Qobuz announces a new partnership with independent music publication Drowned in Sound, supporting the title’s upcoming podcast seasons that run from December 2025 to June 2026.
The collaboration begins with Drowned in Sound’s best of 2025 coverage, predictions for 2026 and a series of exclusive interviews including electronic artist Kelly Lee Owens and rising talent Sofia Isella.
The partnership brings together two independently owned organisations that share a commitment to artist-first values and human curation. Qobuz pays artists an average of US$0.01873 per stream, which is four times the industry average, says the company. As part of the agreement, Qobuz becomes title sponsor of the podcast, while Drowned in Sound curates weekly companion playlists on the platform.
Drowned in Sound, founded in 2000, has grown from a traditional music journalism outlet into what founder Sean Adams describes as “community organising infrastructure”, balancing music discovery, recommendations, investigative journalism and resource-building that helps music fans understand and use their collective power.
Dan Mackta, Managing Director of Qobuz, says, “Having been a reader and fan of DiS since the early days of the music blogosphere, I couldn’t be happier that Qobuz is able to contribute to its continued evolution and growth. Music people recognise their own – we take this stuff seriously!”
Sean adds, “This cooperation aligns with everything DiS is about. Qobuz pays artists 4x more than other platforms, values human curation and is independently owned. They’re building a platform for music enthusiasts the way ethical experts recommend. Even the guests on our recent Spotify Exodus podcast episodes agree Qobuz is the place to go, and as a user of the platform for several years myself, I’m thrilled to team up. This comes at a time when grassroots media is struggling and it emboldens our mission to empower music fans, recommend exceptional music and create solutions-led journalism that builds useful resources. Bring on 2026!”
The collaboration follows a year of activity from Qobuz UK in support of the music community. In 2025 the company partners with the Brick Lane Jazz Festival, The Great Escape and We Out Here, contributing high-quality audio recordings, emerging artist showcases and intimate listening sessions that support new talent, says the company.
Listeners can access the Drowned in Sound podcast via the publication’s website.