For my bachelors degree I’m writing a thesis on the formulaic structures of Pop music. In particular that what’s called “Melodic Math”:

Summary

Various research agrees that the human “transient attention span”, the short-term attention span, lasts for about 8 seconds. In music, the first 5-8 seconds are crucial in grabbing the attention of the listener. Pop music is radio music. Due to people zapping radio stations, or skipping through songs in effort to be “hooked”, in pop-music every 5-8 seconds is crucial. So, not only the intro, but throughout the song. This results in the formulaic structures of the songs.

To satisfy the listener with a perfect balance between the known old, and the unknown new, a songwriter will often use a catchy hook, repeat that hook, and then introduce a new hook. The key is in the repetition, for this needs to be a near-perfect copy of the original. This is where Melodic Math comes in. Although the lyrics may be different, the melody must remain the same. The general rule is that every syllable is a note, and therefore the repetition must generally have the same number of syllables as the original.

Katy Perry – E.T.
Original:
Q: You’re so hyp-no-ti-zing
A: Could you be the de-vil, could you be an an-gel
Repeat:
Q: Your touch mag-ne-ti-zing
A: Feels like I am floa-ting, leaves my body glow-ing

Bruno Mars – Just the Way You Are
Original:
Q: Her-eyes, her-eyes
A: make the stars-look like-they’re not-shi-ning
Repeat:
Q: Her-hair, her-hair
A: falls perfect-ly with-out her-try-ing

The average pop-song will generally incorporate 3 to 4 of these hooks throughout the verses and the choruses, and up to 6 throughout the whole song.

Writing a song eventually comes down to writing strong hooks, and filling in the blank syllables.
In many ways, melodic math becomes more important for the integrity of “the hook” than the content of the lyrics. As Bonnie McKee (Katy Perry, Taio Cruz, Britney Spears, Kesha) states: “The words are there to serve the melody.” It is the reason that song lyrics sometimes don’t make sense, or make a lot of use of their poetic license. In “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys (written by the coiner of “melodic math”) the verse and chorus completely contradict each other in meaning, in favour of melodic math.
Over the past years however, Melodic Math has evolved into having lyrics that make more sense. By writing with native speakers, pop songs will have lyrics that serve the melody, and still use correct wording and grammar. Even with this fact, it is still important to realise the importance of the basics of melodic math in the making of pop music.

 

About me

For all my life I had a problem: A short attention span. Now, I have learned that it may just be my greatest strength. Through research into the formulas to what makes a good, catchy, and addictive song, combined with my short attention span – which enables me to judge quickly whether a song will be heard or skipped-, I’ve learned what it takes to make a pop song. My goal is to create, and help other producers and artists create songs that great numbers of people will come to love and want more of!