Music Biz 2015 Convention Brings Together Industry Leaders May 12-14 in Nashville Over 140 speakers set for third annual Metadata Summit, Music Startup Academy, Entertainment and Technology Law Conference, Metrics Town Hall, Americana, Country, Gospel Meetups, and more Jack White, Meghan Trainor, Martina McBride, Scott Borchetta, The Doobie Brothers, and John Kunz to receive awards Live performances from Ashley Monroe, Casey James, Jana Kramer, Mike Posner, Jackie Green, Civil Twilight set May 11, 2015 The Music Business Association (Music Biz) will bring Music Biz 2015, the music industry s premier conference, to Nashville for the first time on May 12-14 at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel. The event gathers retailers, subscription services, record labels, artists, managers, startups, and representatives from all other facets of the industry to discuss important issues such as music metadata, music licensing, sales measurement, streaming music, High Resolution Audio, and legal concerns around touring and brand partnerships. The conference s wide-ranging agenda is designed to address the needs of all levels of the music business, from those just getting their feet wet to those who have climbed the ladder to become powerful decision-makers. As such, it offers a unique opportunity for all those interested in the future of music to meet, discuss their latest projects, and work together to ensure a bright future for the entire industry. The first day of Music Biz 2015 will kick off with the third annual Metadata Summit. This event provides a rare opportunity for industry heavy-hitters and newcomers alike to gather and discuss the oftenoverlooked topic of music metadata, which is quickly becoming one of the most important issues in the music business as digital services continue to grow and evolve. The event will kick off with a keynote from Mike Jbara of Warner Music Group. A variety of industry experts from the Universal Music Group, The Recording Academy, BMI, the RIAA, Pandora, Getty Images, SONOS, The Echo Nest, and more will then take the stage to address the current state and size of the market, interoperability, high resolution audio and images, data storytelling, future business models enabled by metadata, and more. The Music Startup Academy, which will be held concurrently with the Metadata Summit on May 12, will feature a variety of sessions aimed at teaching aspiring startups, app developers, and entrepreneurs 1
everything they need to know about creating and maintaining legal and sustainable music businesses, including a keynote address from Shawn Yeager of Back Porch Group and Endorsee as well as panels on music licensing, selecting APIs, and securing business development deals. It will end with the popular Elevator Pitch Shark Tank, in which companies will have the chance to pitch their products to a panel of music industry experts and receive valuable feedback that they can use in their real-life meetings with artists, managers, record labels, and other potential partners. Also on May 12, the first-ever Artists, Management & Touring Town Hall will bring together members of each community to address new music commerce opportunities that have sprung up as a result of the convergence of these areas. Topics include the artist s role in creating a development and marketing plan for their music and live performances, how to use fan clubs and VIP packages to introduce new sources of revenue, and how new digital services can assist with direct-to-fan sales, tour promotion, and more. It will end with a Digital Marketing Mixer, in which artists, managers, label staffers, students, and more will have a chance to discuss these new revenue streams and how they can work together to engage fans and maximize sales. The first day will end with a special live-to-acetate performance from critically acclaimed Country music singer/songwriter Ashley Monroe at Third Man Records Blue Room venue. Universal Music will also host a live music showcase at the Session s Lounge featuring Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear, Muddy Magnolias, and Honeyhoney. The second day of the convention will begin with the Breakfast & Business Session, at which Jack White will be presented with the Innovator Award for his record-breaking Lazaretto ULTRA LP vinyl and John Kunz of Waterloo Records will receive the Independent Spirit Award. