
One thing to help answer this question is to simply listen to some recent charting songs in genres such as rock, pop, country, etc. (or whatever YOUR genre is) and listen carefully to the productions.
I write mainly in VCVCBC(C) (The repeat C optional) format and the technique I still love is to build, build, build with the emotional climax being the bridge. Then the chorus after the bridge will be a breakdown to let the tension drop back down again and then rebuild with a repeat C. Variants can be the last C is 1/2 breakdown, 1/2 full, or the bridge is the breakdown, etc.
Build can be subtleties such as adding more harmonies and/or instrumentation (percussion elements, strings, etc).
Best,
