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International Music Summit (IMS) 2025 by ClaireB

With the theme of Intergenerational Exchange, this year’s 3-day Summit was held from April 23-25, returning once again to the neighbouring Mondrian and Hyde hotels in Cala Llonga. Now in its 16th year, it was the biggest so far, with 1,700+ delegates and more speakers than ever.

That said, the venue was large, spread over 2 hotels which have 2 shared outside pool areas. There was a summit stage inside and one outside above the pool area, plus separate areas for The Brave Space where everyone was welcomed without prejudice and the The Art of Areté space inside by The Bungalow pool which hosted a lot of sessions reflecting their platform of well-being and self-realisation. Plus there was a tech area, a Beatport Base, a Deezer Lounge (with hammocks), an area outside the Indoor Stage with food and drink stands and a large screen where the indoor sessions were broadcast. Inside the Hyde Hotel reception, local radio stations broadcasted during the Summit and there were various live DJ sets by the pool throughout. So, lots going on simultaneously and throughout the 3 days, making it impossible to see and do everything but what follows is a snapshot of the event. 

Hyde/Mondrian

Day 1

On Day 1 after swift introductions from IMS co-host Jaguar, with IMS Founders Ben Turner and Danny Whittle, we had the Keynote Introduction on Intergenerational Exchange from visionary label boss and author Elijah, which introduced and set the tone for the next 3 days of the Summit. His colourful yellow slides to accompany his eloquent and engaging delivery, was a great scene setter and provided lots of food for thought to start us off.

Elijah

The next session was the IMS Business Report 2025, presented by MIDiA Research’s Mark Mulligan and which is traditionally delivered at the beginning of the Summit and provides an important overview of where the global electronic music industry is currently and where it is going. The bottom line is that the global electronic music industry has seen solid growth - the industry grew by 6% in 2023 to reach a $12.9 billion global valuation in 2024. 

Key takeaways:

We are living in uncertain times and import tariffs with affect people’s ability to spend. Overall there’s a mix of good and bad news.

“2024 was another good year for the global music business, but growth is slowing as streaming matures and live settles into post-boom organic growth rates.”

“A new generation is driving change and resurgence among scenes and genres, with Drum & Bass, Jungle, UKG (and even Trance) on the rise.”

In Ibiza clubs, revenues are up but ticket sales are down, begging the question of whether ticket prices are too high? But, Ibiza is still THE place for summer clubbing.

Afro House is on the rise.

At festivals, electronic artists continue to grow. But kids are on Tik Tok and not going to festivals.

“A new, younger generation of fans and creators are starting to reshape electronic music culture, often claiming long-established genres [Drum & Bass, Jungle, Trance] for themselves, reimagining them and forging their own scenes.”

After the Business Report presentation and it’s subsequent analysis, the parallel sessions in the other spaces got underway.

The official IMS daily recaps were so comprehensive and spot-on that I’m not going to attempt to write my own as I don’t think I can improve on them, so I’m going to provide the links to each of them.

See IMS Day 1 Highlights 

There’s also a link in there to download the 35 page IMS Business Report if you’re interested in reading it - it’s slide-based with lots of charts and bullet points so it doesn’t take long to go through it, plus it’s very interesting reading. 

I particularly enjoyed the panel Ibiza Queens: Behind the Scenes of Ibiza Nightlife, hosted by Lady of the House, praising many of the influential women in the industry on the island, often working hard behind the scenes in a predominantly male-dominated industry. 

I also enjoyed the Keynote Interview between Pete Tong and Martin Ferrer Vega who runs Amnesia and rarely gives interviews, who interestingly was wearing a Joy Division T-shirt. As well as talking about the difficult relationship he has with his father (who he know rents Amnesia from) he talked about Amnesia’s strategy this year to deal with what Pete referred to as “the competition over the road”, meaning the impending opening of UNVRSE. Essentially he said that we don’t follow the rules, we’re a bit eclectic and we put on what we think people will like, but sometimes they don’t. A refreshing approach from what is one of the last Spanish independent clubs on the island, which has to contend with big powerful companies with a lot of money to spend on big name DJs. 

Martin Ferrer Vega/Pete Tong

The last session of the day for me was the RA Exchange with Maria May, recipient of the IMS Legends Award in 2025 - the first female recipient and also the youngest person to receive it. She dedicated the award to all the women I’ve worked with and it was very open and inspirational in equal measures, concluding with things such as trust your instincts, make a difference, be kind, be nice to people and see how you can affect change in your inner and wider circles, like ripples from a pebble thrown into water.

Maria May

Day 1 ended on a very positive note followed by networking drinks around the pool provided by Ultra Records.

Day 2

See IMS Day 2 Highlights 

Most of my day was spent at the Outdoor Stage and popping into the The Art of Areté space because it was peaceful and tranquil and I found many of the talks were interesting.

Art of Areté

I caught a bit of the discussion on Mashups, Samples, Royalties and Rights: Navigating the Electronic Music Landscape, with Jules O’Riordan AKA DJ Judge Jules and Niclas Molinder and how creators need to understand the complex web of rights and royalties to ensure their contributions are properly recognised and remunerated.

I really enjoyed the Intergenerational Exchange between promoters Juan Arnau Jr (Elrow / Monegros Desert Festival) and Pino Sagliocco (Live Nation Spain). Pino was very entertaining, talking about coming to Ibiza in the late 70s and experiencing the spirit and energy of the island, especially at KU and through his friendship with Tony Pike. Already a promotor, he saw an opportunity and started bringing live acts to KU, going on to taking Queen to Spain amongst other things. Juan on the other hand learnt a lot from his father and grandfather, but both of them, although operating in different times and in different genres said that you had to do what you do with passion and keep evolving with the times.

Pino Sagliocco/Juan Arnau Jr

Over in the Brave Space there was a discussion From Party to Purpose, Music for Environmental Action in Ibiza and Beyond. This session launched EarthPercent Ibiza, the first local chapter of the global climate charity co-founded by Brian Eno, promoting a model where music gives back to the land and community, anchored around purpose, and how grassroots action can drive environmental change on the island and beyond. It was hoped that Ibiza can become a global example of how to make such changes and protect the environment.

Then it was back to the Outdoor Stage for Pete Tong’s keynote interview with Benji B, Radio 1 DJ, artist, curator and broadcaster. It was interesting to find out about his creative journey from age 16 and how Giles Peterson was a mentor and a huge influence. He also acknowledged that Pete Tong and his generation broke down the doors for us to be become DJs. He also talked about the importance of being authentic and doing what we love.

BenjiB/Pete Tong

The final session in the Indoor Stage was an Intergenerational Exchange between female artists DJ Flight and Sherelle which was really interesting. Although of different generations, they’ve both worked hard to get where they are today with DJ Flight paving the way for younger artists like Sherelle to get their breaks. But both artists were keen to support others coming through. DJ Flight closed by saying “we’ve done what we did so the next generations could run and then fly” acknowledging that all her helpers along the way have been women. It was an inspirational end to Day 2.

Sherelle/DJ Flight

Day 3

See IMS Day 3 Highlights 

By Day 3 you’re starting to feel a bit tired and overwhelmed and you’re trying to process all the things you’ve been hearing over the last 2 days, so there’s a tendency to ease off the schedule a bit. 

From the big screen outside, I caught a bit of the 2nd of the two sessions on Four Decades of Jungle & Drum ’N’ Bass - The MCs to the OGs to the New Breed. These genres have never gone away but are seeing new growth and interest from younger generations. With a broad demographic that spans 18-34 year olds, plus original fans now in their 30s, 40s and 50s it’s truly intergenerational and still bringing in new fans.

The MCs to the OGs

Next I made my way down to The Brave Space to hear the discussion on Femme Queer Resistance in Dance Music. Each of the panelists had forged their various career paths in a male dominated industry. There was agreement that they were supporting each other but that they also needed support from the wider community, which was especially true for trans women. Education was important, as was mentoring to share experiences with others.

Femme Queer Resistance

And then at the end of it all, it’s time to try and sum up the main messages and what you will take away from it. Maybe it’s a reflection of the sessions I chose to go to, but this year there seemed to be less talk about ‘business’. The intergenerational theme came through strongly and in a lot of the sessions I went to people were genuinely talking about respect for each other and how they were learning from each other reciprocally. There was a lot of talk about being supportive and suggestions that education and mentoring others were important ways forward. Being authentic and being passionate about what you do also came up a lot across the sessions.

Overall it was a very stimulating and thought-provoking event. We were also blessed by the gorgeous sunny and warm weather throughout, which was perfect for delegates to meet, relax in between sessions and soak up the beauty of the setting, perched above the bay and beach of Cala Llonga down below. It would have been a very different experience if we had the stormy weather we had had just a week before. The cherry on the cake of a very enjoyable 3 days with plenty of food for thought regardless of your area of interest.

Dalt Vila party

The final event of IMS is the party with DJs playing in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Dalt Vila, overlooking historic Ibiza Old Town and the Mediterranean and the port below.

This was this year’s lineup:

Luxi Villar

Girls Don’t Sync

TSHA B2B Bradley Zero

Pete Tong B2B Deer Jade

Korolova

Hugel B2B Major League DJZ

Paco Osuna.

Starting at 5pm, the DJs changed over on the hour and as evening turned into night, the sun set behind the hills, the lights on the cathedral and surroundings came on, the music and the light show from the stage gathered pace, reaching a crescendo for the techno of Paco Osuna. The setting was stunning and IMS is currently the only organisation allowed to host events like this in that space, so it’s a very special spectacle and the music and the atmosphere this year was fantastic and a great finale to the Summit.

