MOST WANTED: MUSIC 2020 – The Hybrid Music Conference

From November 3 to 5, Most Wanted: Music (MW:M) will take place as a three-day hybrid music conference both online and offline. MW:M20 will kick-off with the listen to berlin: Awards on November 3, and will close on November 5 with the showcase format MW:M Live, that was initiated last year. The conference will be broadcast on several virtual channels and is themed around Togetherness, one of the key concerns of the Coronavirus crisis. The international music industry will be brought together in interactive talks, digital and analogue workshops, performances, interviews, and chats – as well as virtual and real networking opportunities.

MW:M20: Distant Socialising, not Social Distancing

Berlin, 19^th of May 2020 – The Coronavirus crisis initiated a lot of conversation about the collective feeling of “us”. While we’re physically distanced from each other, we simultaneously feel a strong community spirit due to an unexpected increase in digital communication. We’re experiencing Distant Socialising rather than Social Distancing. Charity organizations are calling for more solidarity, and brands are using the trend for their marketing. In the creative industries, collaborative work using digital tools has long been the norm, but now these tools are being used in new applications. Virtual events bring artists and fans together, and songs are being created in online songwriting camps or digital jam sessions. The sudden “resetting” of our society, combined with the possibilities offered by new technology, means that we can rearrange societal processes and structures. For the music industry, the crisis can be an opportunity for us to reshape, rethink, and redefine our future together. All over the world, campaigns are pushing for more diversity, new copyright laws, a fair distribution of streaming revenues, and for a climate-friendly economy that’s not purely focused on growth. This new form of Togetherness is the core theme of Most Wanted: Music 2020.

“We face a challenge of historic proportions. The existence of many companies, individuals and artists are under acute economic threat. Against this backdrop, MW:M20 will turn its attention to the question of how we can lay the foundations of a new economic future for the industry. To do that, it is necessary to look to the opportunities that the situation offers. We want to present the most innovative ideas, technologies and business models, and to search for new artistic, entrepreneurial and societal solutions for the music of the future”, said Olaf Kretschmar, Chairman of the Berlin Music Commission.

MW:M20 in a new format: onsite and online

MW:M20 takes place online, and onsite in Berlin, in compliance with all distancing and hygiene legislation. The programme includes interactive talks and workshops, interviews with artists and experts from all over the world, experimental networking formats, live performances and a virtual after-show party.

MW:M20 announces first speakers and topics

Re-shaping the music industry: Cherie Hu, music journalist and award-winning founder of the “Water & Music” podcast, discusses new digital meeting places for artists and fans and how to monetize them. Samira Leitmannstetter, VP of Sony Music’s creative powerhouse, Bold Collective, talks about the increasingly important role of TikTok and other social video platforms to elevate artist careers, and Dr. Stefan Brandt, Director of Berlin’s visionary Futurium, discusses social change and the social impact of technologies.

Re-thinking fair pay in streaming: Dr. Olaf Meinking, initiator of the “Fair Share” campaign, will highlight the issues of transparency, fair payment, and manipulation in music streaming.

Re-defining the role of the artist: In Berlin, Techno is as essential as the air we breathe. MW:M announces two genuine techno innovators on our physical and virtual stages: musician and performance artist Lady Starlight, who has toured the world with Lady Gaga, and the Godfather of Techno Juan Atkins, who will both give insights on their impressive careers, and explain how artists can take advantage of the music industry’s ever-evolving nature.

Also returning is the showcase event MW:M Live and the listen to berlin: Awards, and we welcome back the MW:M Satellite Events, which include a variety of decentralized workshops, office hours, and receptions. The first partners contributing to the comprehensive conference program are Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI), Verband unabhängiger Musikunternehmer*innen (VUT), Clubcommission Berlin, and Association for Electronic Music (AFEM).

Stephan Hengst, Director of Most Wanted: Music: “We’re transmitting as much of our diverse, high-quality program and networking opportunities online as possible, without losing the high degree of interaction and unity between speakers, guests, and artists – something that has always been particularly appreciated by MW:M’s participants.”

Call for participation & modular ticket system

Do you have an idea for an inspiring talk, creative workshop, or an innovative, digital networking session? Do you want to partner with us as a sponsor or host your own satellite event? We’d love to hear from you! Apply here until June 15.

There will be a modular ticket system for individual program elements. As always, members of the Berlin Music Commission will pay a reduced price. Not a member yet? Join now!

Most Wanted: Music is run by the Berlin Music Commission – the music business network of Berlin on behalf of the Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises.