For three days in November, Berlin’s Kulturbrauerei became the international hub for the music industry: over 170 speakers, around 100 sessions, workshops, and networking events, and delegates from 28 countries came together for MW:M25 to explore the transformation of the music ecosystem. With additional programme highlights streamed online, MW:M and LISTEN TO BERLIN reached around 4,000 people on site and digitally.
Under the motto “Transform!”, MW:M25 focused on change as an active process – creative, courageous, and collective. The programme covered a wide range of topics: AI & Music, diversity, mental health, sustainable business models, and new digital production and distribution pathways. Across the four core themes – Business, Social Impact, NextTech, and Scene – discussions highlighted how the music industry is actively redefining itself.
Olaf Kretschmar, CEO and Chairperson of the Berlin Music Commission, summed it up:
“MW:M25 and LISTEN TO BERLIN have shown how the transformation of the music ecosystem can succeed: not as a buzzword, but as a process that we design together with forward-thinking ideas and courage. The diversity of formats and perspectives – and especially the dialogue with the audience – make Berlin a laboratory where new ideas for music, business, and society emerge. With the LISTEN TO BERLIN: YOUTH Festival running alongside MW:M, we brought the perspectives of young people and emerging talent to the forefront, opening pathways into the industry and onto the stages.”
Interactive Formats and Participation
One of this year’s strongest guiding principles was to create formats that encouraged participation, dialogue, and shared authorship.
Lindi Delight, MW:M Head of Programming, reflected:
“What we achieved with Most Wanted: Music 2025 goes beyond numbers, though I’m incredibly proud that we hit 55% women speakers and around 35% speakers of color. This diversity wasn’t just visible on stage, it shaped every conversation we had. We deliberately chose formats like fishbowls and interactive workshops because transformation doesn’t only happen when we talk at people from a stage, it happens when everyone in the room becomes part of the conversation. When you create space for that exchange, that’s when things actually start to change. Seeing our community come together as architects of our industry’s future rather than just observers is what made this year special. TRANSFORM wasn’t just our theme. It became our shared commitment to create real, lasting impact in how we work, collaborate, and build what comes next.”
Highlights included Patrick Mushatsi-Kareba’s keynote “Change Will Come, Again and Again”, panels on diversity in live music, and sustainability in the creative industries. Fishbowls, roundtables, workshops, and open spaces ensured that participants were not just listeners, but active contributors shaping the discussions.
The MW:M Satellites, MW:M Research, the MW:M Live Artist Academy, and the Hybrid Music Lab expanded the programme beyond the main conference, connecting research and practice, science and scene, city and subculture. The youth festival LISTEN TO BERLIN: YOUTH offered practical experience, perspectives, and showcases for the next generation, welcoming over 800 young people aged 14–25.
MW:M LIVE – Berlin’s Music Scene on Stage
MW:M LIVE transformed the Kulturbrauerei into a vibrant four-stage festival across PANDA, Maschinenhaus, Kesselhaus, and Frannz Club. With full houses every night, the showcase festival presented 26 acts from Berlin, Germany, and across Europe, celebrating the city’s creative energy.
Unforgettable highlights included Berlin-based singer-songwriter Ellice, the genre-defying Haus F, the dynamic duo Tape Head & Noni, the exceptional Charlotte Colace, and the electrifying Indome. Each delivered captivating performances that resonated long after the night ended. MW:M LIVE once again demonstrated how Berlin connects emerging talent, established acts, and innovative live formats into one electrifying festival experience.
You can watch the full-length recordings of convention sessions and live acts from our two main stages here.
LISTEN TO BERLIN: AWARDS – Celebrating 10 Years of Vision and Change
The 10th edition of the LISTEN TO BERLIN: AWARDS on 11 November 2025 celebrated artists, collectives, and projects shaping Berlin’s music scene with vision, innovation, and social commitment. The Kesselhaus brought together creatives, industry representatives, policymakers, and media to honour the diversity and resilience of the local music ecosystem.
2025 Award Winners:
- Schokoladen e.V. – Rolf-Budde Award for Integrity in the Music Industry
- The Changency – Award for Future-Oriented Business Practices
- RAPK – Audience Award for Best Song by a Berlin Act for Scherbenland
- Charlotte Colace – Artist Award
- Taubenraucher – Youth Award
- King Josephine – Favorite Artist of the Past Decade
- Jens Balzer – Award for Journalistic Excellence
The awards underlined a clear message: integrity, sustainability, diversity, and networking are key drivers for the future of the music industry.
Photo Highlights
Relive the most memorable moments of MW:M25 and MW:M LIVE in our exclusive photo galleries – from inspiring sessions and networking moments to the energy on stage during live performances.
Save the Date for MW:M26
Most Wanted: Music will return from 3–5 November 2026 for three days of inspiring sessions, live concerts, and unique networking opportunities.