International Music Summit is at: https://www.internationalmusicsummit.com

Dalt Vila

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IMS Ibiza 2025 to spotlight and celebrate four decades of jungle & drum´n´bass

IMS Ibiza, the thought-leadership platform at the intersection of culture, education, industry, and wellness in electronic music, today reveals an unprecedented focus on Drum ‘n’ Bass and Jungle for the sixteenth edition of the summit, celebrating four decades of the genre and its profound cultural impact as both a movement and a community, including an unmissable event at the intimate venue, Akasha Ibiza.  

The theme of IMS Ibiza 2025 is INTERGENERATIONAL EXCHANGE, deepening the connection between different generations of the electronic music community, from artists and industry leaders to entrepreneurs, pioneers, and visionary thinkers. The summit will unite seasoned experts and veterans with young innovators of today, fostering collaboration between generations and merging wisdom and perspective with bold and disruptive ideas. One of the most exciting, fresh artists on the scene, SHERELLE, will be in conversation with an original Jungle icon. Combining their visionary approaches to music and headliner-status, the pair will discuss the lasting impact of the history and the future of club culture through a Jungle and  Drum ‘n’ Bass lens.

Journeying through four ground-breaking decades of Drum ‘n’ Bass, from its humble jungle roots in the UK to its global influence today, FOUR DECADES OF JUNGLE & DRUM ‘N’ BASS: THE MCS TO THE OGS TO THE NEW BREED will explore the genre’s profound cultural impact as both a movement and a community rooted in British multiculturalism. Moderated by Silvia Montello (Voicebox Consulting/AFEM) the panel will feature DJ Krust (Wonder Palace Music/Full Cycle), jungle historian, lecturer and Digital 101 Recordings label manager Julia Toppin, Keir Tyrer (Shogun), and DJ/broadcasters Bailey and Charlie Tee.

“TOO MANY MAN, TOO MANY MANY MAN” - GENDER PARITY PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE will be a deep-dive discussion between DJs, MCs, promoters and industry figures on gender inclusion past, present and future, exploring how female talent from club and festival line-ups to production and labels has fared within the male dominated jungle and drum & bass scene across the years. From clubs and festival line-ups, production and label opportunities, the male gaze and domination of the scene, our panel brings a frank perspective on past and present challenges and initiatives to work towards greater parity for future generations of female talent. Featuring MC Chickaboo, Amy Jayne (LabelWorx), Sarah Cole (AEI), Nicola Whiskey Kicks (DJ/UKF), and moderator Julia Toppin.

FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL – THE INTERNATIONAL EVOLUTION OF A VERY BRITISH GENRE will look at how a distinctly unique genre, born from the urban streets of 90s Britain, travelled to the far-flung corners of the global dance scene, spawned new producer and DJ talent, and grew new audiences and communities world-wide. Featuring Maja Cicic (AEI), Chris Goss (Hospital Records/Hospitality), Charlotte Kain (Spotify), Duncan King (Skiddle), Ed Brew (Beatport), and moderated by Rufy Ghazi (Audience Strategies/ Fair Play/Indian dnb DJ) this discussion will explore the data on the global scene, bringing insights on both established and emerging markets, charting the evolution and trends across streaming and sales, fan communities, and the live landscape, exploring what’s hot, what’s growing, what the challenges are and what the future holds. 

40 YEARS OF JUNGLE AND DRUM ‘N’ BASS at Akasha Ibiza on Friday 25 April will present legends and trailblazers of the Jungle and Drum ‘n’ Bass scene, featuring in A-Z order Bailey, Charlie Tee, Krust, Lens, Mark System, Sherelle and is set to be hosted by MC Chickaboo.

Delegate Badges for IMS Ibiza are available to purchase now on the IMS website including concessions for Students, Under 27s, Ibiza Residents, and delegates using sustainable travel to arrive in Ibiza. Hotel accommodation at Mondrian Ibiza and Hyde Ibiza is also available to purchase, with a limited number of subsidised hotel rooms at Hyde Ibiza available for delegates who are eligible for Student or Under 27 badges, priced at €95 per person, per night, based on double occupancy. Contact info@internationalmusicsummit.com for more information.

To see the full list of confirmed IMS Ibiza speakers A-Z visit the IMS Ibiza website

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 IMS Dalt Vila lineup announced

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IMS 2024 exposé by ClaireB and Stephen Lutz

IMS, the 3-day International Music Summit returned to Ibiza again this year for its 15th time, moving to a new venue in Cala Llonga.

First Impressions From a First-time Attendee by Stephen Lutz

Logistics:

IMS Ibiza 2024 was held at the Mondrian and Hyde Hotels in Cala Llonga, a lovely community on the eastern side of the island. The hotels’ (indoor and outdoor spaces) offered multiple and creative environments for hosting this large conference-style event. There were plenty of staff, both hotel and event, available for questions and guidance to navigate the event. Checkin and registration were quick and efficient. Multiple, large, event navigation maps were placed throughout the property, along with floor guidance indicators in hallways and stairwells.

