Since its birth in 1987, SXSW has grown into one of the largest of its kind — attracting thousands of visitors each year. Attendance was noticeably down at SXSW 2025, but in 2026, SXSW attendees may have an entirely different experience in store. SXSW 2026 is planning to go big with format changes.

For those trekking to SXSW this year, crowds were noticeably thinner. But that didn’t dilute the experience — in fact, many actually appreciated the extra elbow room. Starting with the tech expo that showcased the latest in music, audio, and visual technology, the panels were informative, as always. Topics ranged from AI, streaming fraud, artist revenue, and sync.

During one interactive panel, producers got to play their music for a panel of sync experts. Participants received instant feedback on placing their songs in films, TV shows, and commercials.

From off-site events at large venues like the main stage at the Texas Recording Academy party to modest ones like a backyard DJ set at the DISCO house event, the SXSW experience was as diverse as always.

You can always catch a performance from an up-and-coming artist as you take in the scene. But it’s the chance to network and make new connections that draw people worldwide to SXSW every year.

American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) President and CEO Richard James Burgess spoke to us outside their annual brunch event. “It is all about the networking at SXSW, although I know there’s much more than that.”

The President of the Music Managers Forum (MMF-US), Neeta Ragoowansi, emphasized the importance of connecting with members during their annual SXSW gathering. “Everyone shows up to show support, be part of this community, and really engage with each other on a very important pillar of our organization — networking. They learn from each other. It’s such a beautiful time, and it makes my heart glow,” she said.

As the Austin Convention Center closed down on April 1st for four years to undergo a massive renovation, SXSW organizers are using this as an opportunity to experiment with the usual SXSW format.

For 2026, officials are working on changes to bring back the crowds. For years, tech and film weekends have attracted crowds in droves — but the town empties out right after.

SXSW organizers insist that the event is committed to retaining a core music focus, but critics have had their doubts for a while. Some believe that SXSW has already aggressively diluted their value to the music industry by over-expanding into other areas such as film, TV, and tech.

A SXSW spokesperson told Digital Music News, “With the Conference, Film & TV Festival, and Music Festival all taking place concurrently over seven days, everyone will have the chance to experience the whole of SXSW.”

SXSW 2026 will be two days shorter — but the 6-night Music Fest will now be seven days long. According to SXSW, “A shorter SX gives attendees more of a chance to be here for the entire run.”

This compressed format may spike attendee numbers and engagement — unless there are other factors keeping the usual crowds at bay.

Are companies cutting down Travel and Entertainment (T&E) budgets under the industry wide bid to reduce operational costs? T&E is veritably the second largest operational cost for music companies after salaries, and a budget cut would significantly impact SXSW attendance.

Or, maybe SXSW’s reputation as a ‘party’ vs. serious industry core event (that warrants the travel cost and related expenses) is simply no longer worth it for industry professionals.

On the outset, SXSW does seem ready to make the necessary changes to bring back the music crowds. However, what organizers bring to the table for SXSW 2026 could make or break the future reputation of SXSW as a core music industry event.

Neeta Ragoowansi, President of Music Managers Forum US (MMF-US) and International (I-MMF) spoke about the benefits of conferences for networking and ‘a sense of community.’ “[These] conferences have allowed me to network, grow, and catapult to success.”

Neeta Ragoowansi is the President of MMF-US and IMF, co-founder of direct licensing exchange NPREX, and an entertainment attorney. Ragoowansi is also the global co-chair of the non-profit Women in Music, where she works on women’s empowerment and gender equity growth within the music industry.

Speaking to DMN during the MMF Annual Managers Brunch, Ragoowansi said, “It’s such a beautiful time; it makes my heart glow.” According to Ragoowansi, networking is an important part of MMF. “Managers, startups, media folks, labels, publishers, and the music industry community attend the brunch to engage as a community, and show each other support.”

Ragoowansi believes that without the SXSW network, Women in Music wouldn’t have been able to succeed in advancing and creating opportunities for women in the musical arts.

“Had it not been for SXSW introducing me to that first network and growing and catapulting from there, I would not have been able to do a lot of everything in the music industry — [such as] help others grow the community, and be of service to our industry.”

“This is my 30th year. People need to return year after year to discover constantly. It [reveals] a different pattern of what you can do for your business, your career, or your mission.”

Ragoowansi says such events offer enormous networking and learning opportunities. She believes this is especially valuable because members can reach out to this network to overcome any challenges or hiccups they face.

On a different note, she also addressed the challenges many artists face in finding management that’s capable and willing to support their vision for music — and have the knowledge and connections to best guide their careers.

On that topic, Ragoowansi mentioned the Miami Music Summit for the MMF, an all-day educational event conference that took place on March 21st.

Ragoowansi says, “IMF is doing a bit of a reboot and a relaunch — connecting the global network of managers as a trade association for both artist managers and self-managed artists.”

“If you’re an artist that needs to understand your own business, and there are not enough managers to go around, we share the knowledge.”

Speaking of MMF’s many endeavors within the US, Ragoowansi spoke passionately about developing best practices for ethical AI to ensure revenue opportunities for artists.

MMF’s efforts aim to facilitate regulatory agreements with AI companies in an attempt to protect artist assets. Ragoowansi said, “The [central] pillar of any trade association is advocacy work. MMF focuses on the issues around recognizing human artistry in the AI space. I want to make sure that we’re collaborative.”

“AI is here, so we must proactively engage with AI companies to determine a licensing model. Then, we need to do it on a global level.”

On the global front, Ragoowansi reveals that the IMF is ‘carrying the torch to create International agreements’ that push for law harmonization.

She adds, “These regulatory frameworks will affect how AI and creators [and copyright owners] engage and how we can develop best practices for revenue generation.”

“Because AI is here to stay. It’s like electricity — we’ll live with it now.”

DMN spoke with Ragoowansi during their annual brunch and networking event at SXSW in Austin.

In an interview with DMN, Richard Burgess recalls how he worked to reshape A2IM during the last decade. Burgess also shares his thoughts on the music industry not monetizing music enough, DSPs ‘leaving money on the table,’ and expansion into fast-growing global markets. “We need to make sure that we don’t kill the art of making music.”

Burgess recently announced he would be stepping down from his position as President and CEO of A2IM — after 10 years with the organization. When asked what he’s most proud of during his time at A2IM, and the legacy he wants to leave behind, Burgess humbly replied, “It’s really hard to look at what you’ve done and see it as a legacy.”

Burgess admits that the organization grew massively under his leadership, and is hugely proud of achieving diversification within the A2IM board and membership.

Regarding the A2IM’s improved coordination, Burgess said, “I’m big on trying to keep relationships open with other organizations. Sometimes, you have to collaborate with people even if you disagree on 90% of the things they want.”

“The relationships with the other trade associations have been a big part of what I’ve tried to achieve. I think we’ve done well with that.”