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and Charlie Brock of LaunchTN will also speak at the ceremony, and Rock band Civil Twilight will perform live. In addition, Music Biz President James Donio and Chairman Fred Beteille of YouTube will each address the crowd, with the latter announcing the Scholarship Foundation Class of 2015 and the 2015-2016 Music Biz Board of Directors. Wednesday will end with Live @ The Wildhorse, a night of live performances sponsored by YouTube at The Wildhorse Saloon. The event will feature acts from all three major labels, as well as Redeye, including Casey James from Sony Music Entertainment, Jana Kramer from Warner Music Group, Mike Posner from Universal Music Group, and Jackie Green from Redeye. The Songwriters & Publishers Town Hall will start the final day of the conference. It will include a presentation from Jacqueline Charlesworth, General Counsel and Associate Register of Copyrights at the U.S. Copyright Office, who will discuss important legislation surrounding copyrights, including proposed changes to the U.S. Copyright Act and the recently reintroduced Songwriter Equity Act. In addition, executives from BMI, the Harry Fox Agency, ole, Rumblefish, and SESAC will explain how online video can lead to increased revenue, and representatives from Spotify, YouTube, Songspace, Songtrust, and SynchTank will show attendees how their products can help them get the most out of publishing. Attendees will then be able to enjoy the annual Awards Luncheon. This year, Meghan Trainor will receive the Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award, Martina McBride will receive the Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award, Scott Borchetta of the Big Machine Label Group will receive the Presidential Award for Outstanding Executive Achievement, and The Doobie Brothers will receive the Chairman s Award for Sustained Creative Achievement. 2
Music Biz 2015 will close with the Entertainment and Technology Law Conference, which will focus on touring and independent artists with the first panel targeting brand partnerships for live performances and the contracts and relationships that govern them. The next panel will assess the current situation facing unsigned and independent artists today and illuminate potential revenue streams, explain important terms they may find in contracts with labels and publishers, and teach them how to determine whether these contracts are in their best interest. Music Biz will also gather some of the industry s top data decision-makers and analysts to discuss the future of sales measurement at a variety of sessions to be held throughout the conference. These include the Metrics & Sales Analysis Town Hall on May 12; the Streaming by the Numbers sessions on May 13; the Bands, Brands, and the Data Behind the Partnerships sessions on May 14; the Country Music Meetup on May 13; and Vevo s Selling Music Through Sight, Sound, Motion (& Timing) session on May 13. Registration remains open. In addition to company pricing, tickets can be purchased for Music Biz 2015 at special rates for individuals ($349) and students ($69). A discounted rate of $199 is also available for first-time independent retail and label attendees. For more information or to register for Music Biz 2015, visit www.musicbiz2015.com. Music Biz 2015 Schedule Tuesday, May 12 9:00 AM 3:15 PM Metadata Summit Welcome & Keynote Prepping for the Music Datapocalypse Acronym Salad: Digital Standards & Identifiers Status Report Interoperability: Less Talk, More Action Next Generation Listener Experiences: High Quality Assets & Images Elvisualization & More Beyond the Stream: Future Business Models in Metadata 9:00 AM 3:25 PM Music Startup Academy Welcome & Introduction to Music Biz s Startup Services Keynote Presentation: Customers Before Code The Licensing Vortex Explained: How to Get Your Startup Service Rightsholder-Approved Music Pub Works: One-Stop System for Your Entire Music Catalog Needs What Can Build vs. Buy API Services Do for Me? How to Get the Best Biz Dev Deal and Work with Artists & Managers to Make the Most of It Elevator Pitch Shark Tank 11:30 AM 12:30 PM Attendee Tour of United Record Pressing 1:00 PM 4:30 PM Artists, Management & Touring Town Hall 3
