How to Write a Chorus

"Don't bore us, get to the chorus," is a common saying in Nashville, also known as Music City USA, to highlight the importance of the chorus in a pop song. The chorus is a song's selling point. It is the most memorable part of a song, containing the hook and the biggest lyrical moment, as well as the title of most popular songs. There are several methods you can use to write an effective chorus.



1. Start with a melody. Hum a few catchy notes to yourself. Most pop choruses are made up of simple melodies without many big changes. Try coming up with a melody that's easy to remember. Listen to the choruses of songs that you enjoy. Figure out what you like about their choruses and try shaping your melody the same way.


2. Keep it simple. As this should be the most memorable part of the song, a chorus that changes too much in pitch or has too many words will be hard to remember. Some of the most effective choruses consist of only one or a few words, such as Tom Waits' "Time" or the Police's "So Lonely."


3. Make your chorus the emotional high point of your song. The verses should tell a story and describe a situation. The chorus should tell the listener the emotional response to the situation you are describing. For example, if your verse describes a boyfriend dying in a car crash, the chorus could convey, in as few words as possible, the sadness his girlfriend feels.


4. Write your chorus to be higher than your verse. The melody of the song should reach its peak in the chorus to match the emotional weight. Write transitions into and out of your chorus so the energy builds going into the chorus and falls back down returning to the verse.


5. Try writing your chorus from a title. If your title is "I'm Having a Bad Day," hum melodies that fit with those words and convey the emotion of having a bad day. Let the flow of the words dictate the melody. Position these words in a prominent place in your chorus. Start or end the chorus with these words to draw attention to them. Your chorus needs an anchor and a few words that people can easily remember.


6. Repeat, repeat repeat! You need to hammer the chorus into your listeners' minds, and the best way to do that is to repeat melodic phrases. Prince's hit single, "Raspberry Beret" consists of the title lyric repeated three times, followed by a similar melodic idea each time. Try the same with your song. For example, the chorus in your song "I'm Having a Bad Day" might consist of the title followed by bad things happening during your day (car breaking down, feeling sick, etc.). Use the power of repetition in the structure of your song, as well. Your chorus should appear three or four times throughout the song and repeat twice at the end.