The best examples of AABA structure in popular songs (and why they work)

Classic examples of AABA structure in popular songs

When people talk about examples of AABA structure in popular songs, they usually start with the Great American Songbook. That’s because AABA was the go-to form for Tin Pan Alley writers in the early 20th century.

Take “Over the Rainbow” (Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg, 1939), made famous by Judy Garland. The main 32–bar section is a textbook AABA:

• A1: “Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high…” – a complete, singable idea.
• A2: Repeats the same melody with slight lyrical variation.
• B (Bridge): “Someday I’ll wish upon a star…” – different melody, different harmonic feel.
• A3: Returns to the original “Somewhere over the rainbow” idea.

That 32–bar cycle is the heart of the song. Everything else (intro, tag, key changes in some versions) is decoration around a solid AABA structure.

Another classic example of AABA structure in popular songs is “I Got Rhythm” by George and Ira Gershwin. Musicians still talk about “rhythm changes,” which literally come from this song’s AABA chord pattern. Jazz standards like “How High the Moon,” “But Not for Me,” and “Embraceable You” are all strong examples of how AABA dominated early popular songwriting.

For a historical overview of Tin Pan Alley and the Great American Songbook era, the Library of Congress has a helpful summary of American popular song history: https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200197495/

Mid-century pop and jazz: more subtle examples include standards you already know

Even if you’re not a jazz fan, you’ve probably heard AABA forms without realizing it. Many mid-century pop hits are quiet examples of AABA structure in popular songs.

Think about “Yesterday” by The Beatles. The form is often analyzed as AABA with a short tag:

• A1: “Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away…”
• A2: Same melody with new lyrics.
• B: “Why she had to go, I don’t know…” – new melodic contour, more emotional lift.
• A3: Back to “Yesterday…”

It’s not a 1930s theater song, but the architecture is the same. That’s the power of AABA: it’s flexible enough to feel timeless.

Another mid-century example of AABA structure in popular songs is “Blue Moon” by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. The main section cycles through AABA so clearly that it’s often used in theory classes to teach the form. If you listen to classic recordings by Elvis Presley or The Marcels, you can hear the A sections circling back like a familiar neighborhood, with the B section stepping out for a quick emotional detour.

Jazz vocal standards also lean heavily on this form. “Misty” (Erroll Garner, lyrics by Johnny Burke) and “My Funny Valentine” (Rodgers & Hart again) are both strong examples of AABA structure in popular songs that crossed from theater and jazz into mainstream pop awareness.

For a more academic breakdown of song forms used in jazz and popular music, the Berklee College of Music and other music programs often publish course materials and articles on standard forms like AABA. One useful overview of musical form basics comes from Yale University’s open resources: https://oyc.yale.edu/music/musi-112

Modern pop: where AABA hides in plain sight

By the 1990s and 2000s, verse–chorus structures took over the charts, but AABA never vanished. It just slipped into more hybrid forms. Some of the best examples of AABA structure in popular songs from the last few decades are songs that feel like verse–chorus, but on paper they’re really AABA.

A nice example of this kind of hybrid is “Someone Like You” by Adele. At first, it sounds like a conventional verse–chorus ballad, but if you listen to the melodic shape and how the sections repeat, you can hear a repeated A idea returning after a contrasting section that functions like a B. The emotional “bridge” feels like a classic B section in AABA, giving a contrast in intensity before circling back.

Another modern example of AABA structure in popular songs is “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran. The repeated refrain sections act as A, with a clear contrasting middle that behaves like a B section. It’s not a pure 32–bar AABA the way Gershwin wrote them, but the organizing principle is the same: repeat a strong idea, break away once, then return home.

In musical theater, AABA never really went out of style. Contemporary shows from Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, In the Heights) and Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (Dear Evan Hansen, The Greatest Showman) often lean on AABA or modified AABA forms for big solo numbers. Songs like “Burn” from Hamilton or “Waving Through a Window” from Dear Evan Hansen use repeated A sections with a contrasting middle that functions like a B, even if the overall structure also includes additional sections and reprises.

If you’re interested in how modern music is analyzed, the Library of Congress and university music departments often publish accessible discussions of popular song forms and their evolution. A good starting point is the Library of Congress Performing Arts Encyclopedia: https://www.loc.gov/collections/performing-arts-encyclopedia/

Zooming in: detailed breakdowns of AABA in specific songs

To really understand examples of AABA structure in popular songs, it helps to walk through the form section by section. Let’s look at a few songs more closely.

“Over the Rainbow” – Judy Garland

Length-wise, the main AABA section is 32 bars, split into four 8–bar chunks:

• A1 (bars 1–8): Introduces the main melody and key emotional idea.
• A2 (bars 9–16): Same melody, new lyrics, deepening the story.
• B (bars 17–24): New melody, new harmony, often starting on a different chord to signal contrast.
• A3 (bars 25–32): Return of the original melody, bringing emotional closure.

If you’re a songwriter, this is a great template. You write one strong 8–bar A idea, repeat it with variation, write a contrasting 8–bar B idea, then come home to your A. That’s why so many of the best examples of AABA structure in popular songs feel instantly singable: you’re really just learning one main melody with a brief side trip.

“I Want to Hold Your Hand” – The Beatles

This one is a fun, slightly more pop-rock flavored example. The song’s core is often analyzed as AABA, even though it includes extra hooks and tags:

• A1: “Oh yeah, I’ll tell you something…” – catchy, repetitive, built around a tight melodic idea.
• A2: Same melodic shape, new lyrics.
• B: “And when I touch you I feel happy inside…” – different harmonic movement, more lift.
• A3: Back to “I want to hold your hand…”

The Beatles used AABA in several early tracks, including “This Boy” and “From Me to You.” When you’re looking for examples of AABA structure in popular songs that bridge old-school songwriting and modern pop, early Beatles is a gold mine.

“Somewhere Only We Know” – Keane

Moving into the 2000s, “Somewhere Only We Know” is a nice example of how AABA ideas can live inside what sounds like a contemporary rock ballad. Listen for the repeated melodic unit that keeps coming back (A), and the contrasting middle section that changes the mood before returning (B). Even though the production feels modern, the songwriting DNA is very close to classic AABA.

Why writers still use AABA in 2024–2025

So why are there still so many living, breathing examples of AABA structure in popular songs, even when playlists are dominated by verse–chorus forms?

A few reasons:

• Memorability – You only have to learn one main melody (A) and a contrasting bridge (B). That repetition makes songs easy to remember and sing.
• Emotional pacing – The B section works like a mini emotional “plot twist.” It gives contrast and tension, so when the A returns, it feels even more satisfying.
• Lyric storytelling – Because the A melody repeats, you can focus on changing the lyrics to deepen the story or shift perspective.

Streaming-era pop often stretches or blends forms, but many ballads and theater-style songs still borrow AABA logic. If you listen for it, you’ll hear current writers using repeated melodic stanzas with a single contrasting middle, even when the production screams “2024.”

For songwriters, studying examples of AABA structure in popular songs is a practical way to build a toolbox. You don’t have to copy the exact 32–bar layout; you can:

• Shorten the A sections.
• Add a pre-chorus before A.
• Repeat the B section twice for extra lift.
• Tag the last A with a new ending.

The point is, AABA is a flexible skeleton you can dress up in any style—from jazz to bedroom pop.

How to spot AABA when you’re listening

If you want to train your ear using real examples of AABA structure in popular songs, try this simple listening exercise:

1. Count the repeated main sections. If you hear the same melodic idea come back, with similar chords and rhythm, that’s probably your A.
2. Listen for a one-time contrast. A new melody and harmonic feel that appears once in the middle is likely the B (bridge).
3. Notice the return. After that contrast, do you go back to the original idea? That return is what makes the pattern A–A–B–A.

Try this with:

• “Over the Rainbow” (Judy Garland)
• “I Got Rhythm” (Ella Fitzgerald or any jazz version)
• “Yesterday” (The Beatles)
• “Blue Moon” (The Marcels, Elvis, or a jazz recording)
• “Misty” (Sarah Vaughan, Johnny Mathis)
• “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (The Beatles)
• “Somewhere Only We Know” (Keane)
• “Thinking Out Loud” (Ed Sheeran)

As you do this, you’re not just collecting examples of AABA structure in popular songs; you’re building an instinct for form that will sneak into your own writing.

Quick FAQ about AABA song examples

What are some famous examples of AABA structure in popular songs?

Some of the best-known examples include “Over the Rainbow,” “I Got Rhythm,” “Blue Moon,” “Yesterday,” “Misty,” “My Funny Valentine,” and early Beatles hits like “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “This Boy.” Many jazz standards and musical theater songs are built on the same AABA idea.

How can I tell if a song is an example of AABA form and not verse–chorus?

Listen for a repeated main section (A) that comes back at least three times, with a single contrasting middle (B). If there’s no big, separate “chorus” hook that repeats on its own, and the structure feels more like stanza–stanza–bridge–stanza, you’re probably hearing an example of AABA structure in popular songs.

Are there modern examples of AABA structure in popular songs?

Yes. While pure 32–bar AABA is less common on today’s charts, you can still find modern examples in ballads, singer–songwriter tracks, and musical theater. Songs like “Someone Like You” (Adele), “Thinking Out Loud” (Ed Sheeran), and “Somewhere Only We Know” (Keane) show how AABA ideas blend into contemporary production.

Why should songwriters study examples of AABA songs?

Because they’re practical templates. Looking at a real example of AABA shows you how to build strong repetition without getting boring, how to write a bridge that truly contrasts, and how to pace a lyric over repeated melodic material. It’s like learning classic story structures before you write a screenplay.

Can I mix AABA with other song forms?

Absolutely. Many writers use a basic AABA skeleton, then add a repeated hook, an extra bridge, or a final extended outro. As long as you understand the logic behind strong examples of AABA structure in popular songs, you can bend the rules and still keep your listeners oriented.

If you treat these songs as living case studies rather than museum pieces, AABA stops feeling old-fashioned and starts feeling like a reliable tool. Learn from the best examples, experiment with your own variations, and you’ll start hearing structure as clearly as melody or lyrics.