The Attention Economy Killed the Second Verse

Listen closely to pop music in 2025 — or more accurately, scroll past it — and you’ll notice something missing:

the second verse.

It used to be a key part of songwriting structure. Verse 1 sets the tone, the chorus hooks you, and verse 2 builds — adds depth, flips perspective, keeps the story moving.

Now? A lot of songs don’t even bother.

Verse, chorus, maybe a bridge, and out.

Sometimes it’s just one verse, repeated.

Sometimes the hook comes in first, and the song ends before you expect it to begin.

This isn’t just lazy writing. It’s adaptation.

Because in the attention economy, music isn’t competing with other music — it’s competing with everything.

And the second verse didn’t survive the cut.

Why the Second Verse Is Getting Cut

1. Streaming rewards brevity

Shorter songs = more plays per hour = more money. Cutting the second verse keeps the runtime under 2:30, which is ideal for the loop-heavy logic of streaming platforms.

2. TikTok rewired song structure

Artists want to front-load the best lines. Why save anything for verse 2 when the viral moment needs to hit in the first 15 seconds?

3. Listeners don’t wait anymore

If you don’t hook someone early, they skip. If they do stick around, most don’t want a second act. They want the feeling, fast — and then they’re gone.

4. Artists are working under pressure

In a market that demands constant drops and content, artists are trimming fat just to keep up. A second verse feels like a luxury — or worse, a risk.

What We’re Losing

Cutting the second verse might make sense strategically, but it comes at a creative cost.

• Narrative depth disappears

• Perspective shifts don’t happen

• Emotional growth gets stunted

• Dynamic pacing goes flat

Verse 2 was often where the real writing lived — the switch-up, the new metaphor, the payoff. Without it, songs feel more like slogans than stories.

Who’s Still Doing It (and Why It Hits Harder Now)

Some artists are keeping the second verse alive — and when they do, it stands out:

• Frank Ocean, Lorde, and Kendrick use it to expand, not repeat

• Phoebe Bridgers, Noname, Little Simz, and Ethel Cain treat it like a second breath — another chance to twist the blade

• Even in pop, artists like Billie Eilish, Troye Sivan, and Raye use the second verse to peel something back you didn’t see coming

In a fast-scroll world, these moments feel intentional — like someone made you slow down on purpose.

You Can Still Write for People — Not Just Platforms

The death of the second verse didn’t happen because people stopped caring. It happened because the system told artists it wasn’t worth it.

But real listeners still notice. They still want to feel progression, not just repetition. They still want songs that move — not just loops that float.

In the rush to get heard, don’t forget to say something.

And maybe… say it twice.