This panel will discuss the mechanical licensing role and how digital distributors have stepped up to ensure that publishers and songwriters get paid for online music distribution. Typical entities have not taken on this responsibility in the physical world, but with the digitalization of music, the business practice has changed. This group will explore the paper trail of policies and online reimbursement considering how some services don't pay publishers directly and pass-through mechanical royalties to labels and distributors with no accountability back to the publishers and songwriters. These experts will weigh in on these digital front-burner issues.
Some say D.I.Y. is the way to go, but the reality is that out of 105,000 records released last year, only 6,000 sold over 1,000 units! You can do it yourself, but can you make enough money to pay the rent? This panel will take you through the steps necessary to make a career out of a popular mantra and grassroots cause in the age of the self-employed arts professional.
These days everyone knows smart, motivated, talented people who have lost their job. But the classifieds will only get you so far. This panel focuses on some encouraging job-related topics and will cover everything that ambitious folks need to know from networking, to starting your own business, to submitting a resume that will get a call back from HR.
Take a minute to think of what goes on when you look at an advertisement. The cognitive process of visualization coupled with music is pretty powerful. It is proven through empirically tested heuristics that when these two components come together correctly, the outcome is very seductive. CMJ badge-holders have the opportunity to submit their own music as a score for filmed advertisements. Submit your music via the website link below to be heard by ad executives and possibly be included for discussion during this panel. http://greymusicnyc.com/cmj
New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority's Music Under New York program has been producing music performances in the subway system for over 22 years in an ongoing music festival. Musicians at this panel will tell their stories and highlights from their experiences in this unique underground music culture.
The modern day musician has a full plate. On top of the pressures of making and performing great music, one must also wear other hats including those of a marketing director, radio promoter, agent, lawyer, and publicist, but most importantly: the hat of a business owner. In a fluctuating market, with consistently evolving sales strategies, technology and elusive legal issues, how does one sustain their career's momentum and manage it all while leveraging their creativity as an artist?
Radio DJs, programmers, and managers can have just as much weight as label A&R reps. Spins on a big station still drive record sales. This discussion, listening session and critique featuring personalities from WRXP and other A&R will provide musicians with valuable feedback. Bring your demo!
Depending on your age, you may or may not remember the feeling of opening a CD jewel case or looking at a vinyl album cover with liner notes while listening to your new music purchase. The visual component of music is still just as important to the identity and sound of an artist. Here we discuss the visual aspect of modern day music and its future.
The state of the urban music genre is in flux and its players have a variety of opinions on its health. This meeting of the minds will table many tribulations while also shedding light on positive aspects of the genre's uncertain future.
There's way more that goes into an Off Broadway production than what you see on the stage. The work involved on all fronts is tremendous but it doesn't always pay off. This panel of cast members and production pros will bring you from back stage to the front row.
Even the most ardent commercial radio listeners don't understand the intricate components and variables behind a hit song. Here we follow the path and life cycles of some hit songs from conception, to the demo, to the recording, to the label, to the people who made it happen and the fans who demand it.
You know how soulless a pitch can be. Continuously sending your demo into a void can seem less than rewarding. But at this panel, don't expect to just play a demo - this is a full-on get-in-front-of-a-real-person-that-can-sign-you pitch session. And if you dare to pitch, you sure better have something fantastic to back up your act like sales, radio play, live shows, and online numbers - just to name some additional collateral. Be prepared to ante-up, and be ready for the truth.
Rights. What a significant and complicated word. From a student syncing music to video, to artists determining what royalties they have coming to them and from where. From file-sharing lawsuits to new business models, these seasoned industry members will discuss where intellectual property is headed.
From governments that grant musicians funding, to international booking agents looking for unsigned international talent - here we will cover the globe with these international gurus who will help us expose little-known opportunities and shed light on music in a connected world.
A good mastering job can make or break a record. But when budgets are concerned, is it worth it to spend money for professional mastering, or should you invest in new mastering software and finish the job yourself? This panel will cover and compare modern mastering techniques from a variety of perspectives and resources.
Umm... yeah. This pretty much sums up what we think about all things music and social networking. What's new? These panelists know what's up and can sift through the clutter.
The independent music market share has grown to almost a third of the industry over the last decade. As this model transforms from strictly selling finished music products to relying more heavily on licensing, streaming royalties, publishing, etc., these industry heads discuss their visions for the way forward.
