I’ve decided to start keeping a monthly music diary. This is more for myself than anyone else, so I can look back in future on what was going on in my musical world. It includes a playlist of the songs I’ve been enjoying this month, the shows I’ve been to, and commentary on musical events and discourse.

February was a short month that felt long due to work and illness. There were a few high points though, and at least I finally got my record player set up, only 6 months after moving in to our new home. As a result I was listening to more old than new music this month, but there were still a few new discoveries.

Irish rap, from Rory Sweeney, Curtisy & Ahmed, with Love

Dance-pop from Katseye

And a newish one from an oldish favourite. Incidentally, does Leonard Cohen get mentioned in a lot more songs than any of his peers? Certainly feels that way, although admittedly the only ones that spring immediately to mind are this, Nirvana and Jeffrey Lewis.

Also listened to a lot of Nina Simone in February, as has been the case for six months or so now. My favourite new discovery of hers is this version of a Hebrew folk song from her album Folksy Nina.

The Brit Awards was the biggest music event of the month, in the UK at least, but was too boring to provoke much discourse. The big winners were Olivia Dean, whose music I have heard a lot on Radio 1, but has drifted by without sticking in my brain at all, and Sam Fender, who seems a very nice, sincere young man, but I do feel that Seventeen Going Under is the only song of his I really need to hear. The obvious ridiculousness of giving Noel Gallagher a songwriter of the year award in a year in which he didn’t write any songs was about the only thing to provoke a response.

In live music, I did get along to see Makk in the upstairs room of a local pub at the suggestion of a friend. I didn’t especially rate his music, but did enjoy the support act Anneka Shelley, and it was nice to be at a small but busy local gig, where almost everyone seem to know each other and the acts.

Below is my playlist of the month, on Apple Music, but you can use Tunemymusic.com to convert to a streaming service of your choice should you wish.

https://music.apple.com/gb/playlist/musical-diary-february-2026/pl.u-WabZPljHejgjpAx