A tech and business hub, networking gold mine, and full-fledged musical celebration, Midem has been at the forefront of innovation in the music industry for the better part of a century now. Standing in the present, consider now how music publishing and the record business actually work. Consider the art of music and the artists and how they make their music in this technological and big data driven era. The annual conferencing event tradeshow and music festival continues to give the most relevant names in the music business every excuse to spend June on the immaculate coast of Cannes, France. Insightful panel discussions and keynotes fill out each day, while beachfront concerts featuring inspiring global talent cap off each night! As summer rolls in, and we hype ourselves up for another promising Midem in June, SynchAudio takes a look at some of the best midem 2018 has to offer.
Midem 2018’s lineup of industry talks delves into the music business’s challenges of today and opportunities of tomorrow. Experts in the industry are slated to discuss everything from streaming, sync, and brand marketing, to talent development, touring, and music legalities. The talks, taking place at the elaborate Palais des Festivals, will be split up into five primary conferencing rooms, with each room intended to focus on specific themes within the music industry. Here are a few things to look out for:
KEYNOTES
Year after year, Midem has built on its reputation of presenting visionary keynote speakers that offer a view from the top of their respective industries. Though past years have set the bar high, 2018’s cast of keynotes look more than set to impress on Midem’s main stage.
MIDEM AFRICAN FORUM
Midem’s Worldwide Village puts an emphasis on budding music markets around the globe, and the opportunities that they present. This year puts a heavy focus on the promising prospects out of Africa, as the breakthroughs in tech, high youth rates, and wealth that exist in African markets have paved way for the country to build a thriving music industry. Panels will delve into Africa’s mobile-first consumption model, the opportunities for African artists to collaborate across international borders, entrepreneurship in Africa, and Africa as a new music frontier.
SYNC
Alright, so we might be a little biased on this one, but after SynchAudio’s successful Sync and Brands Day at Midem 2017, Midem is set to return with two days worth of Sync and Film/TV Music programming that is difficult to ignore. A stacked cast of music supervisors and sync pros will discuss topics including: challenges that new media presents to the sync industry, music supervision in Europe, a focused look at sync in advertising, and general advice for getting an artist synced.
LIVE SUMMIT
Midem’s first Live Summit is a much-welcomed addition to the event’s programming. The Live Summit looks to be an incredible resource for navigating the latest trends in live music. Guests will hear from bookers, promoters, festival directors, and other high-end influencers in the business of live music internationally. Discussions are slated to cover: forecasting live global talent, emerging tech in ticketing, concert recommendations and gig interactions, the international festival scene, and global touring opportunities.
MIDEMLAB
It’s no secret that tech dominates the music industry, as every new challenge the music business faces becomes an opportunity for startups to sell a solution. That’s where Midemlab comes in. Midemlab is an innovative competition that allows startups to pitch their ideas to a jury of 22 industry professionals. The contest’s 20 finalists will square off at Midem, facing the opportunity to put their respective businesses on the music industry’s map in a major way. The ideas being pitched are spilt into the categories of experiential technologies, marketing & data/analytics, music discovery & distribution, and music creation & education. Midemlab always provides an intriguing look into what kind of technology might disrupt the music industry in the near future, and this year looks to be no different.
⇒LIVE MUSIC
While it looks easy enough to get absorbed in the steady stream of business and tech programming throughout Midem’s days, the evenings remind us what the event is really all about: the music. Midem’s live music showcases along the French Riviera are a music lover’s dream. Kicking back on the beaches of Cannes with a drink in hand, taking in the latest sounds live, it’s the perfect way to cap off a full workday at Midem. If you’re looking to discover something new, Midem’s Artist Accelerator concert series offers a little something for everyone and from everywhere. The event features 11 emerging acts from all around the globe, handpicked out of over 600 submissions. Artists seem to have a way of breaking out after performing on Midem’s main stage, while audiences get a little glimpse of music’s future. There’s something special about witnessing an artist right on the cusp of breaking out, and Midem has a way of presenting the experience so it's unforgettable for everybody involved.
Get a start on Midem 2018’s nights by checking out this year’s Artist Accelerator finalists for yourself:
AKA (South Africa) | Hip-Hop/Rap
AGAR AGAR (France) | Pop
BEZ (Nigeria) | Alternative/World
BIGSTAR (South Africa) | Rap
CLIENT LIAISON (Australia) | Pop
DAMIAN LYNN (Switzerland) | Singer-Songwriter
DYLAN WILLIAMS (United Kingdom) | Rap
HAUTE (France) | R&B/Neo-Soul
HYPHEN HYPHEN (France) | Pop
LA DAME BLANCHE (Cuba) | Hip-Hop
T$HEGO (South Africa) | Hip-Hop
Midem will take place from June 5th-8th, 2018 at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. 
SynchAudio is a Toronto boutique music placement company that provides one-stop, full service licensing representation for the use of music and media in all screen based storytelling platforms. Follow @SynchAudio for more great music industry news or log on to synchaudio.com to preview our extensive catalogue.
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