible. The team was passionate, professional and dedicated to helping me understand and apply all of the material. I would HIGHLY recommend this masterclass to anyone who is serious about making music.

Omar Zulfi

Songwriter/Producer

“I’m such a better songwriter now than I ever have been. I’m so glad I found you guys, it has really been a game-changer.”

JULAPINK

Songwriter/Performing Artist

"This Masterclass was phenomenal. There was so much detail on every class, and each topic was presented in a clear and concise way. The presenters were wonderful, they provided examples of everything discussed and did not skip over any questions. Hit Songs Deconstructed has really pushed my music to a competitive level. I highly recommend taking their classes."

Andrew Colyer

Recording Artist/Performer/Composer

"I highly recommend all of the courses from Hit Songs Deconstructed. If you're a songwriter, there's always something new to be learned in their workshops and masterclasses!"

Christopher Stephen Nicholas

Songwriter

"Unbelievable wealth of knowledge to adopt into my songwriting and production. A whole new course of actionable knowledge in which to try to achieve the apogee - writing & producing a timely Top 10 pop hit song."

About Your Course Instructor, David Penn

David Penn stands at the forefront of modern song analysis and analytics. In 2010, he revolutionized the field by developing the "hit songs deconstructed" methodology, a groundbreaking approach for analyzing music that has since been dubbed as "music theory for popular music."


His pioneering work led to the founding of Hit Songs Deconstructed, a platform that has become an indispensable resource for music professionals and academics alike. This methodology has been adopted by prestigious institutions such as the Berklee College of Music, Frost School of Music, and USC Thornton School of Music, among many others, underscoring its significance and widespread acceptance.


Penn's expertise and insights have been featured in podcasts and articles by esteemed publications such as Billboard, Variety, Music Week, BMI, Financial Times, and The Economist. He is a sought-after speaker, delivering guest lectures at leading universities like the Berklee College of Music, NYU, and the Frost School of Music as well as music industry events such as the Music Industry Association’s Music Biz, CD Baby's DIY Musician Conference, the Association for Popular Music’s annual conference, among others. He also conducts custom workshops for major labels and publishers such as Atlantic Records and BMG.


Beyond academia, Penn offers coaching to both emerging and established songwriters and producers, sharing his deep understanding of the craft and trends behind hit songs. His comprehensive knowledge of music spans all time periods and genres, making him a revered consultant for songwriters, producers, publishers, and labels alike.


Most recently, Penn co-founded ChartCipher, a platform that leverages AI to provide song analytics. ChartCipher delves into the compositional, lyrical, and sonic qualities of hit songs, offering real-time insights into the traits that propel songs to the top of today's most popular music charts.

Our Unique Approach Is Currently Being Used at Renowned Institutions

Leading music programs such as Berklee College of Music, Thornton School of Music, Frost School of Music, NYU and many others are using Hit Songs Deconstructed materials in their songwriting and production curriculums.

“

"I have been giving hit record analysis exercises to my students for years, but the level of depth in a single Hit Songs Deconstructed report is a full semester’s worth of information. My entire thought process as a producer, an engineer, a musician, and a songwriter are fleshed out in the pages of the HSD reports."

"Prince" Charles Alexander

Grammy-winning, multi-platinum producer, audio engineer, and recording artist and professor, Music Production and Engineering, Berklee College of Music

“

"The depth, detail and level of care that Hit Songs Deconstructed exercises in their song analysis is something I want my students to aspire to. I am using their analysis techniques as a benchmark for them to apply when analyzing songs and their compositional analytics to keep them in tune with what’s happening now."

Chris Sampson

Founding Director of Popular Music Program
USC Thornton School of Music
Director of Popular Music Pedagogy

“

"Hit Songs Deconstructed is a great teaching tool and an extremely valuable resource for my songwriting students. We’ve made it an integral part of the songwriting curriculum at MTSU. I’m thrilled to say that Middle Tennessee State University is at the forefront of songwriting education as a result of this partnership."

Odie Blackmon

Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Commercial Songwriting Concentration for the Recording Industry Program,
Middle Tennessee State University

Lecturer, Music at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should buy this masterclass?

Songwriters, producers, and music industry professionals who have the goal of elevating their craft with the art and science behind today's biggest hits. 

What knowledge of songwriting and music theory is required?

A solid foundation in the basic craft of songwriting and music theory is highly recommended.


What is the basis for the material covered?

We will focus on recent Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 hits.

How is the material be conveyed?

The presentation will feature a combination of audio examples, graphs, charts, commentary, and Logic Pro sessions to illustrate principles and techniques. 


Active listening exercises are at the core of our masterclasses, so make sure you can join us from a quiet environment with high speed internet and high quality audio/headphones.

WHAT DO I GET WHEN I PURCHASE THIS MASTERCLASS?

  • The Live Masterclass: This masterclass will be held over Zoom with ample time for your questions.
    • The Masterclass Video Recordings: When you enroll in this masterclass, you'll receive lifetime access to the videos, allowing you to revisit it whenever you want.
    • Class Materials: You'll also receive a downloadable PDF of the presentation deck and Spotify playlist with the songs referenced throughout the class.
    • Workbooks: These workbooks were developed by Hit Songs Deconstructed to serve as a guides as you work on your melodies:
    • Song Analysis Tools: The Hit Songs Deconstructed A.I.D.E. Table, Rhymes Table, and Narrative Structure Table 
    • Hit-Scope: A three-month subscription to the Hit Songs Deconstructed Hit-Scope technique library, with new techniques published every week (new subscriber only)..
    • Membership to HSD-Connect: Membership to Hit Songs Deconstructed’s private, invitation-only online community.

Will I HAVE ACCESS TO THE video of the live MASTERCLASS after the conclusion of the workshop?

Yes. When you sign up you gain lifetime access to the video and masterclass materials. The videos are posted to the workshop portal after the masterclass concludes along with the presentation deck and the Spotify playlist of the songs referenced throughout the masterclass.

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