Actual Music. Actual Individuals. Glad New 12 months 2026

I don’t often get into very private territory, nevertheless because the 12 months involves a detailed it feels essential to pause and replicate.

We additionally misplaced my pricey good friend Dave Jerden this 12 months. Dave was not solely a legendary producer, he was a deeply variety, considerate human being. Somebody you can discuss to about information, life, errors, and wins with out ego. Shedding him was a reminder of how rapidly issues go, and the way a lot the human a part of this work issues.

Alongside that reflection, I by no means take as a right how far music can journey.

A number of the music I’ve been concerned in has reached extra folks than I ever anticipated. I do know that’s as a result of artists trusted me with their work, and I’m deeply grateful for that. These songs discovered their method into folks’s lives as a result of artists, musicians, writers, and collaborators confirmed up and gave their finest. I used to be fortunate to be a part of that course of.

It is usually price saying that this isn’t all doom and gloom for impartial artists. Removed from it. Out of two,977 tracks represented right here, 2 have surpassed one billion performs, 26 sit within the lots of of tens of millions, 119 within the tens of tens of millions, 537 within the tens of millions, and 1,040 within the lots of of 1000’s. Lots of these successes come from impartial artists constructing actual careers by touring, sync, bodily releases, and real viewers connection.

Bodily codecs persevering with to matter has been particularly significant. Vinyl, and even CDs, are nonetheless being purchased, collected, and lived with, not simply from lengthy operating catalogue releases however from impartial artists as effectively. It reveals that folks nonetheless care about albums as full works, and nonetheless need one thing tangible they’ll maintain onto.

Two songs specifically proceed to be listened to in methods none of us might have predicted. The way to Save a Life and You Discovered Me way back stopped feeling like issues I made and began feeling like songs that belong to the individuals who stay with them. That type of longevity brings perspective moderately than satisfaction.

This has additionally been a 12 months the place the business has felt unsettled by AI. Nevertheless I imagine it has made one factor clearer, actual human beings enjoying music matter greater than ever. I anticipate stay reveals, theatre, and stay recordings to turn into more and more essential. Not closely edited performances constructed for social media, however actual takes captured in actual moments. Really feel, connection, and presence are issues that can not be generated.

Past codecs, numbers, or platforms, what issues most to me is that the music continues to imply one thing. That it reveals up for folks throughout large moments, quiet moments, and tough moments. That’s the half that stays with you.

What has meant essentially the most to me has been the response to actual, unpolished performances. All through 2025 we shared over 20 multitracks recorded with actual musicians, enjoying collectively in actual rooms, with no grid fixing and no heavy autotune. These have been performances captured as they occurred, the way in which music has all the time been made.

That features tasks recorded at Brighton Electrical, Hyde Road Studios, Sundown Sound, and lots of others, in addition to stay band classes, jazz recordings, orchestral performances, movie composer showcases, and academic combine breakdowns from engineers and producers who all work very in a different way. The frequent thread has been authenticity.

If you need to discover these classes your self, you may obtain the complete multitracks assortment right here: Obtain the 2025 Multitracks Sheet: https://producelikeapro.lpages.co/2025-multitracks-form

This 12 months we mentioned goodbye to extraordinary musicians whose work formed the soundtrack of our lives.

• Ozzy Osbourne Black Sabbath frontman and defining voice of heavy steel. He reshaped rock music with equal components darkness, humour, and coronary heart.
• Jimmy Cliff Jamaican reggae pioneer and world cultural ambassador. His music carried resilience, religion, and hope throughout generations.
• Marianne Faithfull As Tears Go By singer of the Nineteen Sixties and enduring cultural icon. She later rebuilt her voice and artwork with fearless honesty.
• Brian Wilson Artistic coronary heart of The Seashore Boys. He expanded the emotional and harmonic potentialities of in style music.
• Sly Stone Founding father of Sly & The Household Stone. He fused groove with social reality and altered the sound of in style tradition.
• Roy Ayers Chief of Roy Ayers Ubiquity and grasp of really feel. His affect continues to echo by jazz, soul, and hip hop.
• Roberta Flack A voice outlined by intimacy and restraint. Her recordings stay deeply human and timeless.
• Rick Buckler Drummer for The Jam. His enjoying was exact, highly effective, and immediately recognisable.
• Brian James Founding guitarist of The Damned. His work helped ignite the UK punk motion.
• David Johansen Frontman of New York Dolls. His presence and angle formed what punk would turn into.
• Perry Bamonte Guitarist and songwriter for The Remedy throughout a number of eras. His textures quietly formed the band’s evolving identification.

Their music stays with us, not as nostalgia, however as residing work.

Earlier than closing, I wish to acknowledge one thing nearer to residence.

This 12 months I additionally misplaced my cousin and finest good friend Emma, somebody I grew up with and shared so many formative reminiscences alongside. That type of loss modifications the way you hear every thing. I do know a lot of you’ve skilled one thing related, and when you have, my coronary heart genuinely goes out to you.

Thanks to each artist who trusted me, each collaborator who introduced their care into the room, and each listener who allowed the music into their life.

Right here is to a different 12 months of studying, listening, and serving to the music imply one thing.

If you need to discover these classes your self, you may obtain the complete multitracks assortment right here: Obtain the 2025 Multitracks Sheet: https://producelikeapro.lpages.co/2025-multitracks-form