Another achievement Burgess mentioned was the ‘Protect Working Musicians Act.’ “With the PWMA, any group of artists, managers, labels, publishers, songwriters, etc. would be able to gather and jointly negotiate deals,” Burgess explained.

Before the PWMA, a small independent label had no leverage whatsoever. “It’s kind of insane. We’re negotiating with the largest companies of all time. If they want, they can divide and conquer a small independent label by just offering whatever they want to offer.”

Although the PWMA has been around for three years, Burgess expresses that legislation requires a lot of patience, adding, “It takes a while.”

Regarding the challenges of recorded music revenue generation, Burgess spoke passionately about the industry’s failure to grow revenue in proportion to ‘today’s massive audience increase.’

“The big challenge with the recorded music industry is that we should be seeing much higher revenue numbers. If you do the math by adjusted dollars relative to 1999’s revenue, we’re still down about 35 to 40 percent.”

Burgess notes that the industry is not seeing the revenue, and would like to ‘fix that.’ “I’d really like to see the music industry get back to not only the size it was, but the size it should be because the listening audience has increased massively.”

Although Burgess agrees that streaming has been an amazing democratizer in many ways, he believes DSPs are leaving money on the table.

“Music is one of those must-have things in life. People love music. But we’re not seeing the revenue flow commensurate with the amount of love that people give music.”

Burgess thinks that music subscriptions should be at par with video subscriptions — and makes an argument to prove his point. “When you look at surveys about subscriptions, consumers consider music the best value. It’s also the least expensive in the consumer’s mind,” he said.

“Look at what people are paying for Netflix and other subscriptions. I doubt that anybody watches Netflix as much as they listen to music.”

Speaking about other interesting new technologies and business models that could significantly change things for labels, Burgess praises the independent industry’s revenue generation from vinyl sales and merchandise.

“The independents make about 42 percent of their revenue from vinyl, CDs, and physical goods. The major labels are doing well under 10 percent.”

“There are a lot of opportunities there. And I’m seeing people developing technologies and business plans that fit into that kind of concept.”

Burgess also discusses emerging International markets and the massive revenue opportunities they present for the music industry.

Comparing the US streaming market to India, where 80% of subscribers are ad-supported and only 20% are paid, Burgess says, “[The revenue] is certainly a lot lower than the money that comes from economically developed markets like Europe and the US.”

“But we’re seeing those countries increase their gross domestic revenues, which will change things even on a free subscription.”

What does that impending growth mean for the music industry? Burgess says opportunities can be revealed by answering the questions: “What are [emerging markets] buying, and what are they listening to?”

A lot of American music — but also a lot of local music that’s going global now. “Because of streaming, we’re seeing a lot more acts from other countries that we normally would never have heard of.”

Burgess concluded the interview by highlighting that when it comes to revenue generation, the key is not whether people love music— ‘it’s about whether we can monetize it, so we can keep the musicians alive.’

The interview was taken at SXSW 2025 in Austin, during A2IM’s annual brunch networking event.

The 67th Grammy Awards, an evening that would crest on several high notes, featured heartfelt tributes to the individuals who fought the devastating California wildfires. On the biggest annual night in music, the stars descended at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The following comes from Open On Sunday, a company DMN is proud to be partnering with.

First, the red carpet — a quick walk behind the scenes before Olivia Rodrigo absolutely shut it down. Jaden Smith definitely made an impression with a headpiece that caused a stir.

Then, it was showtime, with performances covering all the latest hits. The night belonged to Doechii, Saint Vincent, Chappell Roan, Kendrick Lamar, and Beyonce.

Billie Eilish soared singing ‘Birds of a Feather,’ while Benson Boone flipped through ‘Beautiful Things.’ Then there was Doechii, Chappell, Sabrina Carpenter, and Shaboozey — with Taylor Swift front and center, rocking to every tune.

Then, after a star-studded tribute to the late legendary Quincy Jones, the night took a heroic turn.

The Recording Academy recognized the heroes who bravely battled the devastating wildfires that ravaged entire neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said, “I am confident that we will recover and rebuild together because we are LA strong.”

Another significant moment during the night: Rapper Kendrick Lamar took home Grammys for all five of his nominations for the smash hit ‘Not Like Us’ — including Song of the Year.

At the end of the day, there’s nothing more powerful than rap music. But then, there is Beyonce.

After a surprise win for best country album, the music icon was nominated more than any other artist ever — finally winning the Grammy for album of the year with ‘Cowboy Carter.’

Beyonce accepted her well-deserved Grammy, saying, “I’d like to thank and acknowledge and praise all of the firefighters for keeping us safe. I feel very full and very honored. It’s been many, many years. I just want to thank the Grammys, every songwriter, every collaborator, and every producer for all the hard work. I want to dedicate this to Miss (Linda) Martell, and I hope we keep pushing forward and opening doors. God bless you all. Thank you so much.”

Music Tectonics 2024 featured informative panels on hot industry topics like streaming fraud, fan relationship management, music investments, financing options for artists, and more.

The Music Tectonics 2024 conference is all about the fusion of music and tech. There are certain things you come to expect at Music Tectonics in sunny Santa Monica — beautiful beach backgrounds and engaging activities. And the 2024 conference did not disappoint.

Dmitri Vietze, conference director and founder of PR firm Rock Paper Scissors, welcomed attendees along the Santa Monica pier.

“I started this company twenty-five years ago in late October. So this is our 25th anniversary right now and you guys are here with me to celebrate this party,” Vietze said.

The first informative panel was a fireside chat with former Managing Director of Techstars Music (and investor) Bob Moczydlowsky, and Joe Tou from Sony Ventures.

The duo had abundant valuable insights on how businesses and startup owners looking to secure financing can attain their goals.

“There are a lot of startup companies here that people are trying to build. The world’s ready for new creative ideas. And there are a lot of people here who are building the pipes and the platforms to do that,” Tou said.

Taking it all in were the finalists of this year’s startup competition, companies like Soloist. Parker Busick, founder of Soloist, relayed the company’s inspiration and journey.

“We took that loop pedal and put it on your phone and connected it to every other loop pedal in the world so you could use any loop uploaded by any musician — and the result is that you have bandmates in your pocket. You can create with them and play with them,” Busick said, adding, “It allows you to practice with yourself as if you were your bandmate.”

Riley Lemons, Head of Design at Soloist, said, “I’m grateful to be up here with so many other incredible companies.”

After a sunset carousel mixer along the pier, Music Tectonics shifted for day-two to the Annenberg Community Beach House — a stunning poolside venue that’s the perfect setting to network and exchange ideas.

Panel discussions focused on the latest and most significant industry topics: preventing streaming fraud, and moves that help artists develop more profound relationships with their fans.

Tetris Kelly with Billboard explained that for labels to cash in, fans need to feel appreciated by the artist before they can be motivated to spend money on merch and concert tickets.

