Verse/Chorus Pairs with the Same Harmony

Hit songs with same chord progression in the verse and chorus

Billie Jean - M. Jackson

How Will I Know - W. Houston

Hit songs with same chord progression for all three sections

Shakin' the Tree - P. Gabriel

Genie in a Bottle - C. Aguillera

Using the same progression in the verse and chorus can be very effective, but you need to find other ways to make the chorus stand out. The chorus still needs to perform the function of being the song's climax

One way to draw attention to such a chorus is by including a prechorus

when the verse and chorus share the same chord progression, the prechorus should usually first break down the energy of the verse, and then build it up again to lead into the chorus

To build intensity immediately in the prechorus, use these tools

shorter phrases

shorter notes

higher notes

an ascending melodic shape

an odd number of phrases

harmony tools:

change the chords faster

begin on a chord other than the I chord

end on a chord other than the I chord (particularly V)

To decrease the energy before you build it, use these tools first

longer phrases

longer notes

lower notes

a descending melodic shape

more space

harmony tools: change the chords slower

Mental Connections: