| Image Alt: | Songland Title Card |
| Genre: | Reality competition |
| Creator: | David A. Stewart |
| Director: | Ivan Dudynsky |
| Starring: | Ester Dean Shane McAnally Ryan Tedder |
| Composer: | Jared Gutstadt |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Num Seasons: | 2 |
| Num Episodes: | 21 |
| Executive Producer: | Audrey Morrissey Ivan Dudynsky Adam Levine Dave Stewart Chad Hines |
| Runtime: | 43 minutes |
| Company: | Universal Television Alternative Studio 222 Productions Live Animals Productions Dave Stewart Entertainment |
| Network: | NBC |
Songland is an American songwriting competition series that aired on NBC from May 28, 2019, to June 15, 2020.[1] The show, produced in cooperation with the Universal Television Alternative Studio, 222 Productions, Live Animals Productions and Dave Stewart,[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] [5]
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.[6] 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".[7]
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.[8] Four seemingly unknown songwriters audition songs they have written live for the producers and that episode's guest star(s). 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.[9] 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.
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,[10] the typical narrative being that they're anonymous "cogs in the well-oiled pop (music) 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."
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 | |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Embers | "Back Home" (retitled "Lookin' Up") | Ryan Tedder | Top 3 | |
| 2 | Tebby Burrows | "We Need Love" | Shane McAnally | Winner | |
| 3 | Sam James | "Shinedown" | Eliminated | ||
| 4 | Ollie Gabriel | "Something New" | Ester Dean | Top 3 |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Josh Logan | "Boxes" | Shane McAnally | Top 3 | |
| 2 | Charisma | "Invincible" | Ryan Tedder | Top 3 | |
| 3 | Adam Friedman | "Be Nice" | Ester Dean | Winner | |
| 4 | Ray Goren | "Oh Lord" | Eliminated |
Notes: will.i.am opted to record all three finalist songs;[12] at the end of the episode he announced that he would remove three songs from Black Eyed Peas' next album Translation (2020), to add "Be Nice", as well as "Boxes" and "Invincible".[13] 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.[13] "Be Nice" hit No. 1 on the iTunes Rock Charts.
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jack Newsome | "Lying (Next to You)" | Shane McAnally | Top 3 | |
| 2 | Jess Jocoy | "Easy" | Eliminated | ||
| 3 | Daniel Feels | "Crush" | Ester Dean | Top 3 | |
| 4 | Darius Coleman | "Better Luck Next Time" | Ryan Tedder | Winner |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Able Heart | "Greenlight" | Ester Dean | Winner | |
| 2 | Remmi | "Flickering" (retitled "Do You Think of Me?") | Ryan Tedder | Top 3 | |
| 3 | Ori | "No Pressure" | Eliminated | ||
| 4 | Rynn | "Crowded Places" | Shane McAnally | Top 3 |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandin Jay | "No Money Alright" (retitled "We Got Us") | Ester Dean | Top 3 |
| 2 | Kole | "Hurt Me" | Ryan Tedder | Winner |
| 3 | Zachary Kale | "All Over Again" | Eliminated | |
| 4 | Josh Wood | "Alone" | Shane McAnally | Top 3 |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyle Williams | "Getting Started" | Ryan Tedder | Winner |
| 2 | Afika | "Chosen" | Eliminated | |
| 3 | TVTE | "Call for a Hero" | Ester Dean | Top 3 |
| 4 | Steve Fee | "Same Blood" | Shane McAnally | Top 3, released as a single |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IRO | "Shadow" | Shane McAnally | Winner |
| 2 | Pop Culture | "City Kids" (retitled "Unforgettable") | Ryan Tedder | Top 3 |
| 3 | Chris Jobe | "It Could Have Been You" | Eliminated | |
| 4 | Casey Cook | "Judgements" | Ester Dean | Top 3 |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Katelyn Tarver | "Young" | Shane McAnally | Winner |
| 2 | Jacobi.e | "Westside" (retitled "Where the Road Ends") | Ryan Tedder | Top 3 |
| 3 | MACI | "Take a Ride" | Eliminated | |
| 4 | Jake Scott | "Is This Love?" (retitled "Journey") | Ester Dean | Top 3 |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olivia Lane | "Perfect Skin" | Ester Dean | Top 3 |
| 2 | Rozee | "Fighting For Us" (retitled "Solo Quiero (Somebody to Love)"/"All I Want") | Ryan Tedder | Winner |
| 3 | Rafferty | "A Heart Full of Love" (retitled "When You Fall In Love") | Shane McAnally | Top 3 |
| 4 | Annabel Lee | "Ugliest Love" | Eliminated | |
Notes: "Solo Quiero (Somebody to Love)" by Leona Lewis, Cali y El Dandee and Juan Magán reached No. 1 on the iTunes Latino chart.[23] The song has also peaked at number one on several US Billboard Latin charts, including the Latin Digital Song Sales.[24]
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam DeRosa | "Pill for This" | Shane McAnally | Top 3 | |
| 2 | Zach Sorgen | "Habits" (retitled "Bad Habit") | Ryan Tedder | Winner | |
| 3 | Paris Williams | "Pity Party" | Eliminated | ||
| 4 | Joel Adams | "Hate Love" | Ester Dean | Top 3 |
With Tedder serving as the musical guest, Jason Evigan served as a guest producer.
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JT Roach | "Somebody to Love" | Shane McAnally | Winner |
| 2 | Madi | "Darkest Days" | Ester Dean | Top 3 |
| 3 | Tyler James Bellinger | "Giving You Up" | Eliminated | |
| 4 | Brigetta | "Be Somebody" | Jason Evigan | Top 3 |
Winning Producers (Season 1)
| Producer | Wins | |
|---|---|---|
| Shane McAnally | 4 | |
| Ester Dean | 2 | |
| Ryan Tedder | 5 |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tim Halperin | "Losing You" | Ryan Tedder | Top 3 | |
| 2 | Steven Battey | "Feels Good to Me" | Eliminated | ||
| 3 | Madeline Merlo | "I’ll Drink to That" (retitled "Champagne Night") | Shane McAnally | Winner | |
| 4 | Ryan Innes | "Long Way Home" | Ester Dean | Top 3 |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dyson | "Conditions" (retitled "Lost in Translation") | Shane McAnally | Top 3 | |
| 2 | Pipobeats | "Sway" | Ryan Tedder | Winner | |
| 3 | Lauren Martinez | "I Don't Want to Know" | Ester Dean | Top 3 | |
| 4 | Corii | "What If" | Eliminated |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Axel Mansoor | "Scary" | Ester Dean | Top 3 | |
| 2 | Milly | "Safe Place" | Eliminated | ||
| 3 | Jocelyn Alice | "How Could You Not Know?" | Shane McAnally | Top 3 | |
| 4 | Raquel Castro | "Wrong Places" | Ryan Tedder | Winner |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CKAY | "Hero" | Shane McAnally | Top 3 | |
| 2 | Halie | "Girls Like Me" | Ester Dean | Winner | |
| 3 | WOLVES | "Miracle" | Eliminated | ||
| 4 | Jeffrey James | "We Can Be (Heroes)" (retitled "We Can Be Heroes") | Ryan Tedder | Top 3 |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keegan Bost | "Glad You Came" (retitled "Give It to You") | Ryan Tedder | Winner | |
