The Art of the Topline: How to Write Melodies and Lyrics That Stick

If you’ve ever caught yourself humming a song hours after hearing it, you’ve been hooked by the power of a topline. In music, the topline is the vocal melody and lyrics that sit on top of an instrumental—basically, the part of a track that lives rent-free in your head.

Whether it’s Rihanna belting "Shine bright like a diamond" or Sia penning an earworm chorus for another artist, toplines are what transform a beat into a full-blown song. The best part? You don’t have to be a pop megastar to write a great one. Producers, beatmakers, and songwriters all benefit from knowing how to craft melodies and lyrics that connect.

Let's break down the art of topline writing and how you can start leveling up your own.

Why Toplining Matters

Great production can grab attention, but a great topline is what makes people come back. It’s the hook, the singalong moment, the emotional anchor—your track’s soul. The essence of toplining is to craft a memorable chorus and hook that stands out. Great toplines are what listeners hear on the airwaves, making songs recognizable and accessible to a wide audience.

Think about it: festival crowds scream the topline, not the kick pattern. Listeners remember the chorus, not just the chord progression. A strong topline is your shortcut to making music that lasts.

Many of the most successful musicians have built entire careers on this craft: many hit songs are created and composed with topliners before they ever reach the public.

• Sia – wrote hits for Beyoncé, Rihanna, and David Guetta.

• Julia Michaels – co-wrote Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” and Selena Gomez’s “Good for You.”

• Benny Blanco – behind smash toplines for Ed Sheeran, Halsey, and The Weeknd.

Anatomy of a Topline: The Vocal Melody

A solid topline usually has a few key ingredients:

• Melody: Simple, memorable, and catchy enough to stick after one listen.

• Lyrics: Relatable and emotional, but also easy to sing.

• Phrasing: How the vocal rhythm locks in with your beat. Strong phrases and lines help shape memorable verses and choruses, making each section stand out and flow naturally.

• The Hook: The “ear candy” that gets repeated in your head long after the track stops.

Toplines are built from various elements, and both the songwriter and vocalist play crucial roles in shaping the topline: the songwriter crafts the melody and lyrics, while the vocalist brings them to life with their unique interpretation and performance.

5 Tips for Writing Strong Toplines in the Songwriting Process

Want to write more memorable toplines? Here are some pro tips to keep in your back pocket:
Staying focused on your goals and being active in your songwriting practice will help you grow and improve.

1. Keep it simple. If you can’t hum it back easily, your listener won’t either.

2. Use repetition. Hooks get powerful when they’re heard often.

3. Lock into the groove. Make sure your vocal rhythm feels natural with the instrumental.

4. Lead with emotion. Lyrics that paint a feeling or image will hit harder than vague words. Start by identifying the emotions in the instrumental and imagine the story or scene your topline should convey.

5. Write multiple options. Don’t settle on the first melody. Try different ideas and see what pops. Experiment with different styles, such as rap or singing, to find what works best.

Common Topline Mistakes to Avoid

We’ve all been there—staring at a half-baked topline that just isn’t landing. The good news? Most of the time it comes down to a few common pitfalls. Dodge these, and your toplines will instantly feel stronger, more intentional, and way more exciting to listeners:

Melodies that wander without direction

A strong topline should lead the listener somewhere. If your melody meanders aimlessly, it can feel like filler instead of a hook. Think of it like storytelling—build tension, hit the high point, and then resolve it. Every phrase should have a purpose. Melodies are often produced and refined through playing with different ideas, so experiment with your instrument or DAW to find what works best.

Lyrics that don’t match the vibe of the beat

Nothing kills a track faster than sad lyrics on a summer banger (unless you’re going for that ironic contrast). Make sure your words live in the same world as the instrumental—tone, mood, and energy should complement each other, not clash. Lyrics are written to fit the mood of the track or to convey a message so consider your environment and collaborators.

Phrasing that feels awkward against the rhythm

Your vocal rhythm needs to lock into the beat. If it’s rushing, dragging, or just feels clunky, it’ll distract from the groove. Sometimes it’s as simple as shifting a word or syllable to hit on the downbeat or syncopating in a way that feels natural.

Zero dynamics

Flat toplines = flat songs. Your vocal should evolve as the track does—soaring in the chorus, pulling back in the verse, maybe adding a playful lift in the pre. Dynamics keep the listener hooked and give your topline that “radio-ready” edge. Mixing and background vocals can add depth and interest to a topline, making the recorded track feel fuller and more engaging.

Pro tip: Record a rough draft of your topline and listen back as if you’re just a fan hitting play on Spotify. Pay attention to what you hear in the recorded track, including how the topline sits with the rest of the production. If anything feels off in flow, emotion, or energy, that’s your cue to tighten it up.

Collaboration and Feedback in Toplining

Collaboration and feedback are at the heart of the topline songwriting process. Whether you’re working in hip hop, pop, or any other genre, teaming up with a music producer is often where the magic happens. The producer lays down the instrumental track—building the beat, groove, and chord progressions—while the topliner crafts the vocal melody and lyrics that bring the song to life.

A typical songwriting process starts with the producer sending over a track, and the topliner diving in to create a vocal melody and write lyrics that fit the vibe. Using music production tools like FL Studio or Ableton Live, you can easily record a demo and send it back for review. This back-and-forth is where songs really take shape: the producer might suggest tweaks to the melody, ask for a stronger chorus, or recommend changes to the lyrics to better match the song structure.

Being open to feedback is essential. The strongest songs are often the result of multiple revisions, with both the producer and topliner pushing each other to create something truly memorable. Don’t be afraid to try new ideas or rewrite a vocal line if it means the song will hit harder. Remember, the goal is to create a track that stands out—one where the vocal, lyrics, and instrumental all work together seamlessly.

Collaboration doesn’t stop with producers. Many successful songwriters and artists thrive on co-writing sessions, where bouncing ideas off others leads to fresh melodies, unique lyrics, and unexpected hooks. Working with other songwriters can help you break out of creative ruts, learn new songwriting techniques, and stay inspired.

When you receive feedback, try to view it as a tool for growth. Ask yourself if the suggestions help the song connect better with listeners or make the vocal melody more memorable. Stay true to your artistic vision, but don’t be afraid to experiment and evolve. Sometimes, the strongest parts of a song come from stepping outside your comfort zone.

Supercharge Your Toplining with AI

This is where AI songwriting tools can change the game. With Kits AI, you can make the topline process faster, easier, and way more fun:

• Generate melody ideas from any lyrics with a Vocal Generator and try different voices before you even hit the booth by exploring our library of royalty-free and Community Voices, allowing you to test your topline with different genres and vocal tones.

• Generate lyric ideas with an AI lyric generator when you’re stuck on a killer line. Tools like Suno, LyricStudio, and even ChatGPT can offer valuable suggestions that might help give you the push you need to craft the perfect lyric.

• Experiment with harmonies and vocal layers using the Harmony Generator to add power and depth.

For example, an AI tool can quickly generate new concepts for toplines, create unique instrumental accents or elements for your track, and even help prepare your song for release by assisting with mastering and finalizing the finished product.

Instead of waiting for a singer or recording endless takes, you can sketch, test, and refine toplines in real time.

Wrapping Up

Toplines are the magic sauce that turn good beats into great songs. They’re the part your audience sings, the part that makes your track memorable.

With Kits AI, you have everything you need to write, test, and polish toplines without getting stuck. So the next time inspiration strikes, don’t just make a beat—give it a topline that’ll stay in people's heads long after the music stops.

-SK

Sam Kearney is a producer, composer and sound designer based in Evergreen, CO.