I'm tired of the singer/songwriters who throw in a bunch of "cool chords", but can't write a good song to save their life.

It's the equivalent of a metal shredder non-stop soloing over a mediocre instrumental foundation with no singing.

It's self-indulgent! And boring.

You're a singer/SONGWRITER. It's in your title. Your songs have to be great. Spend time writing and rewriting and rewriting.

Most great songwriters write 5 songs for every 1 they actually use. Not everything any songwriter writes is gold. Dylan threw out a TON of songs that we never heard. So why do you think every song you write is good enough for the show?

I'll give you a tip, they're not. Make sure your songs have hooks, memorable refrains or choruses and have lyrics that aren't generic.

Pop can get away with cliches and blandness because it has BUMPING production beneath it. Singer/songwriters cannot. Your songs should be creative, intriguing, enticing, stimulating, thought provoking, and life changing.

If your lyrics don't evoke SOME kind of emotion, rework them until they do. And never settle.

— Ari's Take, 8 reasons why singer-songwriter shows are boring