Industry Overview:

After the introductions, the first session was the presentation of the IMS Business Report, by Mark Mulligan of MIDIA Research, showing the state of the global music industry in 2023. The report shows that the global electronic music industry is currently worth $11.8 billion, an increase of 17% from 2022. Festivals and clubs continue to dominate revenues (nearly half of the industry total) but there was also strong growth in recordings and publishing.

A panel discussion involving industry leaders followed, moderated by Katie Bain of Billboard. Three points jumped out as notable:

1) the industry trends are no longer footnoted as ‘post pandemic’, meaning the large expansion trends post lockdowns have returned to more normal, predictable to some degree, patterns

2) music markets continue to grow beyond primarily ‘western’ cultures, most notably in the African Continent;

3) ‘Fandom’ trends appear to be returning with ‘live music’ events showing strong growth trends. Much discussion could be heard throughout the event about the need to not out-price the younger generations. In addition, concern was noted regarding the decrease of ‘smaller’ venues for starting artists to launch their careers post pandemic. An example was given that 20% of the smaller venues in the UK no longer exist post pandemic.

A copy of the IMS Business Report can be downloaded from here: https://www.internationalmusicsummit.com/business-report

Overall ‘First Impressions’ : 

As a first-time attendee and observer, I was genuinely impressed with the ‘leadership’ of the industry to address the concerns of today’s environment. Examples of this are: 

1) need for parity - industry leaders are voicing and addressing the need for equal pay among all artists, regardless of age, gender, self-identified sex, sexual preference, nationality, etc; 

2) discrimination - the need for artists to have equal access to venues and events regardless of age, gender, self-identified sex, sexual preference, nationality, etc; 

3) mental and physical health needs and support - this year’s IMS theme was ‘Rebuilding our Community’. Breakout sessions included addressing the mental and physical health needs of artists. Areas of discussion included:

non-alcoholic alternatives and support

physical relaxation and recovery needs and practices

diversity, equality, and inclusion of ‘safe spaces’ where persons within the music industry are encouraged to congregate with open minds to be creative, discuss challenges, accept one another without judgement, etc. - two areas within the host resorts were fully designated to this concern and provided the spaces for this; 

4) artist's concerns and navigation within a growingly divided and geopolitical environment, cancel culture, and social media challenges.

My IMS by ClaireB

I’ve been a regular attendee of IMS over the last few years, and I know from experience that there’s a huge, parallel programme over the 3 days, making it impossible to attend, let alone summarise, all of the sessions and activities on offer, so here is a brief summary of The Summit from my point of view and the things that interested me.

After listening to the IMS Business Report and its analysis which is vital to understanding the industry, I had a break outside for some lunch and then headed to the more informal Brave Space, an inclusive space provided by HE.SHE.THEY for the Book Club reading by music producer/writer Richard Norris of his recent book ‘Strange Things Are Happening: Adventures in Music’.

Having collaborated with lots of people over the years, including Dave Ball from Soft Cell in 90s electronic dance group The Grid, Genesis P-Orridge and Psychic TV, Joe Strummer and many more, he told lots of humorous anecdotes and read several excerpts from his book, including the experience of first going to legendary London club Shoom. His book is sure to be a good read.

As an Ibiza resident I’m understandably interested in what happens on the island and what those with businesses here are planning for the future. So the two sessions involving Ibiza businessmen and business employees were on my agenda, and some useful insights were gained.

Pete Tong interviewed Abel Matutes Prat, clearly a very shrewd businessman and part of the powerful Matutes family, who own the Palladium hotel chain, Ushuaïa and Hï and the former Ku/Privilege nightclub (amongst others). But as someone who was born in Ibiza and is still a resident of the island, as well as expanding his business empire, he does understand the issues this little island, of which the main industry is tourism, faces, which was good to know. Pete Tong did a good job to try and ask some pertinent questions about future plans, but he was cleverly cagey and didn’t give too much away. However, these are some of the things he did say. Key takeaways from Abel Matutes Prats:

Do you think there should be more beach clubs? Yes - it has to be regulated but it’s possible to do.

Is Ibiza going to become unaffordable in the future? There’s a lot of things that we have to do. It’s difficult to get staff because of the accommodation problems (shortage of affordable places). His company is building houses for the staff (because they need to, although he would prefer to be able to sell them). They’re trying to advance the season so they can get the best staff before other businesses. It’s important that it stays affordable for young people. “The clubs would be boring if they were full of rich people [only]”. 

Having “everything 5 star would not be good for the island”. However their new developments/brands are going up-market. He wants to bring their ‘Only You’ brand to Ibiza, which specialises in luxury/modern hotels.

On the opening of the former Ku/Privilege Club in Ibiza which his group owns, he said he can’t say much. But he did say that it will open next season (in 2025). He said it’s going to be big and we’re going to try and make it the best club in the world. We’re “trying to set the bar a bit higher than we’ve done in the past”.

On future developments, the aim now is to develop the Ushuaïa brand internationally.

