Drowned in Sound

Movements & 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 expert, start-up founder, and campaign organiser Ariana Alexander-Sefre, Sounds Like Change brings together artists, thinkers, and changemakers to explore the profound role music plays in shaping our mental health, identities, and collective futures.
The podcast manages to merge a fresh perspective on activism with an len through which we clearly can see music as a cultural force with the power to shift how we feel, relate, and act in a society that has left so many of us feeling hopeless
Each episode starts with a song of hope chosen by the guest, then moves from personal stories to wider societal questions, and ultimately toward imagining better futures. Conversations are interwoven with moments of sound and reflection, creating space to feel and process.
In this edition of the Drowned in Sound podcast, we introduce you to Ariana and share a taste of the pilot episode, with Drowned in Sound founder and our podcast host, Sean Adams, talking about the role artists like Dead Prez and David Bowie played in his political awakening.
Ahead of the first episode, you can now subscribe to Sounds Like Change on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Give the show a follow on Instagram here.  To contact the show or pitch ideas please email podcasts@drownedinsound.org.
This week's playlist + Qobuz free trial.
Visit https://drownedinsound.org/playlists/ to hear Sean's political awakenings playlist and discover new music in rich Hi-Res lossless quality. Start your 30-day free trial of Qobuz at https://qobuz.com/dis.
Edited by: tell.studio (Phil, Louisa, Owen, Matt)

Nobody 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 Featured Artists Coalition, we turn to the question that kept us talking long after we'd wrapped the UK Artist Touring Fund discussion: what happens when AI platforms train on artists' recordings, voices, and likenesses without their consent?
David explains why the FAC and the Council of Music Makers see protecting human creativity as fundamentally important, why record contracts signed in 2020 couldn't possibly have granted consent for AI uses artists didn't understand, and why the deals major labels have struck with AI platforms are, in his words, a scandal. Sean connects this to the UK government's investment in AI data centres and tax breaks, while 125,000 music industry workers and the Music Export Growth Scheme's entire annual budget sits at just £1.6 million.
They also get into David's answer to the £500 million question, why he thinks music in 2050 will be better than ever, the difference between AI hype and the NFT bubble, and why venues with broken dressing room windows in minus-four weather tell you everything about where the money actually goes.
This is the final episode of our season loosely themed around resilience. Send your questions to podcast@drownedinsound.org for an upcoming Ask Me Anything episode.
Links:
Featured Artists Coalition https://www.featuredartistscoalition.com Council of Music Makers https://councilofmusicmakers.org Musicians' Union https://themu.org Music Managers Forum https://themmf.net Music Export Growth Scheme https://www.bpi.co.uk/fund/music-export-growth-scheme/ This week's playlist: artists who speak up about AI + Qobuz free trial. Visit https://drownedinsound.org/playlists/ to discover new music in rich Hi-Res lossless quality and start your 30-day free trial of Qobuz at https://qobuz.com/dis.
Edited by: tell.studio (Phil, Louisa, Owen, Matt)
For 25 years our publication and podcast has recommended music. We now also spark conversations and create resources to help music fans discover their collective power.

Can £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 every time they play a show?
That's the question at the heart of this episode, as Sean sits down with David Martin, CEO of the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), and musician and former FAC board member Roxanne de Bastion to talk about the newly launched UK Artist Touring Fund (UKAT).
Applications are open now. If you are a touring artist, go to thefac.org/ukatfund before midnight on 20 March 2026. Or stay tuned for phase two.
The fund distributes money raised through a voluntary £1 levy on arena and stadium tickets - contributed by tours from artists including Harry Styles, Katy Perry, Coldplay, Radiohead and Enter Shikari - to help emerging and mid-tier artists cover genuine shortfalls on their UK headline tours. In Phase One, artists can receive up to £7,000, covering up to 40% of tour expenditure.
In this episode we cover:
- Why the music industry can be booming at the top while artists on the road are losing money every night - and how British artists' share of the global market has fallen from around 17% to 9% in the last nine years.
