Anthony Fantano

Fantano began his career in the mid-2000s as a music director for the Southern Connecticut State University college radio station and he later joined Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR) in 2007, where he hosted The Needle Drop. In January 2009, he launched his own YouTube channel, starting with written reviews and eventually transitioning to video reviews. He has expanded his content to include track roundups, live streamed Q&As, and video think-pieces alongside his album reviews.

Fantano has also engaged in collaborations and other projects within the music industry. In June 2019, he made a cameo appearance in Lil Nas X's music video for the remix of "Old Town Road." He also curated a charity compilation called The Needle Drop LP, featuring artists that he had previously reviewed. The profits from the album were donated to The Immigrant Legal Resource Center non-profit.

Fantano's reviewing style and opinions have sparked both praise and controversy throughout his career. In October 2017, an article published in The Fader accused him of promoting alt-right sentiments in his secondary YouTube channel, "thatistheplan." Fantano faced criticism for his use of Pepe the Frog memes and targeting feminists. However, he responded to the article, stating that the accusations were misleading and that the videos in question were meant to be satirical. The article was later deleted, and both parties claimed that the issue had been resolved. Despite the controversies, Fantano remains a prominent figure in the online music criticism community.

His impact has been recognized through awards such as the 2011 O Music Award in the "Beyond the Blog" category. In addition to his career as a music critic and YouTuber, Fantano has also released his own music. He has worked on albums and mixtapes, including "Taiga" in 2009 and "Anthony FanFiction, Vol. 1" in 2015. He has also made guest appearances on other artists' songs.

As of July 2023, Anthony Fantano's net worth is estimated to be around $2 million according to multiple sources. His primary source of income are his YouTube channels, which generates revenue through advertising, sponsorships, and merchandise sales. In addition to his YouTube channel, Fantano also earns money through his website and Twitch streaming channel.

Anthony Fantano was born on October 28, 1985, in Connecticut, USA. Fantano grew up in Wolcott, Connecticut and became interested in politics through the musician Jello Biafra. He is a vegan, having swapped after first going vegetarian in his teens. He attended Southern Connecticut State University, where he studied Liberal Studies and graduated in 2008.

In addition to his work as a music critic, Fantano is also a musician and has released several albums under the name "Cal Chuchesta." He is married and has two children. Anthony Fantano is also a bassist. Anthony has stated that he is a "free-speech purist" and publicly supported Bernie Sanders in the 2020 Presidential election.

In addition to his YouTube channel, Anthony Fantano is active on other social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, and Twitch. As of August 2023, he has over 898k followers on Twitter, 800k followers on Instagram, and 360k followers on Twitch. He uses his extensive reach to upload a variety of content and interact and engage with his audience. He also has a Patreon account, where fans can support his work and gain access to exclusive content.

On his main channel, The Needle Drop, Anthony Fantano is dedicated to reviewing music. He uploads multiple times a week with reviews of music from various genres, including contemporary rock, rap, metal, and more. The content on The Needle Drop covers a wide range of music-related topics. In addition to album reviews, Anthony Fantano also features interviews with musicians, music news, and other music-related content.

With over 6.5 million views, this is the most viewed video on The Needle Drop Channel. This is a review of the popular Rap album by Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly.

This is the second most viewed video on the channel and has over 4.2 million views. This is a review of the rap album by Tyler the Creator, IGOR.

This is the third most popular video on the channel with over 4.2 million views. This is a review of the rap album, Kids See Ghosts.

This is a review of the rap album by Chance the Rapper, The Big Day. This is the fourth most viewed video on the channel and has 4 million views.

This is a review of the popular rap album by Kendrick Lamar, DAMN. This is the fifth most viewed video on the channel and has 3.7 million views.

1. His parents divorced when he was very young.

2. He was quite overweight as a teenager.

3. Anthony Fantano is a bassist and has released several albums under the name "Cal Chuchesta”.