| 2 | Jenna Lotti | "Sad Girls" | Shane McAnally | Top 3 | |
| 3 | Jeremy Shayne | "Too Late” | Eliminated | ||
| 4 | Dan Burke | "Numb" | Ester Dean | Top 3 |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shawn Austin | "Ain’t Going Nowhere" (retitled "Lean On") | Ester Dean | Top 3 | |
| 2 | Lukr | "Hopes High" (retitled "What You're Puttin' Down") | Ryan Tedder | Top 3 | |
| 3 | Victoria Banks | "That's a Country Song" | Eliminated | ||
| 4 | Griffen Palmer | "Second Guessing" | Shane McAnally | Winner |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zak Waters | "Bad Things" | Ryan Tedder | Top 3 | |
| 2 | Juan & Lisa Winans | "Maybe" (retitled "What If It's Love") | Shane McAnally | Top 3 | |
| 3 | Charles Infamous | "Jukebox" | Eliminated | ||
| 4 | ChrisLee | "Love Struck" | Ester Dean | Winner |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greg Scott | "Miracle" | Ryan Tedder | Split Winner | |
| 2 | Alyssa Newton | "Made for Something" | Eliminated | ||
| 3 | Anna Graceman | "Gold" (retitled "Bones") | Shane McAnally | Split Winner | |
| 4 | Josh Vida | "Crazy Enough" (retitled "Sideline") | Ester Dean | Top 3 |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Davis | "Everything It Took to Get to You" (retitled "Everything I Did to Get to You") | Ryan Tedder | Winner | |
| 2 | Kylie Rothfield | "Lonely" (retitled "Ghost") | Ester Dean | Top 3 | |
| 3 | Caroline Kole | "Fool’s Gold" | Shane McAnally | Top 3 | |
| 4 | Anna Hamilton | "Deathbed" | Eliminated |
| Order | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miranda Glory | "Salty" (retitled "No Cap (Missing You)") | Ryan Tedder | Top 3 | |
| 2 | Ryan Cam | "Staying Over" (retitled "California") | Ester Dean | Winner | |
| 3 | David Wade | "Horse ‘N Carriage" (retitled "Personal") | Shane McAnally | Top 3 | |
| 4 | Fatherdude | "Billions" | Eliminated |
Winning Producers (Season 2)
| Producer | Wins | |
|---|---|---|
| Shane McAnally | 3 | |
| Ester Dean | 3 | |
| Ryan Tedder | 5 |
For the finale of The Voice, Songland songwriters and producers Shane McAnally, Ester Dean, and Ryan Tedder were recruited to help each of the five finalists with original songs. The contestants, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, consulted and performed remotely.[28]
| Singer | Songwriter | Song | Producer | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micah Iverson f. Team Kelly Clarkson | Troy Ogletree, Jason Strong | "Butterflies" | Shane McAnally | Fifth place | |
| CammWess f. Team John Legend | CammWess, John Legend | "Save It For Tomorrow"[29] | Ryan Tedder | Fourth place | |
| Thunderstorm Artis f. Team Nick Jonas | Thunderstorm Artis | "Sedona" | Ryan Tedder | Third place | |
| Toneisha Harris f. Team Blake Shelton | Toneisha Harris | "My Superhero" | Shane McAnally | Runner-up | |
| Todd Tilghman f. Team Blake Shelton | Shane McAnally, Ester Dean and Ryan Innes | "Long Way Home"[30] | Shane McAnally and Ester Dean | Winner |
Notes: Todd Tilghman from Team Blake Shelton became the first and the only contestant of the eighteenth season to reach top ten on iTunes. His original song's studio recording hit #1 on iTunes Overall Chart and iTunes Country Chart.[31]
This is a list of songs that appeared on the show that have been released by the guest artists, or through the songwriters. Sounds Like Nashville noted, “All of the songs from Songland are available digitally for purchase or streaming”.[32]
