Jewel and Kara DioGuardi meet the twelve aspiring songwriters at the Grammy Museum to give them their first challenge of writing a hook inspired by Los Angeles. Tempers and personalities clash when the contestants are later faced with their first co-writing session. Two promising songs crumble on stage in front of guest judges Jermaine Dupri and Trevor Jerideau.

The songwriters must step up their game as they write dance club anthems that will be judged by the disco queen herself, Donna Summer. The contestants perform their songs at a Hollywood hotspot to see if they can get the dance floor moving, but one songwriter proves to be a dud in the club.

Sometimes the best muse a songwriter can have is the open road as the contestants are faced with a hook challenge inspired by the classic American road trip. The contestants hit the highway in search of creativity, but end up testing their patience instead. The pressure hits a breaking point when guest judge Natasha Bedingfield brings one team to the brink of tears.

The songwriters explore their crossover potential by showing off their rapping skills for guest judge Rodney Jerkins. Some contestants embrace the challenge while others see it as a mere novelty.

Sparks fly when the songwriters are challenged to write a love song and a surprise twist changes the game for the first time in the competition. With Grammy winning singer-songwriter Ryan Tedder on the panel, two contestants find out love is a battlefield as they explosively fight it out to see who remains in the competition.

The songwriters display their talents on the mean streets of LA in the riskiest challenge of the season. One songwriter gambles away their chances when a twist forces the contestants to show their artistic versatility in front of the judges including songwriting phenom Bonnie McKee.