About this episode

On this week’s DeadWax, Jack and Ryan sit down with songwriter Madi Yanofsky to unpack her formula for writing the perfect pop song. Together, they break down what makes hits like Adele’s “Someone Like You” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” so irresistible — from melody and structure to emotional storytelling and production choices. In the Patreon-exclusive extended episode, Madi dives even deeper, analyzing Lewis Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved” and revealing how she balances craft and instinct, and why simplicity can be the hardest thing to master in modern pop.