8 hook templates for music creators.

Musicians on short-form are competing with their own song for attention, and a cold clip of the chorus rarely survives the first second. These hooks give the song a reason to exist on the screen, a royalty number, a show nobody came to, a raw file, before the music starts.

1. 01Royalty-checkNumber-first
   [N] streams on [PLATFORM]. The check was $[N]. Here's where the rest went.Copy pattern
   Example
   1.4 million streams on Spotify this year. The check was $2,100. Here's where the rest went.Copy
   Number-first hook for industry-reality content; two numbers and a gap is the whole structure.
2. 02Same-four-chordsAuthority
   [PROPORTION] of [CHART/GENRE] uses the same [MUSICAL DEVICE]. Once you hear it you'll hear it everywhere.Copy pattern
   Example
   Half the Hot 100 right now uses the same four chords in the same order. Once you hear it you'll hear it everywhere.Copy
   Authority hook for theory-breakdown content; play the device within two seconds.
3. 03Nine-peopleStory
   I played a show for [N] people in [CITY] [N] years ago. [N] of them left. One of the ones who stayed is now [SIGNIFICANT PERSON].Copy pattern
   Example
   I played a show for nine people in Columbus four years ago. Six of them left before the second song. One of the three who stayed is now my manager.Copy
   Story hook for artist-journey content; the specific small numbers make the arc believable.
4. 04Done-pretendingConfession
   I [DID UNGLAMOROUS THING] on my 'viral' song and I'm done pretending I didn't.Copy pattern
   Example
   I paid $600 for the first 40,000 streams on my 'viral' song and I'm done pretending I didn't.Copy
   Confession hook for industry-transparency content; the quote marks around 'viral' do a lot.
5. 05Closet-vocalContrarian
   You don't need [EXPENSIVE GEAR]. This was recorded on [CHEAP SETUP] in [UNGLAMOROUS PLACE] and here's the raw file.Copy pattern
   Example
   You don't need a treated room. This vocal was recorded in a closet under a duvet on a $90 mic and here's the raw file.Copy
   Contrarian hook for home-production content; play the raw take or nobody believes you.
6. 06Second-verseDirect
   If your chorus doesn't [DO X] by [TIMESTAMP], you don't have a chorus. You have a second verse.Copy pattern
   Example
   If your chorus doesn't hit by the 40-second mark, you don't have a chorus. You have a second verse with a bigger drum.Copy
   Direct hook for songwriting content; the timestamp rule is harsh enough that writers argue in the comments.
7. 07Before-the-vocalListicle
   Three things [PRO GROUP] do before recording a vocal that bedroom producers skip every single time.Copy pattern
   Example
   Three things session singers do before recording a vocal that bedroom producers skip every single time.Copy
   Listicle hook for process content; keep the three things cheap and physical.
8. 08Not-the-mixQuestion
   Why does [ARTIST] sound [QUALITY] and yours doesn't? It's not the mix. It's [SPECIFIC CHOICE].Copy pattern
   Example
   Why does every Billie Eilish vocal sound like it's inside your head and yours doesn't? It's not the mix. It's how close she stands to the mic.Copy
   Question hook for production-breakdown content; demo the before and after in the body.

Want hooks generated in your own voice?

Templates are great. Templates customized to your channel's actual winners and your real cadence are better. ViralAri reads your last 30 posts, finds the patterns that work for your audience, and generates hooks in your voice — scored against your own baseline.