A2IM announces first Indie Week 2024 Panels

A2IM (The American Association of Independent Music) has announced the preliminary panels for its 2024 Indie Week to be held June 10 – 13 at the InterContinental New York’s Times Square.

from A2IM

A2IM Indie Week hosts over 60 panels and workshops, 1,800 curated business meetings, and countless opportunities tailor-made for the global independent sector’s unique needs. Along with keynote speaker, Golnar Khosrowshahi, Founder & CEO at Reservoir, this year will broach a range of topics, including advocacy, A&R, brands, business, catalog, culture and wellness, distribution, finance, fan engagement, marketing and holistic marketing, legal, international DSPs, physical retail, radio, sampling, streaming, sync, sustainability, games, technology, touring/live, video and international roundtables – conference badges are on sale now.

“A2IM Indie Week is our flagship event, and this year promises to be an unparalleled gathering of the brightest minds and talents in the international independent sector, with an extensive lineup of panels, workshops, roundtables, talks, and curated meetings. The conference provides a platform for industry leaders to connect, collaborate, and innovate year after year,” said Dr. Richard James Burgess, President and CEO of A2IM.

This year, Hopeless Records will be on-site at Indie Week with their 30th Anniversary Museum Exhibit, in addition to celebrating founder Louis Posen’s 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award at A2IM’s Libera Awards on Monday, June 10 at Gotham Hall. The museum will feature over 1,000 unique artifacts including guitars used on iconic albums, vintage merch, promo items, original master tapes, as well as never seen before behind the scenes photos and documents from Avenged Sevenfold, All Time Low, Neck Deep, The Wonder Years, Taking Back Sunday, The Used, New Found Glory, and many more.

United We Create: Empowering Indie Voices Against Industry Titans
In an era when the very essence of creativity is being challenged by consolidation, monopolies, and the relentless advance of artificial intelligence, the power of unity has never been more crucial. “United We Create” shines a light on the strength found in unity. This panel illuminates how independents turn challenges into opportunities for innovation and collaboration. Highlighting the Protect Working Musicians Act (PWMA), hear from leaders at A2IM, ARA, SONA, and more on forging paths that empower the indie community. Join us to discover how solidarity is not just our shield, but our sword in the battle for a fair and vibrant creative future.

Exploring Art Support Initiatives: A Global Perspective
Many foreign governments prioritize arts and culture through various programs. What can the US learn from these initiatives? Discover both public and private arts programs worldwide that could be replicated. Learn about A2IM’s advocacy efforts within the US government, including grant proposals and tax bill amendments. Explore the role of copyright protection in US trade relations and its impact on nurturing local arts scenes.

A&R in 2024: Balancing Artistry and Analytics
Explore the evolving landscape of A&R in the age of data overload. How are labels leveraging data to make informed decisions? Discover the crucial data points driving A&R strategies and their significance.

Brand-tasitc: How Can Labels Engage Brands for Their Emerging Artists?
Discover strategies for labels to build relationships with brands early in an artist’s career. Learn effective tactics for attracting brand interest for emerging artists. Explore the role of influencer marketing in artist development and understand what approaches yield results.

30+ Years Strong: Secrets to Independent Label Success
Join industry veterans as they unveil the keys to thriving as an independent record label for three decades. Gain insights on adapting to industry changes, nurturing artist connections, and ensuring financial resilience. Delve into candid discussions on overcoming challenges while honoring the enduring legacy of these labels.

Empowering Independent Business Models: Seizing Fresh Opportunities
Uncover the evolutionary path of independent business models from traditional labels embracing publishing to management firms evolving into comprehensive powerhouses. Delve into the driving forces behind this rapid shift, the rising demand for diversified services, and strategies for traditional labels to thrive in the changing landscape.

Maximizing Your Catalog: Label Strategies Unveiled
How do you revitalize interest, maximize performance, and boost your label’s catalog potential? Gain insights into effective remixing, contest timing, and opportune moments for selling or purchasing.

Fostering Wellness: Progress and Practical Solutions
Explore effective strategies for supporting wellness across our community, spanning from artists to label owners and beyond. Industry leaders driving change will share actionable approaches to prioritize wellness, foster sustainable work environments, and reshape the industry as a force for empowerment.