- The real costs of touring - from Travelodge bills and van hire to session fees, sound engineers and childcare - and how costs have risen sharply since 2022 while support fees have barely moved in decades.
- Why record labels stopped providing tour support, and what that has meant for the generation of artists trying to develop their careers on the road.
- How UKAT works: who qualifies, what it covers, why support tours are excluded from Phase One (and when that changes), and the separate access fund for artists with disabilities, caring responsibilities or other access needs.
- The Live Nation question - how the UK's biggest promoter reports losses in its UK entity while the wider group generates billions globally through Ticketmaster and venue operations - and what it would take to bring major players fully into the levy.
- Why funding touring is also a working-class issue: every genre the UK is globally known for - grime, drum and bass, early rock and pop - came from working-class underground movements, and rising costs are pricing those voices out.
- The safety argument: as David describes, sending artists out on the road without the resources to do it properly is not just a financial issue - it is a physical safety issue. The death of Viola Beach is a reference point nobody in the industry has forgotten.
- What Roxanne would spend £500 million on, and what both guests hope and fear music will be like in 2050.
Visit drownedinsound.org/playlists/ to discover new music in rich Hi-Res lossless quality and start your 30-day free trial of Qobuz at qobuz.com/dis.
Links
UKAT Fund - apply by 20 March 2026: thefac.org/ukatfund Featured Artists Coalition: thefac.org Roxanne de Bastion: roxannedebastion.com/ Los Campesinos! touring economics breakdown: https://community.drownedinsound.com/t/how-los-campesinos-lost-over-1000-playing-a-sold-out-show-in-dublin/87034Enter Shikari / Rou Reynolds episode: https://youtu.be/gTkSAokv6UU?si=vBeWvwp7y2l78I3A
Join the DiS community: community.drownedinsound.com
DiS newsletter signup: drownedinsound.org
Edited by: tell.studio (Phil, Louisa, Owen, Matt)

Why 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 and producer behind Art School Girlfriend, nearly walked away from releasing music altogether. Instead, she built a studio in East London, completed a Master's thesis on how electronic music can feel human, and made Lean In, her third album, out now on Fiction Records. It might be the most emotionally honest thing she's made.
In this conversation, Polly and Sean talk about why she's drawn to the emotional geography between shoegaze and electronic music, the Ableton water-simulation plugins that shaped the record's sound, and what it felt like to study her own creative process while writing the songs. They also get into the bigger questions: Is the album format in crisis? Who actually benefits when music is "democratised"? And what happens to the music industry when the barrier to entry used to be £350 rent in Dalston?
Plus: Polly's memories of trying to buy a Slayer album at 10 years old, what her three records taste like (one of them tastes like tears), touring as a three-piece with her wife Marika Hackman, and a genuinely lovely answer about what she hopes music looks like in 2050.
Visit https://drownedinsound.org/playlists/ to discover new music in rich Hi-Res lossless quality and start your 30-day free trial of Qobuz at https://qobuz.com/dis.
Links Art School Girlfriend: artschoolgirlfriend.co.ukMarika Hackman: marikahackman.com Shy Radicals (film/book): Good PressFoundation FM: Art School Girlfriend's Radio Show
Join the DiS community: http://community.drownedinsound.com
Subscribe to the DiS newsletter: http://drownedinsound.org
Edited by: tell.studio (Phil, Louisa, Owen, Matt)
Chapters
00:00:00 - Introduction and Qobuz playlist
00:02:27 - Meet Polly Mackey
00:03:50 - Soft Landing vs Lean In
00:06:30 - Growing up on nu metal in North Wales
00:09:30 - What music would taste like
00:10:54 - Why electronic music sounds like shoegaze
00:13:50 - The Slink Devices water plugin
00:18:00 - Rewilding electronic music
00:19:15 - The MA thesis: sonic objects of intimacy
00:20:10 - Digital silence and The New Analog
00:24:00 - Positive nihilism
00:27:50 - Emma's newsletter ad
00:28:34 - Is the album format in crisis?
