Top 10 Song Structures EVERYONE Rips Off

#10: Shorter Songs, Immediate Hooks

Our music listening habits are in a constant state of flux. This also goes for how we produce the artform, particularly in today’s digestible world of bite-size social media. Tik-Tok, especially, has made it easy for songwriters to strip their music to its barest essence, crafting shorter songs that get to those hooks almost immediately. Granted, Tik-Tok fame is as fleeting as those proverbial “15 minutes” referenced by Andy Warhol back in 1968. Still, in a world that thrives on instant gratification, the success of songs like “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X prove that getting straight to the point pays off. This reaps rewards not only for artists chasing viral success, but also for listeners with brief attention spans.

#9: 12-Bar Blues

It’s a chord progression as old as rock ‘n roll itself; a time-tested classic. You don’t need to understand music theory in order to feel a 12-bar blues loop. Famous songs like “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry and “Hound Dog” from Elvis Presley built their infectious energy on this very progression. Today, 12-bar blues numbers are largely seen as nostalgic throwbacks to rock ‘n roll’s infancy, but it’s important to remember how this stuff was once seen as dangerous. Conservative voices at the time worried how the urges of youth might be encouraged by pop music’s adoption of the blues. They couldn’t stop rock ‘n roll, however, and this popular song structure endures today.

#8: No Bridge

There’s no right or wrong way to write a song. This is why the artform remains so fun and unique. Artists such as Bob Dylan prided themselves upon expanding traditional songwriting parameters, telling stories with their music in ways that were then-unimaginable. His song, “Tangled Up in Blue,” eschewed the inclusion of a bridge, instead hammering its point home via multiple verses. The title itself is repeated as a sort of refrain or mantra, serving as a thematic connective tissue. For Dylan, the lyrics are the message, and there is no need to sully them up with extra bridges, or even choruses. These decisions can still be seen today in singer-songwriters whose intentions are to share, rather than just entertain.

#7: Power Ballads

The power ballad wasn’t born in the 1980s, neither does it belong exclusively to the era of songs like “Home Sweet Home” by Mötley Crüe or “Nobody’s Fool” from Cinderella. To trace its true roots, we need to turn to arena rock legends like Aerosmith and Styx. Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” and even more so, Styx’s “Lady,” which was penned by songwriter Dennis DeYoung, serve as prototypical examples of the medium. Power ballads were usually designed to showcase the softer side of an aggressive act, often being placed in the third or fourth position on an album. Their structure tended to be melodic and sensitive up-front, with a rousing, electrifying finale. Piano and acoustics were optional, as long as the effect felt suitably sincere.

#6: Doo-Wop Progression [aka ‘50s Progression]

The beauty of the ‘50s Progression lies in its simplicity. Though it first gained traction in the late 1930s, it became more closely associated with the doo-wop era of the 1950s, hence its name. The ‘50s Progression evokes memories of innocence and nostalgia due to its inclusion in hits like “Earth Angel” by The Penguins. But it has remained alive since that era, being used in such modern songs as “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. It’s a brief, looped progression that locks onto a melody and holds it for the duration of the song. Some tunes may throw in a bridge for variety, but the heart of the song remains rooted in that unmistakable, timeless progression.

#5: Thirty-Two Bar Form [aka Verse & Bridge]

Jazz standards and The Great American Songbook are goldmines for songs built on the classic Thirty-Two Bar Form. This song structure doesn’t feature a chorus, but instead allows room for improvisation and vamping over two eight-bar verse sections, an eight-bar contrasting bridge and one final eight-bar verse to bring it all home. “Great Balls of Fire” is an excellent example of a verse/bridge AABA form, as is the theme from “The Flintstones” cartoon show. For vocalists like Frank Sinatra or Judy Garland, this arrangement allowed them to showcase their talents, while jazz standards emphasized the musicality of each player as they improvised new material.

#4: Quiet/Loud

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana may have been composed with a “traditional” song structure, but its true influence lies more within its dynamics. Kurt Cobain and his bandmates were notably inspired not only by punk rock and underground heavy metal, but also contemporary alternative voices of the day. The signature quiet/loud structure of The Pixies, for example, were said to have inspired how the bass-led verses of “Teen Spirit” contrast with its guitar-heavy chorus. Elsewhere, Washington rock band, the Melvins, were already pushing boundaries, exploring song structures that deviated from that era’s glam metal radio dominance. But it was Nirvana’s massive public profile that convinced a generation of musicians to forego flashy performances in favor of raw, unpolished energy.

#3: Verse, Chorus & Bridge

“What’s Love Got to Do with It” was a smash hit for Tina Turner back in 1984, achieving chart success by utilizing a tried and true formula. The song follows a traditional verse and chorus structure, while also adding a bridge for emphatic and dynamic effect. Bridges can be useful tools within a songwriter’s arsenal, but not every song includes them in the process. “What’s Love Got to Do with It” makes use of a bridge after the instrumental break, rather than before, which makes it feel impactful. The modulated final chorus assists to this end, showing just how much a well-crafted and well-placed bridge can elevate any song.

#2: Multiple Sections & No Chorus

The realm of progressive and avant-garde music isn't usually a place where traditional songwriting can be found. But complex song structures aren’t exclusive to just prog and art rock bands. Even acts like Queen and Billy Joel have experimented with songs that feature no chorus, and instead move through multiple, propulsive sections. “Bohemian Rhapsody” is perhaps the most famous of these, a mini-operetta that achieved worldwide success in spite, or perhaps because of, its bold and uncompromising structure. On the other hand, Joel’s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” may not feel as dramatic, but it also tells a complex story in a similarly unconventional manner.

#1: Verse-Chorus

Homer Simpson said it best when he yelled, [“Get to the working overtime part!”]. And sure, “working overtime” may not be the chorus to Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s “Taking Care of Business,” but the sentiment remains. We LOVE a good chorus, to the point where it’s often the only thing we retain from many hit songs. We’re often so anxious to get to that shot of dopamine, that we forget the verses even exist. But without that push ‘n pull dynamic, working “overtime,” if you will, the payoff wouldn’t feel nearly as good. The ABAB structure of songs like “Smoke on the Water” ensures that the chorus is the star, because it’s in stark contrast to the verses. That’s the secret that turns good songs into hits.

Are there any songs with a totally unique structure that you dig? Let us know in the comments!