 Musically, "So You Want to be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" features a driving, circular Rickenbacker guitar riff by McGuinn and, what Conners has called an "unstoppable bass hook" from Hillman.Hillman has stated that he composed the song's bass part during a recording session for South African musician Hugh Masekela.The song also features Masekela's trumpet playing, which represents the first use of brass on a Byrds recording.