Motifs are highly important, yet often overlooked, elements within hit song melodies. We see them across the board in Top 10 hits, yet they are rarely discussed in modern songwriting education!
So, what exactly is a motif?
A motif is a melodic fragment that is repeated and/or developed within and/or across sections to make a song more cohesive, familiar, memorable, and infectious. While hooks are more noticeable and defined, motifs function in more of an under-the-radar or background capacity.
This six-minute video case study looks at how Blinding Lights' all-star team of hit makers, one of whom is Max Martin, cleverly extracted a motif from one hook to foreshadow and creatively reinforce another.