Sweeting started writing in 1979 for publications such as Beat Instrumental,^[2][3] Trouser Press,^[2] Australian magazine RAM^[4] and NME.^[2] In 1980, he became a feature editor for Melody Maker^[5] and briefly collaborated with Sounds. In 1985, he stopped collaborating with Melody Maker to work for The Guardian and Q.^[2] Sweeting has interviewed musicians such as Kate Bush, Neil Young, Tom Waits and Joni Mitchell^[2] and has written over 800 articles for The Guardian, including hundreds of obituaries.^[6] Since the 2000s, he has also published articles and interviews in The Times, The Independent on Sunday,^[2] and The Telegraph.^[7] His articles have also appeared on I^[8] and The Irish Times.^[9] He is now a regular contributor for The Arts Desk reviewing television.^[10] He is also one of the founding members of The Arts Desk.^[11]

Sweeting signed as a partner for VTVC, a TV production company that developed programmes broadcast on Channel 4.^[2][12] He is also the author of several books, including Simple Minds published by Sidgwick & Jackson in 1988,^[13] and Cover Versions – Singing Other People's Songs published by Pimlico in 2004.^[14]