00:33:50 - Self-producing Lean In and mixing with Riley MacIntyre
00:34:10 - Sensory overwhelm and Doing Laps
00:36:00 - Translating the record to the live stage
00:38:57 - Qobuz ad
00:40:13 - Shy Radicals, Arlo Parks and the queer bookshop
00:43:40 - £500 million: geography vs class in the music industry
00:51:30 - How to ethically support artists you love
00:52:38 - What music should look like in 2050
00:54:35 - Outro

What 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 back?
Kwes. (Kwesi Sey) has spent fifteen years at the centre of London's most boundary-pushing music, from working with Bobby Womack to the Rye Lane soundtrack. But after years of studio sessions and collaborations, he needed a reset. The catalyst came from his daughter: she knocked over a drink mid-drawing, shrugged it off, and carried on. That moment became the blueprint for his new album Kinds, made in six months of late-night flow states, half-asleep at the keyboard.
The result is a 29-minute meditation on colour, memory, and sound. Every track is named after the hues kwes. experiences through synesthesia / chromesthesia (hearing colours).
We talk about making music without overthinking, why ambient records aren't minimal, the discipline of producing for other artists versus creating your own work, and what Beach Boys albums taste like.
Sean and kwes. also discuss burnout and creative recovery, the London scene that connects Damon Albarn to Tirzah to Speech Debelle, and why London needs creative spaces with affordable accommodation. kwes. reflects on the Barbican and Tate Modern premieres for Kinds, working with visual artist Ryan Vautier, and his hope that one day we'll be able to smell sound.
If there's a thread running through it all, it's this: rest is political. And sometimes the most radical thing you can do is stop overthinking and just make.
Visit https://drownedinsound.org/playlists/ to discover new music in rich Hi-Res lossless quality and start your 30-day free trial of Qobuz at https://qobuz.com/dis.
Edited by: tell.studio (Phil, Louisa, Owen, Matt)
 
Continue the Conversation: Head to the Drowned in Sound community to chat about the topics in this episode.
Subscribe: Get weekly essays, interviews, and insights from the Drowned in Sound newsletter - exploring music, culture, and resistance.
Links & Resources:
kwes.:
Official website: https://kwes.info
Bandcamp: https://kwesmusic.bandcamp.com
Warp Records: https://warp.net/artists/kwes/
Films & Soundtracks:
Rye Lane (dir. Raine Allen-Miller): https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001k3tb/rye-lane
Black Is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story: https://www.londonsff.com/black-is-beautiful
Some of the artists mentioned:
Coby Sey (kwes.'s brother): https://cobysey.bandcamp.com
Elan Tamara (kwes.'s wife): https://elantamara.bandcamp.com
Loyle Carner: https://loylecarner.com
Kelela: https://www.kelela.com
Tirzah: https://tirzah.co.uk
Recorded at The Shure Experience Centre in LondonChapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction03:00:00 - What is minimalism?06:15:00 - Working with Solange and Kelela10:45:00 - The spilled drink catalyst14:30:00 - Making the record after burnout19:00:00 - Flow state and late-night writing22:25:00 - Newsletter ad break25:00:00 - Barbican and Tate Modern premieres28:30:00 - Synesthesia and colour-coded tracks32:00:00 - Qobuz ad break35:00:00 - Brian Eno and ambient music40:00:00 - Inspirations: Beach Boys, Pat Metheny47:00:00 - What does music taste like?50:30:00 - Creative spaces and accommodation54:00:00 - Hope for music in 2050

The 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 made with Marrapalooza, the DIY festival in Newcastle's Ouseburn Valley - redirecting ad spend away from Meta, refusing to book artists based on follower counts, and putting money back into the local scene instead of offshore platforms.
We also get into the bigger picture: why 85% of Arts Council music funding goes to opera and classical music while brass bands and folk get 0.6% each, how Spotify has spent fifteen years extracting hundreds of millions from British artists, and why the grassroots levy risks being offshored by Instagram ads.
