For me, music went downhill the moment Vanilla Ice decided to “Stop, Collaborate and Listen”.
I'm not specifically blaming Robert Van Winkle for ruining music, but his rise in the early 90s coincided with a particularly grim period for the charts.
Computers and electronic sounds began replacing musicianship and songwriting, with groups like 2 Unlimited reminding us that there really was “No Limit”. Meanwhile, the Stock Aitken Waterman hit machine of the 80s had established a formula of good-looking people singing sanitised, saccharine pop. The machinery then began churning out boy bands with increasing frequency and decreasing care.
Even my beloved rock music had gone from its 1987 heyday into a formulaic coma. As long as you had flowing hair, tight jeans and could squeeze “Whoa, Yeah, Baby” into the same chorus, you were halfway there. Just ask Jon Bon Jovi.
Why do I mention this?
Because, in my opinion, LinkedIn spent much of 2025 in a similar musical lull.
The growing fashion for AI-generated content reminds me of those soulless 90s charts. Elsewhere, people slavishly follow marketers' advice about personalisation, posting holiday snaps of themselves with some vague attempt to make the content more LinkedIn-worthy than Facebook-worthy by adding a random line about working from home.
Personally, I found it increasingly difficult to write content for much of last year and practically stopped altogether in the latter part of 2025. It was depressing to spend time writing and curating content, only to discover that some em-dash-soaked drivel about the benefits of WFH was considerably more popular.
It was a bit like Sinead O'Connor releasing
Nothing Compares 2 U, only to be told that MC Hammer's
U Can't Touch This was the real chart-topper. (And yes, I'm aware that's not exactly how those songs competed in the charts. Artistic licence.)
The only reason I'm back writing articles is that several people I spoke to at a recent function told me they'd missed them.
So, time to suck it up and start writing again.
Firstly, though, I should say I'm not a technophobe. AI is here to stay, and, just like the new production techniques of the 90s, it can significantly enhance original material when used properly.
My favourite Metallica album is
The Black Album, which was considerably more polished than much of their earlier thrash output. Equally, I'll happily use AI to edit my writing, simplify it, clarify points and provide examples. No band releases the demo tape when a polished version is available to go on MTV!
With that disclaimer out of the way, here are my musically inspired thoughts on using AI for LinkedIn posts.
1. LinkedIn gamifies your content
The more concerned you are with likes, views and post impressions over the actual message, the more invested you become in the platform and the more saccharine you get.
Likes might reflect people momentarily pausing their doomscrolling to look at your post, but they're not necessarily a measure of genuine connection.
So, if you get annoyed when a post you've spent hours crafting fails to gain traction, remember poor old Robbie Williams.
Angels initially had to contend with competition from
Barbie Girl by Aqua, yet we all know which song is more likely to get cranked out at karaoke 30 years later.
Popularity and quality aren't always the same thing.
2. Write first. Get AI to edit afterwards.
Writing, like music, requires heart and soul. That's the bit AI can't provide on your behalf.
What it can do is help with grammar, structure, clarity, expanding ideas and providing supporting examples.
Use it to improve what you've written, not to replace the thinking that went into it in the first place.
There's a difference between a musician using production techniques to improve a recording and asking a computer to write the song, play every instrument and manufacture the emotion.
3. Your profile picture isn't the main event
There may be a degree of jealousy behind this point, given that I look like Shane MacGowan from The Pogues after a particularly heavy night out.
I understand that the occasional selfie brings a degree of humanity to your posts. There's nothing inherently wrong with showing people who you are.
But if you've spent 20 minutes making sure you look wistful rather than constipated, followed by 10 minutes deciding what to write, you've got your priorities back to front.
You're the LinkedIn equivalent of a 90s boy band: a great album cover, but a shit album.
4. Have an opinion
Dragging the music scene out of its early 90s malaise were two major movements.
In America, the outward angst of underground punk had evolved into the more introspective angst of grunge. Meanwhile, across the pond in the UK, the Manchester music scene was spilling into the wider consciousness, helping pave the way for Britpop.
Both movements had two things in common.
First, the talent was there for everyone to hear, without relying on production gimmicks to disguise a lack of substance.
Second, they had attitude.
LinkedIn isn't much different. Stand out. Have an opinion, preferably about something worth discussing and, more importantly, something you actually believe.
It doesn't need to be a deliberately provocative take that challenges common sense or common decency. An informed opinion, backed up by facts and experience, is far more interesting than another post agreeing with everyone else.
5. Write when you're inspired. Stop when you're not.
Oasis's
Wonderwall was reportedly written by Noel Gallagher in around 20 minutes. Axl Rose, on the other hand, spent years working on
November Rain, returning to it at various stages until he was happy with the finished product.
Writing is much the same.
Sometimes an idea comes together in minutes. Other times, you need to leave it alone and come back when you're ready.
Write something you're happy with, save the draft and revisit it later. Don't publish something you're not happy with simply because you've decided it's Tuesday and you're due a post.
Of course, there's value in being present and consistent on LinkedIn. But you can achieve that through a mixture of regular posts, thoughtful comments and sharing articles worth reading.
You don't have to manufacture inspiration on demand.
6. Posts are your singles. Articles are your albums.
Not every song an artist releases is going to be a classic. Even the best bands have tracks that make you wonder what they were thinking.
The same applies to LinkedIn.
Short posts are your singles: quick thoughts, observations and ideas that might resonate with people. Articles are your albums: an opportunity to develop an argument, explore a subject and demonstrate what you know.
Not every post needs to be brilliant. After all, even your favourite band has a few songs you skip. Equally not every article needs to be a masterpiece. The important thing is to have something worth saying and to keep working at it.
Finally, I admit to being a hypocrite. I don’t claim to be an exceptional Linkedin writer and don’t have a huge following – and equally ifyou looked at my Spotify Wrapped, I'm sure you'd find a smattering of dodgy early 90s songs in there!
