Drowned in Sound
Sean Adams hosts conversations on the future of music. From inclusion in the industry to the sustainability of music journalism, the founder of the pioneering music blog Drowned in Sound (est. 2000) explores the importance of justice, truth, possibilities, and the joy of music.
S3 E10 · Sat, April 12, 2025
Can You Hear Earth Singing? Meet Musicians Using Sound to Protect the Planet
What does a melting glacier sound like? Can a rainforest sing? And what happens when the last bird of its species hears a recording and tries to reply? In this special live edition of the Drowned in Sound Podcast, recorded at Tallinn Music Week , host Sean Adams moderates a powerful conversation on music, ecology, and collective action. Joined by artists and innovators from the EarthSonic project, the panel explores how field recordings, plant biofeedback, and immersive sound can shift our understanding of the planet — and why that emotional shift matters. From Brazil’s disappearing biodiversity to sound fossils in the Swiss Alps, this episode weaves together music, activism, and indigenous wisdom in an urgent yet hopeful conversation about art’s role in averting climate collapse. Plus Ruth from In Place of War reveals their new project with Bicep in Greenland that launches in summer 2025. Featured Guests & Projects: Natural Symphony (Joey Dean) Ludwig Berger In Place of War / EarthSonic (Ruth Daniel) Martyn Ware (Heaven 17 / Human League) Episode Highlights & Timestamps: 03:00 – Ruth Daniel on the origins of In Place of War and EarthSonic 06:00 – Ludwig Berger: Listening to melting glaciers through hydrophones 11:00 – Martyn Ware (Heaven 17/The Human League) on sonifying endangered species and synthetic forests 17:00 – Natural Symphony: Collaborating with plants and reforesting the Amazon 27:00 – The power of sound to bridge disconnection and inspire action 33:00 – Building cultural change through art and emotional resonance 39:00 – Sound healing, deep listening, and making the unseen audible 45:00 – What capitalism doesn’t want us to feel — and why art matters 52:00 – Indigenous wisdom, urban detachment, and finding your own tree 58:00 – Hopeful projects, collective agency, and calling in the music industry Mentioned in the Episode: "The Last Scream" new release Crying Glacier movie EarthSonic panel replay via the TMW.EE website Join the Conversation: <a href="https://community.drownedinsound.com" t
S3 E9 · Sat, April 12, 2025
Synths, Sound & Music's Future with Martyn Ware (The Human League / Heaven 17 / BEF / Electronically Yours podcast)
What did the future sound like when the synthesizer first arrived? What does it feel like now, with AI looming and immersive audio spaces on the rise? In this special episode of the Drowned in Sound Podcast , recorded at Tallinn Music Week , Sean Adams speaks with Martyn Ware — founder of The Human League and Heaven 17, producer for acts ranging from Tina Turner to Erasure, and creator of some of the UK’s most ambitious sound installations. This is a conversation about optimism and dystopia, about punk and purpose, and about how DIY culture in Sheffield shaped a career that’s still future-facing today. Martyn also reflects on his podcast Electronically Yours , the legacy of sound, and how creative freedom can reshape confidence, community, and cultural memory. Timestamps & Topics: 01:32 – Synths, Sheffield, and starting out 07:00 – Curiosity and creative confidence 10:00 – From charts to immersive installations 14:30 – Podcasting and preserving legacy 20:00 – What would a Martyn Ware bar sound like? 25:00 – Optimism, memory, and what comes next Further Listening & Resources: 🎙️ Electronically Yours podcast 🔊 Illustrious Company (immersive audio) 🧠 Sounds of Our Shores installation Stay Connected: 🗣 Drowned in Sound Community 📩 Email Sean → sean@drownedinsound.org 🔵 Follow Sean on Bluesky 📰 Subscribe to the DiS Newsletter About the Guest: Martyn Ware is a pioneering British musician, producer, and sound artist. As a founding member of The Human League and Heaven 17 , and co-founder of British Electric Foundation , he helped define the sound of synth-pop while pushing boundaries in spatial audio, immersive installations, and political music-making. He also hosts the acclaimed podcast Electronically Yours . About the Host: Sean Adams turned
S3 E8 · Sun, March 30, 2025
Offline Joy: The Do-It-Together Spirit Fueling Stealing Sheep’s New Era
What's it like to be an artist right now? And what does the future of music look like? Will it be AI-generated slop or a joyful return to community and creativity? In this episode of the Drowned in Sound Podcast , Sean Adams speaks to Becky Hawley from the art-pop trio Stealing Sheep . From the launch of their new label G-IRL (Girl In Real Life) to their reflections on DIY culture, Liverpool’s music scene, and 15 years of creative evolution, this episode is full of inspiring insights about building something real in a digital world. Expect discussion of Daft Punk, community over algorithms, mechanical bulls, offline joy, and what it really means to be a band in 2025. 📌 Key Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & New Album Campaign 01:56 – What Will Music Be Like in 2050? 04:54 – Joy, Fears, and Creative Challenges 07:19 – The Sound of Stealing Sheep: Riding the Bull of Tech 10:37 – G-IRL: Launching Their Own Record Label 20:33 – Liverpool as Inspiration & Music City 25:23 – Album Campaign Concepts & Offline Joy 29:18 – Let’s Go! New Single & Album Themes 30:59 – Artistic Identity, Collaborations & Creative Growth 33:50 – Lessons Learned from 15 Years in Music 38:05 – Building Community, Offline Spaces, & Human Connection 42:57 – Supporting Grassroots Scenes 49:01 – AI, Future Tech & Music’s Utopian Possibilities 52:21 – Final Reflections: What Artists Need to Unlearn Links New Single “Let’s Go” Watch the Music Video Tatty Devine Collab Guerrilla Girls Join the Conversation: 🗣 Drowned in Sound Community 📩 Email Sean → sean@drownedinsound.org 🔵 Follow on Bluesky About the Guest: Becky Hawley is one-third of Stealing Sheep , a Liverpool-based band known for their innovative, genre-defying sound. The trio recently launched their own record
S3 E7 · Sun, March 23, 2025
A Goth Walked Into Nature To Make a Radio Show. A Zine Walked Out.
A conversation about Fresh Hell , subcultures in nature, and shifting the climate narrative through creativity. In this episode of the podcast that maps what music will be like in 2050 by meeting cultural changemakers and pioneers, Sean Adams explores how the Fresh Hell zine - a collaboration between creatives from the agency Iris and Purpose Disruptors ( download it here ) - reframes our relationship with nature through goth culture, beauty, and imagination. Featuring clips from Freya Beer’s special Gothic Disco radio broadcast recorded at Walthamstow Wetlands ( listen to it on Mixcloud here ), featuring reflections from Lira Valencia and Chris Packham, which inspired the zine, we explore what happens when goth culture meets the natural world. This conversation with Purpose Disruptors who run the Agency for Nature & the creators of Fresh Hell zine, examines how creativity can help us move from awe of the natural world to cultural transformation—and what musicians, media, and fans can do to help shift the climate crisis narrative. Aimee Brewerton – Comms & Engagement Manager at Purpose Disruptors, working across climate-focused storytelling, brand strategy, and cultural transformation. Nicole Vanner – Designer at Iris, co-creator of Fresh Hell , blending gothic subculture with natural aesthetics in visual communication. Andrew Hadley – Copywriter at Iris, co-author of Fresh Hell , exploring language that rewilds desire and reframes our connection to nature. Purpose Disruptors – A UK-based network of 5,000+ creative professionals transforming the advertising industry to align with climate goals and societal well-being. Iris – A global creative agency known for working with progressive brands and championing purpose-driven campaigns. Agency for Nature – A project platform by Purpose Disruptors that reimagines communications through a regenerative, nature-first lens — including campaigns like Fresh Hell . Episode Summary & Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction: Can Music Change the Climate Conversation? 00:31 Exploring the Goths in Nature Project 01:23 Meeting the Change Makers 04:20 Chris Packham's Punk and Nature Connection 06:52 The Future of Our Planet in 2050 11:27 Purpose Disruptors: Changing the Advertising Narrative 14:17 Creating the Goths in Nature Magazine 25:09 The Role of Nature in Mental Health 30:01 Spotting the Moor Hen 30:52 Goth Music and Personal Favorites 31:20 From Radio Show to Zi
Bonus · Thu, March 20, 2025
Are Cover Bands Killing Music Scenes? (Q&A Episode)
Drowned in Sound founder and DiS podcast host, Sean Adams answers your questions. Send Qs for future episodes to sean@drownedinsound.org. Links mentioned in this episode Article: Cafe Oto at Oscars - The Guardian Artist Recommendation: Nina Versyp Artist Recommendation: TTSSFU Artist Recommendation: Maella Video: Apple on Dolby Atmos Ticket App: Dice Link: Tim Burgess listening party Article: Bjork immersive album Bowers + Wilkins Drink: Icelandic drink Black Death Venue Recommendation: Trades Club in Hebden Bridge Music by Sound Mirror, available on Bandcamp here: https://sound-mirror.bandcamp.com/album/lake-wind-water-mountain Your Questions: Alex Lee Thompson: Are ”scenes” over? Unpack that question as you like Simon Marshall: After the excellent live bands to look out for article, sponsored by Seetickets , I would be interested in your views on the ticket selling part of the music industry - as a music consumer the DICE app was and is a revelation, what is your experience, and what is the best place to buy to support artists and venues? Ear Protect Req: What three bands or artists should we be checking out live? Soundmirrorworld: Will the Atmos, immersive audio bubble burst? Or keep going ’til we’re full frontal? Alex Botten: What do you think about the hoards of zombie cover bands eating up local venues. Are they helping or hurting the scene? (I believe profoundly hurting) Eric Weiner: Would love to hear your thoughts on the listening party. Are they ever any good? What’s the perfect album release party? Grimes quote in full: Honestly t
S3 E5 · Sun, March 16, 2025
The Report That Shook the Music Industry & Exposed Inequality
Why does gender bias still dominate radio airplay? And how did one data report force the industry to face its inequalities? In this episode of the Drowned in Sound Podcast, Sean Adams talks to Linda Coogan Byrne, activist and music consultant behind the Why Not Her? campaign . Her reports have exposed gender and racial disparities in radio airplay, driving real industry change. This conversation reveals how data is power or as Linda puts it, “the data validates lived experiences.” 00:00 – Introduction: How One Report Changed Music 01:45 – Meet Linda Coogan Byrne & Her Data Reports 04:30 – The Shocking Gender Disparity in Radio 07:00 – Industry Reactions: Denial, Excuses & Pushback 11:00 – Thin Lizzy, Protest Billboards & Music Activism 15:30 – Has the Industry Improved or Is It Lip Service? 21:00 – Can Music Ever Be Equal? 30:00 – Why Not Everyone Can Be an Activist 38:00 – What Needs to Change for Lasting Equality? 45:00 – How Data Holds Power to Account 50:00 – Final Thoughts & Actionable Takeaways Links Why Not Her? Reports → https://whynother.eu/data-reports Gender Bias in UK Radio – The Guardian → https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/aug/21/female-british-artists-underrepresented-on-uk-radio-survey-finds Book More Women (Festival Representation) → https://www.instagram.com/bookmorewomen/ Activist Recommendations: Mona Eltahawy → https://www.instagram.com/monaeltahawy Emma Dabiri - Don’t Touch My Hair → https://uk.bookshop.org/a/14603/9780141986289 Mary Beard - Women & Power → https://uk.bookshop.org/a/14603/9781788160612 Ijeoma Oluo - Mediocre → https://uk.bookshop.org/a/14603/9781529353839 Check My Ads (Ad Funding & Misinformation) → https://checkmyads.org/ 🗣 Discuss this episode over on the Drowned in Sound Community → https://community.drownedinsound.com/ 📩 Email Sean → sean@drownedinsound.org 🔵 Follow on Bluesky → https://bsky.app/profile/drownedinsound.bsky.social 📩 Get the DiS Newsletter → https://drownedinsound.org ABOUT THE GUEST Linda Coogan Byr
S3 E4 · Sun, March 02, 2025
How Do We Save Our Music Scenes? Meet Sound Diplomacy’s Shain Shapiro
What makes a great music city? How do governments, venues, and fans keep local music scenes alive? And why is music still not treated as an essential part of a city’s economy? In this episode of the Drowned in Sound Podcast , Sean Adams speaks with Shain Shapiro , founder of Sound Diplomacy and a leading advocate for integrating music into urban policy. Shain has advised cities and governments worldwide on how to invest in music, build better infrastructure, and ensure that artists and venues don’t just survive but thrive. The future of music scenes isn’t just about artists - it’s about infrastructure, investment, and policy. Without real change, we risk losing the cultural spaces that make music thrive. Topics Covered: The future of music cities: Why local scenes are vital and how they can be protected Music as an economic and public good: Why governments should treat music like any other essential sector Emerging music markets: Where the global music hotspots of the future might be Live Nation: How monopolies shape local music ecosystems The importance of local media and community spaces in sustaining music scenes How cities can future-proof music amid climate, economic, and technological shifts Shain Shapiro explains: “We don’t make data-driven decisions about music the way we do about transit, healthcare, or housing, yet music is an essential part of a city’s fabric.” Episode Highlights & Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction: Can We Save Our Music Scenes? 01:04 – The Future of Music: What Will 2050 Sound Like? 02:33 – The Big Challenges Facing the Music Industry 04:44 – Music as an Economic & Public Good: Why Governments Should Care 09:11 – Shain’s Journey: From Record Shops to Global Music Policy 14:08 – Music Cities: How Governments Can Invest in Local Scenes 19:51 – Global Music Growth: Why Africa & Southeast Asia Are the Future 28:25 – Community & Local Government’s Role in Music Sustainability 35:50 – The Live Nation Monopoly, Local Media, & How Cities Can Push Back 40:00 – Final Thoughts: What Needs to Change & What Fans Can Do Further Reading & Resources: Sound Diplomacy – Leading global consultancy on music and city planning Making Places Better Newsletter – Shain Shapiro’s insights on improving urban spaces through music and culture Music Venue Trust – Protecting gra
S3 E3 · Sun, February 23, 2025
Festivals For Future: Frances Fox on Music’s Role in Climate Justice