This year at Music Tectonics, Vietze added a creators’ fair where musicians and music minds could present and share new innovations. Participants included companies like Roland.

Vietze said, “Our focus is on innovation. We’re not solely focused on the recording industry, startups, new creator tools — but we’re bringing it all together.”

Vietze also explained his views on the innovation ecosystem that thrives when conversations can happen in a unique way, at a fabulous destination, and in a fun spot. “We also want a great experience.”

Music Tectonics 2024 took place October 22 — 24.

The following comes from Open On Sunday, a company DMN is proud to be partnering with.

Billboard Latin Music Week 2024 — artists and industry frontliners converged to attend round table discussions and panels on the rise of reggae, music and data management, monetization, and catalog financing.

Hosted at The Fillmore Miami Beach, Billboard Latin Music Week 2024 kicked off with performances from Latin music’s biggest stars. The event was abuzz with attendees, including established and up-and-coming artists and music industry leaders.

Colombian reggaeton superstar J Balvin was the headliner for the 35th Anniversary Special. Balvin also took part in a special Q&A session, joining other notable guests such as hip hop artists Fat Joe and N.O.R.E.

During a panel discussion, Fat Joe called the hip hop and reggaeton connection ‘crazy but dope.’

Joe added, “Hip hop and reggae go side by side — and hip hop is the influence. It’s like they’re rapping in Spanish, with hip hop beats.”

N.O.R.E. highlighted that the 2004 release of his classic single, Oye Mi Canto ‘set off a movement,’ and made him one of the pioneers of reggaeton. He added, “No one could ever take this away from me, the first reggaeton record on MTV is mine and the first reggaeton record on BET (Black Entertainment Television) is mine. First reggaeton record on Hot 97 is mine. The first reggaeton performing at the Source Awards is mine.”

“If you listen to that record — whether you’re Black or Chinese — you become Latino for three minutes,” N.O.R.E. said.

Billboard Latin Week panels also covered major topics like catalog financing and the carbon footprint of festivals and music events.

Anana Love, Director of Membership for catalog acquisition company Open on Sunday, spoke at a panel to dish out truths about essential catalog elements. “If you’re interested in selling your music catalog, you must have your data in order,” Love told the group.

Tanner Watt, Director of Partnerships at REVERB, also joined the panel. REVERB partners with venues, festivals, and artists to minimize the negative environmental impact of music endeavors.

Watt relayed that he was ‘very excited to connect with more artist teams in the Latin space to help them support non-profit causes they care about — and engage their fans in positive change in the world.’

Many of the Billboard Latin Music Week 2024 attendees were artists looking to promote their music and meet like-minded individuals. However, business professionals were also at hand to network and educate artists on alternative revenue streams.

Luxury real estate agent Wendy Sanchez spoke about the importance of sound financial advice for artists and entertainers. “I am a luxury real estate agent, I also do high-end luxury Airbnb management, and then I also work for one of the top hospitality groups doing their private membership club program.”

“I’m here to help artists or anybody in the entertainment industry with the business side of things — real estate,” Sanchez said.

Financial advisor Andrea Friedman touched upon the importance of balancing family and career — whether you’re an artist or businessperson. “It’s about being disciplined so you can spend time with loved ones and still be a highly successful career individual,” Friedman said.

Billboard Latin Music Week 2024 took place October 15-18.

For A2IM IndieWeek 2024, the music industry convened at the InterContinental Hotel in Times Square. From panel discussions and sharing insights and knowledge to networking, A2IM IndieWeek offered something for everyone.

A2IM IndieWeek 2024 drew labels, distributors, DSPs, agencies, and other members of the music community — sparking in-depth discussions among music industry leaders. Panels navigated the dynamic nature of marketing trends, leveraging social media platforms, building diverse revenue streams for artists, the role of AI, data, neighboring rights, and more.

Anthony Brown from Influencer collaboration platform Breakr spoke on some early brand marketing successes in his panel, “Brand-tastic; How Can Labels Engage Brands for Their Emerging Artist?”

Brown said about Breakr’s partnership with KitKat, “They basically wanted to do a six-city tour exploring black music — wanted to find influencers, major artists, and emerging artists to tell unique stories in each city. In DC, we studied the history of Gogo, and in Detroit, we studied funk and house, and in Memphis, we went deep into R&B and how gospel music affected those stories. If they went in there on their own, they wouldn’t have known who to touch in authentic ways to tell those stories.”

Nikki Cox, Chief Marketing Officer at Red Bull Records, was asked to summarize music marketing in 2024 during her panel, “Unlocking Global Success: Navigating International DSPs and Marketing.”

Cox said, “It’s everything everywhere all at once.”

During his panel, “Maximizing Your Catalog: Label Strategies Unveiled,” Open On Sunday’s Don McGill explained catalog evaluations and how they source these lucrative deals.

“We have a network of what we call Market Development Partners, essentially catalog brokers,” McGill said, adding, “They find catalogs for us, but we also source a ton of deals through lawyers, managers, and sometimes friends in the industry — just people that you pick up along the way.”

The MMF-US Summit featured its own set of panels. Peter Leathem from PPL spoke about neighboring rights and said that for US performers, there are “some big opportunities.”

Shilpa Sadagopan from SoundOn discussed drafting targeted campaigns leveraging social platforms like TikTok. “We were able to tap into the global International market for SoundOn quickly and activate campaigns across ten different markets, including over 4,600 commissioned videos from our campaigns and over 100 million views. So, I think that also shows our capability to quickly react when you see something happening on the platform.”

New York still serves as one of the biggest music hubs in the world, making it the perfect forum for off-site networking and events.

Held at Kaufman Music Center, The Music Investor Conference was well attended.

Artist and songwriter Jessica Lattman (JeLa) was there to make connections and promote her music better. “I came here to find out how to do my distribution, promotion, and how to get my solo artist project going,” Lattman said.

Caribbean artist Sabi Pitt was looking to do the same. “I’m here networking, trying to get distribution, trying to get some more marketing, and taking it to another level because the world needs positive music right now.”

And we must remember the nightlife. After all, it’s the city that never sleeps.

The ADA party was packed with people networking at the bar and cutting loose on the dance floor. Not to be outdone, the Czech Showcase took it to the rooftops of New York as performers from Prague rocked the crowd well into the night.

From artists and songwriters to label executives and business owners, A2IM IndieWeek once again proved to be the place where the music industry connects.

A2IM IndieWeek 2024 took place June 10th to June 13th, 2024.

At Music Biz 2024 Conference, informative panels focused on innovative music tech, the impact of sync deals, and women’s incredible role in the music industry.

The Music Biz Conference 2024 featured multiple insightful panels covering the latest tech in music, support for independent artists, resources for creatives, gender equity, and other integral matters core to the music industry’s continued progress.

