Stuck on a Song? Let Song Structure Be Your Superpower

Photo Credit: shevtsovy (iStock)

Ever get halfway through a song and find yourself spinning your wheels? You’ve got a verse you like… maybe even a great hook. But then? You’re not quite sure where to go next. You try a few things, lose your thread, and before you know it, the idea ends up unfinished in a folder somewhere, waiting for “someday.”

I’ve been there more times than I can count. And something that’s helped me time and again is stepping back and thinking about one simple thing:

Structure.

Why Song Structure Actually Frees You Up

I know what you might be thinking—structure sounds like the opposite of creativity. But in practice? It’s often what makes creative flow possible.

Structure gives your song a shape—a place for your ideas to land. It helps you map out the emotional journey you want to take your listener on, and gives you a clearer sense of what’s missing when something’s not quite working. And the best part? It’s completely customisable.

Think of song structure like designing a house. It’s not about choosing paint colours or furniture yet—it’s about deciding which rooms you need, how they connect, and what kind of flow you want as someone moves through the space. You can always renovate later. But starting with a rough floor plan helps you figure out where things belong.

Try Choosing Your Structure Before You Start Writing

One of the easiest ways to avoid getting stuck is to give yourself a loose framework from the start. Even something as simple as “verse–chorus–verse–chorus–bridge–final chorus” can be enough to get your ideas flowing more freely.

If you’re starting from a chorus or a lyrical hook, try sketching out what kind of structure might support it.

Ask yourself:

• Where’s the tension?

• Where’s the emotional peak?

• Where do I want the listener to land?

Or, if you’re exploring a more narrative or reflective song, you might lean into something like an AABA structure or even a verse–verse–verse format—just be intentional about it. You don’t need to follow a formula, but it helps to choose your shape on purpose.

A Few Song Structures to Experiment With

If you’re not sure where to begin, here are a few tried-and-true options to play with this week:

• Verse / Chorus / Verse / Chorus / Bridge / Chorus

  The classic pop/country format—works well for big emotional payoffs.

  
  

• AABA

  Great for lyrical or storytelling songs. Think jazz standards or anything introspective.

  
  

• Verse / Verse / Chorus / Verse

  Perfect for slow burns, poetic builds, and unfolding ideas.

  
  

• Verse / Verse / Verse

  A powerful choice for story songs or reflective writing. There’s no chorus—just a steady unfolding of the idea. Often, a repeating refrain line at the end of each verse helps anchor the song and give listeners something to hold onto. This structure is sometimes called strophic form.

  
  

• Through-composed (no repeated sections)

  Best when the story itself is the structure—though harder to pull off, it can be powerful.

  
  

• Hook-based structure

  Songs built around a repeating refrain or riff, rather than a full chorus.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match—some of the most memorable songs blur the lines completely. The key is to be deliberate.

This Week’s Creative Nudge

Before you dive into your next idea, take a moment to choose a song structure first. You don’t need to overthink it. Just sketch out a framework—even if it’s just a few section labels—and see what happens when you give yourself that gentle guide.

And if you already have a draft you’re working on, try reverse-engineering the structure. Look at what you’ve got and ask: What shape is this trying to take? You might discover the missing piece is simply a bridge—or a chorus that hasn’t quite earned its spot yet.

💬 Let’s Talk

What’s your favourite song structure to write in? Or is there one you don’t use much, but would like to try this month?

Pop your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear what you’re experimenting with!

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