The Empowered Artist Fan Clubs/VIP Packages: Old School or Great Fan Experience? Digital Tool Kit: Effective Music Marketing in 2015 Digital Marketing Mixer 3:30 PM 4:30 PM ISRC Working Session 3:45 PM 4:45 PM Gospel/Christian Music Meetup 3:45 PM 6:00 PM Metrics & Sales Analysis Town Hall Review of 2014 US Music Industry Revenues The Fan: Understanding How They Drive Change Performance Analytics Using Sales, Streams and Airplay Rockonomics for Music Biz 2015 Eight Shades of Grey: A Consumer Perspective on Music Q&A: Live with Larry Miller 5:00 PM 6:00 PM Americana Music Meetup 6:00 PM 7:00 PM Welcome Reception Sponsored by WEA 8:00 PM 10:00 PM Third Man Records Live-to-Acetate Recording with Ashley Monroe 10:00 PM 11:30 PM Live Music Presented by Universal Music Group Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear Muddy Magnolias Honeyhoney Wednesday, May 13 8:30 AM 10:30 AM Breakfast & Business Session Welcome from Nashville Mayor Karl Dean Remarks from LaunchTN CEO and President Charlie Brock Live performance from Rock band Civil Twilight President s Address: Music Biz President James Donio Independent Spirit Award: John Kunz of Waterloo Records Chairman s Message: Fred Beteille of YouTube Announcement of Scholarship Foundation Class of 2015 Introduction of Music Biz Board of Directors Innovator Award: Jack White, Third Man Records 4
10:45 AM 1:00 PM Metadata for Artists How Music and Data Work Together to Drive Discovery, Attribution and Royalties Uncoding the Money-Making Magic of Metatagging 11:30 AM 12:30 PM Attendee Tour of United Record Pressing 2:00 PM 2:35 PM Death of Parking Lots: 6 Ways Streaming Music Is Changing the World 2:00 PM 3:00 PM The Role of High Resolution Audio in the Industry 2:40 PM 3:15 PM Selling Music Through Sight, Sound, Motion (& Timing) 3:15 PM 4:45 PM Streaming by the Numbers Where Does the Streaming Road Lead? A Case for a New Generation of Streaming Business Models Don't Fear the Streamer Music Listening in 2015 and Beyond 4:30 PM 6:00 PM Country Music Meetup 5:00 PM 6:00 PM The Next Frontier of Personalization: Context 6:00 PM 6:45 PM Grab a Drink on Emma 9:00 PM 11:30 PM Live @ The Wildhorse Sponsored by YouTube Casey James, Sony Music Entertainment Jana Kramer, WEA Mike Posner, Universal Music Group Jackie Green, Redeye Thursday, May 14 9:00 AM 11:00 AM Music Educators Meetup 9:00 AM 12:00 PM Record Store Day Town Hall 9:00 AM 12:00 PM Songwriters & Publishers Town Hall 5
Making the Most of Publishing Deals Through YouTube Songspace: Online Catalog Management How to Grow Revenue with Music in Online Video The Mechanics of Publishing at Spotify SynchTank: Automating the Licensing Process From the Copyright Act to the Songwriters Equity Act, What s New? Songtrust: Simplifying Music Publishing Administration 12:00 PM 1:00 PM Attendee Tour of United Record Pressing 12:30 PM 2:00 PM Awards Luncheon Breakthrough Artist of the Year: Meghan Trainor Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award: Martina McBride Presidential Award for Outstanding Executive Achievement: Scott Borchetta Chairman s Award for Sustained Creative Achievement: The Doobie Brothers 2:15 PM 3:15 PM It s Still Music City USA: Doing Deals in Nashville 2:15 PM 4:00 PM EDMTCC (EDM: Technology, Culture, Curation) 3:30 PM 5:30 PM Bands, Brands & the Data Behind the Partnerships Big Data Means Big Opportunities Changing World of Music Consumption & Brand Advocacy Brands & Streams Align 3:30 PM 6:00 PM Entertainment & Technology Law Conference The Rules of the Road: An Examination of the Current State of Touring Music s Middle Class: An Endangered Species? About the Music Business Association The Music Business Association (Music Biz) is a membership organization that advances and promotes music commerce a community committed to the full spectrum of monetization models in the industry. It provides common ground by offering thought leadership, resources and unparalleled networking opportunities, all geared to the specific needs of its membership. By leveraging the legacy of the former National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) and its hub for digital initiatives, digitalmusic.org, Music Biz brings a unique perspective and valuable insight into the trends and changes that innovation brings. Today, we put our collective experience to work across all delivery models: physical, digital, mobile and more. Music Biz and its members are committed to building the future of music commerce together. To apply for press access to Music Biz 2015, fill out the form at https://musicbiz.wufoo.com/forms/music-biz-2015-editorial-press-application. 6
Music Biz 2015 Media Contacts Laurie Jakobsen, Jaybird Communications laurie@jaybirdcom.com, 646.484.6764 Nicole Hennessey, Music Biz nicole.hennessey@musicbiz.org, 856.313.5532 7