One panel on sync deals included Blackberry Smoke guitarist Charlie Starr and manager Trey Wilson. They delved into the details of experiencing an almost 1000% increase in digital download sales after Blackberry Smoke was featured on the hit TV show Yellowstone.

According to Wilson, the song Hey Delilah was the first ‘real sync’ on the show, which led to the band immediately seeing a triple-digit increase in streams. Wilson said, “It went up astronomically high. I think we had a 999% increase in digital download sales and a 125% increase in Shazams.”

“It’s been the same ever since. Every single song has had some monumental reaction,” Wilson added.

Among Music Biz 2024’s offsite events was The Music Manager Forum’s shindig on a ranch — complete with horses and a bonfire.

Sharon Tapper, the Executive Director of the Music Managers Forum (US), talked about her first evening of Music Biz at the Copper Lime Ranch, formerly Kenny Rogers’s estate. “We’ve had ponies here and peacocks and incredible food and drink and some of the most amazing people from the music business — mixing and mingling and getting to know one another.”

Tapper added, “No matter what you do in the industry, you can be here and in this space together.”

Strong women in leadership positions attended the crescendo celebration of black women.

Gina Miller, the senior vice president and General Manager of Monarch Music Group, said, “We’re celebrating black women who are here at Music Biz, who are in music, and who take care of their business.”

The Moms in Music Organization also hosted a mixer at Music Biz 2024, where DMN spoke to Brittney King Brock, Founder and Operator of King Creative Group.

Brock relayed her goal of inspiring the next generation of women executives and artists to feel like they don’t have to choose between having a family and building their careers. Brock added, “You can do both, and you’ll have a built-in community that honestly shares how to do it. It’s not easy, but it is possible. We’re trying to rewrite the narrative of what motherhood looks like in the music business.”

On day 2 of Music Biz 2024, The Nashville skies cleared just in time for a spectacular evening up on the rooftops — including the annual meet and greet hosted by A2IM and an event by Women in Music.

Shira Yevin, founder of Gritty in Pink, spoke about her focus on breaking down barriers and carving out a space for women freelancers in the industry, backed by Live Nation. Speaking about Music Biz 2024, Yevin said, “It’s the people and what they do that makes Music Biz what it is.”

Jeremy Gruber, head of artist marketing for Friends at Work, spoke about the true value of conferences such as Music Biz. Gruber relayed that his ‘primary role is finding the next step in technology’ and figuring out how to help artists grow their careers.

Gruber said, “[This is] where start-up founders and many of the people trying out new ideas come from. It’s always about meeting people, trying to find out what’s next, and helping bring that to the artists we work with. We can provide them with the technology they need to help grow their audience.”

Chlon Henry, CEO of Wealth Media Distribution and head of Think It’s a Game Records, told DMN, “We’re championing independent labels and Independent artists.”

The Music Biz 2024 Conference took place from May 13th to May 16th, 2024.

Although Nashville has been an excellent host over the years, Music Business Association President Dr. Porsche Sabin announced that in 2025, Music Biz is moving to Atlanta.

Music Biz 2025 will be held at Atlanta’s Renaissance Waverly Hotel from May 12th through the 15th, 2025.

Beyonce’s latest venture into country music with ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ has been a smash commercial success, but it has also sparked a huge debate within the tight-knit genre. Does a Black pop star like Beyonce have ‘the right’ to make country music?

The following comes from Open On Sunday, a company DMN is proud to be partnering with.

Beyonce’s first country single ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ shot to the top of the charts. At Pop Con 2024 on the campus of USC in Los Angeles, CA, a panel of country music journalists took an in-depth look at the ‘Beyonce debate.’

The panel titled ‘Will the Cannon Be Unbroken — A Roundtable on Country Music Criticism’ included RJ Smith (writer and editor at the Country Music Hall of Fame), David Cantwell (country music writer and author), Jwly Hight (Senior Music Writer for Nashville Public Radio), and Charles L Hughes (historian, music critic and author of the book ‘Country Soul’).

The group took time to peel back the layers built around country music over the years. They discussed how artists like Beyonce and others are beginning to shed light on part of country music’s rich history — one that was once suppressed from the public.

Hight pointed out her belief that it’s well past time to start questioning what is allowed to be considered ‘true’ country music. “Figures that have been traditionally held up as the founding parents of country music, Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family and so on — that is insufficient,” Hight said.

Cantwell explained why he believed Beyonce is ‘having this moment with country,’ adding, “It’s because she’s Beyonce, so it’s the celebrity of it — but also because she made a great dance record. That’s why it’s all over TikTok.”

Cantwell further stated that there are other artists worth mentioning, such as Tanner Adell, Reyna Roberts, Nelly, and Little Nas X.

RJ Smith questioned the ‘us and them’ mentality behind the debate and whether anyone even had the right to criticize Beyonce for foraying into country music.

“Does Beyonce have the right to be Beyonce — and do what she’s been doing? That’s an issue in some circles,” said Smith.

Hughes believes the ‘Beyonce moment is not really about Beyonce.’ “It’s about whether all of these other folks, including the ones who are going to come after, will be thought of.”

“When the Beyonce thing broke, what I loved seeing—including on social media — was another side of cannon building an argument,” Hughes said, adding, “People were like, ‘Cool, Beyonce. And here’s fifty-five other people that you should be checking out.’ And that lineage is important because it prevents the flattening again of these iconic figures.”

In a one-on-one interview with DMN after the panel, Hight highlighted other influential and iconic black figures often left out of the country conversation. She reminded us of Alice Randall, the first black woman to co-write a country number one.

Hight further pointed out that Ray Charles wasn’t inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame for a long time, along with Lil Hardin and DeFord Bailey — the Grand Ole Opry star and legendary harmonica player.

Other contemporary country artists, like Miko Marks, attempted to break into country music in the early 2000s. Hight mentioned that, as a black woman, Marks met several roadblocks on her journey. She also highlighted coalitions like the Black Opry and its founder, Holy G, for providing a platform for black country artists to perform, tour, and showcase their talents to the world.

“It is an exciting moment for the more complete telling of the story. Filling in the gaps and bringing those stories and voices forward,” Hight said.

Hight also spoke about the younger generation of country listeners becoming more accepting of gay and lesbian country and roots artists.

Pointing out the vast LGBTQIA fanbase for artists like Kacey Musgraves, she said, “They’re making young fans feel seen, and young fans are very vocal in their ownership, and it’s a reciprocal thing.”

As for the challenges of breaking into country music outside of Nashville, Hight said, “You can have a rich and meaningful career in your local community or regional community on that circuit without coming to Nashville.

“But if you want the kind of media and industry visibility and are striving for that kind of success?” Height said it all depends on how you define success and your goals.

The panels and presentations at Pop Conference 2024 were an education in music history — topics ranged from how a Mexican military brass band helped shape Jazz in New Orleans, to a deep dive into the rave scene subculture.

