BBC HomeExplore the BBC
This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Find out more about page archiving.


Accessibility help
Text only
BBC Homepage
BBC Music

Music


Contact Us

Like this page?
Send it to a friend!

How Pop Songs Work

Charles Hazlewood

How Pop Songs Work is a celebration of the magic of pop music and the skill and musical dexterity that goes into writing, performing and producing hit pop records.

About the Programme

Conductor Charles Hazlewood explores the mechanics of the pop song aided by contributions from a cast of talented pop writers, producers and arrangers.

Charles breaks down the pop song into six key areas - melody, song structure, lyrics, production, arrangement and performance - and uses classic pop tunes to explore each. He looks at the classic pop melody of John Lennon's Imagine, the groundbreaking production of The Beatles' Tomorrow Never Knows, the hypnotic song structure of Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, amongst others.

As well as these iconic tracks, a cast of contributors share their knowledge and expertise of what makes a great pop song.

Read more about the programme's featured artists




About the BBC | Help | Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookies Policy

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites