The Sounding

Delivering impactful growth

In a time when purpose-driven brands will prevail, we help leaders turn mission into momentum and strategy into lasting results.The Sounding is a growth consultancy co-founded by music industry veterans Sean Adams and Tom Venvell.

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Clients

We work with charities, CICs, B-Corps and commercial brands in the music, wellness and social sectors that are shaping a sustainable future.

Current projects

Youth Music

Helping the UK's largest music charity for young people build and launch a long-term fundraising programme and national grassroots music strategy.

Drowned in Sound

Relaunching one of the original music media and community platforms for music fans and artists alike. Marking its 25th anniversary, we're scaling new podcast, newsletter and video formats that continue to push boundaries whilst mapping out new futures for music.

SPOKE

Commercial strategy for the leading music-led mental wellness app that gives you personalised, audio sessions that are clinically proven to improve mental wellbeing.

Past highlights

18m organic reach a week with BBC Radio 6 Music
3x revenue growth to £60m+ with Hal Leonard
45% e-commerce traffic increase with Musicroom.com
3m readers of UK's largest independent music mag with Drowned in Sound
250% regional profit expansion with Muse Group

Past projects

BBC Radio 6 Music, Charlotte Church x BBC Sounds, Endlesss, Ed Harcourt x Burberry, Faber Music, Hal Leonard, JustinGuitar, Max Richter, Muse Group, Music Fans' Voice, Musicroom, Naked Record Club, PIAS, PMLL, The Quietus, Too Young, The Trawl, We Are Music

About us

With three decades of experience scaling businesses, launching global campaigns, and driving creative innovation, we blend commercial insight and cultural fluency to help purpose-driven brands to deliver impactful growth - from revenue strategy and market expansion, to digital campaigns and community engagement.

Sean founded the music platform Drowned in Sound in 2000 and ran its independent record label which launched artists such as Kaiser Chiefs and Bat for Lashes. In recent years, he's run comms strategy for startups and led campaigns for artists including Charlotte Church and Max Richter. He transformed BBC Radio 6 Music social media strategy, collaborated with Carol Vorderman on an election-shifting campaign, and has partnered on projects with global brands from Burberry to BMG. He's the founder of The Association of Music Editors and hosts a podcast on the future of music.

Tom brings 15 years of business leadership as former International Director at digital music tech leader Muse Group, and a Managing Director of Hal Leonard, the world's largest printed music publisher, where he also ran Musicroom retail. Previously a director at Music Publisher Association, he currently sits on the board of Music Industries Association.

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