Artist management companies seem to be slowly colonizing label-land. Is this the beginning of another new model to salvage the music industry, or just a temporary experiment? This symposium of pros and soothsayers will examine the reasoning of this shift and look at the archetype of the one-stop management company.
Technology is moving faster than you think. Not only are advanced devices being built, but more importantly there are advanced minds behind the scenes who know where these concepts are headed. Meet some of the players in this fast-growing subculture.
Believe it or not, there are major label deals still happening, but their components have changed greatly - not to mention the money going into them. This panel will get you up to speed on major label current affairs and how you can get in on the action.
With the lack of record deals, some artists are aligning with organizations other than music companies to expose their work. Are these opportunities really that strategic? This panel will discuss the importance of finding and acting on "third party" opportunities.
College gigs are a great way for a band to get exposure, get experience, and most importantly get paid. This panel will discuss ways to break into the scene and how to sustain exposure, sales, and credibility.
Venue owners and promoters used to love the case and hate the stigma attached to tribute shows. Creative minds have turned this stigma into a cool and trendy (and accepted) profit. Find out how these entrepreneurs have taken it up a notch.
With all the negativity surrounding the music business these days, sometimes you just want to dance your worries away. The dance music genre has figured out a way to stay above water in the stale economy. Stability in digital sales outlets has paved the way for new artists with great, progressive, infectious tracks. Meet some of the top players in dance music who have weathered the storm, and learn how the genre lends itself to the intricacies of contemporary sales.
When you're a teenager, music fuels angst, love, rebellion and freedom. Now cast all that romance aside and find out what "the music industry" actually means to an aspiring (and credible) musician or music consumer under the age of 16. This interesting cast of panelists will surprise you with their fresh outlook, ideas and ideals.
As the digital age leads the forefront for all facets of media, radio is slowly beginning to adapt to its new surroundings and receiving mixed reactions from those who service music to those bringing it to the airwaves. Here we shed light on issues impacting metal radio and what the industry is doing to better serve the needs of both artists and the disc jockey.
Marketing departments and companies are discovering new ways to effectively reach target customers by applying the basics to new technologies. The lost term of "artist development" is resurfacing in new context. These modern day marketing masterminds will shed some much-needed light on this curious switchback.
This concept takes D.I.Y. to another level. The digital revolution is providing tech-savvy musicians with tools to lay the groundwork for a prosperous future. These digi-intelligent pioneers will cover marketing, publicity, outsourcing uncreative work, raising capital, and distributin in the music tech movement.
The music industry has been turned upside down with monetization and is underscored by a host of "wild-west" sensibilities. With all this uncertainty and unruliness, what's the business curriculum inside modern day music education programs look like? Is a changing environment opening up doors for new opportunity and are those concepts being taught with the proper insight?
A philosophical discussion on the genre. Where it came from, where it's going, and how it affects business. Diverse label rosters and wide-casting tours now define the genre, so what constitutes metal today?
The definition of cool can be summed up in two words: Miles Davis. Explore this timeless musical genius; The greatest year in jazz, music, arts and culture with the 50th Anniversary of landmark recording Kind of Blue, the all-time best selling jazz record, and Sketches of Spain, the key Gil Evans collaboration, and how the cycle repeats itself and connects to the present.
Publishing is still an unsolved puzzle to some. When considering international hurdles along with the sprawling digital domain, we'll have enough topics for a whole day. Whether you are a pro or just curious you will walk away with a fuller understanding of music publishing.
It sounds like a basic concept but it's not. There are countless lucrative options to make music and money. The trick is finding which one fits you. This panel focuses on the artist/producer/musician/writer who isn't part of a group or act, and digs into cutting edge ideas while exposing some eye opening opportunities.
This panel will go behind the scenes to uncover the realm of digital mobile space. From marketing to distribution, expert panelists will weigh in with their knowledge on both independent and professional fronts.
With the world disparately turning into an eco-friendly place, is the music industry doing its part? How can the music industry contribute to this cause in more effective ways? Our lean, green panel team will spark the conversation and converse with the audience on various important causes and concepts
Starting a band these days means starting a business - a fun and rewarding business if you do it correctly. Listen to these panelists who can help you jumpstart your journey
The roll of "The Producer" has changed greatly. More records are being made with less generous budgets. Grammy-winning producers are staying busy, but in a number of diverse ways. This top-tier panel will pick apart and rethink the current state of affairs concerning modern music production, its traditional role, and its future.
Music has long been a vehicle and a voice for change. Today, there is an exciting new wave of non-profits helping people to solve problems through different means. A common thread among these powerful yet generous organizations is that the music community has played a major role in their growth. Join us as leaders from both music and charity discuss the countless opportunities to partner for good.
