A
hook is a
musical idea, often a short
riff,
passage, or
phrase, that is used in
popular music to make a
song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially
rock music,
R&B,
hip hop,
dance music, and
pop. In these
genres, the hook is often found in, or consists of, the
chorus. A hook can be either
melodic or
rhythmic, and often incorporates the main
motif for a piece of
music. "The hook is a phrase or word that literally hooks, or grabs, the listener and draws them into the song." Examples of songs with hooks include
The Beatles's "
Day Tripper" (opening guitar line),
Michael Jackson's "
Beat It",
Willie Nelson's "
Crazy", and most Hip Hop/Rap songs.