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{{short description|American music critic}}
{{Short description|American music critic and YouTuber}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox YouTube personality
{{Infobox YouTube personality
| name = Anthony Fantano
| name = Anthony Fantano
| image = AnthonyFantano2016.png
| image = AnthonyFantano2016.png
| caption = Fantano in October 2016
| alt = A man with black eyeglasses and a red flannel shirt in a room with a picture on the wall
| image_size =
| caption = Fantano in 2016
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|10|28}}
| birth_name = Anthony Nicholas Fantano
| birth_place = [[Connecticut]], U.S.
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|10|28}}
| birth_place = [[Wolcott, Connecticut]], U.S.
| occupation = {{flatlist|
| occupation = {{flatlist|
* Music critic
*YouTuber
* YouTuber
*music critic
* streamer
*journalist
}}
*vlogger
| website = {{URL|theneedledrop.com}}
*musician}}
| residence = [[Middletown, Connecticut]], U.S.
| spouse = Dominique B. Boxley
| website = [https://theneedledrop.com/ theneedledrop.com]
| pseudonym = {{flatlist|
| pseudonym = {{flatlist|
* Melon<ref>{{cite web |title=Anthony Fantano Responds To Alt-Right & Racist Accusations |work=Kill Your Stereo |url=https://killyourstereo.com/news/1097825/anthony-fantano-responds-to-alt-right-racist-accusations/ |access-date=May 29, 2019 |archive-date=November 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109092704/https://killyourstereo.com/news/1097825/anthony-fantano-responds-to-alt-right-racist-accusations/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
*Cal Chuchesta<ref>{{cite web|title=Interview: Anthony Fantano (The Needle Drop)|work=The Mancunion|url=http://mancunion.com/2014/03/23/interview-anthony-fantano-the-needle-drop/|accessdate=4 May 2018}}</ref>
* Cal Chuchesta<ref name="mancunion">{{cite web|last=Ingham|first=Tom|title=Interview: Anthony Fantano (The Needle Drop)|website=[[The Mancunion]]|url=https://mancunion.com/2014/03/23/interview-anthony-fantano-the-needle-drop/|date=March 23, 2014|access-date=November 20, 2020|archive-date=November 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128065302/https://mancunion.com/2014/03/23/interview-anthony-fantano-the-needle-drop/|url-status=live}}</ref>
*The Internet's busiest music nerd<ref>Veronin, Nick. "[https://www.wired.com/underwire/2014/02/anthony-fantano/ The Hardest Working Critic in Show Business Never Stops Hunting for New Music]". wired.com, February 18, 2014</ref>
* The Internet's Busiest Music Nerd<ref name="Wired">{{cite magazine | last=Veronin | first=Nick. | url=https://www.wired.com/underwire/2014/02/anthony-fantano/ | title=The Hardest Working Critic in Show Business Never Stops Hunting for New Music | magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] | date=February 18, 2014 | access-date=March 11, 2017 | archive-date=March 15, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140315142147/http://www.wired.com/underwire/2014/02/anthony-fantano/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
*Melon/Melonhead<ref>{{cite web|title=Anthony Fantano Responds To Alt-Right & Racist Accusations|work=Kill Your Stereo|url=https://killyourstereo.com/news/1097825/anthony-fantano-responds-to-alt-right-racist-accusations/|accessdate=29 May 2019}}</ref>
}}
*The Best Teeth in the Game<ref>{{cite web |title=BEEFING WITH ANDERSON PAAK |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLl-IfTj3WM|website=Youtube.com}}</ref>}}
| channel_name = theneedledrop <!-- PER WP:ELMIN, DO NOT ADD SECONDARY CHANNELS UNLESS CITED IN THE ARTICLE AND BACKED BY RELIABLE SOURCES -->
| channels = {{hlist|[https://www.youtube.com/user/theneedledrop theneedledrop]|[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnxQ8o9RpqxGF2oLHcCn9VQ fantano]|[https://www.youtube.com/user/thatistheplan thatistheplan] {{small|(inactive)}}<ref>{{Citation|last=thatistheplan|title=terminated|date=2017-10-03|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ7nZ2PadgE|accessdate=2017-10-22}}</ref><ref name="primer">{{cite web|title=A Primer On The Almighty Shitstorm Surrounding The Needle Drop's Anthony Fantano|work=Junkee Media|url=http://junkee.com/needle-drop-anthony-fantano-controversy/126411|accessdate=2 May 2018}}</ref>}}
| years active = 2007–present
| years active = 2009–present
| subscribers = 2.12 million (theneedledrop)<br />1.01 million (fantano)
| genre = [[Music]]
| subscribers = 2.88 million
| views = 589,421,296 (theneedledrop)<br />205,674,559 (fantano)
| view_date = April 23, 2020
| views = 1.04 billion
| catchphrase(s) = <!-- Include a reliable source, please -->
| stats_update = July 3, 2024
| stats_update = April 23, 2020
| silver_button = yes
| silver_button = yes
| silver_year = 2012
| silver_year = 2012
| gold_button = yes
| gold_button = yes
| gold_year = 2017
| gold_year = 2017
| module = {{Infobox website
| module =
|embed =yes
| name = '''The Needle Drop'''
| author = Anthony Fantano
| logo =
| caption = Anthony reviewing [[The Pains of Being Pure at Heart]]'s latest release, ''[[Belong (album)|Belong]]''.
| type = [[Review#Music reviews|Music reviewing]]
| alexa = {{decrease}} 194,876 ({{as of|2020|04|01|alt=April 2020}})<ref name="alexa">{{cite web|url= http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/theneedledrop.com |title= theneedledrop.com Site Info | publisher= [[Alexa Internet]] |accessdate= April 23, 2018}}</ref>
| commercial = Yes
| language = English
| launch_date = {{start date and age|2007}}
| current_status = Active
| screenshot =
}}
}}
'''Anthony Nicholas Fantano'''<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/107191976/credits |title=Credits / Best Teef? (Anderson .Paak Diss) [feat. Anthony Fantano] / Cal Chuchesta – TIDAL|access-date=2024-01-21 |website=[[Tidal (service)|Tidal]]}}</ref> ({{IPAc-en|f|æ|n|'|t|æ|n|oʊ}} {{respell|fan|TAN|oh}}; born October 28, 1985) is an American [[Music journalism|music critic]] and [[internet personality]] who runs '''TheNeedleDrop''', a YouTube channel with a tie-in website and [[Twitch (service)|Twitch]]<ref>{{Citation |title=theneedledrop - Twitch |url=https://www.twitch.tv/theneedledrop |access-date=May 20, 2023 |archive-date=May 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506003932/https://www.twitch.tv/theneedledrop |url-status=live }}</ref> streaming channel. Self-appointed as "The Internet's Busiest Music Nerd", Fantano discusses and reviews music from a variety of genres online. He has a presence on [[X (Twitter)|X]] (formerly Twitter), where he discusses music.
}}

'''Anthony Fantano''' ({{IPAc-en|f|æ|n|'|t|æ|n|oʊ}}; born October 28, 1985) is an American [[music critic]], [[YouTuber]], [[journalist]], [[vlogger]], and musician who is known for his music-related [[YouTube]] channel ''The Needle Drop''. Used as his tagline, he has described himself as "the Internet's busiest music nerd".<ref>Veronin, Nick. "[https://www.wired.com/underwire/2014/02/anthony-fantano/ The Hardest Working Critic in Show Business Never Stops Hunting for New Music]". ''Wired''. Retrieved February 18, 2014.</ref> His website and YouTube videos discuss and review a variety of music genres, including, but not limited to [[Pop music|pop]], [[Hip hop music|hip hop]], [[Rock music|rock]], [[Heavy metal music|metal]], [[Independent music|indie]], [[electronic music|electronic]], [[Folk music|folk]], [[jazz]], and [[Experimental music|experimental]].
He also runs the channel '''Fantano''' where he talks about events in the music industry solo or with guests and conducts interviews.


