Can 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 this episode of the Drowned in Sound Podcast, Sean Adams is joined by Hanna Kahlert from MIDiA Research, whose work sits at the intersection of music, platforms, and the wider creator economy. Drawing on recent research into artists’ working lives, they explore why musicians increasingly face the same pressures as YouTubers and streamers without a lot of the same tools, protections, or paths to sustainability.

They talk about the time sink of constant content creation, the distortion of success metrics, and how discovery has become both easier and more exhausting than ever. This includes: “lean back” listening, “lean through” fandom whilst the conversation reframes what engagement really looks like and why likes, views, and viral moments so often fail to translate into income or longevity.

As streaming platforms push endless discovery and passive consumption, the duo ask hard questions about value, ownership, and what gets lost when music is treated as content and not an integral part of culture.

The Drowned in Sound podcast is presented in partnership with Qobuz, the pioneering high-quality music streaming and download platform for music enthusiasts and audiophiles. Each week we curate playlists on Qobuz, featuring our favourite records, artists, and the themes we explore on the show.

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.

Edited by:

Josh Craggs at Dubble Audio (dubbleaudio.com)

Chapters
00:00 - Why musicians are being reframed as “creators”

05:20 - The problem with monetisation, takedowns, and copyright

12:10 - Lean back, lean in, and what “lean through” really means

20:00 - Discovery, algorithms, and the illusion of reach

28:00 - Are superfans real - and what actually makes a fan?

36:10 - Scenes, culture, and what’s been lost in platformisation

44:30 - AI, ownership, and the coming copyright reckoning

52:30 - The “dark forest” internet and the return of small spaces

59:30 - What the next 25 years of music might look like

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Links & Resources:

• Cross Platform Success Using Social Platforms to Build Audience and Fandom (midiaresearch.com/reports/cross-platform-succe…)

• MIDiA Research (midiaresearch.com)

• Hanna Kahlert – MIDiA Research (midiaresearch.com/author/hanna-kahlert)

• Spotify Loud & Clear Report (loudandclear.byspotify.com)

• Music Publishers Begin Spotify Podcast Takedowns (Variety) (variety.com/2025/digital/news/music-publishers…)