After a hard night of partying, the group receives a rude awakening and jumps into the first competition of the semi-finals. Three songwriters select teams to see who can write the best pop-country song. Only two will stay.
It's every singer-songwriter for themselves as they compete solo to pen a song celebrating "country roots". After a challenge to raise their competitive spirits, the contestants compose songs that leave the judges with a tough decision.
The 8 remaining singer-songwriters must put their fate in their partner's hands as they team up to write love songs without using the word "love." 4 teams of two work against the clock, with the writers of the last-place song going home.
One step closer to the finals, the group starts to feel the strain. Working in pairs, the final 6 singer-songwriters must turn a chorus written by the judges into a completed song. A surprise visit from their families bolsters spirits.
The 4 remaining singer-songwriters go head to head with only three spots available in the Finale. They must meet a stranger on the street and turn their life story into a song that will determine who will move on to the final competition.
In a live performance finale filmed in Nashville, $100,000 and a publishing deal are on the line. Three remaining songwriters are joined by some of their eliminated friends, and a few surprise guests, before presenting their best songs.