== Early life ==
== Early life ==
Fantano was born in [[Connecticut]], on October 28, 1985.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} He spent his teenage years in [[Wolcott, Connecticut|Wolcott]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=http://www.spin.com/featured/anthony-fantano-the-needle-drop-profile-interview/|title=How Anthony Fantano, aka ''The Needle Drop'', Became Today's Most Successful Music Critic {{!}} SPIN|last=Gordon|first=Jeremy|date=November 30, 2016|newspaper=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|access-date=December 22, 2016}}</ref> He is of French-Canadian and Italian ([[Sicilians|Sicilian]]) descent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/theneedledrop/status/243155221855997953?lang=en|title=@Grant_Fartman sicilian / french canadian|last=boy|first=music|date=2012-09-04|website=Twitter.com|language=es|access-date=2019-04-07}}</ref> As a child, he had a desire to become a cartoonist because of ''[[The Simpsons]]''.<ref>{{cite av media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piiRfqJfSFg|title=(I)NTERVIEW: Anthony Fantano|author=|date=January 15, 2013|work=YouTube}}</ref>
Fantano was born and raised in [[Wolcott, Connecticut]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |url=https://www.spin.com/featured/anthony-fantano-the-needle-drop-profile-interview/ |title=How Anthony Fantano, aka ''The Needle Drop'', Became Today's Most Successful Music Critic |last=Gordon|first=Jeremy |work=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |date=November 30, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201134015/https://www.spin.com/featured/anthony-fantano-the-needle-drop-profile-interview/ |archive-date=December 1, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> He is of [[Sicily|Sicilian]] descent. His father, Ken Fantano, was a professional [[powerlifting|power lifter]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=LET'S ARGUE: The Best Pizza Toppings |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=u06zaY2pP2c |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=[[Youtube]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=MELON Fantano on Hasans Italian Hate + Powerlifting Daddy |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jfIddSWK1Zc&pp=ygUXQW50aG9ueSBmYW50YW5vIGl0YWxpYW4%3D |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=[[Youtube]] }}</ref> As a teenager, Fantano became interested in politics through the work of the musician [[Jello Biafra]], former lead singer of the [[punk rock|punk]] band [[Dead Kennedys]], calling him "pretty much [his] political idol".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Noonan|first=David|date=June 1, 2003|title=A Generation Finds Its Voice|url=https://www.newsweek.com/generation-finds-its-voice-137849|url-status=live|access-date=August 11, 2021|website=Newsweek|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205015707/http://www.newsweek.com:80/generation-finds-its-voice-137849 |archive-date=February 5, 2015 }}</ref> Fantano graduated from [[Southern Connecticut State University]] in 2008, earning a [[liberal arts]] degree concentrated in [[journalism]], [[communications]] and [[political science]].<ref>https://news.southernct.edu/2024/08/29/anthony-fantano-08-named-amongst-rolling-stones-most-influential-creators-of-2024/</ref>


== Career ==
== Career ==
[[File:The Needle Drop (2010) (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|left|Fantano in February 2010.]]
[[File:Anthony fantano cornell 2023 5.jpg|thumb|right|Fantano speaking at a Q&A at [[Cornell University]] in 2023.]]
Fantano started his career in the mid-2000s as a music director for the [[Southern Connecticut State University]] college radio station. He stated, "I've always loved music, but working there got me turned onto a lot of different styles, and got me pushing my tastes into different areas".<ref name="Elabbady">{{cite news|url=http://greenroommagazine.com/music/interview-anthony-fantano-of-the-needle-drop/|title=Interview: Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop|last=Elabbady|first=Ali|publicationdate=October 30, 2013|work=Green Room|location=United States|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140526044620/http://greenroommagazine.com/music/interview-anthony-fantano-of-the-needle-drop/|archivedate=May 26, 2014}}</ref> In 2007, Fantano started working at [[Connecticut Public Radio]] in which he hosted ''The Needle Drop''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cpbn.org/profile/anthony-fantano |title=Archived copy |access-date=May 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103223233/http://www.cpbn.org/profile/anthony-fantano |archive-date=January 3, 2014 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> That same year, he launched ''The Needle Drop'' in the form of written reviews, eventually launching his series of video reviews in early 2009, starting with a [[Jay Reatard]] record.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/featured/anthony-fantano-the-needle-drop-profile-interview/|title=How Anthony Fantano, aka ''The Needle Drop'', Became Today’s Most Successful Music Critic|date=2016-11-30|website=Spin.com|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2015/04/28/web-celeb-fantano-brings-needle-drop-middle-east/GZ2Y0zFlqbizSZKW0sa8rN/story.html|title=Anthony Fantano brings Needle Drop to Middle East - The Boston Globe|last=Correspondent|first=Maura Johnston Globe|last2=April 28|website=BostonGlobe.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-04|last3=2015|last4=Comments|first4=6:00 p m Email to a Friend Share on Facebook Share on TwitterPrint this Article View}}</ref> Fantano's review for [[Flying Lotus]]' 2010 album ''[[Cosmogramma]]'' appearing next to other Flying Lotus videos in YouTube's "Featured Videos" section gave him the "hint" to continue making video reviews.<ref name="consequenceofsound.net" /> In 2010, Fantano took down older reviews that contained music clips in order to avoid [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act|DMCA]] violations.<ref name=":0" /> At the time, he was working on ''The Needle Drop'' at the college radio station, as well as at a pizza restaurant. In late 2011, he decided to pursue ''The Needle Drop'' full-time, but kept affiliation with WNPR until 2014.<ref name="Elabbady" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name="consequenceofsound.net">{{cite web|title=Anthony Chuchesta Wants to Turn You On|url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2014/10/anthony-fantano-wants-to-turn-you-on|work=[[Consequence of Sound]]|date=October 9, 2014|accessdate=September 4, 2017}}</ref>
Fantano started his career in the mid-2000s as a music director for the [[Southern Connecticut State University]] college radio station.<ref name="Elabbady">{{cite news |url=http://greenroommagazine.com/music/interview-anthony-fantano-of-the-needle-drop/ |title=Interview: Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop |last=Elabbady |first=Ali |date=October 30, 2013|work=Green Room |location=United States |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140526044620/http://greenroommagazine.com/music/interview-anthony-fantano-of-the-needle-drop/|archive-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> In 2007, Fantano started working at [[Connecticut Public Radio]] (WNPR), where he hosted ''The Needle Drop''.<ref name="turnyouon">{{Cite news |url=https://consequence.net/2014/10/anthony-fantano-wants-to-turn-you-on/ |title=Anthony Fantano Wants to Turn You On |first=MICHAEL |last=MADDEN |work=[[Consequence of Sound]] |date=October 9, 2014 |access-date=January 17, 2023 |archive-date=October 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030133651/https://consequence.net/2014/10/anthony-fantano-wants-to-turn-you-on/ |url-status=live }}</ref> That same year, he launched ''The Needle Drop'' in the form of written reviews, eventually launching his series of video reviews on the YouTube channel of the same name in January 2009, starting with a [[Jay Reatard]] record.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2015/04/28/web-celeb-fantano-brings-needle-drop-middle-east/GZ2Y0zFlqbizSZKW0sa8rN/story.html |title=Anthony Fantano brings Needle Drop to Middle East |first=Maura |last=Johnston |author-link=Maura Johnston |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |date=April 28, 2015 |access-date=August 4, 2019 |archive-date=August 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804005156/https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2015/04/28/web-celeb-fantano-brings-needle-drop-middle-east/GZ2Y0zFlqbizSZKW0sa8rN/story.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Acaster|first=James|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_DGKDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT80|title=Perfect Sound Whatever|date=August 22, 2019|publisher=[[Hachette UK]]|isbn=978-1-4722-6032-1|language=en}}</ref><ref name="turnyouon" /> In 2010, Fantano removed older reviews that contained music clips in order to avoid violations of the [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]].<ref name=":0" /> At the time, he was working on ''The Needle Drop'' at his college radio station, as well as at a pizza restaurant. In late 2011, he decided to pursue ''The Needle Drop'' full-time, but kept affiliation with WNPR until 2014.<ref name="Elabbady" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name="turnyouon" />


