Can music still cut through in 2026? DiS meets a leading researcher
Drowned in Sound
Lean back, lean in and introducing 'lean through'
Hanna defines lean back and lean in listening, then introduces 'lean through' as deeper fan engagement beyond likes.
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 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.
Chapters00:00 - 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
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:
The AI-powered Podcast Player
