When I took my first songwriting workshop I had no idea that verses, choruses, and bridges were the primary building blocks used in popular songs. Nor did I know that the vast majority of the songs I listened to on the radio combined these components into one of four song forms, or a variation of one of these forms.<\/p>\n
Initially, when I learned about song structures, I feared that confining my music to one of a handful of prescribed forms would limit\u2014or even destroy\u2014my creative expression. But I learned that effective songwriting is an art of communication; that a primary goal was to connect with\u2014and evoke emotion in\u2014my listeners. The structures I used to express my songs did not alter their message. To the contrary, presenting my songs in formats with which my listeners were familiar, allowed my audience to receive the melodies and lyrics I shared. My listeners might not be able to define or identify a verse, a chorus, or a bridge, but they had spent a lifetime listening to music that was constructed using these components, so including them added a sense of familiarity.<\/p>\n
Popular music is constantly evolving, and this article explores whether the use of song structures has changed, and whether there are any trends to take note of. Before proceeding, I\u2019ll briefly define the functions of each of the \u201cbuilding blocks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Verse lyrics tell the story, include action and details, and lead the listeners to the chorus and the title. Each verse typically has different lyrics, and while there are no \u201crules\u201d about how long a verse should be, the most common lengths are eight, twelve, or sixteen musical bars.<\/p>\n
Hot Tip:<\/strong> To write a second verse, ask yourself, \u201cWhat else<\/em> happened? Or, \u201cThen<\/em> what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n Chorus lyrics are usually a simple summation of the concept\u2014a place to summarize the song\u2019s essence in a catchy, easy-to-remember way. Choruses are intended to be the most memorable part of the song, both lyrically and melodically\u2014the part people walk away singing. Choruses tend to be eight, twelve, or sixteen musical bars.<\/p>\n In song forms that include a chorus, the title will almost always be in the chorus. The rare exceptions to this are typically songs written by artists who write for themselves. For example, Coldplay\u2019s GRAMMY-winning Song of the Year, \u201cViva La Vida\u201d never includes the title in the chorus\u2014or anywhere else in the song.<\/p>\n The chorus lyric does not typically bring in detail or advance the story. Why? Because the chorus will likely be repeated two or three times, and if it is full of detail and story, it probably won\u2019t make sense to repeat it.<\/p>\n Typically, every chorus within a given song will have the same melody and the same lyrics. But there are certainly exceptions. The two choruses in Patsy Cline\u2019s classic \u201cI Fall to Pieces\u201d (Harlan Howard\/Hank Cochran) include different lyrics, and in Jimmy Buffett\u2019s \u201cMargaritaville,\u201d the final line of each chorus lyric is different from the others.<\/p>\n The word most often invoked when describing the function of bridges is \u201cdeparture,\u201d and indeed, the most effective bridges depart both melodically and lyrically from the other sections of the song. Ideally, in this section a new lyric angle, new perspective, and\/or new information is introduced. Bridges (often referred to as the \u201cMiddle 8\u201d outside the U.S.) are typically four or eight musical bars. They can be instrumental (such as in Eric Church\u2019s \u201cLike a Wrecking Ball\u201d), but that\u2019s not typical.<\/p>\n Whether to include a bridge or not is a creative decision based on factors such as whether the writer wants to advance the story, if there is a new melodic element they want to introduce, and the length of the song.