The following comes from Open On Sunday, a company DMN is proud to be partnering with.

USC’s Thornton School of Music was a fitting backdrop for Pop Conference 2024 in Los Angeles. This year’s theme was ‘Legacy, Music Collections, and Archives.’

Speaking to DMN, presenter Lily Moayeri explained how she turned a career’s worth of band interviews into a successful podcast, Pictures of Lily. “We just did episode 80 last month which was Noel Gallagher — it was an interview I did with him from 1995. Next episode is going to be Daft Punk from 1997. And I have two or three more Daft Punk interviews as well, so they might be coming down the line. And I have a lot of interviews with Noel, so they might be coming down the line too,” Msayeri said.

Another awesome topic was peeling back the layers of country music, and how artists like Beyonce and others are starting to shed light on part of the genre’s rich history that was once suppressed from the public.

Jwly Hight, Journalist for Nashville Public Radio spoke about figures that have been traditionally held up as the founding parents of country music, such as Jimmy Rogers and The Carter Family, and so on. “Alice Randall, her own mission has been to bring black voices and brown voices into country music and to redefine how the history of country music and that narrative is told,” said Hight, adding, “[Randall’s] written a book [My Black Country] that not only centers her own legacy, but goes back to the very beginning of commercially recorded country music.”

“[It] shows that there have been black originators and pioneers all along, even though they have been erased from so many tellings of the story,” Hight explained.

The highlight of Pop Con 2024 was a trip down memory lane with keynote speakers Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman.

The legendary musicians and songwriting duo recalled their days creating magic in the band, Prince and the Revolution, recording their own music, and collaborating on countless successful music and film projects.

Lisa told the story of how she first met and auditioned for Prince. After he picked her up from the airport in his hometown of Minneapolis, Lisa lit a cigarette in Prince’s Fiat. Later at his home, Prince was about to get her a ‘plane ticket back to LA’ until he heard her play the piano in his basement. “And the rest was history,” Lisa said.

Pop Conference 2024 took place March 7-9 in Los Angeles.

The following comes from Open On Sunday, a company DMN is proud to be partnering with.

We were on the ground in Austin, Texas, for South by Southwest (SXSW) 2024 — the place to be to share industry knowledge, ideas, and innovations.

Thousands from around the world converged on the city for SXSW 2024. The week-long music, film, and tech conference showcases the most prominent names and stars in the industry — and provides opportunities to learn and network.

Many of this year’s panels focused on celebrating women’s successes and highlighting their incredible achievements in music, business, and entertainment.

Joi Brown, founder and CEO of Culture Creators — which Brown reveals ‘positions itself as a vital link between global cultural leaders and the generation of diverse creators’ — spoke to DMN at SXSW about lending encouragement and support to those striving for success.

Brown said, “I always hold true to what I believe God purposed me to do on this planet — which is to inspire and to provide opportunities for others to achieve their goals.”

The Creative Industries Expo, held at the Convention Center, is always a hit at SXSW.

The expo showcases the latest technology, from electric vehicles and home assistant robotics to advances in audio speaker systems. The biggest takeaway from the expo in 2024: AI and VR continue to dominate the tech landscape.

Amy Web, CEO of Future Today Institute, told DMN, “Artificial Intelligence is the present, it’s here.”

Richard James Burgess, President and CEO of the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), believes ‘it’s an interesting time for music,’ adding, “We’ve been in the streaming economy for a couple of decades now. We’ve been in the digital economy for a quarter of a century.”

“We’re at a sort of a turning point in the industry. There’s a lot of new interesting models being talked about — things that will ultimately make a big difference,” Burgess said.

Neeta Ragoowansi, President of the Music Managers Forum (MMF-US), spoke about the opportunities presented by SXSW 2024.

We have all these artists’ managers coming in to mix and network, as well as labels, publishers, and DSPs. I see performing arts rights societies and sponsors and partners of all sorts coming in, so we’re really happy to be here,” Ragoowansi said.

With a focus on networking, learning, and unlocking opportunities, several other off-site events and day parties took place all over Austin during SXSW 2024 — providing the platform for up-and-coming artists and songwriters to showcase their music and make key connections in the industry.

SXSW 2024 took place on March 6-18.

Backstage at the 66th Grammys, Atlanta rapper Killer Mike calmly took questions after he won three Grammys, including Best Rap Album for ‘Michael.’ Just moments later, Mike became the talk of the event as he was escorted out of Crypto.com Arena and arrested after a misdemeanor altercation with a security guard.

The following was developed in collaboration with Open On Sunday, a company DMN is proud to be partnering with.

Shortly before his surprise arrest, DMN asked Grammy-winner Killer Mike whether he consciously set out to make an album that people are calling ‘refreshing, and back to true, real hip-hop.’

In measured tones, Mike answered that he ‘consciously set out to make the best album in the world,’ adding, ‘I consciously set out to sell the story of a young black boy growing up in the west side of Atlanta, so that the world can see that our narrative isn’t just victimization and losing but we can win, we can thrive, and we’ll prosper, and I’m confident in saying that we’re gonna be right back at your ass and do it again next year.”

Moments later, Killer Mike got into an altercation with Grammys security guards. He was quickly escorted out of the event and arrested by LAPD officers on misdemeanor battery charges.

Outside of that unfortunate event, the multi-hour Grammys showcase went smoothly.

The event kicked off with a fantastic performance by Dua Lipa. Luke Combs and Tracy Chapman struck an emotional chord with ‘Fast Car.’ SZA performed her Grammy-winning hits, and Miley Cyrus rocked the house with her Grammy-winning Record Of The Year, ‘Flowers.’

Lainey Wilson, winning her first Grammy for Best Country Album, ‘Bellbottom Country,’ spoke humbly during her acceptance speech, highlighting the incredible journey of her success. “I am from a farming community in Northeast Louisiana, a little town of 200.”

Victoria Monet won Best New Artist, and Billie Eilish took home the Grammy for Song of the Year, writing ‘What Was I Made For,’ for the Barbie Soundtrack. Speaking about what appears to have been the year of the woman at the Grammys, Eilish said, “As a woman, it feels a lot of the time like you’re not being seen, and I feel that this makes me feel very seen.”

And no big surprise, Taylor Swift won the night, taking home her fourth Album of the Year Grammy — this time, for ‘Midnights.’

“I would love to tell you that this is the best moment of my life,” Swift said during her acceptance speech. “But I feel this happy when I finish a song, or when I crack the code to a bridge that I love, or when I’m shot listing a music video, or when I’m rehearsing with my dancers, or my band, or getting ready to go to Tokyo to play a show.

“For me, the award is the work, and all I want to do is keep being able to do this. I love it so much! It makes me so happy. It makes me unbelievably blown away that it makes some people happy who voted for this award, too. All I want to do is keep doing this. So, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to do what I love so much. Mind blown!” Swift said.

