Research Artist for Suno

Research Artist for Suno

Independently research artist styles and song patterns to inform Suno prompt creation. Get comprehensive analysis of lyrical structure, musical patterns, and production characteristics before writing a song.

Purpose

This skill provides standalone artist/song research capabilities using the same automated research sub-agent used in the main Suno Song Creator workflow. Use it when you want to understand an artist's style before creating a song, or when you're exploring musical patterns for inspiration.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• Exploring an artist's style before song creation
• Studying specific song patterns for inspiration
• Researching multiple artists to compare styles
• Gathering pattern data for later use
• Learning about lyrical structures and techniques
• Understanding genre-specific production approaches

Example triggers:

• "Research Phoebe Bridgers' style"
• "Analyze Sabrina Carpenter's Manchild"
• "Study Taylor Swift's folklore era patterns"
• "Look up The National's lyrical patterns"
• "What are Bon Iver's signature characteristics?"

Usage

Research an Artist (General Style)

/research-artist Phoebe Bridgers
/research-artist The National
/research-artist boygenius

What happens:

1. Skill extracts artist name from your request
2. Launches song-researcher sub-agent automatically
3. Sub-agent performs web research (Genius, HookTheory, Spotify)
4. Sub-agent analyzes 3-4 representative songs
5. Returns structured research report with patterns

Research a Specific Song

/research-artist Sabrina Carpenter - Manchild
/research-artist Phoebe Bridgers - Motion Sickness
/research-artist Taylor Swift - All Too Well

What happens:

1. Skill extracts artist name AND specific song
2. Launches song-researcher sub-agent
3. Sub-agent performs deep analysis of that specific song
4. Sub-agent also analyzes 2-3 other songs from same artist for context
5. Returns comprehensive report with song-specific patterns plus artist context

Research Workflow

Automated Web Research

The song-researcher sub-agent automatically:

From Genius.com:

• Fetches complete lyrics
• Extracts song structure markers (Verse, Chorus, Bridge)
• Collects annotations and context

From HookTheory.com / Chord Sites:

• Searches for chord progressions
• Extracts key signatures if available
• Notes musical theory elements

From Spotify / Music Sites:

• Identifies genre tags
• Finds similar artists
• Gathers production context

Pattern Extraction

Lyrical Patterns Analyzed:

• Syllable counts: Lines per section, consistency patterns
• Rhyme scheme: AABB, ABAB, ABCB, loose/tight rhyming
• Structure: Verse/chorus/bridge line counts, repetition
• Metaphors: Central metaphor systems, imagery patterns
• Vocabulary: Characteristic word choices, formality level
• Emotional arc: Progression through song sections

Musical Context:

• Chord progressions: Common patterns, key signatures
• Production style: Recording techniques, instrumentation
• Vocal delivery: Range, dynamics, characteristic techniques

Multi-Song Synthesis

When researching a specific song:

• Primary analysis: Deep dive into that specific song
• Context songs: Analyze 2-3 other representative tracks
• Pattern synthesis: Identify what's consistent (artist signature) vs. variable (song-specific)

When researching an artist generally:

• Analyzes 3-4 representative popular songs
• Identifies consistent patterns across catalog
• Notes variations and evolution

Research Report Format

Receive a structured markdown report with:

# Research Report: [Artist] - [Song if specified]

## Research Quality
- **Confidence Score:** [90-100% / 70-89% / 50-69% / <50%]
- **Sources Used:** Genius ✓/✗, Chords ✓/✗, Spotify/Context ✓/✗
- **Songs Analyzed:** [count] total
- **Primary Song:** [song name if specific]
- **Context Songs:** [other songs analyzed]

## Primary Song Analysis (if specific song)
### Lyrical Structure
- Syllable patterns: [X-Y per line, consistency notes]
- Rhyme scheme: [AABB/ABAB/ABCB/etc.]
- Verse structure: [lines, pattern]
- Chorus structure: [lines, pattern]

### Thematic Elements
- Central metaphor: [description]
- Emotional arc: [progression]
- Characteristic vocabulary: [word choices]
- Tone: [intimate/playful/melancholic/etc.]

### Musical Context
- Chord progression: [if available]
- Key: [if available]
- Production notes: [style, instrumentation]

## Artist Context
### Consistent Patterns (Artist Signature)
- Syllable tendencies: [consistent across songs]
- Rhyme preferences: [typical schemes]
- Metaphor approach: [concrete vs. abstract]
- Production style: [lo-fi/polished/etc.]

