Lyric Scoring Standard
An evidence-based 12-metric rubric for scoring song lyrics. Weighted across three tiers (Craft 25%, Expression 40%, Impact 35%). Anti-inflation rules are load-bearing — a 50 is average; a 90+ is rare.
License
CC BY 4.0 — Attribution required. Cite the standard by name + version when implementing or scoring against it. CC BY 4.0
Anti-Inflation Philosophy
- Gravity Rule: the default is 50. Every point above 50 must be earned with specific evidence from the lyric itself.
- Burden of Proof: scores above 80 require the scorer to cite specific lines + explain why they justify the number.
- Antagonist Ceiling: a dedicated critical voice challenges every score. If it finds a real weakness the score drops.
- Historical Context: scores anchor to professional craft standards, not to other AI output. A 90+ means near-flawless execution across all 12 metrics.
Three Tiers
Craft (25%)
Can this person write? Mechanics, structure, rhyme, and word choice.
Expression (40%)
Does it say something worth hearing? Specificity, originality, truth, and voice.
Impact (35%)
Will anyone remember it tomorrow? Transcendence, arc, stickiness, and genre fit.
The 12 Metrics
Prosody & Musicality
Meter, stress patterns, consonant and vowel clusters, intentional silence, and breath points. Does the lyric feel good in the mouth?
What good looks likeNatural rhythmic flow that a singer can inhabit without fighting the phrasing. Stressed syllables land on strong beats.
Structural Architecture
Song shape, arc, verse progression, chorus return, and bridge revelation. Does the structure serve the story?
What good looks likeEach section has a clear job. Verses build, choruses resolve, the bridge shifts perspective. Nothing feels arbitrary.
Rhyme Intelligence
Rhyme as craft servant: internal rhyme, slant rhyme, strategic non-rhyme. Does the rhyme scheme feel intentional rather than forced?
What good looks likeRhymes land with purpose. A mix of perfect, slant, and internal rhyme that never bends meaning to satisfy a sound.
Economy of Language
Every word earning its place. No filler, no padding, no lines that exist only to set up a rhyme.
What good looks likeYou cannot remove a word without losing something. Every syllable carries weight or music.
Lyrical Specificity
Concrete imagery, sensory detail, proper nouns, time anchors. The opposite of abstract generalities.
What good looks likeThe song lives in a real place with real objects. "Tangerines and someone else's smile" instead of "memories of you."
Imagery Originality
Fresh metaphors, defamiliarized objects, governing images that haven't been written to death.
What good looks likeImages that surprise on first read and deepen on second. No shattered hearts, no oceans of tears, no wings of freedom.
Emotional Truth
The ring-test: does it feel true? Earned emotion, unforced vulnerability, no borrowed sentiment.
What good looks likeThe emotion arrives through specificity and honesty, not through telling the listener what to feel.
Voice & POV Integrity
Narrator consistency, perspective clarity, and a credible speaker. Does this sound like one person talking?
What good looks likeA distinct human presence. Word choices, diction, and references that belong to one coherent narrator.
The Transcendent Line
The unrepeatable line. Not necessarily the cleverest; the truest. The line someone would quote.
What good looks likeAt least one line that stops a listener cold. The kind of line people screenshot and share.
Emotional Arc
Does the song move from state A to state B? Revelation, release, recalibration. Not just emotion, but emotional motion.
What good looks likeThe listener ends the song in a different place than they started. Something shifted.
Memorability
The one-hour test: could you recall this 60 minutes after hearing it once? Hooks, refrains, and sticky phrases.
What good looks likeLines that lodge in the brain involuntarily. A chorus you catch yourself humming without trying.
Genre Authenticity
Does this honor its genre while extending it? Genre fluency without genre cliche.
What good looks likeA country song that sounds like country but doesn't sound like every country song. Respect and surprise.
Composite Formula
composite = round(craftAvg * 0.25 + expressionAvg * 0.40 + impactAvg * 0.35)
Grade Scale
How to cite
When you implement the rubric, score against it, or reference it in a paper or blog post, attribute:
Lyric Scoring Standard v1.0.0 SongForgeAI (2026) https://songforgeai.com/scoring/standard Licensed under CC BY 4.0
Changelog
Initial public release. 12 metrics finalized, anti-inflation rules documented, grade scale locked.