Many people don’t realize that pop songs are often not written by the performing artists themselves, but by a team of professional songwriters, producers, and management.
- Professional Songwriters: The song “Manchild” was written by Amy Allen and Jack Antonoff. The host shows that both are prolific songwriters who have written numerous hit songs for major artists like Taylor Swift and Harry Styles.
- The Role of the Artist: Artists like Sabrina Carpenter are presented with hundreds of songs to choose from for their albums. The video suggests that while artists may be in the room and contribute a line or a few words, the bulk of the songwriting is done by professionals. It also speculates that many pop artists do not play instruments on their records, as the music is created by producers.
- Behind-the-Scenes Team: The video also highlights the role of management teams in the music industry. These teams are responsible for meticulously crafting an artist’s image, including music videos, album art, and public persona.
- Songwriting Credits: The host notes that in order for songwriters to get their songs recorded by a big star, they often have to give up a portion of their writing credit to the artist, even if the artist did not contribute to the song’s creation.
- A Rare Exception: The host provides Billie Eilish as a rare example of a major artist who writes and produces her own songs with her brother.