<\/p>\n A pre-chorus is a component of a song that occurs immediately before the chorus. Sometimes called a lift, a climb, a channel, a set-up, or a \u201cB\u201d section, its function is to connect and propel listeners from the verse to the chorus\u2014both melodically and lyrically. This sub-section of the verse is most often comprised of four or eight musical bars.<\/p>\n Songs that include a pre-chorus in the first verse almost always have one in every subsequent verse. In songs that have two verses prior to their chorus, the pre-chorus typically only appears in the verse immediately before the chorus.<\/p>\n In many instances (such as The Weeknd\u2019s \u201cCan\u2019t Feel My Face\u201d) every pre-chorus has the same melody and the same lyric. But in the pre-chorus of Taylor Swift\u2019s \u201cYou Belong With Me,\u201d the melody of each pre-chorus remains the same, but the lyric changes each time. Both of these approaches are regularly found in successful songs in various genres.<\/p>\n Post-choruses (sometimes called \u201cB\u201d choruses) are sections that follow a chorus, providing an additional hook. Most often comprised of four or eight musical bars, the post-chorus might follow every chorus within a given song, or it might be only in the song\u2019s final chorus. In addition to contributing an extra melodic hook, in many instances, this section serves as a place to hammer home the title.<\/p>\n Excellent examples of post-choruses include Taylor Swift\u2019s \u201cShake it Off\u201d and Katy Perry\u2019s \u201cRoar.\u201d<\/p>\n The most popular song forms since the era of the Beatles have been:<\/p>\n Verse\u2014Chorus\u2014Verse\u2014Chorus Verse\u2014Chorus\u2014Verse\u2014Chorus\u2014Bridge\u2014Chorus Verse\u2014Chorus\u2014Verse\u2014Chorus\u2014Verse\u2014Chorus Verse\u2014Verse\u2014Bridge\u2014Verse These structures are sometimes expressed as:<\/p>\n A\u2014B\u2014A\u2014B Popular variations have included starting with a chorus (B\u2014A\u2014B\u2014A\u2014B or B\u2014A\u2014B\u2014A\u2014B\u2014C\u2014B); having two verses prior to the first chorus; and having a \u201cdouble\u201d chorus.<\/p>\n In songs that use the A\u2014A\u2014B\u2014A form, a common variation repeats the bridge after the third verse, followed by an additional verse (A\u2014A\u2014B\u2014A\u2014B\u2014A). In these instances the second bridge is almost always the same as the first\u2014melodically and lyrically. The last verse sometimes repeats the lyrics of the first verse, but not in all cases.<\/p>\n In some songs, the pre-chorus is repeated between the second and third choruses, serving the function of a bridge. Sam Hunt\u2019s country hit \u201cHouse Party\u201d is a good example of this.<\/p>\n The A\u2014A\u2014B\u2014A song form (with slight variations) was used in songs such as Whitney Houston\u2019s \u201cSaving All My Love for You\u201d (written by Linda Creed and Michael Masser), Paul McCartney\u2019s \u201cYesterday,\u201d and John Lennon\u2019s \u201cImagine.\u201d This song form seemed to be in a disproportionately large number of songs that became \u201cstandards.\u201d But the popularity of this structure began waning in the \u201880s and \u201890s. It can be heard in 2015 Country Song of the Year GRAMMY-nominated song \u201cChances Are\u201d (recorded by Lee Ann Womack and written by Hayes Carll.)<\/p>\n In pop, country, R&B, adult contemporary, and most other popular styles, the high point of the song is the chorus. But in EDM, the high point is \u201cthe drop\u201d or \u201cthe dance break.\u201d This section is typically instrumental, or mostly instrumental, with only the title or the hook line being sung.<\/p>\nChoruses<\/h3>\n
Bridges<\/h3>\n
Pre-Choruses<\/h3>\n
Post-Choruses<\/h3>\n
How Songs Have Typically Been Constructed<\/h3>\n
\n(Example: Shania Twain\u2019s \u201cYou\u2019re Still the One\u201d)<\/p>\n
\n(Example: Luke Bryan\u2019s \u201cStrip it Down\u201d)<\/p>\n
\n(Example: Elton John\u2019s \u201cCandle in the Wind\u201d)<\/p>\n
\n(Example: Whitney Houston\u2019s \u201cSaving All My Love for You\u201d)<\/p>\n
\nA\u2014B\u2014A\u2014B\u2014C\u2014B
\nA\u2014B\u2014A\u2014B\u2014A\u2014B
\nA\u2014A\u2014B\u2014A<\/p>\nEDM (Electronic Dance Music) Structures<\/h3>\n