Anthony Fantano, the creator of the popular music review YouTube channel theneedledrop, describes himself as “the internet’s busiest music nerd.”
It’s hard to argue with him on that, and the immense effort that he puts into his reviews and his channel is probably the largest reason that he’s become successful. He’s got over 750,000 subscribers and has compiled a net worth of almost $200,000.
Here are some of the other reasons he’s been able to cement himself as the top music reviewer on YouTube.
1. He’s got a nice blog.
If you’re making YouTube videos, you’ve probably heard about the importance of producing a blog as well to generate traffic of your own. Obviously, your blog should reflect the tone and genre of your channel, but you definitely want to make sure that it looks professional.
Fantano’s blog, The Needle Drop, is quite professional. It’s easily navigable, with simple but attractive page design that re-formats well for mobile. His logo is pretty interesting, too.
Check it out.
2. He’s got a distinct shot that he uses to make his videos consistent.
It’s important that your viewers have a strong feel for your brand and instantly can pick out which of the suggested videos on the side bar will keep them on your channel. Some channels use a watermark or a logo, but Fantano has a more subtle way of branding his work.
Nearly all of Fantano’s videos consist of him – with his thick, recognizable black-rimmed glasses – reviewing music in front of a white wall with a red bookshelf full of vinyl in the right corner and the art for the album he’s reviewing. He uses these shots in the thumbnails.
It’s instantly recognizable, and pretty much any of his videos would work as an example of the shot.
3. He appeals to a wide audience by covering a wide variety of genres.
There are other music reviewers out there, but none that can match the breadth of music that Fantano reviews. His channel really has something for everyone. Viewers can even use his channel to discover cool new genres.
He was exposed to an eclectic mix of music while working at his college radio station. “I’ve always loved music, but working there got me turned into a lot of different styles, and got me pushing my tastes into different areas,” he said.
Not only does he delve into many different genres, he takes the time to research the genre while he’s composing his reviews. Who else is doing thoughtful nine-minute reviews of psychedelic black metal from Finland?
4. He listens to his fans’ feedback
Fantano did a Reddit AMA a few years ago and offered what seems to be a genuine explanation of how he developed such a strong ability to talk analytically about music.
The secret, as you might guess, was practice, and he makes sure to note the importance of considering the feedback he was getting. This is an easy thing for you to do with your own videos. See what feedback you’re getting, and think about making adjustments.
Anthony Fantano is a top name in terms of video music reviews, but you can carve out your own niche by emulating the things that have helped Fantano build his success.
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Matt Cummings grew up in the Bay Area and now attends UCLA. He enjoys sports, music and comedy.
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