middle eight
A contrasting eight-bar section in a pop song that provides relief from the verse-chorus cycle.
In Depth
The middle eight, also called the bridge in American usage, typically appears after the second chorus. It introduces new harmonic, melodic, or lyrical material to prevent listener fatigue. Classic middle eights often shift to a relative key or subdominant area. The Beatles were masters of the middle eight, using it to add emotional depth and structural surprise to otherwise simple pop songs.
The term originated in Tin Pan Alley songwriting, referring to the B section of an AABA form, which was typically eight bars long.