TVD Contributor Ariane Trahan is the founder of Easy Apple, an artist development company that bridges the gap for musicians between New York City and New Orleans.
Just eight days before the 31st annual CMJ Music Marathon hits the streets of New York City, the schedule of the day panels is released, displaying an overwhelming but impressive line-up of discussions. Personally, I would love to catch every panel, but with hundreds of music showcases making for very late nights, keeping up with 10am panel discussions for five days straight is not the most appealing thing in the world. Allow me to steer you in the direction of a few worthy forums, leading with what I see as the most intriguing discussion of the marathon.
One can argue that in 2011 the use of existing and future technology still holds everyone’s attention. How does Spotify affect music consumption? What does icloud offer for the storage and sharing of music? How do you connect with your audience using mobile apps? Enter a new topic of interest: Australia.
Aptly titled “The Wizards of Oz,” this panel will include an Australian publisher, distributor, booker, and radio/TV representative. Moderated by the Chair of the Australian Music Industry Network, the discussion will detail why Australia should be on the radar of artists looking to go global. Why Australia, you ask?
a) In 2010, Australia’s recorded music reported the largest increase in value (47%) in the world according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry,
b) Australia’s digital sales have surpassed the fall in physical sales, and
c) Australia’s live music scene contributed $1.2 billion to the country’s economy!
If this hasn’t gotten a rise out of you, there are other deserving panels to attend. Living in New Orleans, “The DIY Religion” immediately caught my eye. Nola is head over heels for the philosophy of DEY (Do Everything Yourself). Just look at Community and Chinquapin Records, the majority of venues not having sound engineers or backlines, and the prevalent mindset that having a business card is a turnoff.
“Digital Music Servicing, Radio Revamp” is another one I wouldn’t want to miss. Granted, I am also a radio promoter, so a discussion regarding how digital servicing is affecting college radio tugs at my heartstrings. Fellow promoters Pat Egan (Relapse Records) and Steve Theo (Pirate! Radio) are on the panel, and with so many years of experience handling college radio campaigns, attendees are sure to learn something from them both.
Lastly, I’ll give a shout-out to the round table with the blue-ribbon line-up: Alexandra Dunne of Glassnote Records, Elizabeth Lutz of Shore Fire Media, and Michael Kauffman of RightsFlow. These industry bigwigs will discuss the ever-changing face of PR and marketing thanks to our forever-changing social networks and interactive media. If you’re in a band, freelance in PR, own a company of any kind—this forum should be penciled into your calendars. You are your own unique business no matter what it is you’re selling, and the way you choose to market your brand is essential.
My honorable mentions this year are “New Waves in Radio,” “What the Hell is the Cloud and Why Should I Care?,” and “Beyond BlogFamous: Music Discovery in 2011.”
For the full CMJ panel (and music!) schedule: CMJ Schedule