Unlocking Added Value in Your Distribution Partnership
The digital and DSP landscape has democratized distribution and presented new global opportunities for independent labels and artists. But beyond distributing your product to consumers, what else is available? What are best practices, what should you be asking to succeed in digital music?

Nurturing Superfans: Connecting and Cultivating Communities
Where do your superfans gather? Explore strategies for your label to nurture and expand these dedicated communities. Discover cutting-edge tools and engagement methods that labels and distributors are employing to strengthen artist-fan and fan-fan relationships at the heart of their business.

Financial Transparency: The Economics of Music Releases
Explore the intricacies of financing music releases and the potential conflicts arising from misaligned perceptions among artists, labels, distributors, managers, and attorneys. Join us for an honest conversation revealing the actual numbers behind a project from an emerging artist on an independent label. Gain insights into the needs of each party for a successful collaboration.

Advancing Your Career: Transitioning from Mid-Level Management to Leadership
Discover the essential skills required for career growth and advancement. Learn how to navigate the next steps in your professional journey and secure investment from your company. Gain insights from individuals at various career stages, offering firsthand experiences and actionable advice for success in your career path.

Unlocking Global Success: Navigating International DSPs & Marketing
Explore tactics for harnessing international DSPs to amplify your label’s presence worldwide. Learn the significance of fostering strong partnerships with these platforms and tailoring marketing approaches to diverse global audiences. Gain insights into creating culturally resonant content and navigating challenges to effectively engage international fans.

Recorded Music Copyrights: Clear and Simple Guidance
Delve into the basics of music copyright protection in straightforward terms. Discover effective strategies for safeguarding your Constitutional music rights.

Content Creation: Strategies and Essentials
How do you address content creation with your team? What strategies and “must-have” assets are needed for success? How do artists and labels create multiple content formats in support of their music and fan engagement, including incentivizing fan creation that’s also multi-format? Let’s compare the ROI on each line item and rank to marketing tools on several platforms to see what does and what does not move the needle.

Holistic Marketing: Uniting Components for Success
Explore how integrated marketing components such as social campaigns, genre dynamics, radio, and AI-driven engagement are intertwined. Learn how companies of all sizes organize and execute their social media campaigns, from resource allocation to investment understanding. Discover the potential of AI in crafting engaging social media content efficiently. Delve into the role of genre in promotions and optimize radio’s inclusion in your overall strategy.

Unleashing Innovation: Marketing Genius Award Panel
Delve into the intricacies that propelled Blondshell, nominee for the 2024 Libera Award Marketing Genius, to success. Our panelists will unveil the secrets behind the triumphant launch of their debut full-length album. Gain firsthand insights, strategies, and confrontations from the marketing team, band manager, and key figures intimately engaged in the campaign.

Empowering Independent Retailers: Overcoming Data Collection Challenges
Join A2IM’s Physical Goods Working Group as they tackle the data collection hurdles confronting independent retail stores. First we begin with a quick primer on How the Billboard charts work. With the removal of the weighting system, new dilemmas have arisen. Despite these challenges, the Working Group remains dedicated to exploring alternative solutions and support avenues for independent retailers.

Unlocking Global Radio Success for Independent Artists
Explore avenues for independent artists to thrive on international radio beyond the USA. Discover which genres are most advantageous abroad and learn from successful artists about the unique opportunities available to independents.

Neighboring Rights: Exploring the Latest Updates
We begin with a quick “HOW TO” primer to ensure you are receiving all the information you’re entitled to and learning how it impacts you. This panel will explore recent developments, including shifts in qualification criteria in Europe for US performers, and the continuous expansion of the record company market.

The Current Landscape of Sample Licensing in 2024
Sample licensing remains a complex and often misunderstood aspect of music creation. As technology evolves, including AI, the metaverse, and NFTs, the process of clearing samples becomes even more intricate. Join sample clearance experts and industry executives as they navigate the challenges and misconceptions surrounding sample licensing. Gain insights into the current climate, address prevalent myths and concerns, and discover strategies for using samples creatively and ethically.