### Variations Across Songs
- [what changes song to song]
- [stylistic range]

## Recommendations for Suno Prompt

**Genre Section:**

genre: "[specific genre descriptors from research]"

**Vocal Section:**

vocal: "[delivery style, range, characteristics from research]"

**Lyrical Guidance:**
- Syllable targets: [X-Y verses, X-Y chorus]
- Rhyme scheme: [recommended pattern]
- Metaphor approach: [concrete/abstract balance]
- Tone: [recommended emotional register]

**Production Notes:**

instrumentation: "[from research]" production: "[from research]" recording: "[realism descriptors if applicable]"

## Research Limitations
- [What data was unavailable]
- [Sources that didn't have information]
- [Caveats about analysis]

Confidence Scoring

90-100% (Comprehensive):

• All 3 sources provided data
• Multiple songs analyzed successfully
• Complete pattern extraction possible
• High certainty in recommendations

70-89% (Good):

• 2/3 sources provided data
• At least one complete song analyzed
• Patterns identified with reasonable confidence
• Recommendations solid but with some gaps

50-69% (Basic):

• 1/3 sources provided partial data
• Limited song analysis
• Patterns tentative
• Recommendations cautious

<50% (Insufficient):

• Very limited data available
• Artist/song not found or minimal info
• Proceed with caution
• Manual research may be needed

Usage Examples

Example 1: Research Artist Before Creating Song

User: /research-artist Phoebe Bridgers

Main Agent: "I'll research Phoebe Bridgers' style to understand her patterns..."
Main Agent: [Launches song-researcher sub-agent]

Song Researcher: [Fetches data from Genius (Motion Sickness, Scott Street, Kyoto)]
Song Researcher: [Searches for chord progressions on HookTheory]
Song Researcher: [Gathers genre context from Spotify/AllMusic]
Song Researcher: [Analyzes syllable patterns, rhyme schemes, metaphors]
Song Researcher: [Returns structured report]

Main Agent: "Research complete! Analyzed 3 songs: 'Motion Sickness', 'Scott Street', 'Kyoto'."
Main Agent: [Displays research report with patterns]

Key findings:
- Syllables: 8-10 per line in verses, 6-9 in chorus
- Rhyme: Loose ABCB, prefers slant rhymes over exact
- Metaphors: Concrete imagery (car crashes, specific places)
- Tone: Confessional, intimate, lo-fi aesthetic
- Production: Bedroom pop, minimal, soft dynamics

User can then: Use findings to inform Suno song creation, save report for reference, or continue main workflow with research context

Example 2: Research Specific Song

User: /research-artist Sabrina Carpenter - Manchild

Main Agent: "I'll research Sabrina Carpenter's 'Manchild' in depth..."
Main Agent: [Launches song-researcher sub-agent]

Song Researcher: [Primary: Deep analysis of 'Manchild']
Song Researcher: [Context: Analyzes 'Nonsense', 'Feather' for patterns]
Song Researcher: [Synthesizes song-specific vs. artist-consistent patterns]
Song Researcher: [Returns structured report]

Main Agent: "Research complete! Primary song: 'Manchild' + context from 2 other tracks."
Main Agent: [Displays comprehensive report]

Key findings for 'Manchild':
- Syllables: 7-9 per line, very consistent
- Rhyme: AABB couplets, exact rhymes
- Metaphor: Extended "manchild" metaphor throughout
- Tone: Playful sarcasm, witty observations
- Production: Modern pop, bright, punchy

Artist context (from other songs):
- Consistent: Witty wordplay, relationship commentary
- Variable: 'Manchild' more sarcastic than usual romantic tracks

User can then: Understand specific song's unique qualities vs. artist's general style

Example 3: Compare Multiple Artists

User: I want to understand the difference between Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker's styles

Main Agent: "I'll research both artists separately..."

[Researches Phoebe Bridgers]
[Researches Julien Baker]

Main Agent: "Here's the comparison based on research:

**Phoebe Bridgers:**
- Syllables: 8-10, looser
- Rhyme: Slant rhymes, loose ABCB
- Metaphors: Concrete imagery (places, objects)
- Production: Bedroom pop, soft

**Julien Baker:**
- Syllables: 9-11, tighter
- Rhyme: More exact rhymes, ABAB
- Metaphors: Religious imagery, abstract concepts
- Production: Lo-fi indie rock, emotional dynamics"

Integration with Main Workflow

Standalone usage: Use /research-artist independently when exploring styles before creating a song.

Automatic usage in main workflow: When you use the main Suno Song Creator skill and mention an artist reference, the song-researcher sub-agent launches automatically—you don't need to call this skill manually.

Example workflow:

1. Use /research-artist Phoebe Bridgers to study style
2. Review research report
3. Later: "Create a sad indie folk song" (main Suno workflow)
4. Reference findings from earlier research when building prompt

Note: Research is NOT cached across sessions. Each invocation performs fresh web research.

