In this week’s Techniques Spotlight, we dive into the highly unique and effective outro used in Doja Cat’s current megahit, Say So.

After entering the Hot 100 Top 10 in early April 2020, Say So slowly climbed the chart, finally hitting the coveted #1 spot in its seventh week following the release of its official remix featuring Nicki Minaj. But the song’s success didn’t stop there. In addition to hitting the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, Say So also topped the US Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs, Mainstream Top 40, Dance/Mix Show Airplay and Rhythmic charts, solidifying itself as a resounding success for Top 10 newcomer Doja Cat.

Say So‘s Outro Arrangement

Among the myriad of characteristics that helped the song reach such notoriety is its highly effective outro. At 40 seconds and 16 bars in length, Say So’s outro clocks in as one of the longest outros among non-hip hop Hot 100 Top 10 hits since 2019, coming in third behind Khalid’s Better (44 seconds) and Post Malone’s Take What You Want (41 seconds). However, despite its long length, the outro’s meticulous four-part structure ensures that the listener is kept engaged throughout, and even pulls a few clever tricks along the way that psychologically entice the listener to go back for another listen. What are they? Visit the Hit Songs Deconstructed Techniques Library to find out!

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