songwritingpodcastsmusicians

Write a Catchy Podcast Theme with Lyrics: Templates and Examples for New Hosts

UUnknown

2026-02-13

10 min read

A practical songwriting toolkit for podcast hosts: lyric templates, chord progressions, timing maps and production notes tuned for 2026 podcast branding.

Stop hunting for the perfect jingle — write one that actually brands your podcast

As a new podcast host you face the same pain points: no reliable lyrics that fit your episode length, an earworm theme that doesn’t sound like your show, and confusion about how to turn a short sting into a full branding asset. This guide is a practical songwriting toolkit — with lyric templates, chord progressions, tempo and timing blueprints, and performance notes designed for podcast formats in 2026. You’ll get examples inspired by successful UK producers like Goalhanger and high-profile presenters such as Ant & Dec, updated for subscription-era podcast branding and AI-assisted production workflows.

The 2026 reality: why your theme matters more than ever

Two trends reshaped podcast branding by late 2025 and into 2026:

Subscription-first networks (think Goalhanger’s rapid scale) use themes and stings as part of member perks and merchandise; a memorable theme drives conversions.
Short-form clips and social repurposing mean your theme must work at 2–15 seconds for TikTok/Instagram as well as at 30–60 seconds in-episode.

"Goalhanger exceeds 250,000 paying subscribers" — a reminder that audio branding helps build paying communities in 2026.

How to use this toolkit

This article gives you:

Three lyric templates (conversational, narrative/history, energetic entertainment)
Chord progressions and capo/key suggestions for guitar and piano
Timing maps for stings, full openings, bumpers and outros
Performance notes: instrumentation, BPM ranges, mixing/masters for podcast platforms
Practical deployment: where to place themes in episodes and how to license them

Core structure: the podcast theme archetype

Across formats, effective themes share four elements. Keep these as your checklist:

Signature hook (2–6 seconds) — a melody or phrase everyone recognizes.
Brand line (4–10 seconds) — concise lyrics that include the podcast name or tagline.
Musical flourish (2–6 seconds) — short instrumental motif for transitions.
Optional outro / CTA (5–20 seconds) — invite listeners to subscribe or highlight member benefits.

Timing blueprints by format (practical)

Match your theme length to episode style and platform:

Quick sting (2–6s) — For ad tags and bumpers. Use the signature hook only.
Standard intro (15–30s) — Hook + brand line + flourish. Works for most conversational/entertainment shows.
Extended open (45–75s) — Add an extra verse or a short instrumental bridge for narrative/history or documentary podcasts.
Social edit (6–15s) — Pick a 6–8s excerpt with the clearest lyrical or melodic hook for clips; follow repurposing workflows and the micro-event audio blueprints approach to ensure your stings edit cleanly into short-form edits.

Tempo & vibe: BPM and keys for genres

Use these as starting points — adjust to match your voice and content.

Entertainment / Light chat (Ant & Dec style): 100–120 BPM, major keys (G, C, D). Bright instrumentation: ukulele, acoustic guitar, brass stabs.
Conversational / True crime / Investigative: 60–80 BPM, minor keys (Am, Em, Dm). Moody pads, low piano, plucked bass motif.
History / Narrative (The Rest Is History-style): 70–90 BPM, modal or minor-major hybrids (Em with Dsus4 flavors). Orchestral cues, piano ostinato.
Sport / High energy (Goalhanger-style promos): 120–140 BPM, driving rhythms, power chords in E or A for guitar, synth hits for impact.

Chord progressions you can drop into themes (with variations)

Each progression below includes variations for emotional shading and simple capo/transposition tips for singer comfort.

Progression A — Bright, pop-friendly (key of G)

G — D — Em — C (I — V — vi — IV). Great for upbeat hosts and singable brand lines.

Variation: G — D/F# — Em — Cadd9 for smoother bass motion.

Capo tip: Capo 2 and play in F shape to suit higher male/female ranges.

Progression B — Intimate & conversational (key of C)

C — Am — F — G (I — vi — IV — V). Works for podcasts that feel like a fireside chat.

Variation: C — Am7 — Fmaj7 — Gsus4 for a softer texture.

Progression C — Cinematic / history (key of Em)

Em — C — G — D (i — VI — III — VII). Good for narrative shows — use deep strings and minimal percussion.

