In the music business, 80 is the new 20. www.honest-broker.com/p/in-the-mus...

If you're puzzled or disturbed by the response to the United Healthcare shooting, let me share these 6 observations on this new phase in cultural conflict (THREAD...) These come from an analysis I published just 22 days ago.

New study predicts that AI will steal almost a quarter of musicians’ income within the next 4 years (Source: CISAC). The gaslighting is over. Artists now fully grasp the AI business model—which is to destroy their livelihood and replace human music with bot slop.

A lot of people are arguing about the influence of Joe Rogan, but the issue is much bigger than him. He's a symptom, not a cause. Communication styles are changing EVERYWHERE. Here's what is happening (in politics, media, business, education, etc.) More at: www.honest-broker.com/p/the-6-new-...

How Coffee Became a Joke (my latest). www.honest-broker.com/p/how-coffee...

9 new albums I'm recommending right now. www.honest-broker.com/p/9-new-albu...

I share a story from my brother Dana about our unusual childhood. www.honest-broker.com/p/how-to-sur...

Journalist Séamas O'Reilly published an article criticizing Twitter—and his account was suspended a few hours later. But he is also at Bluesky, where you can folllow him at seamas.bsky.social. I just did that—because I oppose the censorship of journalists.

In my latest article, I try to draw wisdom from Tracy Chapman, Roman chariot races, politics, René Girard, Marie Antoinette, and the Texas A&M Aggies. www.honest-broker.com/p/how-to-tel...

How Condé Nast bought and destroyed Pitchfork. www.semafor.com/article/02/0...

Nine ugly truths about copyrights for artists (and five predictions). www.honest-broker.com/p/nine-ugly-...

I ask 7 heretical questions about progress. www.honest-broker.com/p/i-ask-seve...

More layoffs in music journalism—Pitchfork will be merged into GQ. I write about it here: www.honest-broker.com/p/why-is-mus...

You can read about Bill Evans's 15-year-old pianist grandson (and many other things) at this link. www.honest-broker.com/p/a-look-at-...

I share a list of my favorite articles and essays of the year. www.honest-broker.com/p/the-best-o...

How Bing Crosby made Silicon Valley possible (my latest). www.honest-broker.com/p/how-bing-c...

How African Musicians Came to Medieval and Renaissance Europe (my latest). www.honest-broker.com/p/how-africa...

I've just published an update on dangerous and transgressive music around the world. www.honest-broker.com/p/car-driver...

This new lifestyle, now spreading everywhere, must self-destruct sooner or later. But when? www.honest-broker.com/p/18-warning...

I'm sharing my ultimate Texas songwriter playlist—56 tracks and three hours of music! www.honest-broker.com/p/my-ultimat...

Here are links to my survey of the best recordings of the year. Part 1 (A through L): tinyurl.com/26shj44n Part 2 (M through Z): tinyurl.com/286ry3x8 Honorable Mention list: tinyurl.com/4h7t9bzk

I write about how musicians invented the antihero. www.honest-broker.com/p/how-musici...

I often get undeserved credit for the writing of my talented nephew (who shares my name). He has just published a revealing and amusing memoir about self-driving taxis in New York magazine—linked below. But the credit here definitely goes to "Ted the Younger" not "Ted the Elder."

I'll share my 100 favorite recordings of 2023 later this week with subscribers to my newsletter. In the meantime, I'm releasing my honorable mention list. www.honest-broker.com/p/the-best-r...

I'm sharing my brother Dana's stoic recollections from our LA childhood. www.honest-broker.com/p/stoicism-i...

Two hundred years ago, people began a resistance movement against algorithmic thinking and technocratic dominance. Their actions transformed the creative culture and larger society. Could it happen again?

What happens when you ask a blues legend to give you a music lesson (from Adam Gussow).

I'm picking my 50 favorite albums from Capitol Records' glory years (1950-1968). Today I publish part 2 (of 3) in this survey of the most innovative popular music label of the era—a business founded and run by musicians.

Hollywood is now canceling franchise films before they're released—but can this possibly be a smart strategy? www.honest-broker.com/p/how-to-kil...

I write about my gripe with Madonna (and other assorted aggravations). www.honest-broker.com/p/hey-madonn...

Here's my landlubber's guide to sea shanties. www.honest-broker.com/p/a-landlubb...

I've just published my last survey of new recommended albums for the year. In a few weeks, I'll share my top 100 records of 2023. www.honest-broker.com/p/12-new-alb...

Why I ran away from philosophy because of Sam Bankman-Fried www.honest-broker.com/p/why-i-ran-...

Starting the day with Wilhelm Furtwängler—always a dangerous choice.

10 YouTube videos I'm enjoying right now. www.honest-broker.com/p/10-youtube...

Just in time for Halloween, I've published my survey of the 50 essential horror books. This guide includes links to 50 individual essays (one for each title on the list). Part 1: www.honest-broker.com/p/my-ultimat... Part 2: www.honest-broker.com/p/50-essenti...

During a Saturday concert in Southern California, Pat Metheny has the worst experience with a heckler in his long career—and security personnel let it happen. This is why we can’t have nice things. www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainmen...

Here are my 12 predictions on the future of song investing. www.honest-broker.com/p/12-predict...

I'm sharing my ultimate horror fiction reading list. www.honest-broker.com/p/my-ultimat...

CBC investigates accusations that singer Buffy Saint-Marie has lied about her indigenous roots and origins as a member of the Cree tribe—accusations coming from her own family. www.cbc.ca/newsinteract...

Taylor Swift is now a billionaire. And she did it by embracing everything that was supposedly dead and outdated in the music business—live performances, vinyl albums, movies at real theaters, new songs, connecting directly with fans, fighting the system to control her own music, etc. flip.it/T-Nak-

Chaucer manuscripts now online. blogs.bl.uk/digitisedman...

Don’t look now, but Steely Dan is exploding on TikTok—and may be “secretly cool.” hmc.chartmetric.com/why-are-stee...

Office door at Uni.

Today is publication day for the 30th anniversary edition of Dave Hickey's The Invisible Dragon, one of the most significant works of criticism from the late 20th century. For publication day, I'm sharing Hickey's writing on Dolly Parton & Richard Pryor. www.honest-broker.com/p/dave-hicke...

I recover a lost essay on Gumby from my youth—and decide (perhaps unwisely) to publish it now. www.honest-broker.com/p/my-lost-gu...

Dave Brubeck’s former Oakland home put up for sale. hoodline.com/2023/10/jazz...

The top 500 pop songs (according to Billboard). www.billboard.com/lists/best-p...

Please pay more for a year of nothing. joe-steel.com/2023-10-19-P...

The Death of Information—or how to find something rock solid when nobody trusts anything anymore (my latest). www.honest-broker.com/p/the-death-...