Songland


Songland is an American songwriting competition series that aired on NBC from May 28, 2019, to June 15, 2020. The show, produced in cooperation with the Universal Television Alternative Studio, 222 Productions, Live Animals Productions and Dave Stewart, sets out to give undiscovered songwriters a chance to create a hit. It gives the viewers a look at the creative process in action. Contestants are selected to work with producers and a recording artist to release a song. The show tries to elevate the traditional role of the songwriter in the process of creating music from "unpleasant secret" to being the celebrated "magic ingredient". Stewart, a musician and composer formerly of Eurythmics, conceived Songland.
The show premiered in May 2019, with three producer-hosts: producer and songwriter Ester Dean; producer and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder; and songwriter Shane McAnally. In September 2019, the series was renewed, and the second season premiered in April 2020.
According to Heavy.com, many of the first season's songs picked by the guest artists for release hit No. 1 on an iTunes chart. Songland was the top new show of summer 2019 "in the key adults 18-49 demographic and among total viewers, according to Nielsen's "most current" metric, which counts a week's worth of delayed viewing per episode where available".

Premise

Each episode, producers Ryan Tedder, Ester Dean and Shane McAnally team up with songwriters to create the next big hit to be recorded by the guest performing artist. Four seemingly unknown songwriters audition songs they have written live for the producers and that episode's guest star. They do so in Songlands makeshift recording studio equipped with sound mixing equipment, and sometimes with live musicians and extra singers. They immediately get feedback for the song's lyrics, message, and musical construction, often with specific ways to improve the track. Reviewer Nancy Stetson commented:
From four prospective songs, three are chosen and matched up with one each of the three producers to develop a final version for approval; those re-worked songs are then sung again with one chosen as the winner. The winning track is released the same night as the episode is aired, with the viewers witnessing a song produced for consumption in roughly 45 minutes.

Production

Musician and composer David A. Stewart, formerly of Eurythmics, conceived Songland. Songland attempts to rework the often thankless and grueling job of songwriting. The general public rarely notes who wrote the lyrics, or the music that catches attention, instead the credit is generally given to the singer, the typical narrative being that they're anonymous "cogs in the well-oiled pop machine". A song is optioned, sometimes passed to other artists, who may wait months or years to record it, or just a hook from it, and all for the singer's own glory. The show tries to elevate the traditional role of the songwriter in the process of creating music from "unpleasant secret" to being the celebrated "magic ingredient".
The show premiered in May 2019, with three producer-hosts: producer and songwriter Ester Dean; producer and lead singer of OneRepublic Ryan Tedder; and songwriter Shane McAnally. In 2016, an entertainment lawyer advised prospective songwriters from signing the show's contract as they would be giving it the rights to their work whether chosen or not. The show responded, "We wish to be abundantly clear that by signing the casting application, songwriters do not transfer ownership of any of their original songs. This show is truly a celebration of songwriters and their craft."

Episodes

Color key:
Songwriter's track won, the recording is released by the musical guest
Songwriter was in the top three
Songwriter eliminated before final round

Season 1 (2019)

Episode 1 (May 28, 2019)

OrderSongwriterSongProducerResult
1Max Embers"Back Home" Ryan TedderTop 3
2Tebby Burrows"We Need Love"Shane McAnallyWinner
3Sam James"Shinedown"Eliminated
4Ollie Gabriel"Something New"Ester DeanTop 3

Notes: John Legend chose the song from Bahamian-born and Miami-based Tebby Burrows because he felt that, of the four songs, it had "the biggest journey from where it was to where it is now." "We Need Love" hit No. 1 on the iTunes R&B chart.

Episode 2 (June 4, 2019)

  • Musical guest: will.i.am
OrderSongwriterSongProducerResult
1Josh Logan"Boxes"Shane McAnallyTop 3
2Charisma"Invincible"Ryan TedderTop 3
3Adam Friedman"Be Nice"Ester DeanWinner
4Ray Goren"Oh Lord"Eliminated

Notes: will.i.am opted to record all three finalist songs; at the end of the episode he announced that he would remove three songs from Black Eyed Peas' next album Translation, to add "Be Nice", as well as "Boxes" and "Invincible". He also told fourth place Ray Goren that "Oh Lord" is "a career-making song he should record for himself", and that he would be a featured singer on Goren's track. "Be Nice" hit No. 1 on the iTunes Rock Charts.

Episode 3 (June 11, 2019)

OrderSongwriterSongProducerResult
1Jack Newsome"Lying "Shane McAnallyTop 3
2Jess Jocoy"Easy"Eliminated
3Daniel Feels"Crush"Ester DeanTop 3
4Darius Coleman"Better Luck Next Time"Ryan TedderWinner

Notes: Kelsea Ballerini is the first country music artist on the show, and said that she is attracted to songs that provoke a strong reaction in her, whether that reaction is dancing or crying. She added that Darius Coleman had created a country hook whether he intended to or not. "Better Luck Next Time" charted No. 1 on the iTunes Pop Chart, and No. 2 on the iTunes Overall Charts.

Episode 4 (June 18, 2019)

OrderSongwriterSongProducerResult
1Able Heart"Greenlight"Ester DeanWinner
2Remmi"Flickering" Ryan TedderTop 3
3Ori"No Pressure"Eliminated
4Rynn"Crowded Places"Shane McAnallyTop 3

Notes: Philadelphia songwriter and beatmaker Able Heart has been a ghost-writer up until the show; he also had never sung live. The Jonas Brothers' "Greenlight" went to #1 on the U.S. iTunes sales charts, and hit No. 1 on the iTunes Overall Charts.

Episode 5 (June 25, 2019)

OrderSongwriterSongProducerResult
1Brandin Jay"No Money Alright" Ester DeanTop 3
2Kole"Hurt Me"Ryan TedderWinner
3Zachary Kale"All Over Again"Eliminated
4Josh Wood"Alone"Shane McAnallyTop 3

Notes: Trainor picked the song because of its lyrics "about the aftermath of a breakup and making sure you always rise above the drama" being empowering. "Hurt Me" is "a fun and sassy dance-pop cut" with "a hooky jam".

Episode 6 (July 2, 2019)

OrderSongwriterSongProducerResult
1Kyle Williams"Getting Started"Ryan TedderWinner
2Afika"Chosen"Eliminated
3TVTE"Call for a Hero"Ester DeanTop 3
4Steve Fee"Same Blood"Shane McAnallyTop 3, released as a single

Notes: The winning song, "Getting Started" by Kyle Williams aka producer Willyecho, was used for the Fast & Furious spin-off Hobbs & Shaw directed by David Leitch, who helped decide on the song which features rapper JID. They were looking for a “song that is motivational and inspiring with swagger”. Aloe Blacc also chose to record "Same Blood" by Steve Fee. "Chosen", the fourth-place finisher from Afika, was also released. TVTE's "Call for a Hero" was retitled "Hero" for the official version.

Episode 7 (August 14, 2019)

OrderSongwriterSongProducerResult
1IRO"Shadow"Shane McAnallyWinner
2Pop Culture"City Kids" Ryan TedderTop 3
3Chris Jobe"It Could Have Been You"Eliminated
4Casey Cook"Judgements"Ester DeanTop 3

Notes: Macklemore released the single "Shadow" as a collaboration with Iro, it reached No. 1 on the iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap Chart.