15 Awesome Songwriting Prompts For Your First Song

Are you staring at a blank page, wondering where to begin your next song and how to get your creative juices flowing?

You're not alone. Songwriting can be an exhilarating yet daunting task, requiring a delicate balance of creativity and structure.

That's where songwriting prompts come in handy. And I'm not talking about AI prompts here, but a list that can provide you with a starting point, sparking new ideas and easing the creative process.

Read more: Songwriting Tips: How To Write Incredible Songs

Ideas for Songwriting Prompts

Whether dealing with writer's block or looking to explore new directions, prompts can be your secret weapon. From themes like love and revenge to feelings of loneliness and joy, these prompt ideas cover many emotions and stories.

With prompts focused on various genres and styles, you can push the boundaries of your music and discover new depths of your creative potential.

Here are some of my favorite songwriting prompts. I hope they are as helpful to you as they are to me!

Lyrical Prompts

1. Describe a powerful personal experience

Write a song about a pivotal moment when you felt deep emotions, like joy or sorrow. Focus on the setting, people, and sensations. This is a great way to tap into your real life experiences and create thought-provoking song lyrics that resonate with listeners.

2. Write a song from another person's perspective

Imagine you are someone else—a famous person, a fictional character, or someone you know—and write a song from their viewpoint. This can provide a fresh perspective and help you understand different perspectives, enriching the message of the song.

3. Explore a 'What if?' scenario

Create lyrics based on a hypothetical situation, like "What if I could fly?" or "What if I lost everything tomorrow?" Consider the consequences and emotions tied to these scenarios. This can be a great idea for breaking out of a creative rut and finding new songwriting ideas.

4. Use a specific setting

Write about a particular place that has meaning to you, whether it’s a real location or an imaginary one. Describe the atmosphere, the sounds, and the people that populate this setting. This prompt helps you explore your comfort zone and create song lyrics that evoke a strong sense of place.

5. Incorporate a recurring dream

Describe a dream that you’ve had multiple times and build a song around its themes or imagery. Focus on the symbolism and the feelings the dream evokes. This is a fun way to explore your subconscious and find new songwriting ideas that feel like a time capsule of your thoughts.

6. Dialogue as lyrics

Write a song that consists entirely of a conversation between two people. Capture the dynamic of their relationship and the subtext of what’s being said and unsaid. This can be a great way to experiment with lyric writing and convey deep emotions through realistic dialogue.

7. Focus on a single word

Choose an evocative word (e.g., "freedom," "loneliness," "ecstasy") and construct a song that revolves around that concept. Explore different facets and interpretations of the word. This is a great way to focus your songwriting session and create a strong, cohesive message in the song.

8. Write a song for a different genre

If you typically write pop songs, try writing a country song or a rock ballad. Embrace the stylistic elements of the new genre and see how it changes your approach. This can help you step out of your comfort zone and find new musical compositions that inspire fresh songwriting ideas.

9. Nature-inspired lyrics

Use natural elements (like the ocean, mountains, or a storm) in your song as metaphors for emotions or situations. Describe the interaction between the natural world and human experience. This prompt can provide a rich source of creative inspiration and make your lyrics resonate with a universal theme.

Musical Prompts

10. Use a random chord progression

Pick a random chord progression or use an online generator and build a melody around it. Experiment with different rhythms and harmonies to see what emotions they evoke. This is a quick idea for generating new musical compositions that might lead to your next favorite song.

11. Change the time signature

If you usually write in 4/4, try creating a song in 3/4, 5/4, or 7/8 to break out of your usual patterns. Notice how the different time signatures affect the flow and feel of the music. This is a great way to challenge yourself and explore different musical directions.

12. Incorporate an unusual instrument

Write a song that features an instrument you don’t usually use, like a banjo, accordion, or synthesizer. Pay attention to how the new instrument influences the mood and texture of the song. This can provide new creative inspiration and add unique elements to your musical compositions.

13. Create a rhythm-first song

Start with a complex drum beat or rhythm pattern and compose the rest of the song around it. Let the rhythm guide the structure and dynamics of the piece. This can be a great way to develop new ideas and create songs with a strong rhythmic foundation.

14. Melody inversion

Take a melody you’ve already written and invert it (if it goes up, make it go down, and vice versa). Explore how this inversion changes the emotional impact of the melody. This prompt can help you find new melodic instruments and create fresh variations on existing songs.

15. Experiment with a new scale

Try writing a melody using a scale you’re unfamiliar with, like the Dorian or Phrygian mode, to generate new ideas. Notice the unique tonal qualities and moods these scales create. This can be a valuable lesson for new songwriters looking to expand their musical horizons.

Understanding Songwriting Basics

It's important to be able to overcome writer's block so you can come up with song ideas. A solid understanding of the craft of songwriting can be extremely helpful with this, as it gives you the tools to write a great song and, in the process, helps get your creative ideas going again.

Song Structure and Chord Progressions

The structure of a song provides a framework that helps to organize your ideas. Typical structures include the verse-chorus form, AABA, or the 12-bar blues. 

A song's Chord progression serves as its harmonic backbone; common ones in the major key include I-IV-V and I-vi-IV-V.

In a minor key, progressions like i-iv-V or i-VI-III-VII are frequently used. 

Building your own melody over these familiar progressions can yield unique songs while still maintaining a sense of familiarity.

