How I Choose a First Single
An artist once played me three songs. The one she had spent the most money on was the first one I forgot. The one she almost didn't play, a rough demo recorded on a phone, was the one I was humming in the car an hour later.
She wanted to release the expensive track. She was proud of it, and she had reason to be. But pride and impact are two different things, and a first single needs the second.
If you've recorded three songs and can't decide which one to put out first, this is how I decide.
A first single has one job
For a new artist, your first single introduces you to people who have never heard your music. It doesn't have to tell your whole story. It has to give them a clear sense of your sound and a reason to come back for the next song.
That's why the song with the highest note or the biggest production isn't always the right pick. Impressive and memorable are not the same thing.
I also ask whether you can perform it well live, and whether it points toward the music you plan to release next. You can grow and experiment. But this release should represent where you're going, not just where you've been.
I ask three questions of every song
There's no formula for picking a hit, and I can't promise one. What I can give you is an honest, informed opinion and the reasons behind it. Here's what I listen for.
1. What do I remember when it ends?
It might be a melody, a phrase, or a feeling. Something has to stay with me.
I pay the most attention to the chorus. Does it deliver on what the verse sets up? Is it clear? Does it make me want to hear it again? If I can't remember it, I listen again and ignore the production. Is the melody strong? Would the chorus still work with just a guitar or a piano?
If the answer is no, the song needs another writing session. I'd rather have that conversation now than after you've paid for recording and promotion.
2. Do I believe the singer?
I'm listening for more than pitch. Does the phrasing make sense? Does the artist seem connected to the words? Can I hear a personality, or someone trying to sound like another singer?
A quiet performance can be completely convincing. A huge vocal can leave me cold. It comes down to whether the singer means it.
When a vocal feels cautious, the problem is usually fixable. Maybe the key is wrong. Maybe the singer is so focused on hitting the notes that the lyric got lost. Another vocal session can change everything.
3. Can we talk about this song for a month?
This is the question most artists forget to ask. We need more to say than "My new song is out, please go listen." Which song gives us more to work with? I'll come back to that below.
Why the demo beat the finished track
Here's how those questions play out. This is a composite of the kinds of sessions I have with artists.
The big-production ballad (Song A) sounded the most finished. The musicianship was great and the energy was high. But when it ended, I couldn't sing the chorus back. I'd talk about the writing before spending another dollar on the release.
The personal song about her father (Song B) had the best lines, and I could hear why it mattered to her. But the vocal was careful. The notes were there. I didn't believe the performance yet. That's a reason to go back into the studio, not a reason to give up on the song.
The rough demo (Song C) needed work. The recording was thin. But the chorus stuck, she sounded comfortable, and her personality came through in every line.
Song C was my first choice. The job then is to develop the recording without losing whatever made the demo special. The song she was least proud of was the one I'd release first.
Does the song fit you?
A well-written song can still be the wrong song for you. I want to know whether it suits your voice, your personality, and the direction of your other music.
Sometimes that means setting aside a song you love. Sometimes it means trying a different arrangement. Sometimes it means looking for an outside song that fits you better than something you wrote yourself. The goal is a song you can deliver well and stand behind.
And get outside opinions. Friends and family give you support, and you need that. But also play the songs for people who actually listen to your kind of music. Don't explain the lyrics first. Ask which song they'd play again and what they remember. A few opinions won't predict success, but they can help you hear what you've missed because you're too close.
What a month of promotion looks like
When two songs are both strong, I let the promotion decide. One of them usually gives us more to work with.
Take a song about leaving home. Here's one month:
Week 1: The artist talks about the town she grew up in and plays the first verse on the porch where she wrote it.
Week 2: She posts an old photograph and tells the story of the day she left.
Week 3: She sings the chorus in three different places, and asks followers where "home" is for them.
Week 4: A stripped-down acoustic performance of the whole song, with a lyric on screen that people can comment on.
None of that is complicated, and she can do it with a phone and an afternoon. That matters. The plan has to be something the artist can actually carry out.
So when I'm comparing songs, I ask:
Is there a story behind it the artist is comfortable sharing?
Is there a lyric people could talk about?
Can we capture performances that feel different from each other?
Can the artist make this content with the time and money available?
The music still has to hold up. A clever video idea will never make me choose a weaker song. But between two good songs, the one with a campaign the artist can sustain wins.
When I recommend waiting
I know it's frustrating to hear that a recording needs more work, especially after you've paid for it. But releasing it won't fix the part that isn't working.
If the chorus needs attention, we work on the chorus. If the vocal isn't believable, we prepare for another session. If the song doesn't fit your direction, we look at the other two.
Waiting should have a purpose and an end date: time to improve the music or prepare the release, and a point at which we listen again and decide.
Try the Next-Day Test
Put your three strongest songs in a playlist and listen to them back to back. Write down what you remember from each one, where the vocal connects, and what the song says about you as an artist.
Then walk away. The next morning, notice which song is still in your head.
Ask a few people who listen to your kind of music to do the same.
Then write five specific social media ideas for each song. "Make a video" doesn't count. What would you say, play, or show? Could you keep it going for a month?
Your favorite may still be the winner. Or another song may have the stronger chorus, the more believable performance, and more to talk about. Either way, you'll have real reasons for your choice.
Before you commit
You're about to spend time, money, and energy asking people to listen. It's worth a careful look at the music first.
Promotion can bring someone to your song. What they hear will decide whether they come back.
If you're sitting on three songs and can't decide, send them to me. I'll tell you which one I'd release first, and why. Schedule a short introductory call with Nashville Music Consultants and we'll start there.
