Posts by Clay Mills

Clay Mills of SongTown chats with Clay Myers (Top Artist Development Consultant) about 3 areas every indie artist need to master to have a successful career. Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series: This video series will help you level-up your songs and finish them faster. CLICK HERE to begin!  SongTown Press Books: Mastering Melody Writing : Check It…

How do publishers know if your songwriting is actually good? In this lesson, Clay Mills and Marty Dodson break down the 3 instant tells… Plus, there’s a secret hidden audio track as a bonus. Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series: This video series will help you level-up your songs and finish them faster. CLICK HERE to begin! …

In this episode, Clay Mills and Marty Dodson break down why song ideas get lost in voice memos and notes — and how professional songwriters organize their titles, melodies, and lyric ideas so nothing slips through the cracks. If you want better songwriting systems, stronger co-writes, and more finished songs, this one’s for you. Clay…

In this week’s SongTown Songwriting Podcast episode, multi-hit songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson, who’ve critiqued thousands of songs at SongTown, break down the 10 most common melody mistakes that peg a songwriter as an amateur. Correct these 10 simple things and you will be quickly writing your best songs! Clay & Marty’s 10-day video…

If you’ve got a hard drive full of “almost done” songs, this one’s for you. Clay Mills and Marty Dodson break down the real reasons songs stall—perfectionism, fear of failure, no process, and lack of focus—plus practical mindset shifts to help you finish what you start. Want better feedback and a clearer path forward? Come…

Hook your listener fast. In this SongTown Podcast, hit songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson share 7 ways to hook listeners in the first 7 seconds—starting with the first vocal line, not the production intro. You’ll get practical songwriting tips from hit songwriters you can use today. Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series: This video…

In this episode, Clay and Marty share the kind of tough-love truths that helped them go from unknowns to hit songwriters—stuff all writers need to hear but nobody says out loud. We’ll talk originality, “your life is not interesting,” writer’s block, rejection, AI shortcuts, and why excuses are quietly killing your songwriting dreams. If you’re serious about…

Multi #1 songwriters Marty Dodson & Clay Mills share 10 ways to make your song unpredictable—the kind of lyric-to-melody fit and arrangement moves artists, publishers, and fans can’t ignore. If you want real-world pro songwriting advice from the SongTown crew—fresh songwriting tips for melody writing and lyric writing—hit play, take notes, and write on! Clay & Marty’s 10-day video…

20-Time Hit Songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson reveal proven ways to make your hooks and choruses hit harder—advanced techniques made simple, grounded in real-world hits. If you’re chasing your best songs and want practical, craft-first lessons for your next one, this is for you. Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series: This video series will…

From notebook scribbles to Billboard #1 hits—Clay Mills and Marty Dodson share the real stories behind their first chart-topping songs. Packed with pro songwriting tips, real-world struggles, and breakthrough moments, this episode is a must-watch for anyone chasing their next big song. Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series: This video series will help you level-up…