Error Handling

Artist Not Found

If the artist is not found or has minimal data:

• Sub-agent tries alternative spellings
• Searches for similar artists
• Returns partial results with low confidence score
• Recommends manual research

Example output:

## Research Limitations
- Artist "XYZ" not found on Genius or Spotify
- Attempted alternative spellings with no results
- Confidence: <50% (Insufficient)
- Recommendation: Verify artist name spelling or try related artists

Limited Data Available

If some sources provide data but others don't:

• Uses available sources
• Notes which sources failed
• Provides partial analysis
• Flags confidence score accordingly

Example output:

## Research Quality
- Sources Used: Genius ✓, Chords ✗ (not available), Spotify ✓
- Confidence: 65% (Basic)
- Note: Chord progressions not available for this artist

Specific Song Not Found

If researching specific song that can't be located:

• Falls back to artist's popular songs
• Analyzes general style instead
• Notes in report that specific song unavailable

Example output:

## Research Limitations
- Specific song "XYZ" not found
- Analyzed 3 other popular songs instead: [list]
- General artist patterns provided

Best Practices

Before using:

• Have artist name and/or song title ready
• Consider if you want general style or specific song analysis
• Be prepared to review structured report

When reviewing results:

• Check confidence score (>70% is good, <50% needs caution)
• Note which sources provided data
• Identify patterns vs. limitations
• Use recommendations as starting point, not rigid rules

After research:

• Save report if needed for later reference
• Use findings to inform Suno prompt sections
• Adapt patterns to your song's unique needs
• Don't copy verbatim—use as inspiration

Technical Details

Sub-Agent Architecture

This skill uses the Task tool to launch the song-researcher sub-agent:

Task tool:
  subagent_type: "song-researcher"
  description: "Research artist patterns"
  prompt: "Research [Artist] - [Song if mentioned]. User wants to understand style patterns."

Sub-agent tools:

• Read: Access reference materials in references/ directory
• Grep: Search reference materials for patterns
• WebFetch: Fetch content from Genius, HookTheory, Spotify
• WebSearch: Find artist pages, song pages, context

Sub-agent context:

• Independent context (no shared conversation history)
• No knowledge of skill invocation method
• Receives only artist/song names and research request
• Returns structured markdown report

Reference Materials

Sub-agent can access:

• ../references/artist-research-guide.md - Research techniques and analysis methods
• ../references/meta-tags-reference.md - Meta tag patterns for Suno
• ../references/realism-descriptors.md - Production vocabulary
• ../references/genre-clouds.md - Genre characteristic patterns

These references inform analysis but are not included in report output.

Limitations

What this skill does NOT do:

• Does not cache research across sessions
• Does not create Suno prompts (use main Suno Song Creator for that)
• Does not access paid/subscription music theory sites
• Does not analyze audio files directly
• Does not provide chord progressions if unavailable on web

What it DOES do:

• Automated web research from free sources
• Structured pattern extraction
• Multi-song comparative analysis
• Confidence-scored recommendations
• Graceful degradation when data limited

Related Skills

Main Suno Song Creator (/suno-song-creator): Use when you want to create a complete Suno prompt. Includes automated research when artist mentioned, plus prompt building, lyric writing, and file export.

Review Suno Song (/review-song): Use after creating a prompt to get quality assessment from independent reviewer. Checks for AI-slop, clichés, rhyme quality, style-lyric fit.

Skill Workflow Summary

1. Extract: Parse artist name and optional song from user request
2. Launch: Use Task tool to invoke song-researcher sub-agent
3. Research: Sub-agent performs automated web fetching from 3 sources
4. Analyze: Sub-agent extracts patterns (syllables, rhyme, metaphors, etc.)
5. Synthesize: Sub-agent compares across multiple songs if applicable
6. Score: Sub-agent rates confidence based on data quality
7. Report: Sub-agent returns structured markdown report
8. Display: Main agent presents findings to user
9. Save (optional): User can save report or use findings immediately

Implementation Notes

When invoked:

• Parse user input for artist name and optional song
• Construct research request for sub-agent
• Launch via Task tool
• Wait for structured report
• Display results to user

Input variations handled:

• "Phoebe Bridgers" → artist-only research
• "Phoebe Bridgers - Motion Sickness" → specific song + context
• "Phoebe Bridgers Motion Sickness" (no dash) → parse correctly
• "Research Taylor Swift folklore" → artist + era hint

Output handling:

• Display full structured report
• Highlight confidence score prominently
• Note any limitations or missing data
• Provide actionable next steps

No user input required: Artist/song name provided in initial skill invocation. Sub-agent performs research automatically and returns complete report.