David speaks from twenty years of promoting in the North East - from £1-on-the-door pub nights in Sunderland to putting on Sam Fender's second ever gig, to building a festival with a clear political philosophy. He talks about "algorithm begging," the case for community-owned venues modelled on working men's clubs, nd what he'd do with Daniel Ek's £500 million.
The Drowned in Sound Podcast is presented in partnership with Qobuz - the ethical music streaming platform for music enthusiasts. Start your free trial at drownedinsound.org/playlists. This week's playlist (Jan/Feb 2026 favourites) + Qobuz free trial https://www.drownedinsound.org/playlists + Subscribe to the DiS Newsletter https://www.drownedinsound.org/newsletter
Links:
🎪 Marrapalooza 4: Wild and Fierce and Not Bothered — June 5–7 2026, Newcastle https://marrapalooza.co.uk 📄 Youth Music — "Just The Way It Is?" report https://www.youthmusic.org.uk 📄 IPPR — State of the North (arts and culture spending) https://www.ippr.org 📗 Liz Pelly — Mood Machine (Spotify book) https://lizpelly.info 🎵 Portions For Foxes (David's promoting name) — named after the Rilo Kiley song
Credits: Hosted, engineered, edited, researched, and produced by Sean Adams. Edited and mixed by Tell Studio. Recorded at The Shure Experience Centre, London. Guest: David Littlefair (Marrapalooza / Portions For Foxes).
For 25 years our publication and podcast has recommended music. We now also spark conversations and create resources to help music fans discover their collective power.
Mentioned in this episode: Marrapalooza · Portions For Foxes · Los Campesinos! · Soak · Milkweed · Lande Hekt · Jim Ghedi · Gwennifer Raymond · The Chisel · Militarie Gun · Mandrake Handshake · Sam Fender · Field Music · The Futureheads · Rilo Kiley · Caribou · Hundred Reasons · Kelly Lee Owens · PVA · Ella Harris · Gruff Rhys · Benefits · Ex Vöid · Justin Hawkins / The Darkness · Liz Pelly · Music Venue Trust · Arts Council England · PRS for Music · Help Musicians · Featured Artists Coalition · Democratic Business Alliance · Brass Band England · Qobuz · Spotify / Daniel Ek · Youth Music · Music Declares Emergency

When 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 Place residency over the venue's decision to host an arms industry conference sponsored by Lockheed Martin. Eleven days later, after 1,200+ artists and fans signed an open letter, Kings Place cancelled the event.
Elizabeth Bernholz (Gazelle Twin) talks about that moment and so much more. The musician meets Drowned in Sound founder to discuss creating Pastoral - the Brexit-adjacent album that Drowned in Sound gave 10/10 - moving from liberal Brighton to conservative rural England, the Fever Ray performance that changed everything, and why she performed unmasked for the first time for the album Black Dog after fourteen years...
We discuss the practical tactics of organizing boycotts, how PRS Foundation funding enabled some of her most political work, balancing motherhood with touring and activism, film scoring (Nocturne, The Power) as financial stability, and why she believes Ireland's basic income for musicians could transform the industry.
From "jaded, frustrated and largely insulted" by the music industry in 2009 to successfully being part of a boycott of the arms industry in 2025 - this is a story about resilience, solidarity, and the power of saying no.
