How Many Words Are in a Song? Average Song Word Count & the 80/20 Rule

When I prepared for a song-a-week project several years ago, I wanted to know exactly how much writing I’d need to do.

The best way to figure that out?

Count how many words are in the average song.

How Many Words Does the Average Song Have?

I averaged out several great albums and discovered that these songs have between 100 and 300 words. That’s enough to fill a few verses, a chorus, maybe a bridge—and still keep the lyrics concise and singable.

Here are some famous examples:

• Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen → 281 words per song
• Nothing Like the Sun by Sting → 206 words per song
• Abbey Road by The Beatles → 102 words per song
• Let It Be by The Beatles → 139 words per song

So if you’re aiming for a standard pop or classic rock song, expect your lyrics to fall somewhere in that 100–300 word range.

Using the 80/20 Rule for Songwriting

When I applied the 80/20 rule to songwriting, I realized that only about 20% of what I wrote would make the final cut, while the other 80% would end up discarded.

That meant:

• To write a 200-word song, I should plan on writing 1,000 words of raw material.
• For a 300-word song, I might draft 1,500 words before editing down.

Suddenly, songwriting felt less intimidating. I didn’t need to write perfectly—I just needed enough words to refine into a finished lyric.

Flipping the 80/20 Rule with the Lyric Triad

But the real breakthrough came with the Lyric Triad. This framework gives you a bullseye to write toward. Instead of throwing away 80% of your words, you flip the ratio:

• 80% of your writing becomes usable
• Only 20% gets cut

This approach doesn’t just save time—it makes finishing songs far more consistent.

👉 Learn more here: The Lyric Triad

FAQ – Song Word Count

Q: How many words are in a typical song?
Most songs fall between 100–300 words.

Q: Do more words make a song better?
Not necessarily. Some of the most powerful songs are short and simple, while rap and storytelling genres often use more words.

Q: How many words are in rap songs compared to pop songs?
Rap songs usually have higher word counts due to faster lyrical delivery, often 500+ words per track, compared to 150–250 in pop.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve ever wondered “how many words does the average song have?” the answer is simple: about 100–300 words. With the 80/20 rule (and especially with the Lyric Triad), you’ll know how much raw material to generate—and how to refine it into a finished lyric.

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