The past year has proven that a small group of cost-conscious and passionate people can have more impact on sales and hype than the machine of a major label. Success these days is about efficiency and execution on all levels. Hear from, and about, these small engines-who-could.
"Music marketing" is continually evolving and necessary for stability in so many other facets of the music industry. With the digital landscape expanding at an astonishingly fast rate, there are many fresh opportunities in this sector. These vanguard panelists have a prescient vision for where marketing is headed and will discuss various topics about music marketing from their experiences in the industry.
You have probably heard this term by now, but what you haven't heard are these experts talk about this concept and how it's helping artists to monetize their efforts
The stage meets the runway more than you think. Sonic Youth is known for playing Marc Jacobs fashion shows and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O seems to be regularly upping the bar with radical performance wear a la David Bowie's Glam Rock days. This fashion-forward panel will give us the state of style, "dos" and "don'ts," and will exemplify some future trends while advising the image-conscious.
There are numerous ways artists can work with brands and sports properties to expose their music to a larger audience, grow their songwriting skills and get paid for it. This panel explores some of those opportunities available today.
This panel will explore international hip-hop and pick apart the nuances, subtleties, obstacles, language barriers, cultural innuendos that affect its success in the U.S. market. Panelists will also discuss the flipside of how U.S. hip-hop goes global and examples of both successes and failures
Illegal downloads, piracy, digital self-distribution, the death of physical media: sounds like the music industry a decade ago. Or is it the state of the film industry today? What can the film world learn from the experiences of the music industry in grappling with the most important survival issue it faces today? This panel brings together leading figures in the film and music industries as they exchange insights and experiences in this critical arena.
How far apart are digital and physical distribution channels? This panel delves deep with a cutting edge look at concepts such as bringing the digital world into physical retail, rebuilding albums as a creative "experience," and the mergence of these two industry mindsets.
Go to any music town, and without looking too far you will find a dedicated group of individuals who write great songs and share a certain bond of brother/sisterhood within their respective "songwriting scene." From New York to Nashville to L.A. and beyond, come listen in on some great stories about songwriting from this dedicated group.
The economy may be in crisis, but a crisis is a terrible thing to waste. This panel will explore whether or not entertainment industry deals are being executed in the current environment and how they operate compared to deals in recent years. New opportunities exist for dealmakers and this panel will examine creative ways to foster profitable partnerships when the chips are down. What happens when the recent private-equity backed deals start to unravel? Does partnering with a major corporation such as Walmart or Target succeed at boosting a band's record sales among Middle Americas, and does it affect the band's artistic credibility? Can current efforts to lower concert ticket prices and proposed anti-scalping legislation make concert attendance feasible for Americans with the lowest disposable income in years? This panel will explore the issues facing dealmakers in the entertainment industry in the current economic crisis and discuss ways to turn the recession's limited resources into unique growth strategies.
Today's online start-ups are striking a balance between accessing content, serving their users and protecting themselves from liability. With little overhead, internet companies can provide their services for less than the brick and mortar establishments of yesterday. But in a realm where anyone can establish an internet presence in a matter of minutes and readily obtain access to user generated, user posted and other "free"
If you've got the goods on tape and the moves on stage, then finding $10G to invest in your act shouldn't be tough. The real problem is knowing what to do with that cash and how to maximize the funds to position yourself for success.
This open forum serves as a sounding board for a very opinionated crew of professionals. Bring your biases, pre-conceived notions, questions, baggage, cynicism or even optimism because crowd participation will weigh heavily in these discussions.
Some people have the inside scoop on everything happening right now and others are constantly and accurately predicting the future. This group of professionals and soothsayers will do both while adding their own two cents.
Members of Sister Hazel and their management will discuss the band's unique approach to a long-term career of ongoing artist development and staying ahead of the industry dips. From building their initial fan-base, to thriving in the major label system and then, life after label, Sister Hazel developed fan events like "The Rock Boat" and "The Hazelnut Hang"; all while building and maintaining an ardent following and online presence which has added up to the enduring success of the band.
In this spirited annual discussion, we pull back the curtain and look into the future of the entertainment industry. Will the music industry continue its trend and completely abandon the old business models? Will large film companies look to independent online content for new material? The panel will discuss not only what strategies have failed in the past year but also, hopeful new forward-thinking business models and opportunities. We will look at methods to monetize existing content and how the industry may look over the coming year, and in years to come. The future of the entertainment industry may look very different from the industry of the past, but with creativity and perseverance, it will be bright!
