A Change is Gonna Come

Important details on upcoming tweaks to this newsletter.

Do you like Sam Cooke?

Are you a fan of songs that have changed the world as we know it?

If so, you have excellent taste.

Unfortunately, what you’re about to read is not about the eponymous Sam Cooke song. I plan on covering his brilliance in the newsletter shortly. For now, please enjoy this video embed of the original recording.

In this post, I’m taking a break from my usual music content to share more important details about upcoming changes coming to this space as of June 1, 2024

But before I do, I want to thank everyone who’s helped me grow the newsletter to its current heights in less than a year. Whether you’re a subscriber, a follower of mine on Substack, or someone who’s casually read or shared a post or two you’ve really enjoyed, it’s all made a huge difference to the publication on this platform and, more broadly, to those looking for music recommendations.

Your time is valuable, and any bit of it you choose to spend consuming my content is greatly appreciated—more than I can encapsulate in this brief introduction. It means more than you know. So, seriously and deeply, thank you so much.

Changes in Effect as of June 1, 2024

As I close in on a full year of Substacking (we can make that a verb now, right? Like Googling?) and 250 posts, I’ve come to the difficult decision that I need to scale back my publishing schedule. The current model of a short post every weekday, while it’s an idea that I still believe in, is no longer sustainable with work-related demands on my schedule. I wish I could do this as a full-time job that could replace my corporate salary, but at this point, that’s not a reality.

One day, maybe.

With that in mind, I’m not going away entirely—far from it. Instead of posting five days a week, new posts will hit your inboxes (and the Substack platform) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

This adjusted pace will also enable me to maintain the high quality standard that’s been the backbone of this newsletter’s growth. The last thing I want to do is publish schlock to keep up with an untenable posting schedule that, let’s face it, is arbitrary. It’ll also significantly reduce what is a pretty labor-intensive creative process, which, frankly, I need to implement if I want to steer clear of burnout.

Relatedly, you’ll also see some minor adjustments to recurring post content. Based on the feedback I received in my first-ever reader survey (huge shout out to everyone who took the time to respond), here’s what I have planned through the rest of 2024:

• More frequent classic album writeups, many of which coincide with milestone anniversaries.

• Fun Song Fridays are sticking around, partly because they’re so much fun to write (and typically generate above-average engagement numbers)

• Monthly playlists are also here to stay—check out the previous

• New music reviews will be compiled into longer monthly check-ins, giving you a more thorough rundown of the new releases I’ve had in heavy rotation recently

• More themed deep dive posts that will explore frequently requested (and some left-field) “best of” compilations

Some other surprises are on the way, so I won’t spoil anything else. Just know I’m pretty stoked for the summer and fall content schedules.

Also, to clarify, the current five-day-per-week posting schedule will remain in effect through May 31. The last-ever themed week of daily posts drops in a few days—and it’s the most requested sequel I’ve had in this newsletter’s brief history. Keep your eyes peeled for that!

Upcoming Newsletter Rebrand Coming Soon

Some of you may be asking (and rightfully), “Hey Matt, if you’re not posting every weekday, can you reasonably call your newsletter ‘Daily Music Picks’?”

It’s an excellent question and one I’ve been wrestling with for several months. In the end, I’ve decided to change the newsletter's title and branding along with the content publishing cadence.

The new logo is in its final stages of design, the new domain names have been purchased, and I’m excited about what the new facelift will bring to the table, too.

Again, I’ll avoid sharing anymore now. As we approach June 1, a teaser will be available on my socials.

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Once again, thanks for your continued support as I stumble through this newsletter writing thing.

Much love,

Matt