With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Anthony Fantano: The Internet’s Busiest Music Nerd
Anthony Fantano, known as TheNeedleDrop on YouTube, is a prominent online music critic.
Listen
35:10
Like many other industries, the music business has struggled in 2020. Live venues are struggling. The magazine scene is all but gone. Artists are finding ways to keep projects alive amidst lockdowns. But few are better positioned to succeed in these trying times than YouTube music critic Anthony Fantano (also known online as theneedledrop), the self-proclaimed busiest music nerd on the internet.
Find our conversation about 2020’s best music here.
The 34-year-old has been staring into a camera and reviewing music on his channel for over a decade. Despite not being affiliated with the traditional powerhouses of the music journalism world, his reviews have real influence on his audience.
From a New York Times profile of Fantano:
Sponsor
Dev Lemons, a musician and college student whose @SongPsych account does bite-size criticism by-way-of music theory and news, called Fantano “a celebrity and an authority” among her cohort. “I know so many people that just won’t listen to something because Anthony Fantano was like, ‘It’s not worth your time,’” she said, noting that she has “looked into Pitchfork before,” but mainly consumes video reviews.
We talked with Fantano about the art of an online music critique, how he built his online presence and the state of the industry in 2020.
Copyright 2024 WAMU 88.5. To see more, visit WAMU 88.5. 9(MDA1OTI3MjQ5MDEyODUwMTE2MzM1YzNmZA004))
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