Crafting a Song Title

Your song title is often the first impression listeners get of your work. It should be catchy, memorable, and reflective of the song's theme. A provocative or intriguing title can sometimes draw listeners in, even before they hear a single note.

Use keywords from your lyrics or a central idea to craft the title. For example, if your song revolves around a summer romance, words like "sunset," "beach," or "forever" might be effective.

Rhyme Schemes and Lyrics

Lyrics are the heart of your song. Effective rhyme schemes make them memorable and engaging. Common patterns include AABB, ABAB, and ABCB.

Choosing the right scheme can set the tone, whether you aim for simplicity or complexity. A strong opening line grabs attention, while the use of imagery and metaphors can add depth. Crafting lyrics to fit the chorus and verses means marrying words seamlessly with your song's structure.

Inspiration and Creative Processes

Personal Experiences as a Muse

Personal experiences are a rich source of songwriting inspiration. Reflecting on significant life events, conversations, or emotions can result in deeply personal and relatable songs. 

Turning a moment from your life into a fairytale can add a fantastical element to your music.

Keeping a journal of your day-to-day activities and feelings can provide a continuous stream of material to draw from. This helps in capturing authentic emotions and stories that resonate with listeners.

Exploring Different Genres

Exploring various genres can open up new avenues for your creative process. Challenge yourself by writing in less familiar genres like jazz, blues, or electronic music. This broadens your musical vocabulary and stimulates fresh, creative ideas.

Listening to a wide range of music can introduce you to different chord progressions, rhythms, and lyrical themes. Adapt and modify these elements to fit your unique style. Collaborating with musicians from different genres can further enrich your songwriting journey, providing new perspectives and inspiration.

Practical Tips and Exercises

Here are some of my true and tried actionable tips and exercises that can boost your songwriting skills. These approaches can inject creativity into your music and help you craft memorable lyrics.

Using Random Words and Pages

Using random words and pages as prompts can stimulate creativity by introducing unexpected elements into your songwriting process. Try flipping through a book and pointing to a random word or sentence. Let this random page guide the theme or imagery of your song.

You can also generate random words using online tools. Build your lyric around these words to challenge yourself and push your creativity. This method can lead to unique combinations and fresh ideas you might not have thought otherwise.

My one major piece of advice is that I don't recommend using AI tools to write finished lyrics or music for you. 

By all means, you can ask ChatGPT, for example, to generate random words for you, but as soon as you ask it to start writing actual lyrics or music, you're going down a slippery slope of removing parts of yourself from the creative process.

Incorporating Famous References

Incorporating references to famous people or events can add depth and relatability to your lyrics. Imagine writing a duet with someone iconic like Taylor Swift or Michael Jackson. This exercise can inspire you to mimic their distinct styles while adding your own twist.

Think about historical events or myths. For example, you could write about mythical creatures or a modern-day fairytale, drawing from elements that are already familiar to listeners. This can create a bridge between your song and well-known cultural references, making your music more captivating.

Embracing the Unusual

Embracing unusual themes can lead to some of your most creative works. Write about something unexpected, like the most pointless food you’ve ever tried or a song dedicated to your favorite flower. 

These quirky topics can make your music stand out.

Consider writing about smaller, often overlooked aspects of life, like clock ticking or people-watching in a park. These unusual subjects push you to think outside the box and explore new lyrical territories. Engaging with the eccentric can spark originality and breathe new life into your songwriting practice.

Exploring Music History

Studying different eras of music can provide a rich source of inspiration. Analyzing hit songs from various decades allows you to identify patterns and techniques that made them successful.

Listening to iconic albums and learning about the musical journey of bands can give you new perspectives. For example, exploring the evolution of rock music from the 60s to today might spark ideas for your own compositions. 

Focus on specific genres to understand their unique characteristics and how you can incorporate them into your work.

Collaboration

Last but not least, my biggest tip for success in songwriting: Collaboration.

Collaboration can open new creative avenues you would've never discovered on your own. Working with other musicians allows you to blend different styles and ideas, which can lead to unique and innovative songs. Seek feedback from trusted peers to refine your lyrics and melodies.

Personally, I've definitely done my best when collaborating with others.

Attend local jam sessions or join online music forums to find potential collaborators. Platforms like SoundCloud and Bandcamp offer opportunities to connect with artists worldwide. 

Sharing your work publicly is also part of the process. You'll find out what works for your fan base. 

Professional mentors are also important; accepting constructive criticism is crucial in evolving as a songwriter.

Conclusion

We all experience writer's block at times. Using song prompts is one of the best ways to ignite your creativity and push past it. 

Whether you're reminiscing about good times, crafting a heartfelt love song, or experimenting with a new rhyme scheme, prompts can be invaluable tools in your songwriting arsenal. They provide a starting point that can lead to the creation of an original song, helping you explore different musical styles and lyrical themes.

Next time you find yourself in a creative rut, come back to these prompts to find quick ideas to inspire your next writing session. 

Keep in mind that the most important thing is to stay consistent in your practice and keep experimenting with different things. Whether you're a beginner songwriter or have been writing for years, these thought-provoking prompts can help you become a better writer and have a positive impact on your creative flow.

About the author

Tero Potila is a professional music composer and producer. His career combining knowledge and experience from music, TV, film, ad, and game industries gives him a unique perspective that he shares through posts on teropotila.com.