Music has long been a force for change but as extreme weather disrupts events and the industry grapples with its own environmental footprint, can music be a meaningful part of the climate justice movement? In episode 2 of season 3 of the Drowned in Sound Podcast, Sean Adams speaks with Frances Fox , founder of Climate Live and a leader in the UK’s youth climate strikes . Frances shares her journey from music fan to activist, why festivals are powerful spaces for engagement, and how the music industry can move beyond greenwashing to drive real action. This episode explores: Why festivals are at risk from the climate crisis How music fans can help shape the climate conversation The role of artists, venues & labels in pushing for a sustainable future The reality of music’s carbon footprint and what needs to change The Solar-Powered Pink Bus —and why Climate Live is taking a message of climate justice straight to festival crowds whilst applying glitter and temporary tattoos From touring impacts to activism strategies , this episode breaks down the intersection of music and climate justice , offering real insights into what fans, artists, and the industry can do next. “Engaging the unengaged is my jam—when you meet people where they're at, like at a festival, it's very chill.” – Frances Fox Episode Highlights: 00:00 – Introduction: Can Music Be a Force for Climate Justice?05:00 – Frances Fox’s Journey: From Festival-Goer to Climate Activist09:20 – Festivals & Climate Change: How Extreme Weather Is Reshaping Live Music15:40 – Touring, Vinyl & Streaming: The Hidden Environmental Cost of Music22:00 – The Solar-Powered Pink Bus: Taking Climate Conversations to Festivals30:00 – Roles in the Resistance: How Fans & Artists Can Push for Industry Change40:00 – Call to Action: What’s Next & How Listeners Can Get Involved Further Reading & Resources: Climate Live – Join the movement and apply to perform Fridays for Future – Global climate strike movement Choked Up – Campaigning for air quality in marginalized communities Disha Ravi – Indian climate activist's Wiki Roles in the Resistance Poster – Find your place in climate activism Jul
S3 E2 · Sun, February 16, 2025
How We Open Music’s Doors to Everyone (Not Just the Rich)
From grassroots venues and youth music programs to Mercury Prize winners, early support shapes who gets to make music—and who doesn’t. But is access to music a right or a privilege? Music should be for everyone - but is it becoming a luxury only the privileged can afford? Episode one of season 3 of the DiS podcast, explores how Youth Music - a UK charity funding grassroots projects - is fighting to create fairer opportunities for young musicians facing financial, social, and industry barriers. In this episode of the Drowned in Sound Podcast , Sean Adams speaks with Matt Griffiths, CEO of Youth Music , about hidden inequalities in the music industry and the work being done to create opportunities for the next generation of musicians. From youth-led projects and grassroots funding to the systemic barriers keeping working-class musicians out, this episode explores how music’s future can be more inclusive, diverse, and fair. This episode also features Ezra Collective’s Mercury Prize-winning speech , where they credit their success to the support they received early on: “This is not just Ezra Collective’s moment, this is a moment for every single organisation that’s championing young people making music.” Read the full speech here: The Line of Best Fit The Drowned in Sound Podcast maps the future of music and explores what's happening in the industry right now, with a strong moral compass. It connects music, culture, and ethics, offering deep dives into the issues shaping the way we create, consume, and sustain music. Why This Matters: Music has the power to change lives - but only if everyone has the chance to participate. Rising costs, funding cuts, and industry gatekeeping are making it harder than ever for working-class musicians to break through. In this episode, we explore what’s at stake, what’s changing, and how we can fight for a better future in music. Topics Covered: Why music is increasingly a career for the privileged From youth projects to Mercury Prizes: why access matters How the industry is shutting out working-class talent The critical role of Youth Music in opening doors The funding crisis: why 25% of grassroots projects are at risk “It’s not a pipeline, it’s flight pathways” – how opportunity shapes careers What real change looks like - and how to make it happen Further Reading: Youth Music – Find
S3 E2 · Sun, February 16, 2025
Will music survive the next 25 years? - Season 3 Prologue
How will music survive until 2050? Will streaming monopolies and economic pressures lead to music’s decline, or can we build a fairer, more sustainable future? In this season three prologue of the Drowned in Sound Podcast , host Sean Adams ( founder of Drowned in Sound ) reflects on his lifelong love of music , the systemic challenges facing artists , and what the next 25 years could mean for independent musicians, grassroots venues, and the future of the industry . In this series, expect big questions, deep dives, and conversations with artists, industry leaders, and changemakers who are shaping what comes next. Drowned in Sound’s podcast is about a life built around music —but also how music shapes culture, communities, and change . Topics in this episode: Why grassroots venues are struggling How streaming giants control music discovery The economic realities of being an artist today Lessons from past music movements and how they shaped the industry Why music’s future depends on the choices we make now 🎵 Music by Sound Mirror – https://www.soundmirror.co.uk/ 📩 Subscribe to the Drowned in Sound newsletter : http://drownedinsound.org 00:00 Introduction: The Future of Music in 2050 00:25 Personal Journey with Music 01:45 Climate Activism & Music’s Role in Change 02:20 Challenges Facing Artists & the Music Industry 03:34 Streaming, Labels & Who Holds the Power 06:13 Economic Disparities & the Struggles of Independent Artists 07:36 The Importance of Community in Music 10:46 Conclusion: The Power & Potential of Music What do you think the future of music looks like?What challenges should the industry fix first? 💬 Leave a review on your podcast app. 🔔 Follow, rate & subscribe to never miss an episode.
Trailer · Thu, January 02, 2025
Introducing... 2025 Theme: What will music be like in 2050?
This year marks 25 years since Drowned in Sound launched, and rather than obsessing about the past, we will be gazing into the future, trying to work out what music will be like in 2050. In this prologue episode, Sean Adams, the founder of Drowned in Sound, reflects a little bit on his 25-year journey and examines the current challenges facing music, from economic barriers to the impact of technology and AI. He discusses the importance of grassroots venues, the role of music in our lives, and the potential for both dystopian and utopian futures. Along the way, he plans on speaking with industry experts, musicians, and pioneers to uncover insights and envision solutions for a sustainable and vibrant music ecosystem. Join this open research project to explore how we can shape a better future for music. This was an unscripted ramble, so you can read a little more in our recent newsletter . 00:00 Introduction: The Big Question for 2025 00:35 Reflecting on 25 Years of Drowned in Sound 02:07 Challenges Facing the Music Industry 04:22 Exploring Solutions and Innovations 06:53 The Future of Music: Utopia or Dystopia? 08:36 Join the Journey: Open Research Project
Bonus · Sat, December 14, 2024
How does music get discovered? Favourite venues? Brexit? - Q&A Special: Part 2
In part two of this Q&A experiment, Drowned in Sound founder Sean Adams delves into various topics, including the process of discovering new music, the complexities of the music industry, and nostalgic reflections on MySpace and defunct London music venues. He also touches on the importance of human connection in music curation, potential improvements for music streaming platforms, and the socio-political challenges affecting the UK's music industry post-Brexit. Additionally, Sean reflects on memorable interviews. Thank you to everyone for your questions, please submit any for the next edition to sean@drownedinsound.org and be sure to subscribe to the newsletter at drownedinsound.org
Bonus · Thu, December 12, 2024
Why weren't [insert band] massive? Music's true value? Gaffes? - Q&A Special: Part 1
To mark Drowned in Sound's 24th anniversary and before we begin a new season of the podcast, Drowned in Sound founder Sean Adams answers your questions. Here are some links related to topics covered in the Q&A in case you'd like more context. Listen to: Choose a Bright Morning by Jeniferever on Bandcamp Read: Wendy Roby's brilliant review of Plastic Beach by Gorillaz Listen to: Mystery Jets featuring Laura Marling Read: Mike Diver's 2005 interview with Saul Williams Read: DiScover Santigold Questions for this episode submitted by our social media followers and over on the Drowned in Sound forums : Sweetsonix on Twitter: A nice easy one. How do we return respect to, and appreciation of, the arts? Anthony Gibbons who wrote for DiS in the early days: I've had my fair share of interviewing gaffes in my time, so what is the most cringeworthy question you've asked an interviewee and what was their response? Body in the Thames: If you had to do it all over again, what one thing would you change? My Yada on DiS forums: What was the first review on the site? Drastic Measures: Were you aware that Drowned rhymed with Sound when you came up with the name, or was it just a happy coincidence? Icarus Smicarus: If you could be a DiS album review, which DiS album review would you be? Jamie Cameron: What happened to Jeniferever? Rose Wiles: Favourite gig at Verdis?! Karl Hamilton: Why weren't Microdisney massive? Sign up to our newsletter at http://drownedinsound.org
S2 E14 · Tue, February 27, 2024
What is the function of record reviews in 2024?