In the 70s, Joseph Robert Sadler, best known as Grandmaster Flash, created a DJ technique called the ‘Quick Mix Theory.’ Today, many consider it the precursor to sampling — the early sound that helped carve the hip hop genre into the cultural movement it is today.

The following was developed in collaboration with Open On Sunday, a company DMN is proud to be partnering with.

Grandmaster Flash — one of the world’s first hip-hop producers — sat down with Digital Music News to discuss the progression and evolution of hip hop over the years.

Speaking about his ‘Quick Mix Theory’ and how it shaped the global hip hop phenomena, Flash explained, “Before there was the rapper, the beatboxer, and the turntable, it was just [me] taking two copies of the same record and repeating one particular area or piece of music composition.”

“It could have been a section from a pop, rock, jazz, blues, funk, disco, or R&B record,” Flash said, adding, “At the same time, I put a microphone on the other side of the table just to see if someone could talk to this new style of DJ — called ‘Quick Mix Theory.’”

“What I was doing on the turntables — being able to take a small piece from a composition and extend that, and have a human speak on it — was human sampling,” said Flash, revealing, “[Then] the producers got involved.”

Once music producers stepped into the picture, Flash explained that they would take a small piece of that existing composition, ‘put it on a floppy, and tell the computer and the sampler to loop that particular section over and over again,’ adding, “[Now] they go into a recording studio.”

“So here we are, pretty much doing the same thing that I invented when I first was doing it in the park 50 years ago.”

While talking about artificial intelligence and its potential impact on music production, Flash shared that he doesn’t think AI can recreate the spontaneity of his DJ set — just yet.

“I may want to test it,” he said, explaining that his own natural curiosity has left him open to the possibility of experimenting with AI soon.

Today, Grandmaster Flash makes a fantastic living booking speaking engagements and DJing special events. But he shares that had he known fifty years ago the impact his ‘Quick Mix Theory’ would have on the economics of music, he would have leveraged the idea more, adding, “I probably would have been a trillionaire.”

Flash expressed that instead, “I have a trillionaire of love everywhere I go,” saying that he’s grateful to fans that tell him how his contribution to music has positively impacted their lives.

Hosted at multiple venues in Santa Monica, the Music Tectonics 2023 conference rallied innovators in all fields of music. The three-day event provided the stage for attendees to network, discuss innovations in music-making, share ideas about the future of music, and show off their gear.

The following was developed in collaboration with Open On Sunday, a company DMN is proud to be partnering with.

Music and tech came together for Music Tectonics 2023 last month in Santa Monica, CA. Startups, distributors, investors, gear manufacturers, software developers, consultants, labels, streaming services, and creators — among many others in the music field — took their time to network and explore innovative solutions.

Speaking to DMN, Dmitri Vietze, founder and curator of Music Tectonics, told DMN what makes the conference unique. “We’re topic agnostic. We think a lot of innovation can happen around solving problems for the music industry, so some of it is super cool, super consumer-facing, sexy stuff [in] gaming and music, artificial intelligence, and music generation,” said Vietze, adding, “Also, some of it’s just really specific to untangling data or how startups get licenses and that sort of thing.”

The three-day conference took place at various ‘nontraditional’ locations and venues throughout the area. Vietze explained why: “We’re picking nontraditional locations because we want people not to feel like they’re in a box physically, but also psychologically.”

“When they’re having conversations around music innovation, we want that expansive feel for brainstorming new concepts and getting business done together,” said Vietze.

Holly Hagerman, founder of AmptUp — a company that streamlines the booking process between venues and bands — told DMN that being at Music Tectonics 2023 was about celebrating innovation, meeting other players in the field, and ‘about community, which is our number one core value.’

Speaking about the conference, Hagerman said, “This is a special group of people. Our business focuses on innovation, and changing what is an ages-old, generations-old industry — and making it more simple, more innovative. That’s what Music Tectonics is about.”

USC Business School student Adewale Oduye attended the conference to bank on the knowledge of like-minded individuals. “One of the things I love is hearing from the folks that have done it before, that understand the music business. They’re imparting that knowledge upon me. That’s what I appreciate,” Oduye said.

Music Tectonics 2023 provided the perfect platform to discuss what’s happening in music now, and what’s on the horizon.

Songwriting advocate Mark Lynch spoke passionately about ‘getting writers paid,’ adding, “Music is not free. It needs to be compensated. Any opportunity that I get to ensure that copyright owners get paid, I will do.”

MONDO 2023 Conference facilitated in-depth exchange of ideas on artist career development, in the face of incredible AI revolutions taking the music industry by storm.

The following comes from Open On Sunday, a company DMN is proud to be partnering with.

The eighth MONDO conference set the stage for panel discussions on how AI stimulates change within the music industry. Every year, the conference brings together a global music community alongside technology insiders to discuss the industry’s latest issues and evolutions.

Hosted at the Williamsburg Hotel on the North Brooklyn waterfront, MONDO 2023 also took over independent club venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn for live showcase performances. MONDO 2023 attendees brought with them the vibe and soul of Brooklyn, and the conference kickoff party saw the bar quickly fill up with attendees making new connections.

With tech reminders on every corner, it was fitting that Artificial Intelligence was one of the most frequently discussed topics at the Water Tower venue.

Antony Demekhin, cofounder and CEO of Tuney, spoke to DMN about copyright tracking and attribution when AI is involved. “Deep learning can obscure copyright and sourcing, which makes it hard to keep track of royalties and provide proper attribution to rights holders who input into a deep learning system.”

Demekhin further explained that Tuney’s answer is a loop and sample-based generative music algorithm, because it receives ‘copyright protection, does not obscure ownership, and has full trackability.’ He added, “In the future, there might be systems and legislation that comes into place to make tracking and one-to-one attribution possible in deep learning models, but it’s not possible in 2023. I think sampling and a loop-based generative approach is the way to go for now.”

Panelist Jamie Gale tackled AI discussions on the stage, revealing how AI-generated vocals exposed themselves by being ‘too perfect.’

“We remember Otis Redding, Billie Holiday, Ozzy Osbourne, Johnny Cash, and Neil Young. Whether you like their voices or not, the fact is that the memorable voices of the world we know because of their imperfections — not their perfections,” said Gale.

DMN also spoke to Tanielle Doyle, who revealed that her agency Ethos and Power performs a special type of artist management. “We focus on the actual artist, outside of their careers — the things that matter most to them. We also create experiential events, and really present them and their brands to the world and find really great activations — especially music related.”

MONDO 2023’s schedule was packed with events, including panels, workshops, networking sessions, and artist showcases.

Artist and founder of indie label Family First Music Group, Matthew Maxwell, told DMN he was at MONDO 2023, ‘reconnecting with old colleagues, getting to know new faces, and growing our community and team, and the artists we serve.’

