As a songwriter, Martin Johnson has achieved fame by writing memorable tunes that were characterized by catchiness and melody suitable for singing along loudly. As the vocalist of the band Boys Like Girls, Martin Johnson has become a well-known personality on the pop-rock scene. Nevertheless, throughout his career, Johnson has never been limited to being a singer only. In fact, the main emphasis of his work has always been on such features of his writing as memorable hooks, emotional directness and choruses suitable for both club atmosphere and listening with headphones on.

Boys Like Girls beginnings

Having started his career with the Boys Like Girls project, Martin Johnson has achieved wide popularity among fans of pop-punk and mainstream rock genres. In particular, the debut album Boys Like Girls (2006) has been distinguished by youthfulness, cinematic atmosphere and dramatic elements. Such songs as "Hero/Heroine" and "The Great Escape" have become typical examples of Johnson's writing style. It is necessary to admit that "The Great Escape" clearly demonstrated the author's talent for creating a musical piece based on his personal experience.

The early period of the songwriter's career has been particularly important for proving that Johnson was not a mere singer who performed in a band. In fact, throughout his career, Johnson has been responsible for setting the mood, melody creation and the general identity of the band. While many young rock artists tend to write loud or confessional songs, Johnson has developed his own unique style which combines these two qualities and uses particular tricks.

The band's next project, the album Love Drunk (2009), has continued the tradition of the previous works. At the same time, this project has introduced some new elements into Johnson's writing style. In particular, the song "Two Is Better Than One", recorded with Taylor Swift, has proved that Johnson could write in a gentler manner but still keep the emotional depth of his songs. Thus, this collaboration has become a clear illustration of the versatility of Martin Johnson's writing style.

What defines his writing

There have been several elements that have characterized the writing style of Martin Johnson throughout his career:

  • creating catchy choruses
  • merging confessional lyrics with the melodies of his songs
  • merging pop polish with guitar-driven energy

The above-mentioned elements have become a key to the success of his pieces. Firstly, it should be admitted that Johnson has created his songs in such a way as to allow listeners to recognize their own experiences in them. Thus, his songs become universal for describing such experiences as break-ups, regretful evenings and positive romantic emotions. In fact, this element has become crucial for the longevity of the Boys Like Girls project and the popularity of the songs created within it.

Secondly, Martin Johnson's songs have been distinguished by a good arrangement. The majority of Johnson's works have a clear structure which includes verses creating tension and a chorus that releases this tension. This factor plays an especially significant role for pop-rock musicians since the main difference between a good and an outstanding song is the ability to combine the arrangement, correct pace and bright hooks with the emotional charge.

Later projects and reach

Throughout his further career development, Martin Johnson has expanded his work area and has started writing songs for other projects. For instance, in 2017 he introduced his new project entitled The Night Game, which was oriented not to the guitar music characteristic of the Boys Like Girls project but rather to sleek and retro pop-rock. Songs such as "The Outfield" and "Once in a Lifetime" have proved the atmosphere and the more sophisticated sound of this project.

The Night Game has become important for demonstrating the fact that the style of Johnson's songs has not been limited to a time period or genre. In fact, Martin Johnson has demonstrated that it is possible to remain a contemporary artist and to continue using his methods of creating melodies and lyrics characteristic of his previous works. Therefore, the songs of this project have retained their distinguishing features.

It is worth noting that throughout his career Martin Johnson has demonstrated that his primary occupation has been writing rather than singing. While there are numerous musicians who become famous just for their cooperation with some band or a song that has made them popular, Martin Johnson has developed a unique writing style which has remained recognizable in all of his works.

Therefore, it can be stated that Martin Johnson's career as a songwriter has remained remarkable. His songs have been open emotionally but professionally crafted, energetic and sincere and personal but not narrow-minded. While people are impressed by the big melodies of Martin Johnson, the secret of his success lies in professionally crafted songs.