Shows / Drowned in Sound
Drowned in Sound
Music is upstream from politics. Drowned in Sound investigates how the music industry shapes society and how fans, artists, and workers can organise for systemic change. Hosted by Sean Adams, we decode streaming economics, sustainable touring, climate and tech, workers’ rights, and collective solutions with musicians, researchers, and changemakers.
Episodes
Drowned in SoundMaggie Baird on How Music Can Save The World | Episode 1
In the first episode of How Music Can Save the World, a new podcast from Drowned in Sound, Shain Shapiro meets Maggie Baird, the mother of Billie Eilish and…
Drowned in SoundIntroducing... How Music Can Save The World
Drowned in Sound is thrilled to introduce a new series which will be appearing in this feed. How Music Can Save the World is hosted by Shain Shapiro and…
Drowned in SoundMeet The AI Rapper Beloved By The Far-Right - Part 2
In part two of our conversation with journalists Effie Webb and Harriet Williamson, we move beyond who created Danny Bones and ask what his existence means for…
Drowned in SoundMeet The AI Rapper Beloved By The Far-Right - Part 1
What does it take to rack up five million YouTube views in ten months? In this case: a rapper who doesn’t exist, a political party paying thousands for…
Drowned in SoundBlood Red Shoes on their 7th LP, Support Bands, Crisps and Two Decades As a Band
In this week's episode Sean sits down with Steven Ansell, the singing drummer of Blood Red Shoes. They have known each other for around twenty five years now…
Drowned in SoundGig Yap: Robyn, My Chemical Romance, Matt Berninger and Los Campesinos!, and Where to Stand
What's the best place to stand in the Electric Ballroom if you're under five foot five and don't fancy a six foot stranger appearing in front of you two…
Drowned in SoundFrom Paris Hilton to Andy Burnham: Sean & Helena's Lord Brennan Interview Debrief
Did Sean ask a member of the House of Lords whether the House of Lords should even exist? No. Did he get into proportional representation? Also no... Helena…
Drowned in SoundWhat can music fans expect from the PM Andy Burnham era? DiS meets Lord Brennan
Four thousand, one hundred and forty four music fans responded to a single Parliamentary survey, more than any committee inquiry has recorded before. What they…
Drowned in SoundWhy Your Favourite Band's Fans Might Not Be Real
There's a marketing agency that will build your band a small army of fan accounts for about a dollar per thousand views. They post the clips, they seed the…
Drowned in SoundGomez's Tom Gray: How to Fight Spotify in Parliament and Why One Difficult Conversation a Day Is Enough - Part 2
Spotify paid Joe Rogan over $200 million for his podcast. Then, in 2024, they did it again. Tom Gray has spent the last five years thinking about what that…
Drowned in SoundHow Gomez's Tom Gray Ended Up Taking On Spotify in Parliament - Part 1
How do you go from winning the Mercury Prize to writing music for a CBeebies series about a pig named Hector and a very glamorous chicken named Pru? The answer…
Drowned in SoundGeoff Barrow (Portishead) Made a Film with a Sleaford Mod and Every Penny Invada Had
What do you do when everyone tells you that you can't make a film without the right connections, the right funding, the right people saying yes? If you're…
Drowned in SoundSathnam Sanghera on George Michael: Iraq, Wham!, Empire, Fandom, and The Best Hit Rate in Chart History
George Michael had the highest hit rate in the history of the US Hot 100. Nineteen entries, eight number ones. 'Last Christmas' has been covered more than four…
Drowned in SoundLos Campesinos! Part! Two! On Class, Privilege, And The Economics Of Bands vs Solo Artists
What happens when you can no longer subsidize creativity with a second job? Part 2 of our conversation with Gareth David digs into the real cost of being a…
Drowned in SoundYou! Me! 10 Million Spotify Streams! How Much?!?!! Why Los Campesinos! Stopped Being Quiet - Part 1
What do bands actually make from ten million Spotify streams? About £32k... In Part 1 of this conversation, Gareth David from Los Campesinos! walks Helena…
Drowned in SoundAI & Consent Special with Addison Rae, Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift featuring Dr Hayleigh Bosher
Helena Wadia and Sean Adams caught up with intellectual property expert Dr Hayleigh Bosher to discuss AI, Addison Rae, ICE, Taylor Swift, deep fakes…
Drowned in SoundTicket Touts Rejoice! DiS & Which? React to The King's Speech
"Disappointing" is the word of the week in the UK music biz, after the UK government seem to have kicked the can down the road on tackling ticket touts aka…
Drowned in SoundTwo Music Fans. One Astonishing Fan-Led Review of Live & Electronic Music
Over 4,000 music fans responded to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s Fan-Led Review into Live Music and Electronic Music and in this week's episode DiS…
Drowned in SoundThe UK government promised to end ticket touting. So why hasn't it?