Is Big Brother really that bad? Online platforms can be used to collect vast amounts of information about who's listening, watching or interacting. We can learn about their tastes, their buying behavior, their Internet browsing behavior and their opinions, and that's just scratching the surface. Research shows that consumers respond well to technology that delivers products that meet their needs and desires - including entertainment. Google bots are already scanning your Gmail to suggest advertisements based on your email content, but there seems to be a fine line between what's helpful and creepy. Consumers remain wary about the intrusion of technology on their privacy while using the internet. There are important precautions one can take to prevent unwanted disclosure of private information online. This panel will discuss the various privacy rules and regulations that apply to how companies collect and treat information about consumers and what additional regulations we may see in the near future.
Is there a formula for placing your music in a film or show, or is it merely luck and timing like everything else in show business? There is a lot going on behind the scenes these days and this "A-list" of industry pros will candidly discuss the path you need to take.
Veteran artist managers are busier than ever. Why? Because they have picked up where the labels have left off. New, non-label opportunity is where the action is and managers are at the helm. Get the tools to multi-task in this brave new world of management.
Negotiating deals is a large part of the entertainment business and attorneys representing their clients are bound by the New York Rules of Professional Conduct. In navigating the tricky paths of negotiation, what information are attorneys bound to keep confidential? How forthright must an attorney be with opposing counsel? And when does puffery cross the ethical line? This panel will explore these issues through a step-by-step mock negotiation that will examine the good side and the dark side of doing deals in the entertainment industry.
Here is a rare opportunity to get your music heard by some weighty decision makers. Music supervisors place signed and unsigned artists into many different, sometimes surprising categories. Drop your finished master into one of four drop-boxes at the entrance: "happy," "sad," "quirky," and "serious" and get it heard and critiqued.
Virtual synths, multi-sampled drum modules, amp modeling technology and digital audio workstations are all part of the new culture of the creation of music. Panelists will pontificate on how musicians have the power to take control of their artistic endeavors and where the digital process is headed in the future.
What exactly is A&R these days and who are the real people discovering new artists? This panel will branch outside the labels to discover the discoverers, and will dissect digital credibility through blogs and online (so called) critics.
Prep that bus! Touring is expensive and you should get the most for your mileage. These professionals will discuss some obvious and not so obvious ways to maximize your publicity and exposure before (and while) going out on tour.
Over 30 years ago, the musical HAIR hit Broadway with an innovative performance style that mirrored the 1960s cultural shift. Learn how the new creative team built upon this revolutionary model for HAIR's current award-winning revival and experience an unforgettable performance.
Coming up with a brilliant idea for a film is the easy part, but what happens after you get the great idea? What do the contracts and development processes look like in this economy? How can a great film be made on a small budget in a short amount of time? Even after the camera has stopped rolling, filmmakers need to be prepared to handle the business end of a film and continue to be creative. Is it best to go to film festivals? First-time filmmakers need to consider alternate methods of distribution and inking an independent distribution deal often means raising a large part of the funding on your own. Panelists will discuss and disassemble the development, financing, production and distribution of an independent film in light of the recession.
Composing music for film can be one of the most exhilarating (and potentially lucrative) creative experiences. It's also a world that seems impossible to get into. What and who does an artist need to know in order to make it in the field of film composition? How do you get your work noticed? This panel will feature film directors, studio music executives, music supervisors, and artists who have successfully made the transition to film composition.
NPR has the second and third most listened-to radio shows nationally, and PBS has a much larger primetime audience than both HBO and Bravo!. But these impactful media organizations have been a blind spot for music marketers for decades. Sales of music by artists including Bon Iver, The Decemberists and Grizzly Bear have been directly driven by exposure on NPR, while PBS has recently run important specials about Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan. Learn about the most effective way to reach adult consumers through these channels.
You'll notice the first red flag when your friends and fans tell you how much they enjoyed your live show, but they continue to be the only ones showing up. A lack of retail sales has put the focus on the live show as a way to generate income. And if you are looking for funding, a mediocre live show is usually the deal breaker. This panel hashes out how your show can gain impact with fans and investors, while remaining true to your sound.
An intimate and informal performance and discussion with former member of Taking Back Sunday's Fred Mascherino who has managed to creatively and successfully stay ahead of the game. Through authenticity with work and art, Fred is finding success in more ways than just the normal traditions of the music industry.