Stay ConnectedMusic’s least apolitical podcast. We meet musicians and campaigners to discover how the music industry shapes society and how fans, artists, and workers can organise for systemic change. Hosted by Sean Adams and Helena Wadia, DiS decodes streaming economics, sustainable touring, climate and tech, workers’ rights, and collective solutions with musicians, researchers, and changemakers.
Reminder: Music is upstream from politics.
Copyright: © Sean Adams
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 musical gathering. She spins us a sonic diary with interviews from Terminal 1 and Laima Layton, along with reactions to some of the politically charged moments of the festival (shouts to Amyl and the Sniffers).
Along the way, there are vox pops with strangers, overlooked corners, and moments that slipped under the mainstream radar…
Edited by:
Josh Craggs at Dubble Audio
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:51 Pre-festival preparation with Emma Wilkes
03:26 Attendees' expectations of Glastonbury 2025
04:22 First impressions and Thursday observations
06:19 Terminal 1 and an interview with Laima Layton
18:32 The sounds of Worthy Farm
19:12 How does the real-life festival compare to the coverage seen previously?
21:45 The political moments of Glastonbury 2025
30:42 The journey home, the Tuesday after, and a summary from a slightly raspy Emma
34:11 Expectations vs. reality with the people of the festival
Mentioned in the episode:
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 rather than chasing millions of followers?
Drowned in Sound founder & artist manager Sean Adams speaks with Nikki Camilleri - music strategist, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and founder of mana - about the ground-level realities of building a music career in 2025.
From growing up in Malta and navigating geographic disadvantage to working with breakthrough artists like Cat Burns, Nikki breaks down what actually works in today's oversaturated landscape.
This conversation digs deep into authentic community-building versus audience accumulation, the "five super fans" principle that challenges conventional wisdom, and why most artist advice around social media is fundamentally broken.
Plus: Nikki's vision for fixing music industry infrastructure by 2050, including transparency tools and direct fan connection platforms that don't rely on algorithmic gatekeepers.
"You need five super fans to start getting going - that's equal to about 250 passive fans. When you start looking at it that way, it doesn't seem as daunting."
— Nikki Camilleri on why quality beats quantity in fan building
Edited by:
Josh Craggs at Dubble Audio
Episode Timestamps:
Mentioned in the episode:
Join the conversation: Drowned in Sound Community
Email podcasts@drownedinsound.org
What does it mean to “metabolize” emotion through music? Do wellness tools actually work better when paired with your favourite artist? Why does the music industry treat artists like products and not caregivers?
Drowned in Sound founder Sean Adams is joined by Ariana Alexander-Sefre, co-founder of the mental health app SPOKE, to talk about the future of therapy and how music can play a pivotal role in that. The conversation explores the science behind sound, the emotional toll on musicians, and why music should be taken seriously as a public health tool.
Spoke has worked with over 100 artists, training them in techniques like CBT and mindfulness to embed into lyrics and melodies - and the results are changing lives.
Edited by:
Josh Craggs at Dubble Audio
Episode chapters:
0:00 - 2:45 - Introduction
2:46 - 4:55 What would Ariana hope music to be like in 2050?
4:56 - 7:46 Using music to “metabolize” emotions
7:47 - 11:50 Who are SPOKE and who is Ariana Alexandre-Sefre
11:51 - 13:42 The relationship between music and mental health
13:43 - 20:28 Inside the SPOKE app - embedding music with culture with therapy
20:29 - 31:18 Why the music industry needs a fresh perspective on artist value
31:19 - 37:08 The science behind functional music and mindfulness
38:09 - 40:04 The real-world impact of therapy delivered through music
40:05 - 48:08 Can artists become a recognised part of healthcare?
48:09 - 54:13 - Closing thoughts from Sean
Mentioned in the episode:
Can Music Make You Sick? (Sally Anne Gross)
Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Cost of the Perfect Playlist (Liz Pelly)
Join the conversation: Drowned in Sound Community
Email: sean@drownedinsound.org
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:
Episode Highlights & Timestamps:
Mentioned in the Episode:
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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:
Further Listening & Resources:
Stay Connected:
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 his passion for music into Drowned in Sound, a UK-based music platform that launched in 2000. He also manages artists like Charlotte Church and The Anchoress, and works across strategic communications in the music and creative sectors.
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:
Links
Join the Conversation:
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 label, G-IRL (Girl In Real Life), to support their own work and that of other boundary-pushing creatives.
About the Host:
Sean Adams is the founder of Drowned in Sound, a pioneering music webzine launched in 2000. He also manages artists like Charlotte Church and The Anchoress, and works across campaigns that support independent and ethical approaches to music and media.
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:
Featured Links & Resources:
Songs Mentioned:
Join the Conversation:
Upgrade to support my work:
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
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 the thing I like most about k pop is its an actual scene - reminds me Canadian punk scenes or the indie scene back in the day where like if your integrated enough there's like a constant feed of beauty with sort of known rituals, built in community, and like a collective excitement that is contagious and life affirming. I see how music scenes function effectively as a quasi religious institutions in a secular society. The extreme corporatization of music followed by Covid was very culturally harmful imo cuz a healthy modern music scene is actually a functional religious replacement - if one assumes the mind is better served by access to a healthy community that produces art, has events, shared morality and values, messiahs haha etc. Techno and emo rap similarly ensnared me over the last decade to an extent but they seem less "all ages"
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:
🗣 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 Byrne is a music industry consultant, publicist, and activist known for her gender & racial disparity data reports. She is the CEO of Good Seed PR and founder of Why Not Her?, a campaign pushing for cultural change in music. Her work has influenced radio airplay, festival bookings, and policy decisions. She has been named among the Top 100 Most Influential Women in Ireland, inducted into the Music Week Hall of Honour, and recognized by IMPALA as a Top 20 Woman in Music Activism.
ABOUT THE HOST
Sean Adams is the founder of Drowned in Sound, a pioneering music webzine launched in 2000. Beyond editorial work, he manages artists like Charlotte Church and The Anchoress, operates the DiS independent record label, and contributes to strategic music industry and political advocacy projects. His passion lies in championing diverse music scenes and supporting artists worldwide.
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 grassroots venues
Cardiff Music Strategy – A model for city-led music investment
Fonds de la Musique Canada – Canada’s funding model for music exports
Live DMA – European network for live music venues
Join the discussion on the Drowned in Sound Community, message me on Bluesky, or email me at sean@drownedinsound.org.
Get More Music Insights – Subscribe to the Drowned in Sound Newsletter for deep dives into the future of music.
About the Host:
Sean Adams is the founder of Drowned in Sound, established in 2000 as a pioneering music webzine. Beyond his editorial work, Sean manages artists such as Charlotte Church and The Anchoress, operates the DiS independent record label, and contributes to strategic communications for music initiatives like Music Venue Trust. His passion lies in championing diverse music scenes and supporting artists across genres.
About the Guest:
Shain Shapiro, PhD is the founder and executive chairman of Sound Diplomacy, the leading global consultancy on music and city planning. He also serves as the executive director of the not-for-profit Center for Music Ecosystems. Shain has authored This Must Be The Place: How Music Can Make Your City Better, exploring the intersection of music and urban development. His work has influenced over 130 cities worldwide to invest in music and culture, redefining the value of music in urban settings.
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