A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener".[1] The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock, R&B, hip hop, dance, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often found in, or consists of, the chorus. A hook can be either melodic or rhythmic, and often incorporates the main motif for a piece of music.[2]
One definition of a hook is "a musical or lyrical phrase that stands out and is easily remembered."[3] Definitions typically include some of the following: that a hook is repetitive, attention-grabbing, memorable, easy to dance to, and has commercial potential and lyrics. A hook has been defined as a "part of a song, sometimes the title or key lyric line, that keeps recurring."[4] Alternatively, the term has been defined as
the foundation of commercial songwriting, particularly hit-single writing, [varying in length from the repetition of] one note or a series of notes ... [to] a lyric phrase, full lines, or an entire verse. The hook is 'what you're selling'[5]
and can be something as insubstantial as a 'sound' (such as da doo ron ron or toora-loora-loo) but
ideally should contain one or more of the following: (a) a driving, danceable rhythm; (b) a melody that stays in people's minds; (c) a lyric that furthers the dramatic action, or defines a person or place.[5]
While some melodic hooks include skips of an octave or more to make the line more interesting, a hook can be equally catchy by employing rhythmic syncopation or other devices. A hook may also garner attention from listeners from other factors, such as the vocal timbre or instrumentation, as in the case of the Beach Boys' use of an Electro-Theremin in "Good Vibrations". Some hooks become popular without using any unusual elements. For example, in the song "Be My Baby", performed by The Ronettes, the hook consists of the words "be my baby" over the conventional I–vi–IV–Vchord progression of the chorus.[5] Hooks in hip hop almost always refer to the chorus between verses; as in the lyrics to "Ice Ice Baby", "check out the hook, while my DJ revolves it", that leads into the chorus itself.
Use in market research
The hooks of a song may be used in market research to assist in gauging the popularity of a song based on the listener's ability to recognize the song's hook. Often radio stations conduct "call out" either on the Internet, via telephone, or a music test (either online or in an in-person setting) to conduct surveys. Stations may use the services of a professional "hook service" or prepare the materials themselves. In some studies, radio stations play the hook, typically 8–12 bars long,[6] for audiences of up to 150 participants. The participants are then asked to rate the song on a scale from "dislike very much" to "like very much". Top 40 stations typically can't wait that long for results and have participants "call out" directly, by listening and rating different hooks.[7] Studies such as these inform the radio station how popular current songs are or if the audience is "burned out" of a certain song. Market research based on hooks gives radio stations of all genres awareness of what their audience demographic wants to listen to, and is even used to test the musical boundaries of the audience.[8] Some groups even release these research hooks on a single's CD release.
^Covach, John (2005). "Form in Rock Music: A Primer". In Stein, Deborah (ed.). Engaging Music: Essays in Music Analysis. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 71. ISBN0-19-517010-5.
^Davidson, Miriam; Heartwood, Kiya (1996). Songwriting for Beginners, p.7. Alfred Music Publishing. ISBN0739020005.
^Monaco and Riordan (1980, p. 178). Cited in Burns, Gary (1987). "A Typology of 'Hooks' in Popular Records", Popular Music, Vol. 6, No. 1. (Jan. 1987), pp. 1–20
^Hurst and Delson 1980, p.58. Cited in Burns, Gary (1987) "A Typology of 'Hooks' in Popular Records", Popular Music, Vol. 6, No. 1. (Jan. 1987), pp. 1–20.
^ abcKasha and Hirschhorn (1979), p.28–29. Cited in Gary Burns (January 1987). "A Typology of "Hooks" in Popular Records". Popular Music. 6 (1): 1–20. doi:10.1017/S0261143000006577. JSTOR 853162.
^Steinkoler, Jeremy. . Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
^Cobo, Leila. "Radio Research: How Much does it Determine what Gets Played how often? Programmers Insist its Role is Valuable - and Misunderstood." Billboard: The International Newsweekly of Music, Video and Home Entertainment, vol. 114, no. 50, 2002.
^Dann-Beardsley, Cynthia. "Eight Seconds to Hook an Audience". Words and Music. 7. ProQuest 757538142.
