It’s Not All About Love: 30 Song Topic Ideas For Songwriting
In the mood for a spot of creative songwriting?
Once you get that creative spark, you’ll be bleeding your pen dry in a matter of minutes.
It’s an amazing feeling.
Until you notice the past 14 songs you’ve written are about your breakup, just worded slightly different.
Sometimes we can have a one track mind and we focus on that too often, whether it’s being in a state of heartache or being completely in love, it’s all we think of.
Now if you’re writing an album dedicated to your breakup, that’s fine.
But if you want something a little different I’ve put together a list of 30 topics ideas so you’re not stuck writing about the same thing over and over again.
Read and enjoy the post!
30 song topic ideas for songwriting that are not about relationships
30. Getting lost in a daydream
Sometimes our dreams are better than reality. You can control every conversation, the surroundings, the complete package. They are perfect. You can draw upon the feeling of being in complete control.
29. Losing grip on reality
We can play mind games with ourselves and struggle to distinguish what is real and what isn’t. It can lead to outbursts, confusion and conflicts.
28. Satisfaction of completing a task long overdue
We’ve all had that feeling of finally getting a long overdue task done. It could be inspired by something remedial like clearing out your garage.
27. Frustration towards a broken item
Your mood is already on a low, then your phone breaks. The item you rely on daily just breaks. Now other things will break because you’re jinxed!
26. Cracking under pressure
You’re reaching breaking point. The stress is building and you’re about to explode. This could be based on pressure at work, or to impress someone.
25. Difficulty of balancing responsibilities
The best example of this is family life. You work hard, take the kids to school but have to maintain the house, balance the finances, perhaps on your own or with your partner. It can be difficult.
24. Feeling alone and alienated
You’ve avoided your partner, neglected your friends and spend most of your time alone in your room feeling unworthy of any attention. It’s a negative emotion, but releasing these feelings into words can help you overcome it.
23. Going on a journey to find out who you are
We are no longer children without a care in the world. As we get older we have to find out who we are, why we are here, what sort of life we’d like to lead. Go on a journey and figure this out.
22. Being stabbed in the back by a friend
I guess we can all relate to a friend who perhaps has lied about you to someone else, and it really hurts you because you thought you were close.
21. Exploding excitement
Perhaps it’s your birthday soon, or you’re going on holiday and you’re super excited. I’d be jumping around, smiling and acting childish to express my excitement.
20. The need for eternal company
Yearning for that one person who will be by your side, through thick and thin, no matter what happens they’ll support you.
19. Inability to sleep/restlessness
It could be eagerly awaiting results from an exam, and you’re struggling to sleep. Or sometimes more worrying like the fear of sleeping.
18. Curiosity turning disaster
You’ve been looking for answers and it has got you into a dangerous situation, which leads to a disastrous outcome.
17. Giving into temptation
It could be something trivial like giving up chocolate, but everything you see is chocolate and you can’t help but give into the temptation.
16. Allowing your walls to crumble
The process of meeting someone who makes you feel safe and secure, and eventually you allow them to get close to you, to get to know you.
15. Feeling of tender and warmth
After a long day outside in the freezing cold, there is nothing better than coming home and snuggling up to an open fire with a cup of tea. Use this feeling as inspiration for the joy of feeling warm.
14. Pretending to be someone else
We all try to be something we are not. We may act overconfident, or independant when really on the inside we are scared. We put on a brave face, when really we are upset and hurting on the inside.
13. Trying to impress others
From trying to impress your Boss for a promotion, or make your family proud of you. We all get the feeling that we need to go the extra mile to impress those who we feel are important to us.
12. Feeling of unworthiness
You have failed so many times and you feel like you’ll never succeed. You feel like you are worthless, you’ll never do anything right.
11. Reminiscing on your past behaviours
This could be good or bad. Look back at your childhood, or your teenage years. What would you tell your younger self? What do you regret? What do you wish you had done or achieved?
10. Questioning where your future will take you
Our future is never set in stone, we make our own destiny. Making a decision on which path to take and what lies ahead is always a mystery and it can be exciting or scary – your choice.
9. Finding the strength inside to break free
We can be our own heroes, we can save ourselves. We just need to look in ourselves and realize we are strong and we can do this. Draw on this emotion and flesh out an inspiration song to help others achieve this.
8. Being in pain because of someone else’s actions
Sometimes we suffer because of someone else’s doing. It could be because of an accident, and you’ve been injured or a situation you’ve had to resolve because the person in question has bailed.
7. Difficulty expressing your emotions
Words are not enough to describe how you are feeling. You just want to be left alone because you feel as though no one will understand the feelings you are trying to explain.
6. Planning your hopes and dreams
You could be young or old, but there is no time like the present to plan for the future. The story could revolve around writing a bucket list, or your aspirations for the future and how you’re going to accomplish them.
5. Conflicting desires
This could be a simple concept such as struggling over what to have for food, you’re on a diet but all you want is cake. Or something more serious like a business agreement where you have a personal connection to the other party.
4. Thinking about a friend you had when you were younger
We all reminise, and we all lose touch with our friends we had at school. Rely on them thoughts, and what you use to do as a child and how you felt.
3. Feeling of empowerment with others
Being around others who inspire you can give you a great sense of empowerment. It can motivate you to pursue your dreams, or be brave and make a decision you would never have made.
2. Confining your feelings resulting in a loss
Perhaps you gambled away your savings, lost your possessions in a house fire, or lost your expensive watch whilst hiking. Draw attention to how someone may feel, and what they might have to do to make this feeling go away.
1. Trying to convince someone to let you help them
You may know someone who is stubborn, or so independent that they never ask for help. Revolve the story around trying to convince your friend that it’s okay to ask for help, and that it doesn’t make them appear weak.
It’s your turn
There you have it, 30 songwriting topic ideas that don’t have to be about falling in and out of love.
Which idea tickles your fancy? What sort of topics do you enjoy writing about?
I’m more of a fantasy and adventure, with a hint of thriller lyric writing girl!
So next time you get struck in the love rut, use one of these topics ideas and you’ll be better prepared to ditch love and focus on a different emotion.
Good luck, and get creating!
