Why pop songwriters break the rules ft. Amy Allen

Grammy-winning songwriter Amy Allen joins NYU Steinhardt students live to trace her path from early pitch songs to co-writing some of the decade's defining hits. She explains why Halsey's "Without Me" needed an extended chorus but no pre-made chord loops, how Harry Styles' "Matilda" required character-driven writing for emotional safety, and what made the hypnotic groove of Tate McRae's "Greedy" demand a rare third verse. Allen also unpacks the spoken hook in Rosé and Bruno Mars' "APT" and the three-step key change powering Sabrina Carpenter's recent work. The result is a masterclass in why songs work—and why the rules worth breaking are the ones you've already learned.

SONGS DISCUSSED

• Halsey "Without Me"

• Harry Styles "Adore You"

• Harry Styles "Matilda"

• Tate McRae "greedy"

• Rosé and Bruno Mars "ATA"

• Sabrina Carpenter "Please, please, please"

• Selena Gomez "Back to You"

• Justin Timberlake "Cry Me A River" (Interpolated in "Without Me")

• Olivia Rodrigo "Driver's License"

• Sabrina Carpenter "Espresso"

• Sabrina Carpenter Short and Sweet (Album)

• Sabrina Carpenter Man's Best Friend (Album)

• Beyoncé "Love on Top"

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