How to Write a Chorus Your Listener Will Want to Hear Again

Do you love singing in the shower, at work or maybe in the gym? Well, if you do, then you’ll be pleased to know that you’re not alone. We all look forward to that part of our favorite song where we ‘sing our hearts out.’ Here, we’ll show you all you need to do if you want to produce music that has an impact. When you are able to write a chorus your listeners want here, you become more effective. So, if you’re a songwriter, ensure that you capture your listeners with a killer hook of a chorus.

In any case, remember the words of Berry Gordy, Jr.

“Don’t bore us, get to the chorus.”

Provide them with more exceptional details in this verse, and you’ll have them singing along to it every time they hear it playing. Now, how can you do this quickly? Take a look at these tips below.

Start With a ‘Sweet’ Lyrical Idea

People want songs which they can identify with and understand. Suitable examples include:

songs about good times,

dreams,
relationships,
personal desires,
learning, and
confronting problems.

As you can see, these are issues we all go through. Therefore, start by writing lyrics that are full of honesty and insight. Most importantly, they should connect with the emotions of your listeners.

Are you struggling to come up with a good lyrical theme? Well, don’t panic! You can look for ideas from movies and TV shows. Both have a wide range of topics which will work perfectly for your song. Also start by reading books or searching online for help. That’s why in this site, we only want to give you the best kind of assistance. So, grab a sheet of paper and a pencil and watch your best TV shows. A great lyrical idea will supercharge your ability to write a chorus.

Now, after you settle on the main subject of your song, write around three lines describing the person involved, how it feels and all that’s happening. Here, we recommend that you start writing from a person in such a situation.

For instance, it could be an event which happened to you, or if your main idea is based on a scene, try to imagine yourself as one of the characters. Keep in mind that a good number of hit songs revolve either around the singer or another person and the singer. So, use ‘you’ and ‘I.’

How About the Rhythm Groove?

Almost every pop hit features a steady and stable rhythm groove. Such shows how different songs physically connect with their listeners. It also shows the energy or attitude of the song. Examples of smooth grooves include:

Strutting grooves
Dance grooves
Sad grooves
Happy slots
Bluesy grooves

These grooves should help you in getting words that suit the song’s mood. Let’s say you love playing acoustic rhythm music using a guitar, to improve your skills, listen to songs by The Script, John Mayer, Ed Sheeran or even Philip Philips.

Ensure that you do enough practice with various recordings until you’re able to play the rhythm by yourself. For further resources, you can also check out the Top 20 Adult Contemporary hits or Pop hits and get grooves that you can use on your keyboard or guitar.

Now, once you settle on a catchy groove, try writing short phrases, or look for images that match the rhythm you want to use. Does the rhythm make you feel happy or are you heartbroken or sad?

We Want You to Nail Down the Best Melody!

A killer melody is another crucial factor that will make your chorus ‘stand out’ from the rest. You need to make your listeners hum to the song in every moment like when dusting library shelves. The Germans call this ‘ohrwurm’ meaning a tune which figuratively slithers its way into people’s ears.

Using this method, you should think carefully about the phrases or words you wish to position and emphasize. It could be something profound, like declaring your love to your ‘sweetheart.’ Whichever the case, make a perfect melody which leaps from one keynote to another!

Choosing the Right Chords Will Excite Your Listeners!

A good number of hit songs today are using generic and common three to four chord progressions. So feel free to use any of these chords in your chorus. The only thing you need to avoid is using vocal lyrics or melodies.

Where can you get the chords for an amazing song? Below we’ve put together some of the famous chord progressions. These are our top suggestions, but please feel free to change, rearrange, delete or play some in your preferred method.

Chord Progression One

I – IV – V – IV

Listen to this progression in the key of C using C / F / G / F chord progression

Chord Progression Two

I – V – vi – IV

Listen to this progression in the key of C using C / G / Am / F chord progression

Chord Progression Three

I – vi – ii – V

Listen to this progression in the key of C using C / Am / Dm / G chord progression

Chord Progression Four

I – vi – IV – V

Listen to this progression in the key of C using C / Am / F / G chord progression

Don’t Forget to Create a Fantastic Hook!

A good number of songwriters value the importance of having a captivating hook. But, what is it? Well, it’s something which anchors itself in the memories and emotions of your listeners. The more they hear the song, the thicker it cements itself in them!

A hook may take different forms; it can be rhythmic, melodic, or lyrical. Therefore, ensure your hooks carry a sweet earworm, for example using lines such as ‘yeah, yeah, yeah’ followed by ‘she loves you.’ You can even add a keyboard note to ‘spice things up.’

Now on the Structure!

It’s essential for you to come up with a suitable chorus presentation idea. Where will it fit in the song? Should you go straight to it or build it up slowly? These are two valid solutions, but we feel that creating a sense of curiosity and anticipation is the most effective way of developing a captivating chorus.

So, try to keep your listeners ‘treading over the waters’ of a pre-chorus before you ‘wash them away’ with a tidal wave of a chorus. It’s just the perfect way to grab all their attention plus they’ll always remember your song!

The most popular structure used in today’s hit songs is:

Verse/ Chorus
Verse/ Chorus
Bridge/ Chorus

Write a Chorus – Conclusion

With these tips, you can build a fantastic chorus. The bottom line is, always write songs with purpose as well as meaning and your listeners will reward you for it.

Also, remember that the world is solely at your feet. All you have to do is to come up with a beautiful song!

All in all, we know that as a musician, you have a specific method which you use to write music.

So, how do you come up with a chorus for your top tracks?

Author’s Bio: Charles is a career mentor, motivational speaker and human resources consultant with over 10 years of experience in HR sector. Apart from career mentoring, he loves photography and football. Find him on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook & Google+.