Is it acceptable to change tempo in the middle of a song or is this a bad idea?

Question

I wrote a song that could be classified as Pop or Country that starts out at a medium slow tempo in the first two verses and bridge.Then there is a section after the bridge that can best be described as an extended third verse followed by an outro that repeats the opening chord progression a few times before the song ends. The intensity increases during this third verse and I can increase the volume on the instrumentation to convey an elevation of the intensity. **But I would also like to increase the tempo from medium slow to medium.** Not a doubling or even a big increase, but a noticeable increase in tempo - before slowing back to the original tempo on the outro. Is changing tempo during the song and back again a common device used on modern popular music? Or is there a good reason to avoid this type thing? Does it pose any particular problems for either the listener or the musicians who must play the song? Assuming the negatives aren't prohibitive - are there certain guidelines that should be adhered to in an effort to make this type change more effective or less disruptive (ie. try to use a multiple of 2 on your Bpm)?

Answer 1

Short answer. Absolutely. Listen to bohemian rhapsody.

Answer 2

Hi, I believe it is really your decision to have tempo changes in a song. It is more common in classical pieces but modern music, pop and country tunes have these kind of sections with different bpm. If that feels good when you play so be it.

Best,

Evren.