Decoding Hit Song Lyrics & Rhymes
Decoding Hit Song Lyrics & Rhymes is a two-part masterclass led by David Penn, founder of Hit Songs Deconstructed.
Through real-world hit song case studies, David will show you what makes their lyrics connect deeply with audiences — and the specific techniques that create emotional impact and keep listeners engaged from start to finish.
From dynamic wordplay to immersive storytelling to purpose-driven rhyme schemes and more — this masterclass will teach you how to make every word count.
Sign up today to gain access to a brand-new set of techniques to bring your lyrics to life, along with exclusive proprietary tools developed by Hit Songs Deconstructed to help you apply them to your own songs.
© 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
Most lyrics start as a diamond in the rough. Learn how to polish yours to perfection!
Using the acclaimed Hit Songs Deconstructed methodology, Decoding Lyrics and Rhymes 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.
Narrative Formulation & Structure
Universal vs. Targeted Appeal
Crafting Impactful Titles and Opening Lines
Lyric Optimization & Advanced Rhyming Techniques
"Highly recommended to those who want to up their songwriting game in 2025 with modern techniques that can help them grow and mature. I'm an artist manager and producer working with pop, indie rock and country artists."
Eric Nielsen, Manager - Dead Rose Management LLC; Manager - Artist Relations, Music Addict LLC | Creek Music Group - Chicago (dist. through Mi-5 Recording and UMG)
How will you benefit from this masterclass?
The Hit Songs Deconstructed Narrative Development Table
© 2010-2025 Hit Songs Deconstructed. All Rights Reserved
" 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.
Here's what you get when you purchase this masterclass:
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
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.
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"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
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"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
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"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