FAQ

Why are your song examples so old?

Many, perhaps most, of the songs at songwritinghooks.com are not currently on the charts, nor have they seen action from Billboard in years. A couple of reasons: most importantly, contemporary songs are on the charts as much for marketing reasons as for their inherent value. By focusing on older songs whose hooks still memorable, we ensure that it's the hook, not the hype, that gives the song its power. At the same time, we're ancient. Some of us are children of the '80s, who were there for the rise and fall of Wham and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and remember when Michael Jackson wasn't a scary freak. We draw from our aged but still active memories.

These aren't hooks at all!

Guilty as charged. We discovered quickly that the line between hook and device and just plain good song craftsmanship is a very blurry one. So we ignore the distinction sometimes. If we have caused offence, we are forever sorry. However, we're working toward a comprehensive, accurate definition of a songwriting hook. Please follow the "What is a Hook" tag to see how we're faring, and to contribute to the conversation.

Who is songwritinghooks.com?

Songwritinghooks.com is the baby of Rob Maurin, a Toronto-based blogger, media consulting guy, and hobby musician. He did pretty well for himself musically in his younger days, but opted for a more stable life than music could promise. He kinda regrets it, but ya makes yer bed and ya gots to sleep in it. 
Rob pulls other music-y people in as contributors occasionally. In fact, he's always looking for guest bloggers. See some guest blogs here, and let us know if you want to join in on the action.

If you're so smart, why don't you write a song yourself?

We can't paint. In fact, Rob can't read his own handwriting. But he still appreciates art. (He's particularly and inexplicably fond of Chagal.) In that vein, we figure you don't need to be Lennon or McCartney to want to talk about great songwriting.
Having said that, various contributors are musicians and songwriters, and would be more than happy to share their work with you. We'll consolidate all the guest blogger links shortly.