| Metric | Why it matters | |--------|----------------| | | Did you hook them? | | Shares | Viral potential (true signal) | | Saves | High-value content for later | | Average view duration | Algorithm reward trigger | | Comment sentiment | Engaged vs. angry |
Songwriters are now writing for the hook, not the verse. If a song doesn't have a "drop" or a quotable lyric within the first 5 seconds, it is a commercial failure. The "pre-chorus" is dying. The "chorus" is now the intro.