Songs are used in movies, television series, and commercials to enhance the emotion and memorability of the onscreen action. Instrumental underscore has long been a staple of film and TV, adding drama and emotion to a scene. But when lyrics are added—when a song is used instead of an instrumental—there are extra benefits and a few potential problems.
For example, lyrics that are too specific or feature their own story lines can conflict with the script. If a song lyric includes a place name, like”I Love Paris,” the viewer could become confused if the scene takes place in New York.
Film and TV music supervisors look for songs with “universal lyrics,” lyrics that won’t conflict with a scene but will enhance the mood or energy. If you’re planning to pitch your songs to this market, you’ll have a better chance of success if you keep this in mind.