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I have found that a great lyric is only half the battle. Mike has added the other half.
Prosody. The music has to fit and the music has to bring out the emotion of the song.
I have been actively participating in workshops, Publisher critiques and pitch to publisher nights in Nashville.
Matter of fact I am going to one tonight. I will be one block from Music Row.
I am starting to get a glimpse of what they are looking for. Now all I have to do is write it, LOL.

I am mostly a Country writer. I don't really care whether anyone else likes country music or not. What I care about is do the publishers in Nashville like my country songs. No one else matters.
I am not interested in a record deal. I am interested in cuts. Not just any cuts either. I want Major league cuts. TOP 40 cuts and a couple number ones would do just fine.
And anyone who thinks you can't get rich writing country songs is full of it. A number one is probably worth 3/4 million the first year. That's Rich to me.

Any one who thinks Nashville publishers don't know what they are doing is fooling themselves. Half the Profesional critiquers are publishers. You know why they do it. They are looking for writers, writers who can write hits songs.
They also do it because it is their passion. They eat, drink, sleep, and crap music. 24/7 that's what they do.
If you go to a critique session at night you are being critiqued by a person that was probably up a 5 AM, at work by 6 AM and you are talking to them at 8PM when they are still working.

You guys talk about Achy Breaky Heart. Say its crap.

Wake up....The song was Brilliant. Listen to the lyric then listen to the music. They are a perfect fit. Then add that to the line dance craze. Another perfect fit.
The song made millions and songwriters are sitting there saying how crappy the song was.
Well if I could write crap like that at the right time I'd be a very happy guy. And since I am an old guy my heirs would be happy also, LOL.