Recent articles
August 10, 2026
Great New Music I'm Recommending Right Now
Ten recent albums of outstanding merit
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August 6, 2026
Is a Multibillion-Dollar Company Smarter than a 6th Grader?
And other dispatches from the culture wars
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August 4, 2026
How to Lose $35 Billion with Philosophy
We've come a long way from Plato and Aristotle
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August 2, 2026
How I Became the Honest Broker
I share my origin story
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July 30, 2026
Mark Zuckerberg's Empire Is Now Crumbling
Has any company in history made more bad decisions?
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July 27, 2026
The 50 Essential Western Films (Part 2)
In this installment, I cover the period from 1955 through 1968
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July 24, 2026
My Gripe with LeBron James
Am I the only person who feels this way?
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July 23, 2026
Predictions on the Future of Netflix (and Other Huge Platforms)
I dig more deeply into the collapse of audience capture
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July 17, 2026
The Collapse at Netflix Signals the End of Audience Capture
The most popular strategy in the tech world has stopped working. That's good news for all of us.
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July 15, 2026
Talking About My Generation
What do I think about Boomers? Do you really want to know?
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July 12, 2026
The 10 Greatest Failures of Orson Welles
Sometimes misses are as important as hits
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July 8, 2026
12 YouTube Videos I'm Enjoying Right Now
Today I cover everything from fashion tips to career advice—and also lots of good music
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July 6, 2026
What You Won't Learn About the Odyssey from a Movie
Christopher Nolan's film version makes its debut in London today
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July 3, 2026
What Is My American Identity, Really?
And who gets to decide it?
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July 1, 2026
Healing Sounds Are the Medical Miracle of the 21st Century
It sounds like sci-fi, but it's all coming true.
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June 28, 2026
I Get Such Amazing Emails from Readers
Here are some of them.
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June 26, 2026
The Tech Backlash Gets Nastier—and Funnier
An update on fake tech ads, data poisoning, airplane protests, and Homer Simpson as a tool in the war against slop
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June 24, 2026
Spotify Stock Has Collapsed 40%—What's Going On?
It's even worse at Netflix. Have streaming platforms peaked?
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June 21, 2026
Authenticity in Music
In a world of AI slop, where do we find something real?
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June 16, 2026
A Reading List for the End of Civilization
I’m releasing this essay from behind the paywall.
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June 15, 2026
I Get Duped into Buying an AI Slop Book
And updates on cancel culture, counterclockwise dances, millionaires who pay to conduct orchestras, etc.
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June 12, 2026
Objective Standards Really Do Exist in Music
And the New York Times is caught in the middle of the argument
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June 9, 2026
The 50 Essential Western Films
I pick the definitive movies in the genre. Here's the first (of three) installments.
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June 6, 2026
Help Me Create the Ultimate Playlist of Songs about American Life
Today is Open Mic Day at The Honest Broker
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June 4, 2026
Can You Run the Music Industry without Musicians?
We will now find out
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June 1, 2026
Ten New Albums I'm Recommending Right Now
Warning: strange soul-stirring sounds ahead!
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May 30, 2026
How to Destroy a Literary Reputation in One Move
Media companies invent a new kind of stupid
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May 28, 2026
Is Spotify Vulnerable?
Rival streamer Qobuz grew more than 200% in one year—while Spotify struggles to attract new users
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May 26, 2026
An Uncanny Moment for Jazz Lovers
Sonny Rollins dies the day before the Miles Davis centenary
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May 24, 2026
What I'm Hearing from Readers
It’s painful to admit, but the comments emails from readers are sometimes better than my articles. Here are some recent responses.
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