Variation: Em — Cmaj7 — G — Dsus2 with a piano ostinato under the vocal line.

E5 — A5 — B5 — E5 (power chord riff). Ideal for sports and high-energy spots like Goalhanger promos.

Guitar tabs: two ready-to-play stings

Copy these as-is into a DAW or use live. Timestamps assume 4/4 timing. If you need field-tested compact recorders for on-the-go demos, check handheld reviews like the Orion Handheld X review.

Sting 1 — 4s hook (G — D — Em — C)

e|--3--------2--------0--------0--|
B|--3--------3--------0--------1--|
G|--0--------2--------0--------0--|
D|--0--------0--------2--------2--|
A|--2-----------------2--------3--|
E|--3-----------------0-----------|
    G        D        Em       C

Play as one-bar hits at ~110 BPM for a punchy intro sting.

Sting 2 — 6s melodic motif (Em arpeggio)

e|-------------------------0-----|
B|-------0-----0-----0---0---0---|
G|-----0-----0-----0---0---------|
D|---2-----2-----2--------------|
A|------------------------------|
E|-0----------------------------|
   Em arpeggio motif (looped)

Play slowly at 70–80 BPM, use reverb and a soft pad behind it for atmosphere.

Lyric templates and examples (tailored to podcast branding)

Each template includes syllable guidance and chord placement. Keep lines short — a 15–20 second theme usually sits between 28–40 syllables total.

1) Conversational hosts — friendly, direct (Ant & Dec inspired)

Use a bouncy, major progression (Progression A). Aim for 100–110 BPM.

[G] Hey, we’re [podcast name] — [D] pulling up a chair (7–8 syllables)
[Em] Stories, laughs and headlines — [C] we’ll tell it there (9–10 syllables)
[G] Hang a while — [D] press play, be part [Em] of the night [C] (10–12 syllables)

Timing map: 0–4s hook (instrumental), 4–14s main vocal, 14–18s flourish/CTA. Swap lines to match episode flow. For cover art and thumbnail text that reads at small sizes (Ant & Dec examples), see podcast cover type tips.

2) Narrative / history — reflective, authoritative (Rest Is History vibe)

Use Progression C in Em. Aim for 70–85 BPM. Keep the vocal mid-range and warm.

[Em] We tell the tales the books forgot [C] (8–10 syllables)
[G] Who shaped the world and why it’s changed [D] (8–9 syllables)
[Em] Tune in, lean back — [C] the past in our [G] time [D] (10–12 syllables)

Allow space between phrases so voiceover can interject episode hook lines.

Power chords or synth stabs, 120–135 BPM. Short, punchy lines.

[E5] Join the club — [A5] get the extras [B5] (6–8 syllables)
[E5] Early shows, ad‑free — [A5] sign up [B5] today [E5] (8–10 syllables)

Use this as a 10–15s member pitch bumper inside episodes or at the end.

Melody crafting — quick rules (no notation needed)

Start your melody on scale degree 3 or 5 for instant singability.
Keep most melodic leaps to thirds or fourths; save an octave leap for the final line to make the brand name pop.
Repeat the last two syllables of your podcast name melodically — repetition = earworm.

Performance & production notes

These are practical steps when you record or hand off to a producer in 2026.

Vocal chain: condenser mic, light compression (2:1), de‑essing, gentle EQ boost at 3–5 kHz for presence. Keep voice upfront relative to music.
Loudness: For podcast hosting platforms aim for integrated -16 to -18 LUFS (streaming-friendly and consistent with 2025 standards).
Stereo image: Keep lead vocal centred; widen texture with stereo pads and light reverb. For stings destined for social, create a mono mix as well.
Stem delivery: Export separate stems (vocal, rhythm, melody, FX) at 48kHz/24-bit for editors and platform delivery — include clear metadata and consider automating metadata extraction as part of your handoff (DAM integration guide).

Deploying your theme inside episodes

Follow a consistent placement strategy so listeners recognise your brand across the feed and social snippets:

Full intro theme for first episode of the week or premiere episodes (30–60s).
Shorter versions (6–15s) for mid-episode bumpers and ad returns.
Member CTA version (10–15s) either mid-roll or pre-outro for subscription drives.
Use instrumental loops from your theme for chapter transitions — keeps the sound cohesive. If you frequently record on location, follow low-latency location audio practices to keep edits tight across devices.