| Episode | Song | Performer | Songwriter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | "We Need Love"[33] | John Legend | Tebby Burrows |
| "Lookin' Up" | Max Embers | ||
| "Something New" | Ollie Gabriel | ||
| 1.2 | "Be Nice"[34] | The Black Eyed Peas feat. Snoop Dogg | Adam Friedman |
| "Boxes" | The Black Eyed Peas | Josh Logan | |
| "Invincible" | The Black Eyed Peas | Charisma | |
| "Oh Lord"[35] | Ray Goren | ||
| 1.3 | "Better Luck Next Time" | Kelsea Ballerini | Darius Coleman |
| "Lying (Next to You)"[36] | Jack Newsome | ||
| "Crush"[37] | Daniel Feels & Annie Schindel | Daniel Feels | |
| "Easy" | Jess Jocoy | ||
| 1.4 | "Greenlight" | Jonas Brothers | Able Heart |
| "Do You Think of Me?"[38] | Remmi | ||
| "Crowded Places"[39] | Rynn | ||
| 1.5 | "Hurt Me"[40] | Meghan Trainor | Kole |
| "We Got Us"[41] | Brandin Jay | ||
| "Alone" | Josh Wood | ||
| "All Over Again" | Zachary Kale | ||
| 1.6 | "Getting Started" | Aloe Blacc feat. JID | Kyle Williams |
| "Same Blood" | Aloe Blacc | Steve Fee | |
| "Chosen"[42] | Afika | ||
| "Hero" | TVTE | ||
| 1.7 | "Shadow" | Macklemore feat. Iro | Iro |
| "Judgements" | Casey Cook | ||
| "Unforgettable" | Pop Culture | ||
| "It Could've Been You" | Chris Jobe | ||
| 1.8 | "Young" | Old Dominion | Katelyn Tarver |
| "Journey" | Jake Scott | ||
| "Take a Ride" | MACI | ||
| 1.9 | "Solo Quiero (Somebody to Love)" | Leona Lewis, Cali y El Dandee & Juan Magán | Rozee |
| "Perfect Skin"[43] | Olivia Lane | ||
| "When You Fall In Love"[44] | Rafferty | ||
| "Ugliest Love" | Annabel Lee | ||
| 1.10 | "Bad Habit"[45] | Zach Sorgen | |
| "Pill for This" | Sam DeRosa | ||
| "Hate Love" | Joel Adams | ||
| 1.11 | "Somebody to Love" | OneRepublic | JT Roach |
| "Be Somebody" | Brigetta | ||
| "Darkest Days" | MADI | ||
| "Giving You Up" | Tyler James Bellinger | ||
| 2.1 | "Champagne Night"[46] | Lady Antebellum | Madeline Merlo |
| "Long Way Home"[47] | Todd Tilghman | Ryan Innes | |
| "Losing You" | Tim Halperin | ||
| 2.2 | "Sway"[48] | Luis Fonsi | Pipobeats |
| "Lost in Translation" | Dyson | ||
| "I Don't Want to Know" | Lauren Martinez | ||
| "What If"[49] | Corii feat. Bruce Wiegner | Corii | |
| 2.3 | "Wrong Places"[50] | H.E.R. | Raquel Castro |
| "Scary" | Axel Mansoor | ||
| "How Could You Not Know?" | Jocelyn Alice | ||
| 2.4 | "Girls Like Me"[51] | Martina McBride | Halie |
| "Hero" | CKAY | ||
| "We Can Be Heroes" | Jeffrey James | ||
| 2.5 | "Give It to You"[52] | Julia Michaels | Keegan Bost |
| "Sad Girls" | Jenna Lotti | ||
| "Numb" | Dan Burke | ||
| 2.6 | "Second Guessing"[53] | Florida Georgia Line | Griffen Palmer |
| "Lean On" | Shawn Austin | ||
| "What You're Puttin' Down" | Lukr | ||
| 2.7 | "Love Struck"[54] | Boyz II Men | ChrisLee |
| "Bad Things" | Boyz II Men | Zak Waters | |
| "What If It's Love" | Boyz II Men | Juan & Lisa Winans | |
| "Jukebox" | Charles Infamous feat. Tuck Ryan | Charles Infamous | |
| 2.8 | "Miracle" & "Bones"[55] | Bebe Rexha | Greg Scott & Anna Graceman |
| "Sideline" | Josh Vida | ||
| "Made for Something" | Alyssa Newton | ||
| 2.9 | "Everything I Did to Get to You"[56] | Ben Platt | David Davis |
| "Ghost" | Kylie Rothfield | ||
| "Fool’s Gold" | Caroline Kole | ||
| 2.10 | "California"[57] | Usher feat. Tyga | Ryan Cam |
| "No Cap (Missing You)" | Miranda Glory | ||
| "Personal" | David Wade | ||
| "Billions"[58] | Fatherdude | ||
Songland Thailand premiered on TrueID on October 20, 2020. It is produced by GMM Grammy and Online Creator Club.[59]