Artists and tech leaders continued to network at off-site spots like K’Far Brooklyn. The tech-connected MONDO week was a thoughtful and informative conference introducing new ideas on AI, catalog financing, technology law, and other pressing industry topics.

MONDO 2023 took place on October 10 – 13, 2023.

Billboard Latin Music Week 2023 brought exclusive expert conversations, industry workshops, and intimate networking opportunities for artists and attendees. Hosted at Faena Forum, Miami, Latin music’s largest event featured Shakira, Peso Pluma, La Base and Wisin, Deja Tu Huella with Myke Towers, Columbian singer-songwriter Fonseca, and others.

The following comes from Open On Sunday, a company DMN is proud to be partnering with.

Billboard Latin Music Week 2023, the 33rd edition of the event, brought attendees to showcases featuring talent, concerts, activation, and more. The event was all about getting the Latin music community together for entertainment, learning, education, and opportunities.

Billboard Latin Music Week is the world’s longest-running and largest Latin music gathering. The official kick-off event on October 2 provided the perfect stage for Latin music’s finest artists, actors, and entertainers to celebrate. Key themes to emerge from the event were the rise of Latin entertainment, from music to acting and even comedy. After some early rain kick-started the affair, artists and other attendees packed inside the theater.

Faena Forum provided the perfect backdrop for attendees to gain valuable insights from exclusive presentations and workshops — all while networking and making connections.

Discussions covered revenue management and protection, music touring, optimization of earnings in today’s streaming era, and the profound power of an artist’s catalog.

Panelist and catalog broker Denny Marte spoke to DMN about the true value of Latin music and what artists and songwriters need to know before putting their music catalog on the market. Marte revealed that clear conversations are the key to a successful deal.

“As a broker, it’s my responsibility to make sure my client has all their statements in order and their contracts. We are very clear that they don’t owe any money, there are no legal issues in terms of lawsuits, any type of issues that might impact selling the asset,” Marte explained, adding, “Then we put the package together and send it out to our buyers in the portfolio.”

Panelists delved into sources of revenue that are driving the genre forward, and highlighted how correctly navigating music touring could forge deeper relationships with the audience.

US-based Latin music revenues topped an unprecedented $1.1 billion in 2022. Billboard Latin Music Week 2023 highlighted the incredible growth of the music genre during the last three decades.

Earlier this month, Luminate published a study on Latin music, which revealed that Latin was — through the first 34 weeks of 2023 — the fifth-largest genre in the US. Insights from the study also revealed that Latin music topped dance/ electronics in terms of stream volume, and during the same time frame in the US, Latin music releases had racked up 57.9 billion on-demand streams for an almost 22.2% Year-over-Year (YoY) increase.

Latin music’s continued stateside growth has also become evident via other reports. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), in September, US-based Latin music revenues increased 15% to a record high of $627 million — with streaming once again providing the lion’s share of growth, accounting for 98% of recorded revenues.

Billboard Latin Music Week took place on October 2 – October 6.

The A3C 2023 conference and festival delivered in-depth panel discussions, workshops, mentor sessions, and networking opportunities. Hosted at AmericasMart Atlanta, headlining speakers included Taye Diggs, Pinky Cole, Jeezy, Kasim Reed, Timbaland, and more.

The following comes from Open On Sunday, a company DMN is proud to be partnering with.

The A3C conference celebrates the impact of hip hop culture and its evolution. Founded in 2005, the A3C has evolved considerably, but the uniquely-Atlanta vibe continues to thrive.

Every year, A3C covers emerging industries and topics, bringing together a diverse group of music makers and entrepreneurs for expertly curated panels and sessions. The A3C 2023 conference-festival hybrid featured music technology and business leaders including former Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed, fintech Greenwood’s CEO Ryan Glover, and Kevin ‘Coach K’ Lee — cofounder of label Quality Control Music (QC).

Speakers tackled topics related to hip hop, promotion of financial literacy, artist empowerment, business, music, and culture. A3C also provided the backdrop for networking opportunities, alongside technology and talent showcases.

Tech influencers leveraged the conference to showcase the latest innovations in music gaming. Meanwhile, rap artist Bless Montana said he was attending A3C to network and reconnect with people in the industry. Up-and-coming musicians and artists also took the opportunity to meet new people, and share their talents with the community.

Speaking to a packed house, rapper Jeezy promoted his best-selling book, Adversity for Sale. The Atlanta veteran also signed free copies of his book for fans.

Wallo267 from the hit weekly podcast Million Dollaz Worth of Game shared his triumphant life story, inspiring and motivating the crowd with his wisdom.

During one informative panel session, Kevin ‘Coach K’ Lee explained how Motown legend Berry Gordy inspired Lee to grow his label QC into a global brand.

After studying how Gordy once took his Motown roster on a trip to Europe, Lee told investors that he wanted to visit all the overseas markets where their music was being streamed, set up meetings with colleagues, and discuss in-person how to best connect with their audience.

“I said I want to go stamp my flag down. [They] thought I was crazy,” said Lee, adding that his strategy worked. QC exploded into one of the biggest music labels of this generation, eventually securing a blockbuster deal and partnership with Korea-based Hybe — for an estimated $300 million.

As expected, A3C was the spot to get plugged in with Atlanta, and to experience the latest in urban music, tech, and culture.

A3C 2023 took place on September 28 – October 1.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, chairman of Revolt, hosted the first Revolt World event in Atlanta. Announced by Combs in August, the ‘reimagined Revolt Summit’ was launched to celebrate the global impact of hip-hop and elevate the connections of culture and community.

The following comes from Open On Sunday, a company DMN is proud to be partnering with.

From September 22-24th, Revolt World 2023 culminated in an immersive experience of urban music and hip-hop culture representation. Despite a few organizational snafus, the event at Pangaea Studios, Atlanta, drew over 30,000 attendees, including musicians, artists, entrepreneurs, and athletes.

The reimagined Revolt conference featured some of hip-hop’s most influential names for discussions, performances, networking, and potential partnerships.

Revolt is a leading black-owned and operated multimedia platform, and Revolt World 2023’s venue hosted multiple platforms for performers, panels, and entertainment.

The soundstage showcased headliners such as Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, MoneyBagg Yo and others, and DJs entertained event attendees throughout the three-day summit.

The venue also featured a dedicated podcast stage to facilitate in-depth discourse on music, entrepreneurship, sports, and culture. Speakers included N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN from Revolt TV’s weekly podcast Drink Champs, alongside G Herbo, Queen Naija, and others. Rapper Jeezy also took the stage to speak about his new book Adversity For Sale, in which he details his life.

Among the many unique immersive experiences designed to submerge event attendees in hip-hop culture, there was a definite standout: ‘The Love Lounge,’ a sensual, red-lit room entirely devoted to ‘Diddy’ Combs and the promotion of his new classic R&B album, The Love Album: Off The Grid.