Copyright, licensing and 2026 tools

Creators often ask: do I own the theme? How do I license it? Key steps for UK/wherever you publish:

Register the composition with your local collection society (e.g., PRS for Music in the UK) — this protects performance royalties.
Keep writing records — session logs, demo timestamps, and stem masters help resolve disputes.
Use modern micro-licensing platforms — by late 2025 new services simplified sync and short-form rights for social clips; in 2026 these are mainstream for podcasters monetising clips.
AI-created material: If you used AI assistance in melody or lyric generation, confirm tool licensing and include that detail on your metadata — many platforms now require origin transparency.

Case study snippets: UK producers & lessons

Two practical takeaways from recent UK successes:

Goalhanger scaled a paid network by making premium extras feel branded — short, exclusive stings and member-only theme variants increased accept rates. Lesson: craft a membership‑exclusive outro or remix to boost conversion.
High-profile presenters (e.g., Ant & Dec) pivoting to podcasts show that authenticity in the vocal delivery matters more than overly produced jingles. Lesson: if your brand is 'hanging out', keep the theme conversational and warm — not overdressed.

Checklist: From sketch to master (practical workflow)

Choose format and length (sting vs full intro).
Pick a chord progression from this guide; transpose to comfortable vocal key.
Write a 2–3 line brand lyric using templates above.
Record a dry vocal and a guide guitar/piano. Keep multiple takes.
Produce a compact arrangement (stems) optimized for LUFS -16 to -18.
Create social edits and a member-exclusive variant.
Register composition and deliver stems to your podcast editor/host. For tips on low-cost gear and refurb options when you need to kit a setup quickly, see our bargain tech guides and refurb reviews (low-cost streaming devices & refurbs).

Advanced strategies and future-proofing (2026+)

To make your theme work across future formats:

Make modular stems so editors can reorder parts when chopping for shorts or longform — combine modular stems with hybrid workflow patterns (hybrid edge workflows).
Design an adaptive theme — one core melody that can be rendered as acoustic, synth, or orchestral depending on episode mood. This is common in 2026 branded networks.
Consider spatial audio for special episodes and premium feeds — a binaural mix of your theme can become a member-only perk.

Quick templates recap (copy-paste ready)

Use these three compact templates to get a demo to your producer in under an hour.

Conversational (15s): Hook (2s) + Vocal line (8–10s) + Flourish (3s). Chords: G–D–Em–C. BPM 105.
History (30s): Intro pad (4s) + Two lines vocal (16s) + Instrument bridge + Tagline (8s). Chords: Em–C–G–D. BPM 80.
Promo CTA (10s): Power hits + short vocal invite. Chords: E5–A5–B5. BPM 130.

Actionable takeaways

Start with a 6–15s hook and expand only if you need a full intro — shorter often wins on social.
Use the provided chord progressions as your harmonic backbone; transpose for comfort with a capo or keys.
Make stems and a member-only variant — networks like Goalhanger show paywalls convert when audio branding feels exclusive.
Register your work, and if you used AI tools, document the process to avoid future rights friction; consider automated metadata workflows to keep track of stems and credits (see DAM guide).

Final notes — your next 60 minutes

Here’s a simple 1‑hour session to produce a usable demo:

10 min: Pick progression + key + tempo.
15 min: Draft 2–3 lyric lines from templates and fit syllables.
15 min: Record guide vocal and basic guitar/piano stem. If you record outside the studio, follow low-latency location audio best practice to avoid sync headaches.
20 min: Quick mix, render stems, create a 6s social cut. If you need a compact field recorder reference, read the Orion Handheld X review for a tested option.

Ready to write your own theme?

Use the templates, plug in your podcast name and tagline, pick a chord progression above, and record a 15–30 second demo. If you want a downloadable PDF of the chord sheets, tabs and a one-hour session plan tailored to your genre, click through to get the free pack and a checklist for publishing and rights management.

Call to action: Draft a 15-second demo using one of the templates and upload it to our community feedback thread — get producer feedback and a free stem review to help your theme convert listeners into subscribers.

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