There you have it, the last blog post of this school year, this academic year, this season.

For years, I have made it a habit to look back at the end of such a chapter. Perhaps revisit the most-read posts or reflect on what stood out. But I must confess that I didn’t feel like doing that this time. Perhaps it was simply the heat of the past few days.

What I do want to do is thank everyone who has read this blog, commented through all sorts of channels, asked questions, challenged my thinking, and sometimes even genuinely moved me.

But before I disappear for a few weeks, may I linger for a moment on something positive?

I honestly think we are living through a period in which an extraordinary amount of great music is being made. And I am not just talking about the veterans who continue to produce wonderful records. Paul McCartney, for example, is still releasing honest, thoughtful music that I genuinely enjoy. I am also thinking of the many younger artists, both at home and abroad, who are making truly beautiful music.

That struck me again this weekend when I happened to hear this song by Nectar Woode, with Elton John on piano:

Or take artists like Raye or Robyn. Their songs were on repeat during many of my long drives. Time and again I found myself hearing an unfamiliar song on the radio and immediately thinking, I need to look that up. And that happened across all kinds of genres.

It is fashionable to say that everything used to be better. There is also, understandably, a great deal of discussion about AI and what it means for music. But perhaps it is worth taking a moment simply to appreciate how much good is still being created.

You can read that as a metaphor for all sorts of things if you like, but for me it is first and foremost a sincere observation. And perhaps a small reminder that those making music today send their regards.

See you in August.

P.S. Just to avoid any confusion: I’m not taking a month-long holiday. In fact, most of my holiday isn’t even in July. I simply have a long-standing tradition of taking a break from blogging during July.