It's hard to avoid “The Middle”, Zedd's pop smash featuring country star Maren Morris.
The New York Times took a deep dive into how the song got made, from its germ as a demo from a young Australian songwriter to its chart-topping status.
But while “The Middle” and other would-be major hits of its ilk may strike some purists (or snobs) as cynical — compositions by committee, designed for mass appeal and maximum pleasure — they are also meticulously constructed, deeply collaborative and often inventive, squeezing multiple moods and genres into a three-minute package that can somehow feel universal.
A fascinating look at how songs get made, and the first in a series.
