Sustaining Independent Voices
You're reading these words because something about The Tonearm resonated with you. That connection is the foundation of everything we do. Your attention already contributes to this conversation about unexpected music and culture. Thank you.
Our approach remains clear: no paywalls, no algorithmic advertising, no compromise on editorial independence. This stance keeps our perspective unclouded, but creates an obvious challenge: how do we sustain what we’re doing?
How You Can Support Our Work
Share What You Dig
The simplest and most valuable support comes through word of mouth. Whenever you share an article, recommend the Spotlight On podcast, or forward our newsletter to a friend, you extend our community. This organic growth—person to person, recommendation by recommendation—mirrors the very cultural exchange we celebrate.
- Share our articles online and with your coolest friends
- Recommend Spotlight On to anyone who appreciates great, thoughtful podcasts
- Forward our newsletter to people with hungry email inboxes
- Follow and share our presence on Bluesky, Mastodon, LinkedIn, and YouTube
Join the Conversation
The Tonearm exists as a dialogue, not a monologue. Your engagement enriches everything we publish.
- Send us feedback on articles or episodes that spark an interest
- Recommend artists or voices we might have missed
- Contact us if you're interested in contributing to The Tonearm—we’re always on the hunt for cunning new writers
- Subscribe to the Spotlight On podcast (250+ episodes and counting)
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a small action that dramatically increases our visibility
- Follow our RSS feed on your favorite feed reader
Connect Directly
Direct connections help us build sustainability outside the attention economy.
- Subscribe to Talk Of The Tonearm, our free email newsletter
- Give through our tip jar—any amount helps support our writers and mission
- Become an underwriter if you represent a hip company that’s on our wavelength
We Jam Econo
The Tonearm operates without venture funding or corporate oversight. We're self-funded, staff-supporting, and deliberately small. Each contribution directly supports:
- Fair compensation for our writers and contributors
- Production costs for the Spotlight On podcast
- Web hosting and technical infrastructure
- Growth at a human pace, not a venture-capital timeline
We believe cultural conversation shouldn't be gated by subscription fees or distorted by advertising imperatives. Whether through attention, amplification, or financial contribution, your support allows this experiment to continue.
Every article published, every conversation recorded, every artist celebrated represents a small victory for human curiosity over algorithmic prediction. Thank you for being part of this ongoing exchange.