3 Pop Songs From the 2020s That Prove the Second Verse Can Be Better Than the Chorus

These 2020s pop songs hide their best line in the second verse. Each of these songwriters knows you don’t have to save the best material for a song’s hook. In fact, sometimes it’s better to sprinkle it throughout, as is evidenced by these three hits below. The best part of these songs is found in the second verse.

“Deja Vu” by Olivia Rodrigo

“Do you call her / Almost say my name? / ‘Cause let’s be honest / We kinda do sound the same / Another actress / I hate to think that I was just your type,” the second verse of Olivia Rodrigo’s “Deja Vu” reads. This verse is the crux of the song, adding plenty of drama to the mix.

The chorus of this 2020s pop song is iconic. It helped solidify Rodrigo’s place at the top of the pop game, but it’s the second verse that really highlights where she shines as a songwriter: charming specificity and emotional rawness.

“Labyrinth” by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift has always known the power of a second verse or a bridge. Her choruses are anthemic, but she often lays her best lines in unsuspecting places. “It only feels this raw right now / Lost in the labyrinth of my mind / Break up, break free, break through, break down / You would break your back to make me break a smile,” the second verse reads.

“You know how much I hate / That everybody just expects me to bounce back / Just like that,” the lyrics continue. This is some of Swift’s most introspective work. She has plenty of great lines to choose from, but this track is particularly moving in the non-chorus sections.

“Feather” by Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter’s “Feather” is a fun-loving breakup anthem that energizes the listener instead of bumming them out, despite the heartbreak at the center of the track. The whole song is rife with powerful lines, but the second verse wins out.

“It feels so good / Not caring where you are tonight / And it feels so good / Not pretending to like the wine you like / I slam the door, I hit ignore / I’m saying, ‘No, no, no, no more’ / I got you blocked, excited to never talk, I / I’m so sorry for your loss,” she sings. It’s playful, wry, and deeply memorable.

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