On the sustainability of the island he said that there are sustainability initiatives within the company, such as using green electricity. Plus one of the results of going upmarket means that they decrease the number of rooms they have, so the occupancy rate goes down, so less people are using the available resources (the supply of water is an island issue).

When asked is there something you would like to change, he talked at length about the politics on the island, that there should be a long-term plan between the two main political parties, focusing on brand Ibiza and where we want to go. There isn’t a plan and they use tourism as a way to make politics, which is dangerous.

Does Ibiza need a bigger season or does it need a rest from the summer craziness? He said he would be in favour of a longer season in Ibiza and would keep the hotels open all year round.

What would you like to be your legacy? “I want to leave a better island than the one I saw when I was a kid”.

Day 1 ended as it usually does with networking over complimentary poolside drinks and canapés, hosted by Ultra Records, giving people a chance to meet and chat and enjoy a drink in the sunshine about the day’s proceedings or possibly do business.

This year’s recipients of the IMS Legends Award were Elrow and The Arnau Family, who were honoured during the Beatport Awards dinner at The House of WOW which took place in the evening.

Day 2 began for me with the panel session ‘Ask Me Anything: Ibiza - Class of 2024’. For anyone with an interest in Ibiza and thoughts on where the island’s day/night economy is heading, this is always a go to session. And with a panel consisting of Andy McKay (Ibiza Rocks Group), Danny Whittle (IMS & Club Chinois), Igor Marijuan (Akasha Ibiza & Ibiza Global Radio), Jessica Capaz McCarthy (The Pacha Group), Neil Evans (Amnesia) and Stephen Hunt (Ibiza Spotlight), moderated by Grego O'Halloran (DC10 & Unum Festival), with the exception of representation from Ushuaïa and Hï, most of the big players on the island’s club scene were involved. 

Some interesting takeaways:

Jessica Capaz McCarthy (The Pacha Group). The new owners are very happy. We’re pretty much carrying on this year with what we were doing last year. We’re working with and strengthening the brand and growing internationally, like the opening in Dubai.

Andy McKay (Ibiza Rocks Group). He is passionate about keeping the island young, and this is the focus of Ibiza Rocks. With Pikes, they’re trying to keep the magic alive. He said of 528 in Benimussa, it’s the biggest site on the island and they’ve got it for 18 years. He sees it as being culturally important and it’s important to have a venue of that scale in the portfolio, but it’s not an Ushuaïa. “I’ve got a passion for San Antonio and think it will become the centre of gravity again for the island in the way it once was”. Essentially he says, “it’s all about chasing energy, the money looks after itself if you follow the energy”.

Igor Marijuan said of relatively newcomer Akasha (at Las Dalias in San Carlos) that because of its location it’s very different and we try to be different and we’re small. DJs want to bring back the connection with the crowd and they can do that there. That’s one of their philosophies along with a more mellow sound (with exceptions). One of these is Sven Väth’s nights - he wants musical freedom and that crowd connection.

Danny Whittle (Club Chinois & IMS). Chinois is the newest club on the scene. He said “trying to open a new venue in Ibiza you feel like Nemo surrounded by great white sharks”. It’s a smaller and more intimate venue with a 1,500 capacity. We know what we’re doing but it’s not easy. Because of the expense of the island a lot of people are now are coming for weekends and for less time and because of this they’ve decided to close two days a week. We’ll try out new nights with DJ residencies and bring in more guests.

Stephen Hunt (Ibiza Spotlight). We get a lot of first-timers asking logistical questions. “Ibiza as a brand is a monster”.

On the impact that the reform/reopening of KU/Privilege will have, Andy McKay said I love the building and happy that it’s coming back. He’s concerned about the potential monopoly and exclusivity of artists that the owners will have (the Matutes Group also own Ushuaïa and Hï). There’s a very strong Yang but more Ying is needed. Danny Whittle said that Ibiza needs to evolve and that it will raise the bar and keep us on our toes.

On clubs being able to open when they want and the competition between daytime and nighttime venues, Neil Evans said that different laws from different Ajuntamentos (local councils) causes problems across the island. Jessica Capaz McCarthy believes that Ushuaïa and its daytime parties has threatened nighttime clubs. Andy McKay said that he had the original day club with Ibiza Rocks and that we need to live in harmony. The problem is not Matutes or Yann (the programmer of Ushuaïa and Hï), it’s our problem - we need to up our game. Ushuaïa is providing what people want. But he is not keen on there being too much power in one hand and sees the biggest problem as the price of standard tickets in their venues.

Grego O’Halloran sees the biggest problem as the price of hotels. Andy says we need to look after the eco system of the island, which includes everything. Excluding the 20 year olds cuts out the creativity. On what we can do, Andy believes that he’s doing it with Ibiza Rocks. “40 somethings have twice the spending power but half the energy of 20 somethings”. Neil said that at Amnesia we’re trying to appeal to a younger and mainly UK crowd - bring in new talent and a younger crowd. There was also a feeling that the Ibiza government doesn’t support the clubs/dance music. We need to look at what other places do, but they should take more responsibility to promote this aspect of the island. Danny said our prices are reasonable - 40 euros a ticket. He sees the price of accommodation as one of the big problems. San Antonio is the gateway to the island and if San An goes upmarket we’ll be in trouble. We need to keep that gateway open to youngsters coming to the island so they’ll keep coming back.

