Shira: You’re totally right! It’s combined talents.
As for composing stam: It used to be that the lyrics were made first, only then did the music chime in (Carlebach is the best example lol). Now, the music is the ikkur and the lyrics are the taful. That’s not real Jewish music, but some composers are able to get away with it and still sounds nice (idk about Fried but his stuff just keeps on getting better!)
I believe that a song is a real niggun when it can be sung at the Shabbos table. If not, then it’s lacking.
I’m curious to see what the olam says about my svarah…