{"id":2386,"date":"2016-05-31T18:53:57","date_gmt":"2016-05-31T22:53:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.musikalessons.com\/blog\/?p=2386"},"modified":"2023-01-25T16:02:53","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T21:02:53","slug":"how-to-write-a-pop-song","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musikalessons.com\/blog\/2016\/05\/how-to-write-a-pop-song\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Write a Pop Song"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite what you\u2019ve heard, Pop music isn\u2019t just songs from boy bands and teen idols. Pop music, or popular music, is a term that encompasses music from an indescribably huge swath of genres, \"how<\/a>styles, and time periods. Everything from Beach House to The Beach Boys, Kanye to The Kinks, and Hank Williams to Hinder is considered to be some form of Pop music. Songwriters<\/a> new to the game often ask themselves how to write a Pop song, but a better question to ask is how to write a successful<\/em> song. We\u2019ll get to that in a minute.<\/p>\n

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What Defines a Pop Song<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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A Pop song is pretty much anything you\u2019d hear on the radio\u2014this includes college and alternative stations. Great songwriters have bent and stretched the limitations of Pop over the last hundred years, but the structure, tonality, instrumentation, and lyrical themes of popular music actually hasn\u2019t changed all that much.<\/p>\n

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The Verse <\/strong><\/h2>\n

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\"pop<\/a>When you boil it all down, most Pop songs feature some sort of A and B section. A sections are typically known as verses. A verse is a storytelling device where the singer lays out a story by way of melody\u2014a philosophical statement of discontent, a painful story of unrequited love, a poignant observation about the state of the world, etc. The function of the verse is to tell a story, sustain musical tension, and build up to a high energy chorus (the B section). A successful verse melody is one that is strong yet subdued. It seduces you into listening by delivering something compelling; whether it be a haunting melody, some captivating instrumentation, or a definable mood.<\/p>\n

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Versus are vital; they set the tone and feel for the entire song. If your verse lacks character, purpose, and identity, then chances are that a chorus won\u2019t be able to save it, no matter how strong and interesting it is. Invest some time and serious thought into your verses. Everyone\u2019s songwriting method is different, but I typically find that tooling around with pairing certain chords together is a great way to build a verse. You might want to write down lyrics and let the story you tell inform the sort of verse you create. The process of how to write a pop song verse is totally up to you.<\/p>\n

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The Chorus<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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If a Pop song is a birthday cake, the chorus would be the sweet frosting exterior; the part that everyone sees and remembers. The chorus is the part of the Pop song where we get to be louder, more\"chorus<\/a> energetic, less restrained. If you\u2019ve written an engaging verse, the chorus should come naturally. Key changes, higher vocal melodies and catchy hooks are good ways to deliver energy to choruses, but it\u2019s not always that simple. Every song is unique and should be treated as such. Invest time in playing around with different chord progressions and you\u2019ll begin to see where a verse is naturally headed. A good chorus is a departure from the verse, but not enough of a change that it distracts from the song as a whole.<\/p>\n

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Other Sections<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Verses and choruses are a Pop song\u2019s staple sections, but they\u2019re by no means the only sections. When learning how to write a pop song, intros, endings, bridges, and instrumental sections should be studied as well. They are powerful songwriting tools that can add valuable character, momentum, and direction to the music you\u2019re writing. A thoughtfully-constructed intro is your way to set the tone of your song by introducing instruments, suggesting a tonality, and constructing a mood. The intro is your chance to define a mood that will carry through your song or hint at a theme or idea that you\u2019ll develop later. Or, you could present something that leads the listener in a certain direction and then surprise them with a first verse that sounds completely different. Get creative with your intros, but don\u2019t just add something because you think you have to.<\/p>\n

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Bridges are excellent explaining sections. They bring the music to new, unexpected places and they serve as devices that move the lyrical content along. Bridges can serve as excellent connecting sections that link verses and choruses (or vice versa) with new blood, renewed energy, and fresh instrumentation. If you like your song, but you feel like it needs a little oomph, consider writing a thoughtful bridge to change things up. Endings serve a similar purpose, but with an added finality and musical resolve.<\/p>\n

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When executed correctly, these sorts of transitional sections can add an elevated level of sophistication to your songwriting, but when thinking about how to write a pop song, keep in mind that more sections doesn\u2019t translate to better songs. Daniel Johnston\u2019s \u201cTrue Love Will Find You In The End\u201d\u2014an indie-pop song widely loved by millions\u2014consists of just two simple verses. No choruses, bridges, or instrumental sections needed. In songwriting, conveying a mood and displaying honest tension in a compelling way is far more important than making music that sounds perfect. Skill is important, but more often than not, the listener wants to hear something relatable and engaging.<\/p>\n