Using “strong” for song

Question

Can we say "strong song" or should we say "powerful song" ? I want to imply that that it's vocal performance is powerful but then I thought "strong" is for describing something physical not a song maybe.

Answer 1

I would only use "strong" when comparing it to other songs, or talking about the actor's performance, otherwise I would use moving or powerful instead.

He gave a strong performance.

The song held up strongly on the charts.

That was a powerful song.

That was a moving melody.

Answer 2

There's nothing inherently wrong with describing a song as strong. Although it's less common than powerful, the usage isn't particularly unusual...

I tend to think of a "strong song" as one where the song itself has a clear, memorable musical structure, independent of any particular singer's delivery on any particular performance.

A "powerful song", on the other hand, seems more suggestive of a specific performance - or at least, it's as much about the singer's vocal power and delivery as it is about the song.