Before the UK's general election, Labour's 2024 manifesto promised to "put fans back at the heart of events" by ending ticket touting. Then, when in power, the…
Drowned in SoundMovements & Music - Introducing Sounds Like Change
Drowned in Sound is thrilled to reveal the first series in our new podcast network, with more shows to be announced soon. Hosted by music and social change…
Drowned in SoundNobody Consented to This: How AI Is Using Artists' Music, Voices and Likenesses Without Permission
Is AI a human rights issue for musicians? And why isn't the UK government treating it like one? In Part 2 of our conversation with David Martin, CEO of the…
Drowned in SoundCan £125,000 Make a Difference to the Crisis in Live Music?
The UK music industry generated £7.6 billion last year. Taylor Swift became a billionaire off the back of a tour. So why are some artists still losing money…
Drowned in SoundWhy Does Electronic Music Sound Like Shoegaze? Art School Girlfriend on Lean In, positive nihilism, and making music for fun
What does it mean to lean in? Not to your career, not to the algorithm but to the act of making music itself? Polly Mackey, the artist, musician, songwriter…
Drowned in SoundWhat If You Could Taste Music? kwes. on his "dreamy" new LP on Warp
What happens when a producer and musician working with Solange, Rosie Lowe, Loyle Carner, and Kelela burns out, and a spilled glass of water shows him the way…
Drowned in SoundThe Grassroots Pledge: Wrestling Instagram, Spotify, and the Arts Council with promoter David Littlefair
What does it actually mean to be a grassroots music promoter in 2026? David Littlefair joins the Drowned in Sound Podcast to discuss the grassroots pledge he's…
Drowned in SoundWhen Boycotts Work: Arms, Hope and Soundtracking Brexit with Gazelle Twin
This is a conversation about what happens when artists discover their collective power. In May 2025, electronic artist Gazelle Twin withdrew from her Kings…
Drowned in SoundGIRLI on Fighting Back: Activism, Safeguarding & Turning Rage Into a Rallying Cry
GIRLI joins the Drowned in Sound Podcast to discuss her powerful new single 'Slap on the Wrist, which is a collaboration with recent podcast guest Eliza Hatch…
Drowned in SoundWhy Hope Over Fear Trumps No Music On A Dead Planet: DiS meets PVA’s Ella Harris
"My brothers are 20 and they're always like 'we are so cooked.' And I'm just like no we're not. There's hope but you just gotta believe, you gotta believe in…
Drowned in SoundOver A Million Free Tickets: Discover The Ticket Bank's Mission
Many who otherwise couldn't afford a £40 show, let alone a £300 festival ticket, have accessed gigs because of a new initiative called The Ticket Bank. In this…
Drowned in SoundFrom 500 Podcasts to Radio 1: DiS meets 101 Part Time Jobs (Part 2)
Picking up where Part 1 left off, DiS returns to its conversation with Giles Bidder. Not to talk about how musicians survive, but about how stories travel, how…
Drowned in SoundWhy Some Festival Headliners Still Need Part-Time Jobs (Part 1)
From scout-hut gigs to the economics of touring, DiS sits down with Giles Bidder - host of 101 Part Time Jobs for an unsentimental look at how creative lives…
Drowned in SoundKelly Lee Owens: Record Shops, Raves, and Rebuilding Music From the Ground Up
Fresh from touring stadiums with Depeche Mode, DiS meets electronic music pioneer to discuss her past, the present, and the future of music. This is part of…
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Our 2026 predictions: New Acts, Big comebacks, Gig ticket laws, and more
So what will 2026 sound like? In this episode, Drowned in Sound founder Sean Adams and journalist Emma Wilkes look into their crystal balls (and the release…
Drowned in SoundFlying Rivers, Slipknot Swifts & Musical Frogs: Take This Podcast For A Walk In Nature
Season 5, Episode 1: What if swifts sound like Slipknot? What are flying rivers? And how do you give water a voice? This New Year special takes you backstage…
Drowned in SoundCan music still cut through in 2026? DiS meets a leading researcher
What does it actually mean to be a musician in an economy built for creators and why does it feel like the workload keeps growing while the rewards shrink? In…
Drowned in SoundSpotify Boycotts, Solidarity, and Jet2 Rage: Our Top 3 Moments of 2025
What were the big music news stories of the year? In part 1 we charted the pressures building across music’s foundations and now Part 2 turns to the systems…
Drowned in SoundThe Stories of 2025 - Part 1: Megagigs, Grassroots, and AI slop
What were the biggest stories in music this year? No, not the releases or the hype cycles but the forces reshaping how music is made, played, toured, and…
Drowned in SoundAlbums of the Year: Emma Wilkes & Sean Adams Pick Their Standouts
It’s that time again: lists, arguments, consensus (or lack of it). So.. how do we choose an ultimate “Album of the Year’? In this episode, Emma Wilkes joins…
Drowned in SoundHow Music Fans Can Save The Planet - Tori Tsui on Billie Eilish, Brian Eno & Fossil Fuel Treaty
82% of music fans want to stop climate breakdown but only 3% know what to do. Climate activist Tori Tsui reveals how Billie Eilish, Brian Eno, and Massive…
Drowned in SoundUK Caps Ticket Resale at Face Value: What Took So Long?