Elijah is a profound thinker and this conversations draws on his influential grime nights with Stormzy & Skepta, writing about music, DJing and to his Yellow Square instagram posts , which are a form of community-building journalism that act as prods and prompts that agitate thoughts into focus. DiS021 | S2: The Future of the Music Press EP13 From his experience as a pirate radio DJ to running Butterz label & clubnights to being a musician and artist manager, Elijah considers yellow squares to be a former of journalism and the conversation explores the ecosystem that feeds into it and swirls around it. In this conversation with Drowned in Sound founder Sean Adams, we discuss mediums and spaces, online platforms and club cultures. The conversation sways from curation as a form of journalism, the YouTube mindset, Twitter, 10 minute or 10 hour radio shows. We also try to deconstruct the gatekeeper and the creative challenges facing people working in music, journalism and anything that involves publishing online. We also discuss the joy of Tumblr, yow electronic music in the UK clusters around its pirate radio, BBC media structures, and why not all clubs closing is a bad thing. Quotes out of context: “What’s the musical equivalent of a community note?” “Some people say ‘I don’t make any money’. Well, what do you sell?” “Imagine if a review is all the possibilities that the album lays down” “It's one bit of work. With all these different mediums, but it’s just the language hasn't adjusted to, to serve that yet, you know what I'm saying?” “…there's a hundred thousand, ten thousand histories happening at once. And that's like something that music journalism, the box, cannot fully capture.” “People just think, ‘oh, that's their job to write about music.’ And it's like, no, their job is to sell advertising space wrapped around the coverage of music. That's what magazines have been historically. Right?” Links Eli1ah on Instagram Various links: https://linktr.ee/Eli1ah YouTube recommendation: Super Eyepatch Wolf YouTube recommendation: Nathan Zed Make The Ting album Eli1ah'
S2 E8 · Sun, February 04, 2024
The joys of magazine-making with PROG Editor Jerry Ewing
How do you become a magazine editor that can put Kate Bush on the cover? And what’s it like running a genre-specific title in 2023? In a world where the digital age is rapidly redefining media, Sean Adams (@seaninsound) meets a titan of the magazine world, Jerry Ewing, editor of PROG magazine for a rare interview. From his roots starting a Marillion-inspired fanzine to being at the helm of genre-defining publications such as Classic Rock and Metal Hammer, Jerry's journey is a testament to the enduring power of specialist knowledge and passion-driven journalism. Episode Highlights: The Genesis of a Genre Journalist : Jerry recounts the serendipitous moments that led him from crafting a fanzine to steering the course of iconic music magazines. The Art of Magazine-making : Delve into the craft of curating content for a niche audience, the evolution of magazines in the internet era, and the potential resurgence akin to vinyl's comeback. Defining the Undefined : What is progressive rock? Jerry challenges the conventional confines, advocating for a broad, idea-driven definition that encompasses the innovative spirit of the genre. Adapting to the Beat of Change : The discussion turns to the seismic shifts in media consumption and the strategies for staying relevant in a landscape transformed by technology. The Human Touch : Jerry envisions a future where the human element is not just a feature but a proud declaration in magazine-making. Notable Quotes from Jerry Ewing: "Progressive music's reach is quite wide... It's the ideas and the approach to making music that sets them apart." "Understanding your readers is crucial... Be comfortable with your readership, and they'll feel comfortable with you." "The editor guides the magazine... decides what goes in it, helps point the tone." "For our readers, it's the music that matters... They're not interested in sex, drugs, and rock and roll." "Communication between human beings is at the root of journalism." Further Insights: From Court Jester to PROG : Jerry's DIY beginnings and the transition from fanzine to professional journalism. The Inclusive Vision of Prog : Embracing a wide spectrum from prog metal to experimental indie, Jerry's editorial direction is as diverse as the genre itself. The Editor's Role : Setting the tone and creating a dialogue with music aficionados, Jerry's editorial philosophy is about crafting a space for in-depth musical exploration. The Vinyl Moment for Magazines : Specula
S2 E11 · Sun, February 04, 2024
What's it like to broadcast from a war zone?
Award-winning reporter Julia MacFarlane explains what the music press can learn from traditional news journalism. As Drowned in Sound's podcast season looking at the future of music media continues, we wander into the world of international journalism with award-winning reporter Julia MacFarlane. With a wealth of experience reporting on major global events for the BBC to ABC News, Julia shares her unique insights into the art of covering huge stories and the challenges of conveying truth in an age of misinformation. DiS018 | Season 2: The Future of Music Journalism EP10 Highlights: From Beirut to Brexit: Julia discusses her experiences covering critical global events. The 'One Decision' Podcast: Learn about Julia's co-hosting experience with former Chief of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove, where she interviews experts on a range of pressing topics. Challenges of Modern Journalism: Julia reflects on the importance of accuracy and impartiality in journalism, especially in high-stakes international reporting. Self-Shot Journalism: Julia discusses the challenges and rewards of self-shooting journalism and the necessity of recording events impartially and accurately. The Power of Personal Stories: Understand the role of personal narratives in making complex global issues relatable and understandable. Key Quotes: "Recording events as they happen is vital... it's important to have professionals who are trained to record things accurately and impartially." - Julia MacFarlane "The BBC was a crucial connection to home and world events for English-speaking families abroad." - Julia MacFarlane "In filmmaking, whether you're a solo journalist or part of a team, finding compelling stories and voices is essential." - Julia MacFarlane Timestamps: [02:06] Julia's Background and Career Path [14:03] Challenges and Responsibilities in Journalism [29:17] Insights from 'One Decision' Podcast [34:23] Navigating Journalism in the Digital Age More: For more on Julia MacFarlane's work, check out the "One Decision" podcast and follow her on social media ( Linkedin | Instagram | X | Threads ). <l
S2 E12 · Sun, February 04, 2024
Should music critics 'pivot to video'?
Meet the YouTube music critic who runs whilst reviewing records. Probably not all of them, but there are some people evolving music criticism onto new mediums. To understand what it's like to be a "creator" on YouTube, we spoke to Jimmy Watkins, who gave up his career as an athlete (he reached the 800m final in the World Indoor Athletics Championships in 2006 and set a Welsh indoor record!) to play guitar for DiS favourites Future of the Left. After leaving the band, he started a project called Running Punks with a friend which has become a community of music-lovin' runners. A spin off of this has been his videos where he reviews records, whilst running in the Welsh countryside. In this conversation, Drowned in Sound founder Sean Adams continues his search for where music journalism is headed and explores where the idea for 'running reviews' came from, how Jimmy approaches them, when music writing got under his skin from (spoiler: it was music biographies and reading magazines in Tesco). We also touch upon Jimmy's upcoming documentary running across America and his new music project Joyce, which you can listen to on Bandcamp here . Timestamps 00:00 Sean's Introduction: The Pivot to Video Journalism 00:56 The Running Review of The Art of Losing by The Anchoress 03:17 Understanding Journalism with Jimmy Watkins 04:55 The Evolution of Running Reviews 25:44 The Unique Appeal of Running Reviews 33:43 The Role of Music in Personal and Cultural Understanding 48:31 The Upcoming Projects and Final Thoughts Links Subscribe: Jimmy's channel on YouTube here . Visit: Running Punks Drowned in Sound's newsletter has now left Substack and is available on our new website at drownedinsound.org
S2 E13 · Sun, February 04, 2024
Why Music Journalism Matters
The Quietus' John Doran reflects on the demise of Pitchfork and whether music journalism is now destined to be a hobby or can writing/thinking/talking about music thrive in a reader-funded era? DiS020 | S2: The Future of the Music Press EP12 In his widely-shared piece for The Guardian , this episode's guest John Doran, co-founder of the esteemed music publication The Quietus, wrote about the importance of music criticism: "I think a good analogy for writing about music is like composing poetry about the weather. You could spend an entire lifetime writing verse about thunderheads and tornadoes and not come within a mile of creating something that was as literally sublime, but once in a while the writer will connect with the rhythms, the flash of lightning, the spatter of rain, and if they are really focused they will discover entirely new rhythms and be inspired to write something unique." Beyond the beauty and power of words, this discussion with Drowned in Sound founder Sean Adams covers a lot of ground including: how Fela Kuti widened John's horizons and inspired a Guardian column that saw him taking a trip to Cairo to discover the emerging music scenes in Egypt Sophie's impact on artists like Charli XCX Poptimism and the domination of Taylor Swift what it signifies for counterculture when James Blake plays at Chanel parties the 'industry plant' nonsense surrounding the brilliant Last Dinner Party the impact of search engine optimisation on what the music press commissions a bit about the intersection of entertainment reporting with music writing We also delve into the essence of why music journalism matters As with the rest of this season, the conversation also looks ahead to what the future holds, and whether there will be enough voice like Neil Kulkarni's (RIP). Key Timings 03:40 Exploring the Definition of Journalism 16:38 The Impact of Populism on Music Journalism 29:01 Exploring Music from Different Parts of the World 47:08 The Interconnectedness of Music Scenes 48:49 The Influence of Algorithms on Music Discovery 01:07:19 The Importance of Diverse Voices in Music Journalism About The Guest John Doran is the co-founder of award-winning website The Quietus . He has written for a range of publications including Bang!, The Guardian, NME, BBC, Vice, The Wire, Metal Hammer and more. His "misery memoir" Jolly Lad is out now. You can
S2 E10 · Thu, November 23, 2023
Is 'Traditional Media' Still Relevant for New Artists?