LINKS:
Gazelle Twin: Official website: https://www.gazelletwin.com Bandcamp: https://gazelletwin.bandcamp.com Instagram: @gazelletwin
Organizations Mentioned: PRS Foundation: https://prsfoundation.com Help Musicians: https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk Music Venue Trust: https://www.musicvenuetrust.com
Drowned in Sound: Newsletter signup: https://drownedinsound.org This week's playlist (featuring Gazelle Twin, Björk, David Bowie + Nine Inch Nails, Halsey): https://drownedinsound.org/playlists DiS review of Pastoral (10/10): https://drownedinsound.com/releases/20441/reviews/4152045
Try Qobuz - Free 30-day trial of high-quality, artist-friendly streaming: https://drownedinsound.org/playlists (includes Qobuz free trial link)
CREDITS:
Host: Sean Adams (Drowned in Sound founder) Guest: Gazelle Twin (Elizabeth Bernholz) Recorded at: The Shure Experience Centre, London Mixed & Edited by: TELL Studios Presented in partnership with: Qobuz - the ethical music streaming platform
For 25 years, Drowned in Sound has recommended music. We now also spark conversations and create resources to help music fans discover their collective power.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Newsletter signup: https://drownedinsound.org Instagram: @drownedinsound Playlist: https://drownedinsound.org/playlists
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Introduction: Do Boycotts Actually Work? 03:48 - Pastoral and Excavating English Identity After Brexit 07:27 - Soundtracking National Horror 11:15 - The Fever Ray Epiphany: Costume as Liberation 14:30 - PRS Foundation Funding and DIY Sustainability 19:00 - Kings Place Boycott: How It Worked 23:45 - Advice for Artists Taking Stands 27:30 - Somerset House Residency and Continuing the Work 32:15 - [QOBUZ AD] 35:20 - Black Dog: Performing Unmasked for the First Time 38:45 - Film Scoring as Financial Stability 42:00 - Music as Therapy and Processing 44:30 - Motherhood, Touring, and Sustainability 47:15 - Ireland's Basic Income for Musicians 49:40 - £500 Million Question: Fixing the Music Industry 53:00 - Outro: The Power of Collective Action
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Gazelle Twin (Elizabeth Bernholz), Fever Ray, MF DOOM, Nigel Farage, Daniel Ek, Scott Walker, Björk, Halsey, David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, PRS Foundation, Kings Place, Lockheed Martin, Somerset House, Drowned in Sound, The Quietus, Ireland, Brighton, East Midlands. Film Scores: Nocturne (2020) The Power (2021, with Max de Wardener)

GIRLI 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 of Cheer Up Luv, built on real anonymous survivor testimonies filmed in real locations.
We also discuss the new Youth Music report "Just The Way It Is?" exposing the scale of unsafe conditions, unfair pay, and discrimination facing young people in the music industry. The stats are stark: 72% of young music industry workers have felt unsafe. 90% have been paid unfairly. 75% have considered giving up entirely.
GIRLI speaks with total honesty about being signed to a major label as a teenager, being sent to LA alone at 18 with no safeguarding, and being dropped by phone call at 21 with zero support. She talks about why the music industry still hasn't had its Me Too moment and what she'd do with £500 million to fix it, as well as why the silence of the biggest artists is the loudest statement of all.
⚠️ Content note: This episode contains discussion of sexual harassment, assault, and industry exploitation. 
Links:
🎵 GIRLI — "Slap on the Wrist" https://girli.bfan.link/sotw
📄 Youth Music — "Just the Way It Is?" report https://www.youthmusic.org.uk/community/resource-hub/just-way-it-report
📄 Youth Music — Resources to promote safety and rights in music https://www.youthmusic.org.uk/resources/community/resource-hub/resources-promote-safety-and-rights-music-industries
📞 Rape Crisis England & Wales — 24/7 Support Line: 0808 500 2222 https://rapecrisis.org.uk
📞 WeAreMusic have compiled various campaigns and resources to help if you're dealing with harassment or abuse https://wearemusic.info/ 
💛 Cheer Up Luv https://www.cheerupluv.com
✊ Right to Be (GIRLI donated pre-save proceeds) https://righttobe.org
📰 DiS — "Why We Need to Talk About Speaking Out" (Nina Creswell feature) https://www.drownedinsound.org/why-we-need-to-talk-about-speaking-out/
🎧 DiS Podcast — Eliza Hatch / Cheer Up Luv episode https://www.drownedinsound.org/misogyny-in-music-the-numbers/ 
🏛️ CIISA — Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority https://ciisa.org.uk
🎤 Musicians' Union https://themu.org
🎤 Featured Artists Coalition https://www.featuredartistscoalition.com
💚 Help Musicians / Music Minds Matter https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk
🎵 "Believe Women" companion playlist + Qobuz free trial https://www.drownedinsound.org/playlists
📰 Subscribe to the DiS Newsletter https://www.drownedinsound.org/newsletter
Credits:
Hosted, engineered, edited, researched, and produced by Sean Adams Recorded at The Shure Experience Centre, LondonGuest: GIRLI (Milly Toomey) accompanied by Heather Swaine (Youth Music)
The Drowned in Sound Podcast is presented in partnership with Qobuz — the ethical music streaming platform for music enthusiasts. Start your free trial at drownedinsound.org/playlists
For 25 years our publication and podcast has recommended music. We now also spark conversations and create resources to help music fans discover their collective power.