Fantano was offered an album review show on [[Adult Swim]] but declined.<ref name=":0" /> By the end of 2017, Fantano had reached a million subscribers and diversified his content to include weekly "track roundup" videos, livestreamed Q&As, and video think-pieces alongside his album reviews.<ref name=":1" /> To earn enough money to pay his editor Austen Walsh, by November 2016, Fantano was recording more regularly on a secondary YouTube channel, "thatistheplan", on which he reviewed memes and recorded "often irreverent videos that don't fall into the record review format", according to ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]''.<ref name=":0" />
He was interviewed at [[South by Southwest|SXSW]] in 2011 about the rise of music [[Vlog|vlogging]], along with Matt Galloway of the ''Rock It Out!'' blog and Michael Roffman, president and editor-in-chief of ''[[Consequence of Sound]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://schedule.sxsw.com/events/event_MP6616 |title=Interview at SXSW |access-date=May 9, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611043810/http://schedule.sxsw.com/events/event_MP6616 |archive-date=June 11, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In March 2011, he was featured in an article from ''[[The Guardian]]'' also about the rise of music vlogging.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2011/mar/18/sxsw-2011-rise-of-music-vlogger |title=SXSW 2011: The rise of the music vlogger | location=London | first=Tim |last=Jonze |date=March 18, 2011|accessdate=September 4, 2017}}</ref> The Needle Drop won the 2011 [[O Music Awards]] in the "Beyond the Blog" category.<ref>{{cite press release|title=O Music Awards Take Over Halloween's Largest Street Party|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1673510/o-music-awards-recap/|website=MTV News|accessdate=17 May 2018|language=en|date=1 November 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/465377/robyn-wows-mtv-o-music-awards-bjork-marilyn-mansons-butt-win-big|title=Robyn Wows MTV O Music Awards; Bjork & Marilyn Manson's Butt Win Big|website=Billboard|access-date=2019-09-08}}</ref> Fantano was offered an album review show on [[Adult Swim]] but did not go through with it.<ref name=":0" />


In October 2017, an article by Ezra Marcus in ''[[The Fader]]'' accused Fantano of promoting [[alt-right]] sentiments in videos on "thatistheplan". Marcus criticized Fantano for the use of [[Pepe the Frog]] memes (which had recently been labeled [[Pepe the Frog#Use by the alt-right|an alt-right symbol]]) and targeting [[Feminism|feminists]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 4, 2017 |title=Popular music vlogger accused of promoting alt-right sentiment – NME |work=NME |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/popular-music-vlogger-accused-pandering-alt-right-separate-channel-2147022 |access-date=August 23, 2018 |archive-date=April 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423115205/https://www.nme.com/news/music/popular-music-vlogger-accused-pandering-alt-right-separate-channel-2147022 |url-status=live }}</ref> After the article was released, multiple scheduled dates of ''The Needle Drop'' U.S. tour were cancelled, with at least one ticket booking site for a [[Brooklyn]] tour date stating that their cancellation was due to the ''Fader'' article.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Anthony Fantano's Entire Tour Canceled Over Racist, Alt-Right Allegations |work=Digital Music News |url=https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2017/10/10/anthony-fantano-tour-canceled-alt-right/ |access-date=October 2, 2020 |archive-date=September 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922195333/https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2017/10/10/anthony-fantano-tour-canceled-alt-right/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 5, 2017 |title=The Needle Drop Live Shows Cancelled Amid Controversy |work=Noisey by Vice |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/7xkj4x/the-needle-drop-live-shows-cancelled-amid-controversy |access-date=October 2, 2020 |archive-date=November 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111202313/https://www.vice.com/en/article/7xkj4x/the-needle-drop-live-shows-cancelled-amid-controversy |url-status=live }}</ref> Fantano produced a video response calling the article a "hit job". He disputed accusations of sympathizing with the alt-right and stated that the videos in question were [[Satire|satirical]]. The article was deleted by ''The Fader'' in March 2018, with both parties saying that the claims were settled.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 21, 2018 |title=Fader Removes Article Amid Settlement With Anthony Fantano |work=Spin |url=https://www.spin.com/2018/03/anthony-fantano-needle-drop-fader-settlement/ |access-date=August 23, 2018 |archive-date=May 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501194915/https://www.spin.com/2018/03/anthony-fantano-needle-drop-fader-settlement/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In a later interview, Fantano acknowledged that there had been some "grubby, closed-minded, young, aggressive male" viewers on the "thatistheplan" channel and disavowed what he saw as the "toxic and problematic" side of [[Humor on the internet|internet humor]], stating that the incident had led him to be more vocal in his advocacy for [[social justice]] issues.<ref name="whomatters">{{Cite news |last=Coscarelli |first=Joe |date=September 30, 2020 |title=The Only Music Critic Who Matters (if You're Under 25) |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/30/arts/music/anthony-fantano-the-needle-drop.html |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720095514/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/30/arts/music/anthony-fantano-the-needle-drop.html |archive-date=July 20, 2021 |issn=0362-4331 |quote=The influential evangelist in question is the YouTuber named Anthony Fantano, 34, who has been speaking album and song reviews directly into a camera for more than a decade on The Needle Drop, his channel with 2.26 million subscribers, making him probably the most popular music critic left standing.}}</ref>
Fantano had a cameo in [[Lil Nas X]]'s video for the [[Young Thug]] and [[Mason Ramsey]] remix of "[[Old Town Road]]", appearing as a worker for the [[Area 51]] military installation (a reference to the "[[Storm Area 51]]" meme).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/old-town-road-remix-area-51-memes/|title=Area 51 remix video proves it's the summer of Lil Nas X|date=2019-07-19|website=The Daily Dot|language=en|access-date=2019-07-21}}</ref>


In June 2019, Fantano made a cameo appearance in [[Lil Nas X]]'s video for the [[Young Thug]] and [[Mason Ramsey]] remix of "[[Old Town Road]]", appearing as a security guard for the [[Area 51]] military installation (a reference to the "[[Storm Area 51]]" meme).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Will|first=Gottsegen|date=July 16, 2019|title=Lil Nas X Releases Insane Meme-Filled Video for Newest "Old Town Road" Remix|url=https://www.spin.com/2019/07/lil-nas-x-old-town-road-remix-area-51-video/|access-date=February 5, 2022|website=Spin|language=en-US|archive-date=February 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205004010/https://www.spin.com/2019/07/lil-nas-x-old-town-road-remix-area-51-video/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Spearman|first=Kahron|date=July 19, 2019|title=Area 51 remix video proves it's the summer of Lil Nas X|website=[[The Daily Dot]]|url=https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/old-town-road-remix-area-51-memes/|access-date=February 5, 2022|archive-date=January 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123153314/https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/old-town-road-remix-area-51-memes/|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Response from other media ==
In order to earn enough money to pay his editor Austin Walsh, by November 2016, Fantano had recorded more regularly on a secondary YouTube channel, "thatistheplan", on which he reviewed memes and recorded "often irreverent videos that don't fall into the record review format," according to [[Spin (magazine)|''SPIN'']].<ref name=":0" /> In October 2017, Fantano was accused of promoting [[alt-right]] and [[Racism|racist]] sentiments in videos on "thatistheplan" in an article by music magazine ''[[The Fader]]'', which criticized Fantano for the use of [[Pepe the Frog]] memes (which had recently been labeled for being [[Pepe the Frog#Appropriation by the alt-right|an alt-right symbol]]), targeting feminists, and belittling the work of black musicians.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/popular-music-vlogger-accused-pandering-alt-right-separate-channel-2147022|title=Popular music vlogger accused of promoting alt-right sentiment - NME|date=2017-10-04|work=NME|access-date=2018-08-23}}</ref> Fantano uploaded a video to The Needle Drop YouTube channel in response, claiming that the article was a "hit job" and that the videos in question were "satirical". He disputed the idea that he had aligned himself with the far right, claiming that his videos actually have a "pretty obvious liberal slant" and responded to accusations of racism stating that he had "harshly critiqued and clowned on white artists and rock musicians in the past". He also posted on social media his displeasure with future edits of the article, including one claiming he laughed at a description of the murder and rape of a woman being changed to "violence towards a woman," after the video was posted.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://twitter.com/theneedledrop/status/916471194081210368?lang=en|title=Nothony Meatano on Twitter|work=Twitter|access-date=2018-09-28|language=en}}</ref> The article was later deleted by ''The Fader'', with both parties saying that the claims were settled.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.spin.com/2018/03/anthony-fantano-needle-drop-fader-settlement/|title=Fader Removes Article Amid Settlement With Anthony Fantano|date=2018-03-21|work=Spin|access-date=2018-08-23}}</ref>