Does the music industry still need the music press? Do new acts still care about media coverage? Explore the shifting landscape of music promotion in the digital era with Atlanta Cobb, the award-winning Music Business Coach and manager of multi-platinum selling artists. In this episode, Drowned in Sound's founder Sean Adams delves deep into the existential questions surrounding the relevance of traditional music press in a time of TikTok. Atlanta shares her journey from Florence + The Machine fan site creator to consultant and coach, aiding hundreds of artists in navigating their evolving careers. DiS017 | Season 2 - The Future of the Music Press | EP9 Key Topics and Time Stamps: 00:00 The Changing Role of Music Press 00:13 Audience Consumption Shift 00:51 Insights from a New Generation Music Consultant 01:34 Challenges in Getting New Artists Coverage 02:15 Decline of Music Press Influence 03:48 Rise of Social Media in the Music Industry 05:05 Reality of Music Consumerism 06:44 The Impact of Press on an Artist's Career 09:58 Role of Fan Communities in Music Promotion 10:19 Atlanta's Journey into the Music Industry 21:22 Impact of Press Quotes in Marketing 28:10 Effects of Social Media on Artists 29:51 Power of Audience and Fans in Music 30:55 Potential of Social Media Platforms 36:55 Role of Social Media in Music Promotion 51:00 Struggles of New Artists in Today's Industry 57:10 Need for Adaptation in the Music Industry 58:18 Closing Thoughts: The Love for Music Insightful Quotes from Atlanta Coombs: "Consistency is crucial, both in how press champions artists and how I advise my artists in their promotional strategies". "The industry's trend towards TikTok and social media metrics often overlooks talented artists who lack massive followings or resources". "The music industry needs to find different approaches to adapt and evolve, especially in how artists release music and engage in storytelling". "It's like the wild west out there in the music industry, but having a deep love for it is essential to navigate its complexities and stay the course". About Atlanta Cobb: Atlanta's rich background includes roles at Island Records and Columbia Records, working with artists like Post Malone and Drake. Atlanta was recently a day-to-day Artist Manager at Crown Talent &
S2 E9 · Tue, November 14, 2023
If $600 billion a year is being spent, why are so many publications closing?
In a digital world awash with advertising money, why are music publications and media outlets facing extinction? As we explore the future of the music press, we take a detour into the world of marketing to help make sense of the economics of the media landscape. Especially as the brilliant Jezebel closed last week and so far this year we've seen huge amount of job cuts across the media (especially at media behemoths VICE and Buzzfeed) and the closure of publications like Gal-dem. Drowned in Sound's founder Sean Adams invites Darren Hemmings, mastermind behind Motive Unknown and a trailblazer in music marketing, to unravel this paradox. Together, they dissect the perplexing reality of a booming online ad industry ( $600 billion a year according to this piece for Harvard Business Review ) juxtaposed against the decline of traditional ad-supported music press. From the intricacies of connecting with music fans to the future of music media in the digital era, this episode promises an enlightening journey into the heart of the industry's current conundrum. DiS016 | Season 2 - The Future of the Music Press | EP8 Episode Highlights The Advertising Enigma: A look at how $600 billion is spent annually on online ads while media industry job losses and publication closures continue to rise. Marketing, Money, and Music: Darren sheds light on the challenges of building an audience for artists and spreading music beyond existing fans. The Art of Connection: Insights into the essence of marketing as not just a transaction but a meaningful connection with audiences. Strategies Behind Chart-Topping Successes: The tactical approach to getting artists like Wet Leg and The 1975 to the number one spot. The Evolution of Targeted Advertising: Discussing how the granularity of targeted ads has transformed over the years, impacting the way artists reach their audience. The Rule of Seven in Music Marketing: Exploring the multitude of touchpoints required to persuade someone to invest in music or a product. The Role of Indie Sector in the Evolving Music Ecosystem: A critical look at the role and response of the independent sector in shaping the music ecosystem amid major label strategies like Universal's investment in NTS. Notable Quotes - "Marketing is about connecting with people in a way that doesn't treat them like a cash cow." - Darren Hemmings. - "There's a misconception that marketing for big artists like Robbie Williams is challenging, but in reality, they are the easiest to market due to their established fanbase." - Darren Hemmings. - "We've reached a point where you don't need to buy banner ads on music websites because you can
S2 E7 · Tue, November 07, 2023
Has music become a sub-genre of internet culture?
NBC News' tech and culture reporter Kat Tenbarge has her finger firmly on the pulse of internet culture and the influencer economy. She honed her expertise at Insider through investigative forays into the complexities of digital fame. Her coverage is much more than product launches and squillion dollar deals, and touches upon MeToo, fandoms, exploring how internet mobs chill free speech, and so much more. In this episode, we explore what the music press can learn from technology journalism. Related links Read Kat's reporting on NBC here . Q&A about how Kat reported on the David Dobrik allegations for Insider Kat's piece about Angelina Jolie and Amber Heard Find Kat and her tweets about Evan Rachel Wood and others cases against Marilyn Manson here Reporting: 'Free Britney' organizers and influencers took over a bar, threw a drag brunch, and blasted Britney Spears in a weekend devoted to the pop star Follow Kat on Threads here Reporting: How Tory Lanez trial bloggers are shaping the conversation around Megan Thee Stallion Also mentioned on this podcast was the defunding Check My Ads and Stop Funding Hate Podcast recommendation: Offline by Crooked Media Episode Highlights: "The Influencer Economy" : Sean and Kat unravel the fabric of online influence, pondering its implications on cultural consumption and the MeToo movement's resonance within this sphere. "Music and Memes" : They delve into the curious interplay of internet culture and the music industry, where virality can be both a career catalyst and a capricious whirlwind. "Ethics i
S2 E6 · Sun, November 05, 2023
Shouldn't all music journalism be intersectional?
From revolutions in Iran to the pleasures of Lana Del Rey journalist Emma Garland has written for Vice, Huck, The Quietus, The Face, Crack, Dazed, Sunday Times, Rolling Stone and many more great publications. Emma's interviewed everyone from Emily Ratajkowski to Lingua Ignota, capturing their essence in a style of writing inspired by the journalists from a more literary tradition like Joan Didion and Hunter S Thompson, so who better to talk to about music writing that's intersectional, encompassing far more of life and what it means to be human than 50 word reviews of the latest major label debut. The conversation begins about the differences between journalism, culture writing and music criticism, before spiralling in a range of directions from psychoanalysing the cast of Love Island to the way the culture war means interviewees are now a lot more guarded because they're speaking far beyond the readers and their fans. Emma Garland shares insights into her creative process, using humour to tackle weighty topics and how she spotlights underrated artists and big ideas, often at the same time. We discuss concerns over limited career pathways for emerging writers and calls for more sustainable funding models for music publications (if there are any rich benefactors out there, please get in touch). Additional topics include: The changing appetite for music journalism in the digital age Challenges pitching profiles versus reported features Activism in music media Hopes for more focus on grassroots artists What needs to change leading up to future UK and US elections Guest Bio: Emma Garland is a writer, editor, and journalist with a knack for capturing the zeitgeist of contemporary music and culture. With a career spanning over a decade, Emma has become a voice for countercultural narratives and a champion for the kind of editorial that combines fun with serious critique. Her upcoming book, "Tell All Your Friends," promises to be a seminal work in understanding the cultural history of mainstream emo from 2000-2013 ( more info ). Read Emma Garland's article on women's role in music's political revolution, here . Read the Vice and Gal-Dem MeToo coverage, here . For a monthly dose of cultural insights, subscribe to Emma Garland's newsletter, here . Visit: Emma Garland's Website About The Host:</strong
S2 E5 · Tue, October 31, 2023
Lessons from two decades of crafting DIY Magazine
What's it really like to edit a music website? DIY Magazine co-founder Emma Swann joins DiS founder Sean Adams on season two of the Drowned in Sound podcast about the future of music journalism. We journey from the early days of the website to its current print & online format with a discussion that contrasts and compares DiS & DIY's stories, the thrills, the challenges, building a trusted voice, how brilliant the new Bully album is, some White Stripes fandom, a fair few mentions of Wolf Alice, red carpets, and much more. We explore DIY's origin story, the value of human curation versus algorithms, and whether print magazines could make a comeback. Emma shares her unique perspective from the front lines of music media. "Music journalism isn't just about reviews; it's about making connections, about showing the humanity behind every note." "Print magazines have their own magic; they offer a pause, a moment of engagement you won't find online." Learn more about Emma's work at DIY Magazine and follow on Twitter . Emma is a creative force, dabbling in photography, writing, podcasting, and web design. See Emma's photography website here. Check out the new Bully album they raved about .