Grego asked is the clubbing season too long? Igor said no but there’s a big gap from May to July. Andy believes that richer venues should open in winter knowing that they won’t make so much money. We’re going to keep Pikes open this year, at least until Christmas with a smaller number of rooms and see how it goes. Danny says that Chinois is opening longer this year. But there’s lack of infrastructure to support a longer season. Andy said that we need to talk to the airlines - Ibiza goes from a village to a city seasonally but we don’t necessarily want it to be a city all year.

There’s plenty of food for thought there from some of the key players in the daytime/nighttime economy.

The discussion ’25 Years of Defected: Life After an Acquisition’ with Simon Dunmore (Defected Records) and Wez Saunders (Defected) led by Pete Tong was interesting. Simon’s advice to people starting out was to define what you want to do, make a plan and stick to the plan. Try to make a difference and carve out your own niche. Keep your integrity and don’t look at what other’s are doing. Go with what you’re passionate about and learn your craft. 

Being passionate about what you’re doing carried on through the next two sessions I went to.

First was ‘Southern Fried 500: Magic Carpet Ride’, in which Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim) and the team from Southern Fried Records recounted the history of the label as it approaches its 500th release. The 500th release will be ‘Role Model’ by Fatboy Slim, out in May. The team, who refer to themselves as a ‘family’ told how they have maintained longevity and told tales of the hits, misses, and some of the dramas along the way. The label was founded by Norman Cook, and Garry Blackburn in 1994 and was set up because Norman was making great tunes and they needed somewhere to put them out and to publish and market his and other artists’ releases that major labels wouldn’t deem commercial enough for mass release. They pressed low numbers and sold them from the back of a van, pressing more if they sold out. Initially there was no pressure to have a big hit - if you take the pressure away you can just have fun. Garry said we’re “not the most successful label on the planet but we’ve had the most fun” and fun was a word that came up time and time again during the session. Norman’s success gave them some money so they hired Katy Ellis from Ministry of Sound. They consider themselves to be an eclectic label, often with music that can’t be categorised. “It was a question of wether we believed in the music”. Garry spoke about one of their epic fails, which was putting a record out by Icelandic band Trebant who he describes as scary but exciting. It was a commercial failure but working with them was the best four weeks of my life, and said that we learn more from the failures. Releasing the Ashley Beedle’s remix of Elton John’s ‘Are You Ready for Love’ in 2003 gave them their only number one hit. Lessons they could pass on to others:

Nathan (A&R): “If you hear something with magic just go for it.” 

Katy: “Be nice to everybody, you never know when you’re going to meet them again.”

Garry: “Be genuine and authentic - if you believe in it, do it.”

Norman: The number one guiding principle is that music is the answer. “Do what you want and then work out how to make money from it.”

Obviously they were able to keep going because of the success of Norman’s records and their other hits subsidised the misses. But it was a session that was fun and funny in equal measures.

Next up was a keynote address ‘Tomorrowland: 20 Years of Transformation’ with founder Michiel Beers, who apparently rarely gives interviews. He wasn’t actually interviewed - he just sat on the stage and talked very candidly for 1.5 hours about how he and his brother started putting on parties in clubs as teenagers in Antwerp. He told the journey from these initial beginnings to the founding of Tomorrowland, which is now considered to be the world’s best music festival and how their business has expanded and grown with the growth of the festival. Amongst the successes and failures came the entrepreneurial challenges, several bankruptcies and the brothers having to buy back their brand (more than once) to be able to continue with their passion. Now Tomorrowland is 100% owned by the brothers with an in-house team of 12 people (working 1.5 years ahead), who do everything from the design of the stages to their creation, which obviously scales-up when it’s time to build everything onsite for the festival. They’re always thinking about the future and have expanded into offering travel packages and experiences, events in other parts of the world and into storytelling, with books and also films being planned. They have also created the Tomorrowland Foundation which supports children who don’t have opportunities, through the building of music and art schools in 34 developing countries. It was a heart-warming and inspirational story, showing that if you follow your passions, dreams and have perseverance you can achieve what you want and more.