Later that year he curated a charity compilation, ''The Needle Drop LP'', which consists of tracks performed by "artists that have either been featured on the site or reviewed favorably in the past". Profits from the album were donated to The Immigrant Legal Resource Center non-profit.<ref>{{cite web |title=Open Mike Eagle Shares New Song to Support Immigrant Legal Resource Center: Listen |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/open-mike-eagle-shares-new-song-to-support-immigrant-legal-resource-center-listen/ |first=Allison |last=Hussey |date=September 13, 2019 |accessdate=June 8, 2021 |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |archive-date=June 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210617092328/https://pitchfork.com/news/open-mike-eagle-shares-new-song-to-support-immigrant-legal-resource-center-listen/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
When asked about the merits of Fantano's reviews, [[Robert Christgau]]—admittedly 'barely recognizing' Fantano's name and having only 'glanced over' his [[Wikipedia]] page—said in 2019, "he seems to have arrived at a plausible brand of 21st-century rockcrit taste."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xgausez.php|title=Xgau Sez|website=Robertchristgau.com|last=Christgau|first=Robert|authorlink=Robert Christgau|date=January 15, 2019|accessdate=January 15, 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726005540/https://robertchristgau.com/xgausez.php|archivedate=July 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2022, Fantano was referenced on rapper [[Logic (rapper)|Logic]]’s track "LaDonda", from his studio album ''[[Vinyl Days]]''. He discusses his relationship with Fantano, calling him a "plaid-shirt-wearing motherf**ker" and admitting that he had "fantasized about murdering" him after he had issued negative reviews of his albums ''[[Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (album)|Confessions of a Dangerous Mind]]'' and ''[[Supermarket (Logic album)|Supermarket]].'' During his livestream reaction of the album, Fantano expressed shock after hearing the song, saying that he felt "overemphasized" and that "there never should have been any reason Logic should [have hated] me in the first place".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Anthony Fantano stunned by Logic's massive shoutout on new album |url=https://www.dexerto.com/music/anthony-fantano-stunned-by-logics-massive-shoutout-on-new-album-1851029/ |access-date=May 20, 2023 |website=Dexerto |date=June 19, 2022 |language=en |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426023322/https://www.dexerto.com/music/anthony-fantano-stunned-by-logics-massive-shoutout-on-new-album-1851029/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On September 15, 2022, Fantano uploaded a video on his second channel jokingly claiming that [[Drake (musician)|Drake]] had sent private messages to him on [[Instagram]], specifically recommending Fantano a [[Veganism|vegan]] cookie recipe. In response, Drake posted his genuine messages to Fantano on Instagram Stories, which stated that Fantano's existence is a "light 1" and that the "1 is cause [he is] alive". Fantano later spoke about the exchange on an Instagram livestream, stating that the video was a "[[troll (slang)|shitpost]]" and that he had no "hard feelings" toward Drake.<ref name="Fantano 1, Drake 0">{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2022/09/anthony-fantano-drake-beef-explained/|title=YouTuber Anthony Fantano Trolls Drake Into Revealing Threatening DMs|first=Eddie|last=Fu|website=[[Consequence (publication)|Consequence]]|date=September 16, 2022|access-date=September 16, 2022|archive-date=September 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220916171904/https://consequence.net/2022/09/anthony-fantano-drake-beef-explained/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Fantano 2, Drake 0">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/drake-disses-music-critic-anthony-fantano-1234594541/|title=Drake Disses Music Critic Anthony Fantano Over Fake DM Video With a Real, 'Salty Ass' Message|first=Tomás|last=Mier|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=September 16, 2022|access-date=September 16, 2022|archive-date=September 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220916174446/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/drake-disses-music-critic-anthony-fantano-1234594541/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Fantano 3, Drake 0">{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/drake-anthony-fantano-beef-feud-explained-1235374908/|title=Drake Feuds With Music Critic Anthony Fantano: Your 'Existence' Is a 1/10|first=Ethan|last=Shanfeld|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=September 16, 2022|access-date=September 16, 2022|archive-date=September 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220916150840/https://variety.com/2022/music/news/drake-anthony-fantano-beef-feud-explained-1235374908/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Fantano garnered attention for his video on [[Kanye West]] and [[Ty Dolla Sign]]'s album ''[[Vultures 1]]'' in February 2024. Declaring the record "unreviewable trash," he talked about West's [[Views of Kanye West#Antisemitism|antisemitic views]], particularly those expressed in his music, and general attitude preventing him from fully critiquing the record,<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 14, 2024 |title=Nessuno prende più sul serio Kanye West |url=https://www.ilpost.it/2024/02/14/kanye-west-vultures-critiche/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |website=[[Il Post]] |language=it}}</ref> while also delving into the discourse of West's fan base being generally hostile to criticism and negative reviews. The video subsequently received backlash from West's fans on social media.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Cole |first=Alexander |date=February 13, 2024 |title=Anthony Fantano Goes To War With Kanye West's Fanbase After Calling "Vultures" An "Unreviewable" Album |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/763326-anthony-fantano-war-kanye-west-fans-hip-hop-news |access-date=February 14, 2024 |website=[[HotNewHipHop]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Coleman II |first=C. Vernon |date=February 13, 2024 |title=Popular Album Review YouTuber Anthony Fantano Says Kanye West's Vultures 1 Album Is 'Unreviewable Trash' |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/anthony-fantano-kanye-west-vultures-1-review/ |access-date=February 14, 2024 |website=[[XXL Mag|XXL]] |language=en}}</ref>

=== Albums rating scale ===
Albums are rated on a standard zero to ten scale, with additional qualifiers ("light", "decent", or "strong"). Fantano will also occasionally give a score outside of the standard scale, such as "''NOT GOOD''" for albums he deems unworthy of reviewing in full, believing the album to simply be "not good".<ref>{{Citation |title=Is NOT GOOD Worse Than a 0/10? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVvldiRCnec |access-date=2024-02-14 |language=en}}</ref>

