💡✍️ADN #162: Write Songs That Make Other Songwriters Jealous

We spend a lot of time lost in the nuance.

Is this good?

Is this great?

Do I like it?

Do I love it?

If you’re asking yourself these questions, you probably know the answer.

And it is usually some form of “no.”

That said, it is also possible to be so twisted in the search for greatness that you don’t recognize you’re sitting with it RIGHT NOW.

That you’ve written the song that WILL turn heads.

That you’ve recorded the album that WILL change your life.

That you know how to play the gig everyone WILL tell their friends about.

The jealousy test:

You want to write songs that make other songwriters jealous.

Just like you want to make records that make other artists jealous.

Just like you want to play gigs that make songwriters, artists, industry, and fans jealous.

This isn’t bad jealousy.

Jealousy in this instance is admiration packaged in self-reflection.

It’s the “I wish I’d written that” moment.

It’s the “How did they pull that off?” question.

It’s the “I need to step my game up” realization.

The standard:

When another songwriter hears your song and thinks “damn, I wish that was mine” — you know it’s great.

When another band watches your show and thinks “we need to be better” — you know it’s great.

When industry people hear your record and thinks “I need to be in business with this artist” — you know it’s great.

Social Proof

“I hate you all for this song.” — Emily Weisband (Grammy Award Winning Songwriter)

Why this works:

Your peers know the work it takes.

They understand the craft.

They see through the bullshit.

When you make them jealous, you’re not just creating good work.

You’re creating undeniable work.

The filter:

Before you call anything finished, ask yourself:

“Would this make my heroes jealous?”

“Would another artist in my genre hear this and wish they’d made it?”

“Would someone who does this for a living be impressed?”

If the honest answer is no, keep working.

If the honest answer is “maybe,” keep working.

If the honest answer is “yes, and I know exactly why,” you’re done.

The credibility:

Lovable envy is currency in your community.

When you earn it, everything changes.

Other artists want to collaborate.

Industry wants to work with you.

Fans trust your taste.

You’ve proven you belong.

The clarity:

This lens provides clarity.

It bypasses your own insecurity.

It sidesteps casual listener opinions.

It forces you to meet the standard of people you respect.

Stop asking if it’s good enough.

Start asking if it would make your peers jealous.

That’s how you know it’s great.

See you next Sunday,

Neil