Music Is the Most Addictive and Destructive Drug on the Planet

Okay so now that I got your attention, I have about 5 minutes to keep you interested before I get called out for a clickbait title.

But hear me out. Because I’ve thought this through.

Let me ask you: What’s do you think is most dangerous drug in the world?

Cocaine? Heroin? Fentanyl? Maybe something more insidious, like power or love?

What if I told you it’s something you’ve willingly consumed every day? Something that has altered your brain chemistry, rewired your emotions, and dictated the course of your entire life?

Music.

Sounds ridiculous, right? But if you’re a musician, you already know it’s true.

Because, for all its beauty and magic, music isn’t just a gift. It’s an obsession. A compulsion. A force so powerful it can lift you to the highest highs—and destroy you from the inside out.

The Ultimate Paradox

Music brings joy, hope, and meaning to people’s lives. Cultures worldwide consider it divine, a gift from the gods.

So why is it that the people who create music—the ones who dedicate their lives to it—often struggle the most?

Why is music both the thing that saves musicians and the thing that breaks them?

The Battle Within

Every musician, at some point, fights the same inner war.

• "I'm not good enough."

• "Do I sound good?"

• "Did I write a good song?"

• "Why am I not as successful as [insert musician]?"

• "Am I wasting my time?"

These thoughts don’t just happen—they consume you. Every day. Every performance. Every note.

You obsess over improvement. You chase the perfect gig, the perfect song, the perfect solo.

But what happens when that pursuit of perfection comes at the cost of your mental health?

What happens when the thing that’s supposed to bring you joy becomes the source of your self-loathing?

The Outside Noise

It’s not just the internal battle—it’s the external pressure, too.

Social media has made it impossible not to compare yourself to others. You scroll through Instagram, watching musicians with millions of views, flawless technique, and seemingly effortless success.

And you start to believe:
If I’m not at that level, I’m not good enough.

But here’s the truth: Most of those people feel the exact same way.

Even the best musicians battle insecurity. Even the ones who "make it" question if they’re truly talented or just lucky.

Yet we keep holding ourselves to impossible standards—glorifying the myth that to be great, you must suffer.

The Price of Greatness

For decades, young musicians have idolized figures like Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis—men who practiced obsessively, who gave everything to music.

But at what cost?

Many of these legends lived tortured lives, struggling with addiction, isolation, and personal failures. Their brilliance came at an immense price.

Is that the only way to be great?

But everything can change with this new perspective.

If you take one thing away from this, let it be this:

Your value as a musician is not defined by how much you suffer for it.

You don’t need to destroy yourself in the name of greatness. You don’t need to hate yourself to improve.

Music is a lifelong journey—one where your well-being matters as much as your ability.

So stop measuring yourself against impossible standards. Stop chasing perfection at the cost of your happiness.

And remember: The goal was never to be the best. The goal was to love music.

Now go play.

Thank you so much for reading today’s newsletter.

I really appreciate your support. and this was actually an update on a newsletter I wrote last year. I want to give you an even bigger thank you if you got through to the end after that outrageous title!

I hope you found a bit of comfort, reassurance and optimism from today’s newsletter.

If you did, I’d love for you to give me a 5 star rating, and share it with your fellow musicians or anyone you think will find this help.

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