A2IM Indie Week 2021 Full Program Announced

The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) announces the full program for its annual conference, A2IM Indie Week presented by SoundExchange. Held virtually June 14 through 17, it is the largest independent music conference globally. SoundExchange CEO Michael Huppe has been added as one of this year's keynote speakers presented as a fireside chat with Digiday Senior Editor Max Willens on the future of the music industry in a digital-first world.

"It is a dynamic time in the world of music marked by continued transformation," said Huppe. "It is my honor to kick off A2IM Indie Week and open up what promises to be a week of meaningful discussion to help shape the future of our industry and inspire the Indie community and beyond."

Additionally, Representative Ted Deutch (D-FL) and legendary musician Dionne Warwick will join Huppe in a discussion, moderated by White House reporter for The Hill, Alex Gangitano. Together, they will address the strengthening movement for a performance right for artists played on AM/FM radio.

Always with an emphasis on gender-balance and diversity, the full programming lineup will feature talks and panels spanning through independent music advocacy, digital marketing, exporting, what a return to touring will look like, neighboring rights, streaming, and more. Among this year's topics are:

NFTs: What are they? How do they work? The discussion will also look at how they intersect with music, potential copyright issues, and questions about sustainability.

Exclusive Workshops: From Amazon Music, Bandcamp, Dolby Atmos, Qobuz, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube Music and more.

International Market Series: A2IM is thrilled to have experts share their knowledge on the music markets in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Turkey, and the Netherlands.

Is That Catalog for Sale?: A timely panel on the ins and outs of music catalogue finance.

Elevating Underrepresented Voices: Learn from some of the most actionable members of the independent music community about how different platforms and unique ways of thinking can help to bring visibility to more artists from marginalized communities.

Have You Met BIMA?: Launched in 2021, The Black Independent Music Accelerator (BIMA) is a fellowship initiative created by A2IM with the intention of fighting for social and economic justice within the music industry by amplifying independent, Black-owned music businesses. Join A2IM at this panel to meet a select group of BIMA fellows.

What Does The New Work Environment Look Like?: How will companies adapt to new environments? A2IM investigates the topic from both a business as well as psychological perspective.

For the full slate of 2021 A2IM Indie Week programming, visit https://a2im.org/indieweek/.

"For the second year in a row, A2IM Indie Week will be showcased as a virtual event, to ensure everyone's safety and to accommodate our many international participants," said Richard James Burgess, CEO, A2IM. "We're very excited to announce this year's diverse lineup of trailblazers, experts, and luminaries across the independent music, tech, and business worlds."

A2IM Indie Week, which typically takes place in New York City, has historically drawn an attendance of over 1,200 participants from more than 30 countries to its dynamic keynotes, illuminating panels, and exclusive networking sessions. In 2020 amidst the COVID-19 lockdowns, the conference blazed trails and drew wide acclaim as the first major music conference to go fully virtual, with attendees networking and connecting in a seamless and innovative virtual environment. On its final day, A2IM Indie Week 2021 will culminate in the 10th Anniversary A2IM Libera Awards.

As previously announced, A2IM Indie Week 2021 will feature the following keynote speakers: Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, the U.S. Representative for New York's 8th Congressional district since 2013 and co-author of the Music Modernization Act, a groundbreaking piece of copyright and royalty legislation that was signed into law in 2019; Marian Lee Dicus and Jeremy Erlich, Vice Presidents & Co-Heads of Music at Spotify and leaders of a global team focused on delivering a best-in-class experience for both Spotify users as well as artists and their teams; and Pat Chin, co-founder of VP Records, a 60-year veteran and female trailblazer in the music industry, and the first woman to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the A2IM Libera Awards.

Presented by SoundExchange, A2IM Indie Week 2021 is also sponsored by Amazon Music, Bandcamp, DISCO, Dolby Atmos, Ingrooves, Merlin, Musiio, OpenPlay Qobuz, Reeperbahn Festival, Songtrust, Soundcloud, Spotify, Sync Floor, The Control Room, Vydia and YouTube Music. Indie Week 2021 is produced by Marauder.

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