===Albums rated 10 on release===

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Artist
! Title
! Year
! Ref
|-
| [[Death Grips]] || ''[[The Money Store (album)|The Money Store]]'' ||2012 || <ref>{{Citation|title=Death Grips - The Money Store ALBUM REVIEW|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK54P7VeM1g|language=en|access-date=March 28, 2023|archive-date=March 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314155358/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK54P7VeM1g|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="whomatters"/>
|-
| [[Swans (band)|Swans]] || ''[[To Be Kind]]'' || 2014 || <ref>{{Citation|title=Swans - To Be Kind ALBUM REVIEW|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NQyDKbGVOg|language=en|access-date=March 28, 2023|archive-date=March 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330012036/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NQyDKbGVOg|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="whomatters"/>
|-
| {{Sort|Lamar, Kendrick|[[Kendrick Lamar]]}} || ''[[To Pimp a Butterfly]]'' || 2015 || <ref>{{Citation|title=Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly ALBUM REVIEW|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTmHuavOXNg|language=en|access-date=March 28, 2023|archive-date=March 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314165948/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTmHuavOXNg|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="whomatters"/>
|-
| [[Kids See Ghosts]] || ''[[Kids See Ghosts (album)|Kids See Ghosts]]''|| rowspan="2"| 2018 || <ref>{{Citation|title=KIDS SEE GHOSTS - Self Titled ALBUM REVIEW|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rkFbKVownA|language=en|access-date=March 28, 2023|archive-date=March 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328102242/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rkFbKVownA|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="whomatters"/>
|-
| [[Daughters (band)|Daughters]] || ''[[You Won't Get What You Want]]'' ||<ref>{{Citation|title=Daughters - You Won't Get What You Want ALBUM REVIEW|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO5pcLp8-HM|language=en|access-date=March 28, 2023|archive-date=March 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328102244/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO5pcLp8-HM|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="whomatters"/>
|-
| [[Spellling]] || ''[[The Turning Wheel (album)|The Turning Wheel]]'' ||rowspan="2"| 2021 || <ref>{{Citation|title=Spellling - The Turning Wheel ALBUM REVIEW|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTaUAz5xrD4|language=en|access-date=March 28, 2023|archive-date=March 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314164613/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTaUAz5xrD4|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CTInsider">{{cite news |last1=Cuevas |first1=Jailene |title=CT music critic Anthony Fantano talks life with 2.6M subscribers on YouTube |url=https://www.ctinsider.com/entertainment/article/anthony-fantano-the-needle-drop-ct-17594587.php |access-date=October 5, 2023 |work=CT Insider |publisher=[[Hearst Communications|Hearst Media Services Connecticut]] |date=November 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122175040/https://www.ctinsider.com/entertainment/article/anthony-fantano-the-needle-drop-ct-17594587.php |archive-date=November 22, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[Kristin Hayter|Lingua Ignota]] || ''[[Sinner Get Ready]]'' || <ref>{{Citation|title=Lingua Ignota - Sinner Get Ready ALBUM REVIEW|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6S0XHGKzUU|language=en|access-date=March 28, 2023|archive-date=March 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328102244/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6S0XHGKzUU|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CTInsider" />
|-
|[[Charli XCX]]
|''[[Brat (Charli XCX album)|Brat]]''
|2024
|<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLJ-zfBmChA |title=Charli XCX - BRAT ALBUM REVIEW |date=2024-06-10 |last=theneedledrop |access-date=2024-06-11 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
|}

=== Albums rated 0 on release ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Artist
! Title
! Year
! Ref
|-
| [[Kid Cudi]] || ''[[Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven]]'' || 2015 || <ref>{{Citation |title=Kid Cudi - Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven ALBUM REVIEW |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJDcbwpsjU0 |access-date=2023-09-30 |language=en |archive-date=December 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151205231210/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJDcbwpsjU0&gl=US&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Earp |first=Joseph |date=2021-08-02 |title=Anthony Fantano Ranked All His 0/10 Scoring Albums And Gosh, It's Brutal Out Here |url=https://junkee.com/anthony-fantano-ranking/303984 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=[[Junkee]] |language=en-US |archive-date=November 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221112014745/https://junkee.com/anthony-fantano-ranking/303984 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Chance the Rapper]]|| [[The Big Day (album)|''The Big Day'']]
|2019|| <ref>{{Citation |title=Chance the Rapper - The Big Day ALBUM REVIEW |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjriHA-MLPg |access-date=2023-09-30 |language=en |archive-date=September 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922071156/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjriHA-MLPg |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":2" />
|-
|[[Green Day]]
|''[[Father of All Motherfuckers]]''
|2020
|<ref>{{Citation |title=Green Day - Father of All... ALBUM REVIEW |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WVTW2qTqrI |access-date=2023-09-30 |language=en |archive-date=August 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813041720/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WVTW2qTqrI |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Earp |first=Joseph |date=2020-02-11 |title=Green Day's New Album Is Getting Some Downright Brutal Reviews |url=https://junkee.com/anthony-fantano-green-day/241760 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=[[Junkee]] |language=en-US |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308155135/https://junkee.com/anthony-fantano-green-day/241760 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|[[Tones and I]]
|''[[Welcome to the Madhouse]]''
|2021
|<ref>{{Citation |title=Tones and I - Welcome to the Madhouse ALBUM REVIEW |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZp07vLSak8 |access-date=2023-09-30 |language=en |archive-date=September 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230904041246/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZp07vLSak8 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":2" />
|-
|[[Ken Carson]]
|[[X (Ken Carson album)|''X'']]
|2022
|<ref>{{Citation |title=Ken Carson - X ALBUM REVIEW |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lokqffmF2A |access-date=2023-09-30 |language=en |archive-date=March 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314163436/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lokqffmF2A |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|[[Machine Gun Kelly (musician)|MGK]] & [[Trippie Redd]]
|''[[Genre: Sadboy]]''
|2024
|<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T4O9e4xQw0 |title=MGK & Trippie Redd - genre : sadboy EP REVIEW |date=2024-04-03 |last=theneedledrop |access-date=2024-07-29 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
|}

== Reception ==
[[File:Calchuchesta.png|thumb|Fantano as his alter-ego, "Cal Chuchesta"<ref name="mancunion" />|183x183px]]
The Needle Drop won the 2011 [[O Music Awards]] in the "Beyond the Blog" category.<ref>{{cite press release|title=O Music Awards Take Over Halloween's Largest Street Party|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1673510/o-music-awards-recap/|first=KARA|last=WARNER|website=[[MTV News]]|date=November 1, 2011|access-date=May 17, 2018|archive-date=January 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122222315/http://www.mtv.com/news/1673510/o-music-awards-recap/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Robyn Wows MTV O Music Awards; Bjork & Marilyn Manson's Butt Win Big|magazine=Billboard|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/465377/robyn-wows-mtv-o-music-awards-bjork-marilyn-mansons-butt-win-big|access-date=September 8, 2019|archive-date=July 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719095134/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/465377/robyn-wows-mtv-o-music-awards-bjork-marilyn-mansons-butt-win-big|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2014, Nick Veronin of ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'' said of Fantano: "Instead of deploying ten-dollar words to describe a [[riff]] or [[synth]] tone, Fantano relies on gestures, clenching his fists or contorting his elastic, expressive face. It gets at some of the more ephemeral qualities of music that written words can't begin to touch".<ref name="Wired" />

When asked about the merits of Fantano's reviews, veteran music critic [[Robert Christgau]] said in 2019:
<blockquote>[Fantano] seems to have arrived at a plausible brand of 21st-century rockcrit taste that runs toward what I'll call dark [[Progressive rock|prog]] [...] Nowhere near as insensible to [[Hip hop music|hip-hop]]/[[Contemporary R&B|r&b]] as dark proggers tend to be, but note that very few female artists crack his top 10s, which in 2018 was really missing the action. Fantano seems to have figured out a way to make some kind of living by disseminating his own criticism in the online age.<ref>{{cite web|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|date=January 15, 2019|title=Xgau Sez|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xgausez.php?d=2019-01-15|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211122430/https://www.robertchristgau.com/xgausez.php?d=2019-01-15|archive-date=February 11, 2021|access-date=August 12, 2021|website=Robertchristgau.com}}</ref></blockquote>
In his 2019 book ''[[Perfect Sound Whatever]]'', comedian [[James Acaster]] called Fantano's best albums of 2016 list "a real music fan's Top 50" and said of Fantano: "Perhaps more than anybody else, he appreciates how the reviewer's role has changed since the internet became a thing [...] The job of a reviewer used to be telling people what's worth their money but now it's telling people what's worth their time."<ref name=":1" /> In September 2020, ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' culture correspondent Joe Coscarelli described Fantano as "probably the most popular music critic left standing". According to Coscarelli, Fantano has successfully brought an "old art to a new medium" and has revitalized the record review format for a younger generation of music consumers.<ref name="whomatters" />