S2 E3 · Sat, October 28, 2023
Why music needs to talk about the climate crisis
Journalist, podcaster and climate communicator Greg Cochrane shares how interviewing ANOHNI changed his life, what it was like editing NME’s website, the joy of being involved in Loud & Quiet magazine plus a little bit about writing for The Guardian, interviewing Lady Gaga for the BBC, and plenty more. The focus of our conversation is around the importance of understanding the intersection between the climate emergency and culture. “We need more stories about what’s happening” said Greg, in a really moving section of the podcast involving his hopes for the future of journalism. Toward the end, we also touch upon the economics of media and the creative economy as a self-sustaining ecosystem, including a shout out to Novara Media’s subscription model where people are encouraged to donate an hour of their salary. Related Links Read Greg’s life-changing interview with ANOHNI https://www.loudandquiet.com/interview/anohni-hoping-for-a-miracle-cover-feature-interview/ Greg’s coverage of Billie Eilish’s recent “solutions focussed” Overheated event can be found here https://www.nme.com/news/music/overheated-billie-eilish-mother-maggie-baird-interview-london-climate-event-3491598 Rebecca Solinit on hope in an age of climate boomers is here https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jul/26/we-cant-afford-to-be-climate-doomers Subscribe to the Sounds like a Plan music & climate podcast that Greg co-hosts with Fay Milton (from Savages, co-founder of Music Declares Emergency and new music project Goddess) https://linktr.ee/soundslikeaplanpodcast Learn more about Greg’s work with Heard - the communications charity who support individuals and organisations to tell better stories on climate. https://heard.org.uk/articles/climate-stories-that-work-turning-awareness-into-action/ Listen to Loud & Quiet’s podcast and subscribe to the magazine https://www.loudandquiet.com/podcasts/ Learn more about the Reuters Institute’s Oxford Climate Journalism Network https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/oxford-climate-journalism-network
S2 E4 · Sat, October 28, 2023
How will the music coverage of the future be funded?
Kickstarter's co-founder Yancey Strickler shares lessons from Fugazi's label and Beastie Boys' Grand Royal magazine and discusses the forward-thinking ethos of The Royal Society, a prestigious fellowship of the world's most eminent scientists. Yancey is a big thinker, a music lover, writer and a 'zine publisher. He wrote about music for Pitchfork, Village Voice, eMusic (with many of the current Bandcamp Editorial team) and more, before becoming a notable figure in creative project funding at Kickstarter and now Metalabel. He shares a wealth of insights on the intersection of music journalism and the quest for authentic creative expression in the digital age. Discover more about Yancey's work on ystrickler.com or follow him on Twitter @ystrickler . Learn more about The Royal Society Read Yancey's viral essay on The Dark Forest Theory Discover Meta Label , an endeavour aimed at building infrastructure for the creative economy and making collective projects easier. Read about Grand Royal's fleeting yet impactful existence (The Atlantic). Some Yancey Strickler quotes from this episode: "To use the most obvious example, but you know, what if Taylor Swift had a magazine, right? Like, what if? What if Taylor Swift wanted to create a space to platform things that she celebrated, the things that she cared about, things she thought her fans wanted." "Frank Ocean has been on that, you know, I think a lot of people in the hip-hop space have done a lot of creating wider platforms for themselves through fashion. Through other lines of cultural output that I think have proven to be extremely meaningful." "...what is music journalism? I'm just gonna say it's ethnography and I'll go to your cartography comment. To me it's explaining lineages... What are the connections? What are the origins? What is the broader sweep in which this work appears? ...like, take me inside a world I wouldn't know otherwise. Help me appreciate that world the way people inside do. And I would say any, any, any piece, anybody that can do that I'm interested and that I think is a, true service and not that music journalism needs to be a service, but if I think it, how do you elevate above sharing an opinion, which is something that anyone can do. And so that has b
S2 E2 · Mon, October 23, 2023
Is music journalism's future in campaigning?
The Big Issue's Culture Editor Laura Kelly on their campaigning work, like Venue Watch to help save grassroots music venues across the UK. As Laura says, "Across the UK, there was more than two venues closing every single week." Through Venue Watch, The Big Issue is raising awareness of the challenges facing venues and driving action by "telling the story of a venue" each week. As part of Drowned in Sound's new season of podcasts about where music journalism is headed, we explore how sharing these stories and putting "values to the fore" allows The Big Issue's activist journalism to kickstart national conversations and create change. We asked Laura how music journalism can go beyond entertainment to activism, and she responds "I think music journalism is about building that bridge between the art and the artist and the world around." Laura offers an insightful look into The Big Issue's unique social mission and using journalism as "a force for good." We also shoutout James O'Brien, The Skinny, Music Venue Trust, Beyond the Music Festival, Duran Duran, Nick Cave, and Smash Hits. Sign up to Venue Watch here: https://www.bigissue.com/venuewatch Read Laura's writing: https://www.bigissue.com/author/laura-kelly/ Follow Laura on Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurakaykelly In this episode we mentioned that 16% of people working in the creative industries are working class, you can find the data behind that study here . The Big Issue is a British magazine that provides a platform for homeless and vulnerably housed individuals to earn a legitimate income by selling the publication on the streets. It features a mix of social and cultural content, and its mission is to empower disadvantaged people through employment while raising awareness about homelessness and poverty-related issues.
S2 E1 · Sun, October 22, 2023
Introduction to S2: The Editor's Letter / Voice Note
Where is music journalism headed? Sean Adams ( @seaninsound ) introduces season* two of the Drowned in Sound podcast in the style of an editor's letter meets a meandering, unscripted voice memo. TL;DR? To mark 23 years of Drowned in Sound, I decided to embark on a series of interviews with TikTokkers, rock writers, tech reporters and more to try to figure out whether things could be headed. * = series?!
S1 E8 · Thu, April 20, 2023
DiS008: Live Music And Mental Health
Everyone from Radiohead to Sugababes to industry insiders are raving about a new book by therapist and live music expert Tamsin Embleton. It's an extraordinary body of work entitled Touring and Mental Health: The Music Industry Manual , which includes contributions from a series of mental health experts providing insights and advice covering everything from breath-work to nutrition, and resilience to rest. The book contains interviews with people who live and work on the road, alongside musicians including Pixies, Pharoahe Monch, Nile Rodgers, Radiohead, Four Tet, Lauren from Chvrches, Will Young, Justin Hawkins from The Darkness, and many more. In this conversation with the author you'll learn more about the realities of the road, how touring with Nick Cave & Anna Calvi fed into the initial stages of this book, and why Live Nation has bought 3000 copies of it to put in dressing rooms. We discussed some of the topics in the book such as dressing room environments, dealing with the media and some simple changes the industry can make. This is what Nile Rodgers had to say about the book: “The life of a musical artist can be a magnificent thing when you’re on stage experiencing the enthusiasm and appreciation for your work and seeing first-hand the incredible impact it can have…. There are however another 22 and a half hours in the day when you are not performing. Being away from home and the watchful eye of your loved ones can be incredibly hard work mentally as you go around the world at a pace dictated by the tour. Having what is effectively a mental health wellness manual to keep yourself in check is a wonderful initiative.” Learn much more about the book over here touringmanual.com and you'll find @TamsinEmbleton on Twitter here . Host: Sean Adams ( @seaninsound )
S1 E7 · Tue, March 21, 2023
DiS007: AI, AI, AI! UK Government's War on Copyrighted Music?! Beatles AI song! - Dr Hayleigh Bosher explains it all
Our series of conversations about Artificial Intelligence and music continues with a look at the ethics and legal implications of these new forms of technology that inhales creativity and spits out creativity using everything that has been fed into it. And not everything has gone in with permission, let alone consent. At the spring 2023 budget, the UK government announced that they would be allowing AI firms to more easily access copyrighted material.... this seemed somewhat alarming to us as people who run a record label, manage musicians and care about the creative industries. Should be be worried?! We asked Dr Hayleigh Bosher, a leading expert on intellectual property to help us understand the law and the bigger philosophical issues with Artificial Intelligence technology using existing music to create new music. Dr Hayleigh Bosher ( @BosherHayleigh ) is the author of Copyright in the Music Industry, is a senior lecturer in Intellectual Property Law at Brunel University, and hosts the brilliant Who's Song Is It Anyway? podcast. Related Links Here's the 'Daddy's Car' Beatles AI track Listen to Who's Song Is it Anyway wherever you get your podcasts Hear more from Jeremy Hunt about the AI Sandbox Check out previous AI episodes with Endel and ChatGPT Prompt Generator David Boyle
S1 E6 · Wed, March 08, 2023
DiS006: Women's Equality in Music & Glastonbury's pipeline with Vick Bain from The F List / ISM
In case it wasn't obvious, this a music podcast that hasn't had enough of experts and to mark International Women's Day 2023 we spoke to Vick Bain the founder of The F-List and President of ISM (the independent society of musicians) , to her PhD research into inequality in the music industry. This episodes covers everything from her research into the Ivors songwriting awards having a pitiful amount of women winners to setting up the F List database of female+ musicians. In recent days, Vick Bain has appeared on the BBC's flagship programmes Woman's Hour and Newsnight , as well as spoken to The Guardian about what Glastonbury's Emily Eavis called a "pipeline problem" in trying to secure festival headliners that aren't male. This is the first in a series of conversations about inequality and the future of the music industry. If you've been impacted by harassment within the music industry, visit WeAreMusic for a selection of links. For more about Drowned in Sound , join our Substack newsletter and follow our founder and podcast host @seaninsound .