Combs also made an appearance at Revolt World and was swamped by fans. Speaking at the event, Combs said he had big dreams for the ‘one-of-a-kind’ Revolt.

“Coming together is a sign that people want to unify under the name of love, under the name of hip hop turning 50, and where we’ve come from. This is a testament to where we’re going. We will be the number one platform for our people — unapologetically, in the world,” said Combs.

One attendee, Ray Mullen, told DMN that his favorite thing about the new album is that ‘it brings R&B,’ adding, “[Artists] got away from that, and I’m ready for it to come back.”

With upcoming artists, songwriters, and musicians, Revolt World 2023 culminated as the go-to destination for securing potentially lucrative networking opportunities.

Combs’ Revolt successfully pulled off an event that offered a rich culture-packed experience, and provided the platform that fostered connection building.

DMN spoke to second-year law student Jodi-Ann Salters, who said she was at Revolt World 2023 ‘to network, meet some people, and have a good time.’

Revolt World 2023 took place from Sept 22nd to the 24th.

Recently, Canadian Music Week 2023 took place in Toronto. The events sparked conversations about the impact of AI on the music industry and efforts to tackle streaming fraud. The conference also hosted events to honour and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop.

For its 41st year, the 5-day CMW conference was hosted at Toronto Westin Hotel. DMN TV, sponsored by Open On Sunday, covered panel discussions among performers, music industry professionals, and speakers.

The event arrived at a point of deceleration for the industry from its heady expansion of the past few years. “Now major labels are looking at far more moderate growth on streaming platforms,” DMN publisher Paul Resnikoff noted. “The AI specter ahead — we’ve got that issue to worry about. Music IP valuations are coming back to earth. So there’s a lot that’s settling down, which could lead to more focus back on the art, and on realistic deals and realistic planning.”

(Check out more from Resnikoff’s interview at CMW here.)

And reality is certainly setting in. At CMW, panel discussions ranged from AI threats to combating streaming manipulation and fraud.

Erin Reilly from Moody College of Communication shared her perspective on protecting human artistry in the face of quickly-developing AI tools. “I don’t think you can stop this movement or the development of it. [Let’s] rethink who is actually building out these data lakes that we’re pulling from.”

Speaking about streaming fraud, Morgan Hayduk, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Beatdapp, revealed his thoughts on how fraud is conducted across all platforms. Hayduk explained that a sophisticated apparatus on the web obtains account credentials of legitimate users to utilize them for fraudulent activities. “There’s an infrastructure that mirrors what you see in the legitimate industry. There are people who are experts in running bot farms. And then there are the folks that offer the front line services either to artists, or any organization that’s looking to make money from the music industry. So it’s not pointing the finger at one entity, or one country.”

Besides sparking thought-provoking insights on the repercussions of developing AI and combating fraudulent streaming numbers, CMW 2023 also brought with it another clear goal: honoring and celebrating 50 years of hip hop.

Rapper and activist Chuck D from legendary hip hop group Public Enemy took centre stage throughout the conference. Discussing the importance of the 50th anniversary of hip hop, Chuck D said, “Hip Hop 50 means that the people and the stories are just as important as the songs that people hear or that they hold close to their heart.”

Co-hosted by dot Hip Hop, Chuck D was joined on stage by B-Real from the classic hip hop group Cypress Hill. B-Real highlighted ‘a twist in American radio’ in the mid 90’s, saying, “They stopped playing conscientious hip hop music, stuff that would inspire you in a positive way. It shifted more towards gangster rap. Then it evolved into [what] you hear today.”

Chuck D presented the audience with a first screening of his new PBS documentary, “Fight The Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World.” Part one in a four-part docuseries, it featured historic names in hip hop like KRS-One and DJ Kool Herc, tracing its origins back to the streets of the South Bronx, New York in the early 1970’s.

The Canadian Music Week 2023 conference took place on June 5 – June 10.

The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) recently hosted IndieWeek 2023 in Manhattan. Apart from being one of the largest gathering of independent artists in the world, the three-day networking conference brings together distributors, labels, DSPs, investors, and others.

The following comes from Open On Sunday, a company DMN is proud to be partnering with.

To launch our new platform, DMN TV, sponsored by Open On Sunday, Digital Music News hit the road to cover panel discussions and industry awards. Artist and songwriter performances also took place during the three-day event A2IM IndieWeek, all hosted at Intercontinental Hotel in Times Square.

A2IM IndieWeek 2023 kicked off with a rooftop party presented by ADA. During the panel discussion, Adrienne Muhammad with Open On Sunday guided record labels on how to manage their catalogs, saying, “Before we even purchase a catalog, we need to get to know who the audience is. So we know how to market those catalogs once we acquire them.”

Multiple panels during the three-day conference cultivated discussions about how evolving technology and processes affect the independent music community. Attendees shared their knowledge about AI, sync, and music marketing alongside other insightful topics.

Speaking at a panel, Leslie Rosales from Rostrum Records narrated how an artist from Milwaukee pulled out all the stops to market his music. “Our artist stood on top of his friend’s car, put out a big speaker, and played songs from his album. His fans went crazy. It was controlled chaos. For one, something was happening in Milwaukee. Two, it’s their hometown hero doing something special for them,” Rosales said.

Discussing sync opportunities and the exposure it brings to the table, Rich Goldman from Riptide Music Group explained how one of their artists seized the ‘spark’ of sync. Goldman explained how an artist is “now approaching 100 million streams because the song got to YouTube,” adding, “It’s kind of nuts. [The song] got ported over to a bunch of different channels, created this streaming activity, and the song keeps going.”

Eden Shiferaw, VP of NVG, LLC, touched on the latest congressional developments surrounding AI and perceived national security threats with mainstream AI use. Shiferaw revealed, “[Members of Congress] are very concerned particularly with American adversaries, in terms of what they’re doing with AI, and how they’re regulating it.”

Other offsite events included a rooftop party hosted by dot HipHop, multiple investor conferences, and two bigger events centered around songwriters and their achievements.

The induction ceremony of the 2023 class of the Songwriters Hall of Fame was held at the Marriott Marquis, and the National Music Publishers Association annual meeting took place at Alice Tully Hall.

During the NMPA Gala, Taylor Swift’s songwriter Liz Rose was surprised with a live rendition of her Grammy-nominated, Swift-co-penned single, “All Too Well.” Alana Springsteen performed the song. The following evening, Rose was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame along with Glen Ballard, Calvin Broadus (Snoop Dogg), Gloria Estefan, Jeff Lynne, and Teddy Riley.

NMPA President and CEO David Israelite wrapped up the final event, remarking on the ‘stronger’ state of the industry, adding, “Last year, the total revenue for the songwriting and publishing industry was just over $5.6 billion. That represents a 19.25% increase year over year.”

A2IM IndieWeek 2023 events took place on June 12 – June 15.