== Personal life ==
== Personal life ==
Fantano resides in [[Connecticut]].<ref name=":0" />
Fantano and his wife, Dominique Boxley,<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://a.pomf.se/fjtaqb.png|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150611085141/http://a.pomf.se/fjtaqb.png|url-status=dead|archive-date=2015-06-11|title=Wayback Machine|date=2015-06-11|access-date=2018-10-18}}</ref> reside in [[Middletown, Connecticut]]. He is an [[Atheism|atheist]]<ref>{{Citation|last=fantano|title=LET'S ARGUE: Greta Van Fleet DOESN'T Sound Like Led Zeppelin|date=2018-11-05|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyieh5MsHrU|access-date=2018-11-06}}</ref> and a [[veganism|vegan]], having swapped to the diet after first going vegetarian in his late teens.<ref name="Elabbady" />

Fantano is a [[veganism|vegan]], having swapped to the diet after initially going vegetarian in his late teens.<ref name="Elabbady" />

In March 2018, Fantano told [[Polygon (website)|''Polygon'']] that he is a "[[Freedom of speech|free speech]] purist".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Alexander|first=Julia|date=March 7, 2018|title=Controversial YouTubers head to alternative platforms in wake of 'purge'|url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/3/7/17087668/steemit-dtube-bitchute-youtube-purge|url-status=live|access-date=March 17, 2021|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307210550/https://www.polygon.com/2018/3/7/17087668/steemit-dtube-bitchute-youtube-purge |archive-date=March 7, 2018 }}</ref> He endorsed [[Bernie Sanders]] in the [[2020 United States presidential election]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 2, 2020|title=Social Media Influencers' Role In 2020 Candidate Endorsements|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/02/02/801995382/social-media-influencers-role-in-2020-candidate-endorsements|access-date=February 4, 2022|website=NPR|language=en|archive-date=October 30, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030134000/https://www.npr.org/2020/02/02/801995382/social-media-influencers-role-in-2020-candidate-endorsements|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Legal disputes===
On July 24, 2023, Fantano was named as a defendant in a lawsuit from video game developer [[Activision]] over a viral audio clip he had recorded on [[TikTok]] about pizza slices. Activision claimed that Fantano had asked for "substantial monetary damages" for the company's use of the audio in an advertisement for custom ''[[Crash Bandicoot]]'' trainers, or to be "prepared to defend a lawsuit".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brittain |first=Blake |last2= |first2= |date=2023-07-25 |title=Activision sues music critic to fend off TikTok audio copying claims |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/activision-sues-music-critic-fend-off-tiktok-audio-copying-claims-2023-07-25/ |access-date=2023-08-27 |archive-date=August 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230827032107/https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/activision-sues-music-critic-fend-off-tiktok-audio-copying-claims-2023-07-25/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Paul |first=Larisha |date=2023-07-25 |title=Anthony Fantano Is Courting Lawsuits Over… His TikTok Pizza Meme |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/anthony-fantano-sued-by-video-game-developer-over-19-second-tiktok-audio-1234794622/ |access-date=2023-08-27 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US |archive-date=July 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727125019/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/anthony-fantano-sued-by-video-game-developer-over-19-second-tiktok-audio-1234794622/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dunworth |first=Liberty |date=2023-07-26 |title='The Needle Drop' critic Anthony Fantano being sued by Activision for pizza meme audio |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-needle-drop-critic-anthony-fantano-being-sued-by-activision-for-pizza-meme-audio-3473689 |access-date=2023-08-27 |website=NME |language=en-GB |archive-date=August 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230827032107/https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-needle-drop-critic-anthony-fantano-being-sued-by-activision-for-pizza-meme-audio-3473689 |url-status=live }}</ref> On August 10, Activision dropped the lawsuit with [[Prejudice (legal term)|prejudice]], meaning it could not be refiled.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brittain |first=Blake |last2= |first2= |date=2023-08-11 |title=Activision drops lawsuit over viral TikTok audio clip |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/activision-drops-lawsuit-over-viral-tiktok-audio-clip-2023-08-11/ |access-date=2023-08-27 |archive-date=August 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230827032113/https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/activision-drops-lawsuit-over-viral-tiktok-audio-clip-2023-08-11/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Falling in Reverse]] frontman [[Ronnie Radke]] filed a defamation lawsuit against Fantano on August 20, 2024, claiming that the latter had "acted in malice" and "engaged in fraud" in posting commentary about the singer in a 2023 video titled "This Guy Sucks".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Report - Falling In Reverse’s Ronnie Radke Files Defamation Suit Against Critic Anthony Fantano |url=https://loudwire.com/falling-in-reverse-ronnie-radke-defamation-suit-against-anthony-fantano/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Falling In Reverse’s Ronnie Radke reportedly files defamation suit against Anthony Fantano |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/falling-in-reverses-ronnie-radke-reportedly-files-defamation-suit-against-anthony-fantano-3786095 |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=[[NME]] |url-status=live }}</ref>


== Discography ==
== Discography ==
{{BLP sources section|date=February 2022}}
=== Albums ===
'''Albums'''
*''Taiga'' (2009, as bass player)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/taiga/taiga/|title=Taiga by Taiga|website=Rateyourmusic.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://anthonyfantanoricharddalbis.bandcamp.com/album/taiga|title=Taiga, by Anthony Fantano and Richard D'Albis|website=Anthonyfantanoricharddalbis.bandcamp.com}}</ref>
*''Taiga'' (2009) {{small|(as bass player)}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://anthonyfantanoricharddalbis.bandcamp.com/album/taiga|title=Taiga, by Anthony Fantano and Richard D'Albis|website=Anthonyfantanoricharddalbis.bandcamp.com|access-date=August 13, 2019|archive-date=August 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813091416/https://anthonyfantanoricharddalbis.bandcamp.com/album/taiga|url-status=live}}</ref>
*''Anthony FanFiction Vol.1'' (2015)
*''Anthony FanFiction, Vol. 1'' (2015)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Anthony FanFiction Vol. 1, by Various Artists |url=https://anthonyfanfiction.bandcamp.com/album/anthony-fanfiction-vol-1 |access-date=May 20, 2023 |website=The Needle Drop |language=en |archive-date=May 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520022434/https://anthonyfanfiction.bandcamp.com/album/anthony-fanfiction-vol-1 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*''The New CALassic'' (2015, as Cal Chuchesta)


'''Guest appearances'''
=== Singles ===
*"21 & Jaded" on ''Don't Forget Where You Came From'' by [[Goody Grace]] (2021)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D41_jvT2f_w|title="I Played Bass On This Album"|website=YouTube|access-date=March 2, 2021|date=March 2, 2021|archive-date=June 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611132715/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D41_jvT2f_w|url-status=live}}</ref> {{small|(as bass player)}}
*Cal 2 B (2013, as Cal Chuchesta)
*"Every Drug at Once" on ''Faster'' by Lil Texas (2022)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/LILTEXAS/status/1513941983189893122|title=COVER ART AND TRACKLIST FOR MY ALBUM "FASTER"|website=Twitter|access-date=April 15, 2022|archive-date=April 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415131112/https://twitter.com/LILTEXAS/status/1513941983189893122|url-status=live}}</ref>
*Mykey Come Back (2015, as Cal Chuchesta)
*"NeedleDrop" on ''[[Vinyl Days]]'' by [[Logic (rapper)|Logic]] (2022)<ref>{{Citation |title=Logic - NeedleDrop (Audio) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iguY_IlVDVM |language=en |access-date=October 19, 2022 |archive-date=October 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019170616/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iguY_IlVDVM |url-status=live }}</ref>
*Panda (Remix) ft. [[Pink Guy]] & NFKRZ (2016, as Cal Chuchesta)

*Coin Star (2018, as Cal Chuchesta)
*Don't Talk To Me ft. Fellatia Geisha (2018, as Cal Chuchesta)
=== as Cal Chuchesta ===
'''Mixtapes'''
*Slap Chop (2018, as Cal Chuchesta)
*''The New CALassic'' (2015)
*On Deck Freestyle (2018, as Cal Chuchesta)

