Active Listening Is the Game-Changer You’re Missing

If you’re thinking, “Active listening doesn’t really matter” or “I want to figure my songs out on my own,” let me stop you right here. As a coach—and as someone who didn’t “get it” for a while—I’m telling you from the rooftops:

Active listening matters.

Without it, you’re reinventing the wheel every time you sit down to write. Worse, you’ll get stuck in the same tired patterns over and over again.

If you want to jumpstart your songwriting, adopting the active listening mindset will be a total game-changer.

My Light Bulb Moment

When I started taking classes in songwriting, production, melody writing, and even sync licensing, there was one phrase that kept popping up:

Active listening.

Every teacher, regardless of discipline, repeated it. They didn’t know each other, yet they were all saying the same thing. That’s when it hit me: this wasn’t optional—it was fundamental.

Active listening isn’t just for producers, or film/TV composers—it’s for every musician who wants to stand out.

Why We Resist It

Traditionally, musicians are taught from a technical or performance-based perspective. You take lessons, practice scales, and focus on technique. Those are valuable, but they don’t always give you the perspective of a songwriter.

Instead, you end up listening only to what feels comfortable—music that validates your tastes and your “tribe.” Or worse, you cling to the belief that more years in the industry equals more knowledge.

That mindset is a trap. You tell yourself you’re listening to “new” music when really you’re revisiting remastered versions of the same old records, or catching a live clip from a band you’ve loved since high school. That’s not active listening—that’s nostalgia.

Listening for Research, Not Comfort

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying music you love. But don’t confuse that with active listening for research and growth.

Active listening is about filling your creative well—your stockpile of hooks, riffs, chord progressions, melodies, and production ideas. This is the well you’ll draw from when you sit down to write, co-write, or produce.

Think of it as keeping your toolbox full, so you’re never staring at a blank page without ideas.

How to Start Filling Your Creative Well

Stop saying, “There’s no good music anymore.” That’s a cop-out. With streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon, you have access to thousands of curated playlists—across genres and subgenres.

Here’s the key: Don’t just skim.

Pick a playlist and listen to it on repeat for a week or two. Absorb it. Notice the builds, the drops, the chord changes, the lyrical themes. Listen until you can anticipate what comes next—because then, you’ll truly understand the song.

Even if you’re not a fan of the genre, approach it with curiosity. Find the gold.

What Producers and Songwriters Should Listen For

• Producers: Pay attention to how productions evolve. What unique touches does the producer bring? What common patterns repeat across tracks?

• Songwriters: Study chord progressions, melodies, and lyrical themes. What keeps showing up? What rules seem unspoken but consistent?

Active listening gives you guardrails so you can aim your writing more effectively and hit the target every time.

The Mindset Shift

Some musicians flat-out resist listening to new things. They’ll say:

• “Music was only good back in the [insert decade].”

• “Everything new is garbage.”

• “I’m fine where I’m at.”

But think about it this way: if doctors refused to learn new life-saving techniques because they liked the “old way,” it would be malpractice. Songwriting isn’t life-or-death, but if active listening can massively improve your craft, why wouldn’t you embrace it?

Your personal biases—what you grew up with, what your peers loved—shouldn’t limit your growth as a songwriter.

Borrow Like the Greats Do

Even icons borrow from others. Pharrell once praised Dave Grohl’s drumming, but Grohl laughed and called himself the “most basic drummer,” admitting he stole much of his style from disco legend Tony Thompson.

When you line up Nirvana’s Nevermind next to The Gap Band’s disco tracks, you hear the influence immediately. Grohl even confessed to Thompson in person: “I’ve been ripping you off for years.” Thompson’s response? “I know.”

That’s the beauty of active listening. You don’t have to stay within your lane. Pull melodies from pop, grooves from funk, textures from indie folk, and weave them into your own songwriting.

Final Thoughts

Active listening keeps your music fresh, inspired, and relevant.

By stepping outside your comfort zone and truly studying what’s happening in other genres, you’ll never run dry creatively. You’ll stop reinventing the wheel and start creating songs that resonate and connect.

👉 If you want to level up your songwriting, active listening isn’t optional—it’s essential.