Metaphor:
* "The Scientist" by Coldplay: "Nobody said it was easy. It's such a shame for us to part." (The separation is compared to a "shame," suggesting deep regret and sorrow.)
* "All Too Well" by Taylor Swift: "And you call me up again just to break me like a promise." (The broken promise metaphor emphasizes the pain and betrayal of the relationship.)
* "Bad Blood" by Taylor Swift: "Now we got bad blood, you know it's true." (The literal "bad blood" symbolizes the deep animosity and hatred between the two people.)
Simile:
* "Someone Like You" by Adele: "Never mind, I'll find someone like you. I wish nothing but the best for you, too. Don't forget me, I beg. I'll remember you said, 'Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead.'" (The phrase "like you" is a simile comparing the singer's ex-lover to someone else, conveying a sense of longing.)
* "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus: "I came in like a wrecking ball. I never meant to start a war. I never meant to break your heart." (The simile "came in like a wrecking ball" illustrates the singer's destructive nature and impact on the relationship.)
Personification:
* "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele: "The waves crashed down upon my head. Tell me, tell me, tell me, were you ever even real?" (The waves are personified, representing the overwhelming emotions and pain the singer is experiencing.)
* "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails: "I hurt myself today. To see if I still feel. I focus on the pain. The only thing that's real." (Pain is given human qualities, signifying its powerful and tangible presence in the singer's life.)
Imagery:
* "Skinny Love" by Bon Iver: "The winter's in my head, and I can't let it go. It's the winter in my head, but you are my only friend. You are my only friend." (This song uses vivid imagery of winter to express the singer's emotional coldness and isolation, contrasted with the warmth of his friend.)
* "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac: "Oh, mirror, mirror, on the wall, does my reflection grow old? I'm getting older, tired of being told, don't you let me down." (The mirror reflects the singer's fears of aging and change.)
Symbolism:
* "Imagine" by John Lennon: "Imagine there's no heaven. It's easy if you try. No hell below us. Above us, only sky." (Heaven and hell symbolize different beliefs and ideologies, while the "sky" represents a world free from these divisions.)
* "Yellow" by Coldplay: "Your skin, oh, yeah, your skin and bones. Turn into something beautiful." (The singer's love is symbolized by the "skin and bones," highlighting the raw, vulnerable beauty of their connection.)
Repetition:
* "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen: "Galileo, Galileo. Galileo, Figaro magnifico. I'm just a poor boy from a poor family. Spare him his life from this monstrosity." (The repetitive lyrics emphasize the singer's pleas for mercy and highlight the chaos of the situation.)
* "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen: "Now I've heard there was a secret chord. That David played, and it pleased the Lord. But you don't really care for music, do you? It goes like this. The fourth, the fifth. The minor fall, the major lift. The baffled king composing Hallelujah." (The repetition of "Hallelujah" emphasizes the song's theme of praise and worship.)
This is just a small selection, and there are many other examples of poetic devices used in modern songs. Listen closely to the lyrics, and you'll discover many more interesting techniques used to create emotional impact and lasting impression.