Mentioned in this episode:
Cheer Up Luv / Eliza Hatch · Youth Music · Musicians' Union · Music Guardians · Rape Crisis England & Wales · CIISA (Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority) · Featured Artists Coalition · Help Musicians / Music Minds Matter · Kate Nash · Gazelle Twin · Sinéad O'Connor · MIA · Amy Winehouse · Lily Allen · Laura Mary Carter (Blood Red Shoes) · The Anchoress / 2% in Rising · Nina Creswell / Good Law Project · Patsy Stevenson · Raye · Right to Be

Why 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 something."
That quote accidentally captures Music Declares Emergency's strategic shift from awareness to action. After five years of "No Music On A Dead Planet" the Hope Over Fear campaign is building action hubs in grassroots venues - real physical spaces where fans, artists, and local communities organize around the climate crisis.
In this episode, PVA front-person and MDE Campaigns Manager Ella Harris explains how the campaign works, why music fandom is inherently empathetic practice that translates to organizing power, and how she balances making escapist art (PVA's intimate new album No More Like This) with building climate infrastructure.
The conversation tackles touring economics (trains cost £150, flights are just £30), why even festival headliners need day jobs, artists' fear of speaking out, and what £500 million in carbon offset funds could actually fix if redirected toward infrastructure.
This is about hope over fear. Real-life organizing over digital despair. Infrastructure over individual guilt.
This podcast is brought to you in partnership with Qobuz, the ethical music streaming platform. Visit drownedinsound.org/playlists to discover new music in Hi-Res lossless quality and start your 30-day free trial at qobuz.com/dis. 
Edited by: 
Josh Craggs at Dubble Audio
Chapters
00:00 – Introduction: No music on a dead planet
02:10 – Wearing multiple hats: PVA and Music Declares Emergency
05:00 – Music fandom as an empathetic practice
07:30 – From merch to movement
10:45 – Action hubs and the future of grassroots venues
15:30 – Touring economics, energy costs, and structural limits
19:00 – Artists, activism, and the fear of speaking out
24:30 – Nature, creativity, and why hope needs infrastructure
31:00 – What £500 million could fix in the music ecosystem
35:00 – AI, empathy, and what human music still does best
38:30 – Outro: Depth, not breadth
Continue the Conversation: 
Head to the Drowned in Sound community to chat about the topics in this episode.
Subscribe:
Get weekly essays, interviews, and insights from the Drowned in Sound newsletter - exploring music, culture, and resistance.
Links & Resources:
Music Declares Emergency - Learn more about the No Music On A Dead Planet movement, the Hope Over Fear campaign, and how artists, industry, and fans can get involved.
Music Venue Trust - Support and protect the UK’s grassroots venues
The Green Rider - Ideas for ‘green’ clauses for inclusion as part of your tech or hospitality riders.
Hope Over Fear Campaign - The campaign funding real-world action hubs in grassroots venues, focused on collective climate action and community organising.
No Music On A Dead Planet - The global artist-led movement connecting music, fandom, and climate justice.
About the host:
Sean Adams is the founder of Drowned in Sound, an independent music publication championing underground and independent artists since 2000. DiS explores how music fans discover their collective power through journalism, podcasts, and community organizing.
Related episodes:
- Tori Tsui: "How Music Fans Became Climate Activists" (Brian Eno, Billie Eilish, Fossil Fuel Treaty)
- Giles Bidder: "Why Festival Headliners Still Need Part-Time Jobs" (101 Part Time Jobs, touring economics)
- EarthSonic Live: Music, ecology, and collective action from Manchester Museum
About Ella Harris:
Ella Harris is the front-person and vocalist of London post-punk/electronic trio PVA, whose second album 'No More Like This' (produced by Kwake Bass) explores desire, devotion, and emotional indentation through trip-hop-influenced soundscapes. 
As Campaigns Manager for Music Declares Emergency, she leads the Hope Over Fear campaign, establishing action hubs in grassroots venues across the UK and Ireland. Previously, she founded Group Therapy Collective during lockdown, releasing two compilations featuring Yard Act, Mandy Indiana, and others to raise funds for Help Musicians, Black Minds Matter, and Music Venue Trust.
Guest links:
- PVA on Bandcamp: https://pvaareok.bandcamp.com
- PVA on Instagram: @pva_are_ok
- Ella Harris on Instagram: @lime.zoda

Over 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 episode, DiS founder Sean Adams meets Jack from Tickets for Good and The Ticket Bank to understand how they're redistributing access to live music. From seeing empty seats at the O2 to a partnership with Barnardo's, followed by offering tickets to NHS workers, teachers, and carers, Jack explains how the infrastructure works, who it serves, and why more artists and venues need to get involved.
The conversation covers touring economics, dynamic pricing myths, and the uncomfortable reality that an industry generating billions still prices out the people who need culture most. If you're singing about inequality, why would you only perform for those who can afford it?
It’s an inspiring chat about who builds community, how change happens, and who the next generation of artists might not be without projects like this.
This podcast is brought to you in partnership with Qobuz, the ethical music streaming platform. Visit drownedinsound.org/playlists to discover new music in Hi-Res lossless quality and start your 30-day free trial at qobuz.com/dis. 
This week's companion playlist features calm, ambient music from the community's picks of the best post-classical, drone, and ambient records. Two hours of peaceful listening to help you through the fog. 
Edited by: 
Josh Craggs at Dubble Audio
Get Involved
For artists, promoters, managers, venues: Contact Jack directly to discuss partnerships Email: jack@theticketbank.org 
For eligible audiences: Register via Tickets for Good or the Ticket Bank. New events added daily around 9am.
Tickets for Good: https://ticketsforgood.co.uk
Ticket Bank: https://theticketbank.org
For everyone else:
Share this episode with musicians, venues, and local promoters
Tag artists in the comments and ask if they've heard of the Ticket Bank
Send to your MP or local council about arts access
If you know someone who might qualify, subtly share the links
Continue the Conversation
Join the Drowned in Sound community to discuss this episode http://community.drownedinsound.com 
Subscribe to the Drowned in Sound newsletter for weekly essays, interviews, and insights exploring music, culture, and collective power. http://drownedinsound.org 
Links & Resources
Tickets for Good: https://ticketsforgood.co.uk 
Ticket Bank: https://theticketbank.org 
Music Venue Trust: https://www.musicvenuetrust.com
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction: Why access to live music matters
01:20 - Empty seats at the O2: The origins of Tickets for Good
05:10 - Cost-of-living tickets and breaking industry stigma
07:00 - From Tickets for Good to the Ticket Bank
12:00 - How eligibility and verification work
16:00 - Touring economics and the dynamic pricing myth
18:15 - How artists, promoters, and managers can help
22:15 - Mental health, social prescribing, and cultural value
24:45 - What £500 million could fix
27:15 - Grassroots venues and inspiring the next generation
31:00 - How to register, donate tickets, or get involved
33:30 - Outro: Your mission