This year’s fifth annual EDMbiz Conference & Expo marks the most significant to date with leaders in the industry coming together to tackle important topics including drugs in dance music, gender equality in the industry and market trends for dance music.
Taking place at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, highlights from Day One of the conference included:
- “Drugs in Dance Music: It’s Time for the Industry to Act” panelists came together to share their personal stories of loss, recovery and hope. A common theme throughout was the importance of peer-to-peer education and personal responsibility as a way to combat the problem head on.
- Matthew Yazge, Director of Brand Partnerships for Music and Film at Nielsen, presented a new report covering the spending habits of dance music fans. According to his study, dance music fans spend a lot more than other music fans, especially on live events – 35% more on music, 68% more likely to attend music festivals and 21% more likely attend concerts. According to Yazge, “The (music) industry is lagging behind dance music. With dance music focusing on a younger audience, dance music is really taking a lead.”
- Reflecting on why gender barriers exist in dance music in particular, “Beyond the Boys’ Club” panelists encouraged their peers to educate one another and help put a stop to the oppression at the root of the problem.
- At “After the Drop: the State of Dance Music,” panelists discussed the debate around the proverbial “dance music bubble” and evaluated what steps the industry must take in order to rise to the challenge of changing the status quo and innovating with integrity.
- During the entrepreneurship panel, social media influencer Amy Pham talked about the value of persistence, passion and authenticity.
Day Two starts today, Thursday, June 16th at 11:00 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door. For more information, please visit www.EDMBiz.com.
