"Remember this is my opinion. My definition of a smash hit record is this. A smash is a record that you have to hear every day. It's a record that you can't go to bed at night, without hearing. It's a record you have to hear every morning. It's a record that you have to hear when you think of your boyfriend or girlfriend. It's a record you have to hear after a break up. It's a record that you have to hear when you think of a certain situation. Simply put, a smash is a record you can't live without.
Smashes are records that are sonically pleasing to the ear. The melody and lyric fit seamlessly into the music and create a tightly bound unit. The song always makes it back to the one. It doesn't take more than thirty seconds to identify a smash to most A&R reps. It's that simple.
Some people use other factors to define a smash hit record. Some people base their standards solely on where the record lands on the charts. That's really post A&R. As an A&R, you are expected to foresee records that will top the chart. Hindsight is always 20/20. That being said, this is my definition of the hit record from it's creative birth, whether it be simply a musical track or melody. I take the record home and I place it on repeat. If I still love it after hearing it all day. I feel comfortable with my decision to move forward with the record.