*I'm In The Club (Lookin' For Some Love) ft. Joycie (2018, as Cal Chuchesta)
'''Singles'''
*Advice ft. [[Rob Scallon]] (2018, as Cal Chuchesta)
*"Cal 2 B" (2013)
*Rubber Duck (Pickup Truck) (2019, as Cal Chuchesta)
*"Mykey Come Back" (2015)
*Best Teef? (2019, as Cal Chuchesta)
*"[[Panda (song)|Panda]] (Remix)" featuring [[Joji (musician)|Pink Guy]] and NFKRZ (2016)
*"Coin Star" (2018)
*"Don't Talk to Me" featuring Fellatia Geisha (2018)
*"Slap Chop" (2018)
*"On Deck Freestyle" (2018)
*"I'm in the Club (Lookin' for Some Love)" featuring Joycie (2018)
*"Advice" featuring [[Rob Scallon]] (2018)
*"Rubber Duck (Pickup Truck)" (2019)
*"Best Teef?" (2019)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppj_vTrhM24 | title=Cal Chuchesta - Best Teef? (Anderson .Paak Diss) &#91;ft. Anthony Fantano&#93; | website=[[YouTube]] }}</ref>
*"[[Feet of Clay (EP)|East]] (Remix)" (2020)
*"Drake Has 24 Hours to Respond" (2024)


== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

=== Primary sources ===
In the text these references are preceded by a double dagger (‡):
{{Reflist|group="‡"}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* {{Official website}}
* {{YouTube|u=theneedledrop}}
* {{YouTube|u=theneedledrop}}
* {{IMDb name|7299000}}
* [https://www.discogs.com/artist/4575532-Anthony-Fantano Anthony Fantano] at [[discogs]]
* {{Twitch|name=theneedledrop|link=https://www.twitch.tv/theneedledrop}}
*[https://www.discogs.com/artist/4566237-Cal-Chuchesta Cal Chuchesta] at discogs


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[[Category:YouTubers from Connecticut]]
[[Category:Hip hop mass media people]]

Latest revision as of 17:45, 6 September 2024

Anthony Fantano
A man with black eyeglasses and a red flannel shirt in a room with a picture on the wall
Fantano in 2016
Personal information
Born
Anthony Nicholas Fantano

(1985-10-28) October 28, 1985 (age 38)
Wolcott, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupations
  • Music critic
  • YouTuber
  • streamer
Websitetheneedledrop.com
YouTube information
Also known as
  • Melon[1]
  • Cal Chuchesta[2]
  • The Internet's Busiest Music Nerd[3]
Channel
Years active2009–present
GenreMusic
Subscribers2.88 million[4]
Total views1.04 billion[4]
100,000 subscribers2012
1,000,000 subscribers2017
Last updated: July 3, 2024

Anthony Nicholas Fantano[5] (/fænˈtænoʊ/ fan-TAN-oh; born October 28, 1985) is an American music critic and internet personality who runs TheNeedleDrop, a YouTube channel with a tie-in website and Twitch[6] streaming channel. Self-appointed as "The Internet's Busiest Music Nerd", Fantano discusses and reviews music from a variety of genres online. He has a presence on X (formerly Twitter), where he discusses music.

He also runs the channel Fantano where he talks about events in the music industry solo or with guests and conducts interviews.

Early life

[edit]

Fantano was born and raised in Wolcott, Connecticut.[7] He is of Sicilian descent. His father, Ken Fantano, was a professional power lifter.[8][9] As a teenager, Fantano became interested in politics through the work of the musician Jello Biafra, former lead singer of the punk band Dead Kennedys, calling him "pretty much [his] political idol".[10] Fantano graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 2008, earning a liberal arts degree concentrated in journalism, communications and political science.[11]

Career

[edit]
Fantano speaking at a Q&A at Cornell University in 2023.

Fantano started his career in the mid-2000s as a music director for the Southern Connecticut State University college radio station.[12] In 2007, Fantano started working at Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR), where he hosted The Needle Drop.[13] That same year, he launched The Needle Drop in the form of written reviews, eventually launching his series of video reviews on the YouTube channel of the same name in January 2009, starting with a Jay Reatard record.[7][14][15][13] In 2010, Fantano removed older reviews that contained music clips in order to avoid violations of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.[7] At the time, he was working on The Needle Drop at his college radio station, as well as at a pizza restaurant. In late 2011, he decided to pursue The Needle Drop full-time, but kept affiliation with WNPR until 2014.[12][7][13]

Fantano was offered an album review show on Adult Swim but declined.[7] By the end of 2017, Fantano had reached a million subscribers and diversified his content to include weekly "track roundup" videos, livestreamed Q&As, and video think-pieces alongside his album reviews.[15] To earn enough money to pay his editor Austen Walsh, by November 2016, Fantano was recording more regularly on a secondary YouTube channel, "thatistheplan", on which he reviewed memes and recorded "often irreverent videos that don't fall into the record review format", according to Spin.[7]

In October 2017, an article by Ezra Marcus in The Fader accused Fantano of promoting alt-right sentiments in videos on "thatistheplan". Marcus criticized Fantano for the use of Pepe the Frog memes (which had recently been labeled an alt-right symbol) and targeting feminists.[16] After the article was released, multiple scheduled dates of The Needle Drop U.S. tour were cancelled, with at least one ticket booking site for a Brooklyn tour date stating that their cancellation was due to the Fader article.[17][18] Fantano produced a video response calling the article a "hit job". He disputed accusations of sympathizing with the alt-right and stated that the videos in question were satirical. The article was deleted by The Fader in March 2018, with both parties saying that the claims were settled.[19] In a later interview, Fantano acknowledged that there had been some "grubby, closed-minded, young, aggressive male" viewers on the "thatistheplan" channel and disavowed what he saw as the "toxic and problematic" side of internet humor, stating that the incident had led him to be more vocal in his advocacy for social justice issues.[20]

In June 2019, Fantano made a cameo appearance in Lil Nas X's video for the Young Thug and Mason Ramsey remix of "Old Town Road", appearing as a security guard for the Area 51 military installation (a reference to the "Storm Area 51" meme).[21][22]

Later that year he curated a charity compilation, The Needle Drop LP, which consists of tracks performed by "artists that have either been featured on the site or reviewed favorably in the past". Profits from the album were donated to The Immigrant Legal Resource Center non-profit.[23]

In 2022, Fantano was referenced on rapper Logic’s track "LaDonda", from his studio album Vinyl Days. He discusses his relationship with Fantano, calling him a "plaid-shirt-wearing motherf**ker" and admitting that he had "fantasized about murdering" him after he had issued negative reviews of his albums Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Supermarket. During his livestream reaction of the album, Fantano expressed shock after hearing the song, saying that he felt "overemphasized" and that "there never should have been any reason Logic should [have hated] me in the first place".[24]

On September 15, 2022, Fantano uploaded a video on his second channel jokingly claiming that Drake had sent private messages to him on Instagram, specifically recommending Fantano a vegan cookie recipe. In response, Drake posted his genuine messages to Fantano on Instagram Stories, which stated that Fantano's existence is a "light 1" and that the "1 is cause [he is] alive". Fantano later spoke about the exchange on an Instagram livestream, stating that the video was a "shitpost" and that he had no "hard feelings" toward Drake.[25][26][27]

Fantano garnered attention for his video on Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign's album Vultures 1 in February 2024. Declaring the record "unreviewable trash," he talked about West's antisemitic views, particularly those expressed in his music, and general attitude preventing him from fully critiquing the record,[28] while also delving into the discourse of West's fan base being generally hostile to criticism and negative reviews. The video subsequently received backlash from West's fans on social media.[29][30]

Albums rating scale

[edit]

Albums are rated on a standard zero to ten scale, with additional qualifiers ("light", "decent", or "strong"). Fantano will also occasionally give a score outside of the standard scale, such as "NOT GOOD" for albums he deems unworthy of reviewing in full, believing the album to simply be "not good".[31]

