【Nick Wood Music】Production of Anthem for New Baltimore City Campaign, "The B-side of Baltimore"

Nick Wood Music, a sonic branding and music production company specializing in audio identities for global brands, has developed a new city campaign titled "The B-side of Baltimore" in partnership with Visit Baltimore and its creative agency, SPARK.

The campaign aims to overturn existing perceptions of Baltimore and highlight the "true Baltimore" story as told by its citizens. The centerpiece is an original anthem, "From the B-side," composed and performed by seven Baltimore-born artists, incorporating various sounds recorded across the city. The anthem was released on May 18, 2026.

For Nick Wood Music, building a sound identity for an entire city was a first. The project prioritized placing local artists at the center of the production process, allowing them to envision the sounds of their own city.

Nick Wood, founder of Nick Wood Music, stated, "Designing the locality of an entire city through sound was an entirely new territory." Kireem Swinton, President & CEO of Visit Baltimore, noted, "This initiative empowers citizens to become the protagonists of reshaping the city's image and boosts the city's economic value."

In September 2025, a workshop with the participating artists determined the musical direction. Additionally, recording engineer Mariana LaFollette captured environmental sounds throughout the city, including Fort McHenry and the Inner Harbor. Music editor Alan Mawdsley handled the final edit, meticulously blending the extensive material into a single, cohesive piece.