In general, pop punk songs have 2-3 choruses, 2-3 verses, and maybe one breakdown, usually without lyrics. You can also consider a chant or call and response section for audience participation, but that’s about as complex as most pop punk song structures get. [1] X Research source
Love and heartbreak Suburban angst Rebellion against school, parents, etc. Growing up. [2] X Research source
Attacking a powerful political figure, like in Anti-Flag’s “Turncoat. " Exposing an issue or ignored topic, like The Clash’s “Spanish Bombs” or “Washington Bullets. " Mocking satire, pretending to be a political opponent to show how terrible their views are (“Kill the Poor. “)
Even one good line can be the basis of a song, used as a chorus or a refrain to hold the song together. Don’t think of writing the whole song in one linear sitting. Just start writing parts and fragments, and slowly you’ll start to see those that fit well together. [5] X Research source
Once you’ve written the lyrics, try humming or whistling out tunes to find a good melody. When it is catchy even without words, you’ve got a killer chorus to use. Green Day, Rancid, Operation Ivy, and Blink-182 are great bands who shot to popularity because they can write killer hooks, not just driving lyrics. [6] X Research source
Tell a tale or story (“Timebomb”) String together related moments or images on the same theme (“Story of my Life. “). Approach the topic from new places or perspectives each verse (“Longview”)
Cover the songs you like to play more like the bands you admire. Reading lyrics without the music is a good way to see how lyrics are written, and a good way to compare you own.
