Pop song structure

Song structure is all about the way the specific song is structured or arranged. It typically refers to repeating or non-repeating sections of a song.

Similarly, Pop song structures are a unique way of bringing together different musical sections of the song. They are of course different from other genres of the song but just like them they must be catchy for people to remember.

Pop songs bring in choruses faster and quicker than other music genres. This is all because the chorus is the catchiest part of the pop song and pop songwriters definitely want the listener to hear and enjoy it as much as possible.

It is important to note that a perfect pop song should stand apart and whether it is sung with proper equipment in a studio or simple equipment it should always be easy to remember.

The production team can add quality and melodies with the help of instruments to the song. This is only going to enhance your pop songs further.

Before getting into much greater detail, let’s understand what is the typical structure of the pop song?

A typical pop song structure broadly comprises- verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus structure. And a typical pop song if it is of 3 minutes – 4 minutes can have around 360 bars at 120bpm – 130 bpm.

This can vary greatly depending upon different songs, its temp and its structure. Having the number of bars is not fixed and can change depending upon the requirements whether it is a pop song structure or a rock song structure.

• Verse
  Usually, a verse is around 8-16 bars. Sometimes it can be short, somewhere around 4 bars to get the chorus sooner.

           A shorter verse is more effective with a pre-chorus as otherwise, the song can become very short. And if the verse is longer, than you can cut down the second verse to around half of the first.

Song structures example–

• Introduction
  It begins with an introduction and it is the critical part of the pop song structure. It has to be designed and prepared in such a way that the listener gets hold of the song and is interested to hear it straight away. It should be catchy and peppy.

• Verse
  Following the introduction, this section is the verse part and it provides listeners with detailed insights about the track. It delivers the main message of the song while the song proceeds.

• Pre-chorus 
  A pre-chorus fits well in the song and is usually between the verse and the chorus. It is specially designed to change the mood to synch with the chorus.

• Chorus
  This is the section of the song, which repeats between the lyrics and the music. It simply means joining and harmonization of the voices typically in the form of singing. Chorus and verses keep alternating through the song.

• Verse, pre-chorus & chorus

          This section repeats with an added arrangement. In this section, the second verse can be made shorter than the first              so that the listener can get to the chore quickly.

• Bridge
  The bridge as the name suggests provides a break-up effect of the repetition between the chorus and the verse.

• Break
  This is an optional section and it is a percussion section within the song that breaks up the pop song structure. It can be used effectively within the song to grab the listener’s attention.

• Final chorus

          As the final chorus arrives, it is time to wrap up the song with the last chorus with the help of a bridge or a gap. One                can often repeat it twice at the end.

          And the final and last segment is the outro which is the closing segment. From here on, the song fades away leading              to a beat or a melody.

Types of pop song structure

• A typical pop song

          Verse|Chorus|Verse|Chorus|Bridge|Chorus

• A pop song with pre-chorus

          Verse|Pre-chorus|Chorus|Verse|Pre-chorus|Chorus|Bridge|Chorus

• Opening chorus pop song

          Chorus|Verse|Chorus|Verse|Chorus|Bridge|Chorus

• A pop song with an instrumental

           Verse|Chorus|Verse|Chorus|Instrumental/Solo|Chorus

• Drop chorus pop song

           Verse|Chorus|Verse|Chorus|Bridge|Drop Chorus|Chorus

           These are the typical song structure template and can be helpful in preparing the song.

How to prepare a pop song that sells?

It is important to introspect and learn what kind of song you want to write. Because within the pop song there are different options to choose and include. You have to see and finalize whether it will be a fast and peppy number or a low key one.

You can always make amendments as you continue to write but it’s good to have clarity before you have begun. After this, you can come up and include different ideas for different sections and can then piece them together to form a compilation.

If you have an instrument then you can start writing your pop song along with it. This way you will be able to create chords and experiment with the melodies side by side.

What makes a pop song successful?

A catchy number is the one that sticks to the user’s mind and it is the one that sells. It works well directly with your listeners as well as the companies who may get interested in your track. The catchiness of the song will depend on the song structure lyrics and how easy they are to remember.

Importance of Pop song structure

Song structures are important as it allows the listener to focus on the song and without getting distracted. By doing this, we allow them to focus on specific elements of this song. They are like a journey inviting you on a 3-4 minute ride trip.

Remember to keep everything simple and not overcomplicate it. Prepare a song that is more than chords and melodies as lyrics are equally important. They should be simple, relatable, and should be qualified enough to paint a picture in the listener’s mind. This is one of the constructive ways to prepare great lyrics and can keep the listeners hooked.

Writing any song is not an easy process. It is definitely complex but if you can identify the structure and place the elements together then you will be able to build a great and effective song worth listening to. Hopefully, you will be able to deliver a great one.

Practicing and writing melodies regularly, with choruses is the best way to get better and better & deliver the best of pop song structure 2020.