Albums rated 10 on release

[edit]
Artist Titel Year Ref
Death Grips The Money Store 2012 [32][20]
Swans To Be Kind 2014 [33][20]
Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly 2015 [34][20]
Kids See Ghosts Kids See Ghosts 2018 [35][20]
Daughters You Won't Get What You Want [36][20]
Spellling The Turning Wheel 2021 [37][38]
Lingua Ignota Sinner Get Ready [39][38]
Charli XCX Brat 2024 [40]

Albums rated 0 on release

[edit]
Artist Titel Year Ref
Kid Cudi Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven 2015 [41][42]
Chance the Rapper The Big Day 2019 [43][42]
Green Day Father of All Motherfuckers 2020 [44][45]
Tones and I Welcome to the Madhouse 2021 [46][42]
Ken Carson X 2022 [47]
MGK & Trippie Redd Genre: Sadboy 2024 [48]

Reception

[edit]
Fantano as his alter-ego, "Cal Chuchesta"[2]

The Needle Drop won the 2011 O Music Awards in the "Beyond the Blog" category.[49][50] In 2014, Nick Veronin of Wired said of Fantano: "Instead of deploying ten-dollar words to describe a riff or synth tone, Fantano relies on gestures, clenching his fists or contorting his elastic, expressive face. It gets at some of the more ephemeral qualities of music that written words can't begin to touch".[3]

When asked about the merits of Fantano's reviews, veteran music critic Robert Christgau said in 2019:

[Fantano] seems to have arrived at a plausible brand of 21st-century rockcrit taste that runs toward what I'll call dark prog [...] Nowhere near as insensible to hip-hop/r&b as dark proggers tend to be, but note that very few female artists crack his top 10s, which in 2018 was really missing the action. Fantano seems to have figured out a way to make some kind of living by disseminating his own criticism in the online age.[51]

In his 2019 book Perfect Sound Whatever, comedian James Acaster called Fantano's best albums of 2016 list "a real music fan's Top 50" and said of Fantano: "Perhaps more than anybody else, he appreciates how the reviewer's role has changed since the internet became a thing [...] The job of a reviewer used to be telling people what's worth their money but now it's telling people what's worth their time."[15] In September 2020, New York Times culture correspondent Joe Coscarelli described Fantano as "probably the most popular music critic left standing". According to Coscarelli, Fantano has successfully brought an "old art to a new medium" and has revitalized the record review format for a younger generation of music consumers.[20]

Personal life

[edit]

Fantano resides in Connecticut.[7]

Fantano is a vegan, having swapped to the diet after initially going vegetarian in his late teens.[12]

In March 2018, Fantano told Polygon that he is a "free speech purist".[52] He endorsed Bernie Sanders in the 2020 United States presidential election.[53]

[edit]

On July 24, 2023, Fantano was named as a defendant in a lawsuit from video game developer Activision over a viral audio clip he had recorded on TikTok about pizza slices. Activision claimed that Fantano had asked for "substantial monetary damages" for the company's use of the audio in an advertisement for custom Crash Bandicoot trainers, or to be "prepared to defend a lawsuit".[54][55][56] On August 10, Activision dropped the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning it could not be refiled.[57]

Falling in Reverse frontman Ronnie Radke filed a defamation lawsuit against Fantano on August 20, 2024, claiming that the latter had "acted in malice" and "engaged in fraud" in posting commentary about the singer in a 2023 video titled "This Guy Sucks".[58][59]

Discography

[edit]

Albums

  • Taiga (2009) (as bass player)[60]
  • Anthony FanFiction, Vol. 1 (2015)[61]

Guest appearances

  • "21 & Jaded" on Don't Forget Where You Came From by Goody Grace (2021)[62] (as bass player)
  • "Every Drug at Once" on Faster by Lil Texas (2022)[63]
  • "NeedleDrop" on Vinyl Days by Logic (2022)[64]

as Cal Chuchesta

[edit]

Mixtapes

  • The New CALassic (2015)

Singles

  • "Cal 2 B" (2013)
  • "Mykey Come Back" (2015)
  • "Panda (Remix)" featuring Pink Guy and NFKRZ (2016)
  • "Coin Star" (2018)
  • "Don't Talk to Me" featuring Fellatia Geisha (2018)
  • "Slap Chop" (2018)
  • "On Deck Freestyle" (2018)
  • "I'm in the Club (Lookin' for Some Love)" featuring Joycie (2018)
  • "Advice" featuring Rob Scallon (2018)
  • "Rubber Duck (Pickup Truck)" (2019)
  • "Best Teef?" (2019)[65]
  • "East (Remix)" (2020)
  • "Drake Has 24 Hours to Respond" (2024)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Anthony Fantano Responds To Alt-Right & Racist Accusations". Kill Your Stereo. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Ingham, Tom (March 23, 2014). "Interview: Anthony Fantano (The Needle Drop)". The Mancunion. Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Veronin, Nick. (February 18, 2014). "The Hardest Working Critic in Show Business Never Stops Hunting for New Music". Wired. Archived from the original on March 15, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  4. ^ a b "About theneedledrop". YouTube.
  5. ^ "Credits / Best Teef? (Anderson .Paak Diss) [feat. Anthony Fantano] / Cal Chuchesta – TIDAL". Tidal. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  6. ^ theneedledrop - Twitch, archived from the original on May 6, 2023, retrieved May 20, 2023
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Gordon, Jeremy (November 30, 2016). "How Anthony Fantano, aka The Needle Drop, Became Today's Most Successful Music Critic". Spin. Archived from the original on December 1, 2016.
  8. ^ "LET'S ARGUE: The Best Pizza Toppings". Youtube. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  9. ^ "MELON Fantano on Hasans Italian Hate + Powerlifting Daddy". Youtube. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  10. ^ Noonan, David (June 1, 2003). "A Generation Finds Its Voice". Newsweek. Archived from the original on February 5, 2015. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  11. ^ https://news.southernct.edu/2024/08/29/anthony-fantano-08-named-amongst-rolling-stones-most-influential-creators-of-2024/
  12. ^ a b c Elabbady, Ali (October 30, 2013). "Interview: Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop". Green Room. United States. Archived from the original on May 26, 2014.
  13. ^ a b c MADDEN, MICHAEL (October 9, 2014). "Anthony Fantano Wants to Turn You On". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on October 30, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  14. ^ Johnston, Maura (April 28, 2015). "Anthony Fantano brings Needle Drop to Middle East". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on August 4, 2019. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  15. ^ a b c Acaster, James (August 22, 2019). Perfect Sound Whatever. Hachette UK. ISBN 978-1-4722-6032-1.
  16. ^ "Popular music vlogger accused of promoting alt-right sentiment – NME". NME. October 4, 2017. Archived from the original on April 23, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  17. ^ "Anthony Fantano's Entire Tour Canceled Over Racist, Alt-Right Allegations". Digital Music News. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  18. ^ "The Needle Drop Live Shows Cancelled Amid Controversy". Noisey by Vice. October 5, 2017. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  19. ^ "Fader Removes Article Amid Settlement With Anthony Fantano". Spin. March 21, 2018. Archived from the original on May 1, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g Coscarelli, Joe (September 30, 2020). "The Only Music Critic Who Matters (if You're Under 25)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. The influential evangelist in question is the YouTuber named Anthony Fantano, 34, who has been speaking album and song reviews directly into a camera for more than a decade on The Needle Drop, his channel with 2.26 million subscribers, making him probably the most popular music critic left standing.
  21. ^ Will, Gottsegen (July 16, 2019). "Lil Nas X Releases Insane Meme-Filled Video for Newest "Old Town Road" Remix". Spin. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  22. ^ Spearman, Kahron (July 19, 2019). "Area 51 remix video proves it's the summer of Lil Nas X". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  23. ^ Hussey, Allison (September 13, 2019). "Open Mike Eagle Shares New Song to Support Immigrant Legal Resource Center: Listen". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  24. ^ "Anthony Fantano stunned by Logic's massive shoutout on new album". Dexerto. June 19, 2022. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  25. ^ Fu, Eddie (September 16, 2022). "YouTuber Anthony Fantano Trolls Drake Into Revealing Threatening DMs". Consequence. Archived from the original on September 16, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
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