Day 3 and the final day saw me hanging out for most of the time in the more informal and relaxed Brave Space for all my sessions. It began with an enlightening and feel-good session ‘Celebrating the Godfather of House: 10 Years of the Frankie Knuckles Foundation. Frederick Dunson and Maria May (who had been Frankie’s agent) talked about how they were keeping Frankie’s legacy intact after his untimely death in 2014. Or as they called it “how to carry on the gospel of Frankie”, a person they were obviously very fond of as they both had to hold back tears on a couple of occasions. With an advisory board, the Foundation is supporting initiatives and charities close to his heart, such as music in schools, AIDS research, LGBTQ youth homelessness, mental health, diabetes prevention and research, education and helping people to get into work amongst others. The Frankie Knuckles Collection is his 5,000+ record collection which is housed in the Stony Island Arts Bank in Chicago and has now been digitised so people can now fully interact with the collection. They believer that keeping his legacy alive is important in preserving the past so that his impact can contribute to the future, and people can be educated about the roots of house music. To this end they’re campaigning to preserve the building where The Warehouse club was and work out what they could do with it, possibly opening a museum of house music. Defected Records have recently released a Frankie Knuckles 10th anniversary compilation, of which profits go to the Foundation. The session ended with the revelation that Frankie wanted to have a retirement home for DJs in Ibiza - now that’s a great idea. More info about the Foundation is at: https://www.thefkfoundation.org

Next up were two back to back sessions featuring female DJ Smokin' Jo (Joanne Joseph) - first an interview for a podcast with Chloe Lula from Resident Advisor and then a Book Club Reading from her forthcoming book ‘You Don’t Need a Dick to DJ’. During the interview she talked candidly about her journey from a difficult childhood growing up in homes in London with her sister and taking drugs from a young age, facing discrimination as a black female and growing up without suitable role models. Doing some modelling for a while, at 23 she decided to take up DJing as she loved music and there were no women up there behind the decks. She bought some decks and a mixer and taught herself to DJ, landing a job at Trade after 8 months, where she said she pretty much learnt on the job. “I did it because I wanted to show that women could do it too”. But working for 30 years + in a male-dominated industry, in the UK, in Ibiza and internationally, she encountered much prejudice and a lot of highs and lows, including rehab for drugs and alcohol. She said that to be a woman in the music industry you have to be thick-skinned and very good at what you do to be taken seriously. She is still the only female DJ to have won DJ Magazine’s coveted DJ Of The Year Award, but they didn’t even put her on the cover! On her book, which will be published in May 2024, she says that the title says what’s in the tin. She’s written it because she feels that the time is right - she didn’t want to be left out of history, she has no surviving parents or any children to offend and the publisher was interested in putting her story out. She has however found it a cathartic experience and wanted to speak about things in a fun way, because it was fun. She read a few excerpts, including the experience of being invited to DJ in Dubai in 2006 at the launch of Palm Island, in what was a men only club. The resident (male) DJ practically forced her off the decks, despite being flown out to perform there. If you want to know the full (long) story you’ll have to read the book! Of DJing, she said it’s one of the best jobs in the world, but she’s now become a yoga teacher, saying it’s similar to DJing in that you’re giving out positivity and energy to people. 

Following on from Jo, was another Book Club Reading from DJ Paulette, whose book ‘Welcome to the Club: The Life and Lessons of a Black Woman DJ’ was published in January 2024. As a black female DJ she has encountered a lot of the same prejudices as Jo but approached writing her book from a different standpoint. She has always written (before DJing), a magazine, kept diaries and was wanting to write a book but couldn’t get publishers interested. Then miraculously she was approached to write a book, which was written during lockdown. Whilst it is a life story, she has told her story through other people, and to this end she interviewed a lot of people involved in and related to her journey. Part personal account, part call to arms, she exposes the exclusivity of the music industry while seeking to do justice to the often invisible women. She felt that only one story of history is given and that women had a lot to do with it. Her 30 plus year journey in DJing includes being one of Haçienda’s first female DJs, followed by the highs and lows of being successful in Paris, struggling to survive in Ibiza and then rejuvenating her career back in her home town of Manchester. She is now back on track, a perfect time to reflect and write about her career, and has had a great response all round from her book. She read some interesting and humorous extracts, including a tale of when taking an ecstasy pill whilst DJing was not one of her best moments. Another book that will be a good read and undoubtedly inspirational. 

After a welcome 30 minute break, I was back in the Brave Space for an ingeniously programmed podcast session, ‘Jaguar Presents: Utopia Talks - Sisterhood: DJ Paulette, Smoking’ Jo and TSHA. With Jaguar bringing Jo and Paulette together along with TSHA, there were two generations of black female DJs sharing experiences past and present, in what was a genuinely supportive and lovely bringing together of four women. Definitely one of sisterhood. Jaguar and TSHA were grateful to Jo and Paulette for being their ‘fairy godmothers’ and doing what they did in the 90s to help pave the way for their careers today. I think it was Jo that said there was a lot of hedonism, but you were breaking the rules being a DJ as a female, and that it felt like you were doing something special. On the inclusion of more females on the lineups these days, TSHA said that sometimes I feel like I’m included as the ‘token’ female - a current issue they face. There was much discussion of what they faced in a male-dominated industry, such as male DJs not letting them on the decks (even though they were contracted), men insisting on showing them how to use the mixers (a common occurrence for Paulette) and engineers being patronising, assuming they don’t know how to use the equipment. “It can be an uninviting environment”, and to this day there’s still micro aggression and sexist remarks made. There was also talk about how the business has positively changed since the 90s and that things are improving, such as the formation of women’s collectives for DJs. It’s thanks to women like Jo that these shifts in attitudes have taken place. TSHA said that “I think community is important for us”. Jaguar proudly said of Jo and Paulette that “you girls are writing yourselves back into history”, which is what they both intended to do by writing their books. For the future, Paulette would like to see the old skool female DJs playing with the new and thinks the industry is a lot easier and enjoyable now for young women.

