Writing a Hook
There's nothing as satisfying as a solid pop hook! Today, I want to talk about my favourite hooks, and how they've informed my songwriting.
What is a hook?
The term ‘hook’ refers to the part of a song that’s intended to ‘hook’ the listener. It’s a catchy combination of melody, lyrics and rhythm that sticks in the listener's head; the hook is the holy grail of songwriting!
Typically only a few seconds long, a hook gets repeated several times throughout a song. They usually have a memorable melody. The name of the song can often be found positioned prominently within the hook’s lyrics (e.g. the first line, last line, or repeated throughout).
Chord wise, a hook typically starts on the ‘home’ or ‘root’ note; to give the listener the feeling that they’ve arrived where they belong.
A hook can be lyrical, melodic, rhythmic...or a combination of all three! They’re used to distinguish songs from others, like a musical fingerprint.
Eat, Sleep, Hook, Repeat
The most important thing to remember when writing a hook, is that hooks gain influence with repetition.
Take the following songs, for instance:
Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes - A great example of a melodic and rhythmic hook that really does stick in your head.
Mmmbop by Hanson - This hook uses the ‘gibberish’ tactic. Making up new words and phrases in the hook’s lyrics can sometimes catch on as much as the melody itself.
On occasion, there is more than one hook per song. Which is the main hook in the song Single Ladies by Beyonce? Is it ‘if you like it then you should have put a ring on it’ OR ‘all the single ladies?’ Each one is remembered because they both use repetition to make an impact.
Some hooks use audience participation to make their mark. Take the signature ‘Ooooooh, oooooh’ in Use Somebody by Kings of Leon, or Happy by Pharell Williams (let’s be honest, how many times have we participated when he sings ‘clap along if you feel?!’)
The lyrics in a hook can be particularly impactful when they answer the verse’s questions, or summarise the whole song. This makes the song much easier to talk about with others, therefore making it easier for the music to be spread by word of mouth. Respect by Aretha Franklin is a great example here. She literally sums up the entire song by spelling out the word respect… simple, but so effective!
Sometimes, a song just needs a little breath of fresh air. The hook can help with this, too. It can be used to change up the rhythm, tempo or melody. Changing things up helps to keep the listener interested. Hey Ya by Outkast uses the hook to provide the listener with a well needed break from the breathless, fast verses. It’s also simple and easy to remember, so that everyone else can sing along to it, too! Heyyyyy YAAAA.
Hook or Chorus?
A key thing to remember when writing a hook, is that the hook is not necessarily the chorus. A chorus is found after a song’s verses, and, like a hook, repeats several times throughout the song. Take a look at the following popular song forms:
Verse (V)
Chorus (C)
Pre Chorus (PC)
Verse - Chorus Form (V - C - V - C)
Bridging the Gap (V - C - V - C - B - C)
Pre Choruses (V - PC - C - V - PC - C)
While many hooks do appear in the chorus, with the chorus usually elaborating on the song’s hook, this isn’t always the case.
Many famous hooks are actually the first thing you hear in a track; (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones, for example.
This technique is used widely in popular music. Many songs we hear in the charts today have a very unique and recognisable vocal/instrumental hook appearing within the first few seconds. This is something that songwriters are encouraged to do in order to pique the interest of streaming editorial playlists, radio, and music supervisors.
Here are some top tips for writing a killer hook:
Keep it melodically simple so people can remember it - most pop hooks don’t use more than 3 or 4 notes
Use a memorable melody, make it memorable by including a note/melody which is unexpected (but still sounds good!)
If your struggling to write a simple hook within your song, try picking your favourite line from what you’ve written for the chorus and try experimenting that and once you’ve figured out the best lyrics and memorable melody try repeating that and see how it feels
Don’t be afraid to use repetition!
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