^UU, Cogitch UvA. . Archived from the original on 22 May 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
July 17, 2023
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A hook is a musical idea often a short riff passage or phrase that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to catch the ear of the listener 1 The term generally applies to popular music especially rock R amp B hip hop dance and pop In these genres the hook is often found in or consists of the chorus A hook can be either melodic or rhythmic and often incorporates the main motif for a piece of music 2 Contents 1 Definitions 2 Use in market research 3 Scientific research 4 See also 5 ReferencesDefinitions EditOne definition of a hook is a musical or lyrical phrase that stands out and is easily remembered 3 Definitions typically include some of the following that a hook is repetitive attention grabbing memorable easy to dance to and has commercial potential and lyrics A hook has been defined as a part of a song sometimes the title or key lyric line that keeps recurring 4 Alternatively the term has been defined as the foundation of commercial songwriting particularly hit single writing varying in length from the repetition of one note or a series of notes to a lyric phrase full lines or an entire verse The hook is what you re selling 5 and can be something as insubstantial as a sound such as da doo ron ron or toora loora loo but ideally should contain one or more of the following a a driving danceable rhythm b a melody that stays in people s minds c a lyric that furthers the dramatic action or defines a person or place 5 While some melodic hooks include skips of an octave or more to make the line more interesting a hook can be equally catchy by employing rhythmic syncopation or other devices A hook may also garner attention from listeners from other factors such as the vocal timbre or instrumentation as in the case of the Beach Boys use of an Electro Theremin in Good Vibrations Some hooks become popular without using any unusual elements For example in the song Be My Baby performed by The Ronettes the hook consists of the words be my baby over the conventional I vi IV V chord progression of the chorus 5 Hooks in hip hop almost always refer to the chorus between verses as in the lyrics to Ice Ice Baby check out the hook while my DJ revolves it that leads into the chorus itself Use in market research EditThe hooks of a song may be used in market research to assist in gauging the popularity of a song based on the listener s ability to recognize the song s hook Often radio stations conduct call out either on the Internet via telephone or a music test either online or in an in person setting to conduct surveys Stations may use the services of a professional hook service or prepare the materials themselves In some studies radio stations play the hook typically 8 12 bars long 6 for audiences of up to 150 participants The participants are then asked to rate the song on a scale from dislike very much to like very much Top 40 stations typically can t wait that long for results and have participants call out directly by listening and rating different hooks 7 Studies such as these inform the radio station how popular current songs are or if the audience is burned out of a certain song Market research based on hooks gives radio stations of all genres awareness of what their audience demographic wants to listen to and is even used to test the musical boundaries of the audience 8 Some groups even release these research hooks on a single s CD release Scientific research EditA European consortium including Utrecht University and the University of Amsterdam studies the hook by using online games and the wisdom of the crowd to understand and quantify the effect of catchiness on musical memory 9 10 See also EditCatchiness Lick Refrain Vamp Theme Ostinato EarwormReferences Edit Covach John 2005 Form in Rock Music A Primer In Stein Deborah ed Engaging Music Essays in Music Analysis New York Oxford University Press p 71 ISBN 0 19 517010 5 Davidson Miriam Heartwood Kiya 1996 Songwriting for Beginners p 7 Alfred Music Publishing ISBN 0739020005 Monaco and Riordan 1980 p 178 Cited in Burns Gary 1987 A Typology of Hooks in Popular Records Popular Music Vol 6 No 1 Jan 1987 pp 1 20 Hurst and Delson 1980 p 58 Cited in Burns Gary 1987 A Typology of Hooks in Popular Records Popular Music Vol 6 No 1 Jan 1987 pp 1 20 a b c Kasha and Hirschhorn 1979 p 28 29 Cited in Gary Burns January 1987 A Typology of Hooks in Popular Records Popular Music 6 1 1 20 doi 10 1017 S0261143000006577 JSTOR 853162 Steinkoler Jeremy Understanding Song Form Archived from the original on 29 April 2014 Retrieved 21 May 2014 Cobo Leila Radio Research How Much does it Determine what Gets Played how often Programmers Insist its Role is Valuable and Misunderstood Billboard The International Newsweekly of Music Video and Home Entertainment vol 114 no 50 2002 Dann Beardsley Cynthia Eight Seconds to Hook an Audience Words and Music 7 ProQuest 757538142 HookedOnMusic UU Cogitch UvA Hooked App Archived from the original on 22 May 2019 Retrieved 7 August 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hook music amp oldid 1148768554, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