I left after this, to go home and get ready for the evening’s entertainment. For me it was a great final to The Summit - educational, inspirational and nice to have women dominating the proceedings.

Dalt Vila party

A party at the top of Dalt Vila featuring some of the best current DJs is always the finale of the Summit. First on the decks at 5pm was Jaguar B2B with DJ Paulette, who had bonded during their session ‘Sisterhood’ earlier on at The Summit, and looked like they were having a great time. Next was Artche B2B KALISMÃ, Sarz B2B Kilimanjaro and Pete Tong B2B Alex Wann. As the sun set behind the hills and darkness began to fall, Róisín Murphy took to the stage for a live PA. She looked stunning and put on an amazing performance with great visuals. Following her and bringing the event to a climax just before midnight were Miss Monique, Sasha B2B Franky Wah,  with the night culminating in a set from Mochakk. For those who couldn’t attend, the event was streamed by Beatport on their YouTube channel.

All the main sessions in The Summit are filmed and they’re usually put up on their YouTube Channel after the event when edited. IMS YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheIMSIbiza

IMS website: https://www.internationalmusicsummit.com

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 AS PART OF THE BEATPORT AWARDS 2024: House of WOW Wednesday, April 24 

IMS (International Music Summit) Ibiza will recognise the outstanding achievements and contributions of the Elrow & The Arnau Family who are today announced as the recipient of the annual IMS Legends Award 2024 as part of this year’s Beatport Awards. 

The Arnau Family will be presented the award by IMS co-founder and BBC Radio 1 broadcaster Pete Tong at the landmark event celebrating excellence in electronic music production and DJ culture that takes on Wednesday, April 24 at House of WOW from 8pm to 2am CET. 

From its humble beginnings as a small café over 140 years ago, the Arnau family empire has grown into the behemoth now known as elrow – the global phenomenon and successful touring experience that has taken the world by storm.

Their parties are renowned for their unique and colorful brand of hedonism that includes an extravagant selection of music, costumes and performance art, bringing the best in electronic music across the globe including its annual residency at Amnesia Ibiza.

Juan Arnau Jr. and Cruz Arnau, are the latest incarnation of six generations of The Arnau Family who have pioneered the dance music scene in Spain with clubs and events like Florida135, Monegros Desert Festival, Row14 and of course elrow. 

Starting with Juan Jr. and Cruz Arnau’s great-great-grandfather, Juan Arnau Cabasés, the family is responsible for opening one of their hometown Fraga’s earliest casinos in 1870, its first major cinema in 1943, and the region’s leading discotheque, Florida 135 in 1978.

The Arnau Family join an esteemed list of previous recipients of this award which include: Underworld, Nile Rodgers, Fatboy Slim, Sven Väth, Carl Cox, Space Ibiza founder Pepe Roselló, and Ricardo Urgell founder of Pacha Ibiza and the worldwide Pacha Group.

Juan Arnau Jr. and Cruz Arnau comments:

“Truly thank you from the entire Arnau family and also and above all from our grandmother Pilar, who at 95 years old is extremely excited to receive in our name and from her home, in the middle of the fragatine orchard, this recognition of so many years of passion that all of us have had for the art of making our clients dance. Of course, also thanks to all of them and all the collaborators who, together with the family, of which they are also a part, have helped achieve this award that we humbly receive.”

IMS Partner Ben Turner comments:

“The Arnau family and the El Row brand are true disruptors of global nightlife not just Ibiza. A family legacy that has been promoting underground music and nightlife in Spain for generations, they are one of the true great success stories of our industry and consumer culture. IMS is delighted to honour them for their dedication, innovation and colourful approach to the dancefloor!”

About The Beatport Awards

Returning for the first time since 2011, The Beatport Awards aim to bring credible recognition to the electronic music industry through a combination of Beatport sales data and panel-judged awards. The judges for this year’s award ceremony are: Dan Chalmers (Head of Music EMEA, YouTube), Katie Bain (Director, Billboard Dance), Marcus Barnes (Journalist), Sofia Ilyas (Chief Community Officer, Beatport), and Raphael Pujol (VP, Curation, Beatport).

The 2024 Beatport Awards will honor recipients in the following categories: Best Selling Track of the Year, Best Selling Artist of the Year, Best Selling Label of the Year, Best Selling Remix of the Year, Hype Label of the Year, Social Impact Award, