Doing both music and journalism independently sounds like a commitment to being poor. Thankfully, I’ve had full time jobs that pay well without crushing my soul (most days) and a family I co-created to help center myself in a sea of dreams and responsibilities. Simply put, if it’s not about my wife and kids, I do it because my spirit told me to. Across The Culture (ATC) Sound is one of those things.
Three years in and we’re seeing some traction. Inclusion in Spotify curator playlists, growth in our YouTube channel, and content that is simply much better than what we were putting out in 2021 (but even our older work is going places). We went live and actually hosted a concert this year. We also got someone to write about us aside from us!
Here are some highlights from ATC Sound’s 2024 and our 2025 aspirations:
Noise We Made in 2024
“Safe?” and “In Your Dreams” music videos first to break 1,000 views
YouTube Channel Growth
At the time of publication, ATC Sound’s YouTube Channel has 351 active subscribers. More than 200 of them have discovered the channel in the past month; our marketing strategies have quickly become more efficient in the latter half of 2024 and we project the channel will reach the monetization threshold (see below) by Fall 2025.
“My Fellow Americans…” praised by curators
– Marcus Rodriquez, Folded Waffle (Dec. 16, 2024)
It’s rare to hear something that feels this personal and intentional
– Groove Galaxy (Spotify Playlister)
Beyond the recognition received by curators, “My Fellow Americans…” seems to be the most thought-provoking ATC Sound release to date. New subscribers to the Sound YouTube channel were quick to leave resonant comments and the average watch time for the weighty, clever music video is about one minute and ten seconds per view.
Getting people to hear music, let alone respond to the music or be influenced by it, is an incredibly tall task in a world flooded with digital content. Despite having a proposed advertising campaign blocked twice by YouTube due to the political, “shocking,” and “dangerous” nature of the video, “My Fellow Americans…” continues to be a stylish, intelligent standout in ATC Sound’s portfolio
“My Fellow Americans…” seems to only be getting started in its journey to help people process and do something about the current madness of life in the United States of America.
“My Fellow Americans…” added to “Rap Is War“ Spotify user playlist by curator New Golden Era
“Rice St. Boy (RIP Bones)” added to “Fresh Kicks: Boom Bap“ Spotify user playlist by curator New Golden Era
First ATC Sound concert
ATC Sound hosted its first ever live event at the Underground Music Cafe in Minneapolis, MN on August 8. Known for its accessibility to indie artists and cozy atmosphere, Underground Music Cafe was the perfect place for ATC Sound’s in-person introduction to the world.
The Minneapolis-based lineup of rappers AJANIMF, Melayz, and Zander, an American supported by Wisconsin-based DJ Adubs provided an hour and a half of clever alternative rap for a small yet dedicated 25-person crowd.
Highlights:
- AJANIMF’s self-supported set — him and a drum machine — caught attendees off-guard with its rapid fire pace and the chaotic beauty of AJANI’s flows and sample-heavy production which was ethereal yet tough. A playlist of his best songs can be listened to here.
- Melayz impressed with extremely dense bars set to high-energy pop rap. The agility of his vocal performance made for some of the greatest technical rap moments of the show, including skilled performances of “PI” and “Cumpleaños,” the latter of which has a music video that can be watched here.
- Zander, an American — stage name of ATC Sound Editor Zander Tsadwa — hosted the show and put on two outfits representing his main artistic themes to date: the AWOL Zander fit with combat boots, camo pants, a sleeveless T and a handcuff dangling off one wrist; and the Uncle Sam fit with a US flag-themed top hat and navy blue two-piece suit. His performance of 2020’s “Company Time/Wage Slave” was a crowd favorite. Listen to more of his work here.
Published original music industry insight
Notable pieces include an analysis of evolving album marketing strategies by Ngozi Nwanji and a review of indie pop/R&B singer Devin Kennedy’s latest album by Fajar Zakri.
Getting Heard in 2025
How does ATC Sound plan to get louder in 2025?
Monetize our YouTube channel by September
With the growth we’ve experienced since August — an increased advertising budget coinciding with new music videos and our live show — ATC Sound projects its YouTube channel will reach the required audience thresholds — 1,000 subscribers + 4,000 watch hours in the last 12 months — to begin earning advertising revenue in 2025.
Host at least one live show
Keeping up the momentum and improving our live experience, ATC Sound will look to make a tradition of an annually curated and sponsored live concert.
Adding at least one new artist to our roster
Currently, ATC Sound publishes and promotes the music of Zander, an American and The HabeshAmericans. ATC Sound is seeking a musical artist of any genre with a uniquely defined cultural background and musical perspective who is willing to partner with us in a business-to-business (B2B) relationship with the following qualities:
- Content marketing in exchange for hosting permissions (e.g. music videos on ATC Sound YT channel)
- Editorial promotion in exchange for early access to scheduled music releases
- Discounted professional music services including music production, sound engineering, vocal features, public relations, and video editing
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Thank you all, past and present, who have put any energy into validating the work we do. 2025 is promising, and ATC Sound doesn’t need a New Year’s resolution to continue offering valuable insight into the music industry and producing valuable music of our own.
If you believe in ATC Sound’s mission, please support in the following ways:
Gratefully,
Zander Tsadwa, Editor, Across The Culture (ATC) Sound