S1 E5 · Wed, February 22, 2023
DiS005: How music can embrace the power of AI with ChatGPT expert David Boyle
“If you start out and it doesn't do something that you're very impressed by, your assumption should be that your prompt wasn't very good,” this summarises the advice from music industry veteran David Boyle, who specialises in understanding audiences, and over the last few months has become an expert in using ChatGPT ( if you've not already, give it a go here ). So much so he's co-written a book called PROMPT about, you guessed it, writing prompts to get artificial intelligence to give you better answers. This conversation is aimed at musicians and people who work in the music industry, but the takeaways should be fairly obvious whatever you're trying to achieve. Our host, Drowned in Sound founder Sean Adams, shares some of the ways he's been using ChatGPT to get movie recommendations based on the songs that are on the soundtrack and using it to better understand the complex legalese in a contract. This conversation has also inspired David and his team to write a new edit of PROMPT for musicians, taking in some of the elements and workflows we discussed. Drowned in Sound listeners can grab it at a special rate using this link . We hope you will find the practical examples and advice in this episode useful, and we would love to see screenshots or hear about how you've used it. Tweet @seaninsound and @beglen if you get chance. Actually, a sneaky tip, there's also a Twitter bot that you can send Qs to here . Related Links the Hannah Peel tweet that inspired this episode . the Nick Cave blog post about ChatGPT. here's MidJourney, the AI image generator that's mentioned in this episode. this is where you can sign up to the Drowned in Sound newsletter on Substack. Water & Music have just released an interesting deep dive into AI and music - summed up in this Twitter thread
S1 E4 · Tue, February 21, 2023
DiS004: Tune in, AI Out - the co-founders of Endel on music's potential futures
The robots are coming, and people are fearful and excited about the potential for AI and music to collide. It's hard to escape the discourse surrounding artificial intelligence, with various projects launches or low-level things reaching critical max in 2023. As someone who is pretty cynical and emo about everything, Drowned in Sound founder Sean Adams is oddly optimistic about some of AI music's potential futures, especially surrounding the collision of science, technology and more 'functional' strands of music. As a lover of Sigur Ros, side two of Bowie's Low and contemporary composers like Poppy Ackroyd and Grouper, he's been a heavy user of the Endel app, which composes/generates music in real time, using sounds, textures, samples and frequencies, to create a soundscapes to listen to whilst you focus, relax, walk, sleep and more. In this episode, two of the co-founders Oleg Stavitsky and Dmitry Evgrafov (listen to some of his non-AI music on bandcamp here ) discuss everything from circadian rhythms to their love of Brian Eno. They also explore the science and tech behind the launch of an 8-hour Sleep Science playlist ( listen here ) with Amazon Music, which opens with an Amazon Original track featuring electronic duo Kx5 (Kaskade and deadmau5) that was produced using the hit EDM track “Escape”. The source material, including synths and chill vocals, was processed by Endel Pacific to create a high-quality, relaxing soundscape activating the parasympathetic nervous system and getting the listener ready for sleep. Using this link, you can get a free month trial of Endel to better understand what we're talking about: https://code.endel.io/?code=drownedinsound (worth getting it just to hear the James Blake soundscape) Also mentioned in the intro to this episode was Bronze Format , Max Richter's groundbreaking SLEEP album , and toward the end Oleg encourages you to join Endel's Discord community, which is here . As always, if you have any thoughts or ideas, contact our host @seaninsound on your social platform of choice and subscribe to our mailing list here.
S1 E3 · Thu, February 16, 2023
DiS003: TikTok, "Authenticity" and Music with Eleanor from Crystal Fighters
TikTok is so important, but what on earth are you meant to be doing on it? Here at Drowned in Sound we have not had a enough of experts, so we found one who can help us and you get our heads around TikTok. Our guest this week is musician and producer (and soon to be stand up comedian) Eleanor Fletcher, who's also a member of festival favourites Crystal Fighters , to find out how she's garnered 900k like on the platform and found a new audience in just a few months. Give her feed a scroll and follow her here tiktok.com/@eleanorkishere This is part of a sub-series of podcasts, looking at the foundations of where the music industry is at. It's sort of a mini masterclass for musicians but the advice applies for anyone who wants to have a better understanding on creating "content" for the platform. There's some really simple tips about how to introduce a video (the first few seconds are known as the 'hook' to 'hook people in', rather than the melody of a pop song...) and Eleanor mentions the key things of being "interesting and intriguing", keeping a list of ideas in your notes app, and makes the whole thing feel a lot less daunting. Would love to know what you took away from this episode and anything you feel I missed to cover in future episodes. Links to bits mentioned in the show The clip by TikTokker ToLiveWithIntent Recommended musician to follow: KiraLise Hemingway App For more, join Drowned in Sound's new Substack newsletter .
S1 E2 · Thu, February 09, 2023
DiS002: Discover... The Faux Faux (Faith Vern from PINS)
Faith Vern has collaborated with the likes Iggy Pop and Maxine Peake, and played huge sets on main stages of festivals such as Reading with her band PINS . In this episode, Faith tells us all about the debut single of her new solo project The Faux Faux, which is the first release on the rebooted Drowned in Sound Singles Club ( drownedinsound.org ). Drowned in Sound founder and podcast host Sean Adams ( @seaninsound ) introduces the podcast with a little history of the Drowned in Sound label and asks questions about how this solo material is different to the fun party punk that PINS were known for, what it's like writing music for big HBO, Netflix and Apple TV shows, how a mixture of Plath and moving out of Manchester inspired the track, and in a world where liner notes are rare, there's credits and more background to the track. Watch the music video shot in the North of England using 500ft of film and find out more here https://www.thefauxfaux.co.uk/music Go deeper and hear tracks by acts involved in this track on this Spotify playlist .