The UK Government have announced a landmark decision: ticket resale above face value is to be made illegal, backed by strict limits on service fees and new…
Drowned in SoundWhat crisis?! UK Music’s CEO on our £8 billion industry
How can the UK music industry be both in crisis and booming? In 2024, the sector was worth a record £8 billion to the UK economy but at the same time…
Drowned in SoundWas Indie Sleaze Even Real? Maxïmo Park’s ‘A Certain Trigger’ at 20
How “sleazy” was Indie Sleaze, really - and was it ever a scene that Paul Smith of Maxïmo Park recognised himself in? At a time when the air was thick with…
Drowned in SoundPutting the Fans First
Live music is nothing without the fans. Generating £5.2 billion to the UK economy PA, employing over 210,000 people and building the careers of those who…
Drowned in SoundHow to Empower Music’s Next Generation - DiSpatch from the Youth Music Awards
With 41% of grassroots community music spaces at risk of closure due to financial pressures, what does the future hold for young musicians trying to break…
Drowned in SoundMusic Industry Misconduct: Why The System Still Protects Abusers
In this episode of the Drowned in Sound podcast, Sean Adams and Emma Wilkes are joined by Sophie K and Yasmin from the podcast, ’On Wednesdays We Wear Black’…
Drowned in SoundAn ethical guide to quitting Spotify
In part two of our Drowned in Sound podcast series on the Spotify exodus, Sean Adams sits down with Alexa Speed (founder of Cut Off The Spigot), and artist…
Drowned in SoundDrowned in Sound is 25 today: Big lessons from the past and a new era unfurls
DiS founder Sean Adams sits down with DiS’s newest staff writer, Emma Wilkes, to mark 25 years of Drowned in Sound and what the future holds for the website…
Drowned in SoundIs music finally ready to confront misogyny? DiS meets CheerUpLuv
In music, abuse, harassment and discrimination is normalised whilst accountability and justice is rare, so how can change finally happen? Sign up at…
Drowned in SoundIs national identity in music a good thing? In conversation with Idlewild
What creates a national sound? How does Scotland run through the veins of a band like Idlewild, despite their American influences? Roddy Woomble and Rod Jones…
Drowned in SoundWhy it's time to quit Spotify
Have music artists finally had enough of the multi-billion dollar streaming platform? Laura Burhenn makes music as The Mynabirds and has played in the Postal…
Drowned in SoundProtect grassroots music, save so much more. A chat with Enter Shikari’s Rou Reynolds
How do artists decide what to say when everything from grassroots music to the climate is in crisis? Backstage at Reading Festival, Drowned in Sound’s Sean…
Drowned in SoundDiSpatch: Raging at Reading Festival - Backstage with Enter Shikari, Sofia Isella, Cliffords, and more
Is rage the soundtrack of summer 2025? Can joy exist alongside political solidarity when climate change turns fields into dust clouds? Are main stages becoming…
Drowned in SoundMeet The Music Researcher Making Sense of the Techpocalypse
What happens when the tech platforms care more about engagement and profits than music? DiS meets music & technology journalist Cherie Hu, the founder of Water…
Drowned in SoundHow Lore, DIY Music Scenes & The Cure Inspired This Viral Tiktokker (And What Musicians Can Learn)
Nirvana, TikTok, analogue aesthetics, and virality don't usually go together. Meet the creator who is bucking all the trends. How do you build genuine…
Drowned in SoundWhat Great Music Journalists Hear That Algorithms Miss: DiS meets Ilana Kaplan
How do music journalists spot breakthrough artists before they become household names? What does it take to get leftfield artists like Zola Jesus into…
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How to Use Social Media When You Hate It & Why Streaming Math Ain't Mathin' - Q&A Special
In this special Q&A episode, DiS founder Sean Adams explores the uncomfortable truths about streaming economics, social media burnout, and why the music…
Drowned in SoundHow to Start a DIY Music Business Before You Feel Ready - Girls Twiddling Knobs on Mission Driven Music Careers
What if the very thing that makes you feel like an outsider in the music industry could become your greatest business advantage? How do you build something…
Drowned in SoundMary Spender - Why Now Is Actually The Greatest Time for Independent Musicians
While most music industry coverage focuses on (poly)crisis and collapse, Mary Spender argues we're living through the greatest era for independent artists in…
Drowned in SoundDiSpatch: What a Glastonbury First-Timer Found - Hope, Love, Unity, Resistance & Joy
What does it feel like to attend Glastonbury for the first time? Music journalist Emma Wilkes brings us along for her debut pilgrimage to the UK's landmark…
Drowned in SoundHow Can Artists Build A Community? The Five Super Fans Theory
How do you build genuine community when algorithms reward viral moments over real connection? What if sustainable music careers start with just five super fans…