Simplicity: A Blessing and a curse.

As anyone might have seen or better said, heard, music is at Its peak of popularity. This due to different factors, like the increase in the ways you can access to It, where you can listen to your favorite songs with just a tap on your phone, or the advantages that the Internet brings in regards to independent creators, where they can put their records out without major investment on a team of producers, PR team or writers, doing all these things themselves with the help of DAWs and platforms dedicated to publicity for artists.

With that said, another trend that Is prevalent in today's world, due to the speed and pressure with which the artist has to work to keep in the spotlight (As they say, keep hammering while the iron is hot), Is the simplicity in their lyrics, and I'm not saying this in an oldhead "Everything with music today's wrong and their songs are crap" manner, because most of the inconsistencies have nothing to do with the actual content of a verse, chorus, pre-chorus or interlude, though in the way of how these are structured regarding their internal components: The lines, "bars" or phrases inside a single quartet, where the single ing-ing-ing-ing rhymes are more prevalent than ever, all this to the detriment of the listener and the songwriter, leaving many beautiful structures and ways to say things for the people to enjoy and be hooked to the music out. In the following paragraphs we'll showcase you some rhyme structures which might bring a breath of fresh air to your lyrics, and make the people more engaged with the message you are trying to convey.

Common Meter (ABAB structure)

Sometimes when you're trying to say something powerful, It'll al drown out in the repetitive structures of 4 lines that always end with the same rhyme. A better approach to this, where you can bring a little bit of surprise and also resolution, which might come in handy for your stronger lines. Now let's compare 4 lines using every kind of structure and look at which causes you a better impression.

I walked till dawn in these rotten streets

With the same frown that goes with me

Feeling my legs sore and both my eyes blink

As my head tells me "Go to sleep"

Kinda dull. Now let's try It with the ABAB structure:

I walked till dawn in these rotten streets

With this same wrinkled face of mine

Feeling my legs sore and both my eyes blink

As the sleep shuts down my mind

Now It is better. This brings a back and forth that is interesting enough to keep the people entertained, though It still isn't too much of a change from the simple AAAA. This can be solved by adding a little bit more of uncertainty, like a little bit of suspense putting the same rhyme as the 1st and 3rd line in the 4th (ABAA) or putting just something that doesn't belong to the normal pattern in the 3rd line (AABA).

ABBA Structure:

As the name of the band, this structure is also heading for a resolution in the last line, though It gets less so with the addition of two internal lines that rhyme in the middle. As these lines get longer (referring to B) the less resoluted the quartet will feel, like a bittersweet ending. Let's showcase this with the same verse:

I walked till dawn in these rotten streets

With this same wrinkled face of mine

Now giving up in the end of the line

As my head tells me go to sleep

Now It has a resolution, though as you might have noted, It is more unstable that If you had used more straightforward patterns. As with the previous pattern, you're not limited by just only using this variation. The internal (B) lines don't have to rhyme between them, making this more of AXXA structure, or even you can surprise your receiver by adding an extra line (ABBAB).

ABCAC Structure

Now we're heading to weirder patterns. As crazy or weird this succession of letters might look, introducing now one extra line to a quartet that has this name because of Its dimensions (4 lines), It is actually a pretty good way to keep It fresh when you're not sure where you're going with your verse and give variation to It, being even deceptive in the way It presents Itself, fooling you into thinking that you're going to finish with a line that rhymes with the 2nd. Now, let's try It using again our first example:

I walked till dawn in these rotten streets

With this same wrinkled face of mine

Seeing the pavement as the softest bed

And those dry leaves as my sheets

As sleep invades my head

A roller coaster that ends with a sudden crash. however, It fools us till the last moment, making It pretty good when It comes to accomplishing Its function. As always, you can modify this pattern by using the rhyme of the second line instead of the first in the 4th line. Also, you can add more lines and play with the ones you already have in order to get something more ambitious.

As It has been showcased, the opportunities for making an interesting and refreshing verse are limitless, and are not just a product of the content Itself, though just the way in which the lyrics are presented. We hope that this has been useful to you and can help you improve in your songwriting journey, having another step in the journey covered (Though not entirely).