S1 Enull · Thu, February 02, 2023
DiS001: The trade unionist campaigning for fairer streaming - Naomi Pohl from Musicians' Union
How do we "fix" music streaming? It's a question that has plagued the music industry and musicians for a decade and a half, whilst debating the pounds, pennies and slithers of a pence per stream... so this discussion about music streaming seemed like a great place to restart our podcast, which is will focus on music, through the prism of creativity, sustainability, pioneers and big ideas. There are now a range of campaigns around the world and several organisations unifying in the UK to try to change the law, to ensure musicians and those who invest in them receive fairer pay from Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, Apple, Amazon, etc, etc, etc... In the UK, there's been a UK government DCMS (Department of Culture, Media and Sport) enquiry exploring the issue of music streaming royalties and the challenges faced by musicians in receiving fair compensation for their work. In this relaunch episode of our podcast, DiS founder Sean Adams ( @seaninsound | drownedinsound.org ) spoke to Naomi Pohl, the General Secretary of the Musicians' Union, a trade union representing 33,000 musicians about music streaming. We also discussed various campaigns she's the driving force behind to improve things for musicians. The General Secretary highlights the efforts of the Musicians' Union to advocate for and support musicians, including their fight for fair pay and improved working conditions. You'll also learn about the importance of joining a union and how both musicians and music fans can support their campaigns, which you can find here musiciansunion.org.uk (including how new members can join for as little as £1). The wide-ranging enquiry into music streaming, entitled Copyright (Rights and Renumeration, etc) Bill, also known as The Brennan Bill (named because it's been led by musician and Labour MP Kevin Brennan ) is looking into the current music streaming landscape, including the payment structures and methods used by music streaming platforms, as well as the challenges faced by musicians in receiving appropriate compensation from the platforms and their labels. The aim of the enquiry, which has been going on for a couple of years now, is to make recommendations to the UK government on ways to ensure that musicians receive fair compensation for their work, and to ensure that the music industry continues to thrive and support musicians. You can read more about where the enquiry is currently at on MusicAlly here . In this conversation, Naomi Pohl explains her role and the process of changing the law and discusses her wider challenges over the coming months and years. Want to help? "A po
S1 Enull · Tue, January 17, 2023
DiS000: Prologue
If this is an "audio publication" then this episode is the editor's (voice) note, as Sean Adams introduces some of the topics, ideas and thinking this new phase of the Drowned in Sound podcast. To begin, help yourself to a David Bowie and Janelle Monáe sandwich. drownedinsound.org | @ seaninsound
Mon, August 29, 2016
#9: From ANOHNI to Bat for Lashes - Best of Q2 2016
April, May and June 2016's finest album releases are considered and evaluated by Drowned in Sound founder Sean Adams and Absolute Radio's Danielle Perry. The show kicks off with Amber Arcades and ends with Fiona Brice, and there's plenty more including Minor Victories, Ala.ni. ANOHNI, Bat for Lashes, Fiona Brice, Black Honey, Minor Victories, Marissa Nadler and we chat about more stuff too. Please note: this show was recorded the day after Brexit. Sorry for the delay on this going live, we had issues with our Spotify upload but it's now up there as a playlist with full tracks too http://bit.ly/DiS2016 Tracks played on this episode 'Fading Lines' by Amber Arcades 'All My Pride' by Black Honey '4 Degrees' by ANOHNI 'Give It Your Worst' by False Advertising 'A Hundred Ropes' by Minor Victories 'Janie in Love' by Marissa Nadler 'In God's House' by Bat for Lashes 'Echo of Creation' by JAMBINAI 'Berlin' by Fiona Brice
Mon, June 13, 2016
#8: The Anchoress on her complex, concept-driven debut album
Album commentary: Danielle Perry chats to The Anchoress (aka Catherine Anne Davies) about her critically-celebrated debut album Confessions of a Romance Novelist, which is out now via Kscope. The Anchoress will perform her debut album in full at the ornate Edwardian Ballroom, The Bush Hall in London on Weds June 15th 2016. Learn more about The Anchoress at http://www.iamtheanchoress.com You can also hear this album commentary with the tracks in full at http://bit.ly/ConfessionS THE ANCHORESS IS PRODUCER, SONGWRITER, MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST, PHD, AND AUTHOR, CATHERINE ANNE DAVIES. ☆☆☆☆ MOJO "...addresses the peaks and troughs of love, commitment and betrayal...Fascinating." SUNDAY TIMES "...a rich and complex debut...a blackly witty breakup album...Compelling." THE OBSERVER "...equal parts prog and pop, oddball & accessible." NME "...a flawless and sophisticated hyper-literate pop record." GQ "...insightful, intelligent songwriting on this hugely entertaining album . 9/10." THE LINE OF BEST FIT "...hyper-literary but radio-friendly debut. A record which could sneak big ideas past the listeners of daytime radio." Q "...literate and emotive. Karen Carpenter singing John Grant." UNCUT "...rich and satisfyingly poptastic." THE QUIETUS "Kate Bush’s Hounds Of Love... updated for the 21st century." PROG
Thu, June 09, 2016
#7: Bowie and Beyond - Q1 2016 in Review
The best albums, songs and DiScoveries of Jan, Feb and March 2016 as chosen by Drowned in Sound's Sean Adams & Absolute Radio's Danielle Perry. Featuring David Bowie, School of Seven Bells, Deftones, The 1975, The Kills, and more. Listen to this as a playlist with tracks in full over on Spotify http://bit.ly/DiS2016 Our Q2 episode is to follow soon. Tracks from the albums discussed in order: Ablaze by School of Seven Bells Girl Loves Me by David Bowie Doing It To Death by The Kills Only Child by Shearwater Something Else by The 1975 Under The Sun by Diiv Unstitch by Anna Rose Carter Big Ideas by The Boxer Rebellion Prayers / Triangles by Deftones Hands by The Duke Spirit Breadandbutter by El Perro Del Mar http://drownedinsound.com
S1 E3 · Fri, March 11, 2016
From the Archive: The Importance of Lights at Concerts
They are the road crew, but what do they do? DiS is fascinated by how lights can enhance* a gig, so we had a conversation with lighting and production designer Ed Warren of http://www.nextlevellights.com about his journey from watching bands to flicking on the bright lights on for a Glastonbury headline set. He's worked with everyone from Mumford & Sons to Four Tet via Interpol, Antlers, Metronomy, Father John Misty, Shakira, Mogwai, The Maccabees, The Strokes and loads more. In this first of a series of behind the scenes chats with people who are part of the village that makes music happen, Ed shared tales from the road, some helpful career advice, and his Kickstarter project . Shortly after we spoke he won the TPi Award for Best Lighting Designer. * = and in some cases ruin --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/drownedinsound/message
S1 E2 · Wed, November 11, 2015
From the Archive: Mercury Prize judges help us ponder: What makes a truly great album?
Mercury Music Prize 2015 judges John Kennedy from Radio X and Kate Mossman from New Statesman/BBC Four, join DiS editor Sean Adams and podcast co-host Danielle Perry from Absolute Radio to discuss this year's Mercury nominees and what this year's 12 albums say about the current state of music plus we ponder what makes a truly great album? The winner of this year's Mercury Prize will be revealed live on the BBC on Friday 20th Nov The 2015 Mercury Prize ‘Albums of the Year’ in association with BBC Music were announced on Friday 16 October. The 2015 Albums of the Year are: Aphex Twin 'Syro' Benjamin Clementine 'At Least For Now' C Duncan 'Architect' Eska 'Eska' Florence + The Machine 'How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful' Gaz Coombes 'Matador' Ghostpoet 'Shedding Skin' Jamie xx 'In Colour' Róisín Murphy 'Hairless Toys' Slaves 'Are You Satisfied?' SOAK 'Before We Forgot How To Dream' Wolf Alice 'My Love Is Cool'
Tue, November 10, 2015
#4: These Are A Few Of Our Favourite Songs Of 2015
In episode four, Drowned in Sound Review Show hosts Sean Adams and Danielle Perry discuss their favourite songs of the year. Sean picked tunes from Charli XCX, Braids, White Hinterland, Chromatics, The Mynabirds and Marilyn Manson; whilst Danielle went for songs from Jamie xx, Foals, Bjork, Laura Marling, Duke Harwood and Wolf Alice. You can hear the tracks in full by searching for Drowned in Sound on Spotify to find them all on a playlist with this commentary in-between. Alternatively look up @seaninsound on Twitter or visit DrownedinSound for the playlist link.
S1 E1 · Fri, October 09, 2015
From the Archive: Blogs that became labels with Toby L from Rockfeedback / Transgressive (2015)
Toby L who founded music website, concert promoter and TV show Rockfeedback, as well as the Transgressive label (home to releases by Foals, The Antlers, Regina Spektor, Alvvays, Songhoy Blues and many more) chats about the past decade and a half with our hosts Absolute radio's Danielle Perry and Drowned in Sound (which also turned 15 this week) founder Sean Adams.
Fri, October 02, 2015
#2: MOGWAI's Stuart Braithwaite - In Conversation
Stuart Braithwaite chats to DiS podcast co-host Danielle Perry about Peel, guitars and Mogwai's 20 year career-spanning release, Central Belters (out Oct 23rd 2015).
Fri, September 04, 2015
Music Review Show #1: Metric & AIM Awards Special by DrownedinSound
Hosted by DrownedinSound founder Sean Adams, the pilot edition of this podcast features special guests METRIC discussing their two forthcoming albums, alongside Absolute Radio's Danielle Perry and DiS' very own Marc Burrows debate the AIM Independent Music Award nominees including Bjork, Young Fathers. Father John Misty, and more.
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