Hook (music): Difference between revisions

A '''hook''' is a [[Motif (music)|musical idea]], often a short [[riff]], [[passage (music)|passage]], or [[phrase (music)|phrase]], that is used in [[popular music]] to make a [[song]] appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener"."<ref>{{cite book|author=Covach, John|chapter=Form in Rock Music: A Primer|editor=Stein, Deborah|year=2005|title=Engaging Music: Essays in Music Analysis|location=New York|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=0-19-517010-5|page=71}}</ref> The term generally applies to popular music, especially [[rock music|rock]], [[contemporary R&B|R&B]], [[hip hop music|hip hop]], [[electronic dance music|dance]], and [[pop music|pop]]. In these genres, the hook is often found in, or consists of, the [[refrain|chorus]]. A hook can be either [[melodic]] or [[rhythm]]ic, and often incorporates the main [[motif (music)|motif]] for a piece of [[music]].<ref name="D&H7">Davidson, Miriam; Heartwood, Kiya (1996). ''Songwriting for Beginners'', p.7. Alfred Music Publishing. {{ISBN|0739020005}}.</ref>

One definition of a hook is "a musical or lyrical phrase that stands out and is easily remembered."<ref>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</ref> 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."<ref>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.</ref> Alternatively, the term has been defined as

and can be something as insubstantial as a 'sound' (such as ''da doo ron ron'' or [[Too_Ra_Loo_Ra_Loo_Ral#History|''toora-loora-loo'']]) but

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,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vicfirth.com/education/articles/understanding_song_form.html |title=Understanding Song Form |last=Steinkoler |first=Jeremy |access-date=21 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429183234/http://www.vicfirth.com/education/articles/understanding_song_form.html |archive-date=29 April 2014 }}</ref> 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.<ref>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.</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Dann-Beardsley|first=Cynthia|title=Eight Seconds to Hook an Audience|journal=Words and Music|volume=7|id={{ProQuest|757538142}}}}</ref> Some groups even release these research hooks on a single's CD release.