Streaming Revenue Evolution: Identifying Effective Models
As new streaming revenue models are introduced, which ones work? What’s happening now that is working and is not working? What are the alternatives to streaming that you should know about? Revolutionizing the Streaming Business Model: Exploring Profitable Alternatives What profitable alternatives to streaming should your label be using?

Viral Success Next Steps: How to Capitalize and Amplify It
Discover how to harness and amplify viral moments, such as increased TikTok user-generated content or trending on YouTube, to drive growth on DSPs and social platforms intentionally. Learn tips to promote releases effectively, ensuring the artist’s success translates into a sustainable career beyond TikTok trends. Gain insights into converting viral success into long-term impact.

Sustainability 360: Navigating Music Industry Initiatives for Environmental Responsibility
Mary Jurey, MDE (Music Declares Emergency) guides a discussion through the latest sustainability endeavors within the music business.

Sync Success Strategies: Placement to Optimization
Explore essential strategies for securing and maximizing sync deals. After securing the sync, discover how to leverage it effectively to boost streams and capitalize on its influence. Delve into real-world examples and gain insights into assessing the ROI of sync deals, comparing license fees to potential exposure.

Level Up: Mastering Sync Licensing in Gaming
Uncover the strategies to land sync placements in video games. Get practical tips on pitching your music for gaming syncs and engaging with game developers. Explore the distinct sync licensing landscape of the gaming industry, where many games lack in-house sync teams. Gain firsthand insights into navigating gaming rights complexities and catering to the needs of game developers.

You Got Game: Maximizing Your Gaming Game
Now that you’ve landed the gaming sync, what’s next? Dive into working within the gaming ecosystem, understanding audience dynamics, cultivating superfans, and more.

Spacing on Spatial Audio, Hazy on Hi-Res?
Learn from labels that have embraced and integrated spatial audio and/or Hi-Res into their marketing strategies. Discover valuable tips, tricks, and strategies for navigating this innovative tool and leveraging it to your label’s advantage.

Innovations and Trends in Live Music
Discover what’s on the horizon for live music events. Let’s explore the latest innovations and trends shaping the live music landscape, from immersive experiences to cutting-edge technology. We’ll also delve into the challenges faced by bands on the road and how they’re finding innovative solutions to overcome them.

Short Form Revolution: Boosting Music Video Impact and Harmony with Long Form Content 
Unlock the power of short form video and its dynamic synergy with long form content. Discover how they mutually enhance each other and learn from creators who have transformed modest budgets into numerous engaging short form pieces. Explore emerging trends, innovative monetization tactics, and the pivotal question of return on investment (ROI).

Roundtable: International Market Overview
Our roundtable sessions offer informal networking opportunities where one moderator leads discussions and addresses questions from up to 10 Indie Week participants. Each 60-minute session will be divided into four 15-minute segments, allowing attendees to join multiple conversations within the hour. 

While conversations can flow organically, the moderator will prepare some initial questions to kick things off, such as providing an industry overview of the market, strategies for engaging with markets beyond DSPs, the necessity of having a physical presence (“boots on the ground”), language considerations, popular genres, and music trends, as well as noteworthy festivals, music events, and touring options
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In the past half-year since A2IM last welcomed the independent music sector to New York City, the organization has seen growth internally, welcoming new team members, while achieving the longstanding goal of launching its revolutionary A2IM Artist Pro program, granting artists access to the A2IM Benefits Store which includes health insurance programs, an array of a la carte insurance options, and much more. 
In addition, in Washington, A2IM has been involved in pushing legislation to help push through the HITS (Help Independent Tracks Succeed) Act,lobbying for CRB (Copyright Royalty Board) reform, and reintroduce the PWMA (Protect Working Musicians Act of 2023), amongst a great deal more.

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About A2IM:
A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City that exists to support and strengthen the independent recorded music sector. Membership currently includes a broad coalition of more than 700 Independently-owned American music labels. A2IM represents these independently owned small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. In doing so, it supports a key segment of America’s creative class that represents America’s diverse musical cultural heritage. Billboard Magazine identified the Independent music label sector as 37.32 percent of the music industry’s U.S. recorded music sales market in 2016 based on copyright ownership, making Independent labels collectively the largest music industry sector.