🔵 Universal/Downtown - a few thoughts now that it's going ahead

The acquisition passes EU regulator scrutiny, but what does it mean for the future?

Feb 17

14

1

1

🔵 Fan burner accounts: music's latest dirty secret

Why these accounts are on the rise, and what that means for where social is headed for artists

Feb 5

24

10

4

🔵 The ever-growing management/label push-pull

That awkward sense of who owns what, and who effects change

Feb 2

17

6

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January 2026

🔵 Reappraising our relationship with friction

It used to be a bad word. Now? Maybe not so much.

Jan 26

22

7

4

🔵 How a 1971 letter anticipated the music business of 2026

Revisiting Bill Graham’s Plea for "New Blood" in an era of The Constant Now

Jan 22

16

3

4

🔵 Between a bot and a hard place

Christ, am I sympathising with Sir Lucian Grainge now?!

Jan 20

10

5

1

December 2025

🔵 Playing with the Sleevenote digital audio player

A better way to enjoy your music?

Dec 19, 2025

22

8

4

🔵 Looking ahead to 2026 - some thoughts on how things will evolve

The wider trends I see emerging in the next twelve months.

Dec 15, 2025

25

13

5

November 2025

🔵 Analysing the "We Are Charlie Kirk" situation

A dive into the AI-made song currently sitting at No.1 on 19 Spotify Viral charts worldwide

Nov 26, 2025

18

5

4

🔵 "It should surely be about giving people a great, durational experience of music and entertainment"

Part two of our chat with Aaron Skates, founder of Cantilever

Nov 19, 2025

7

1

Is AI turning music streaming services into comment sections? 💬

The century-long squeeze that led to this moment

Published on Calm & Fluffy • Nov 18, 2025

🔵 "Build a sustainable business and get value over to musicians and journalists"

A chat with Aaron Skates, founder of Cantilever

Nov 17, 2025

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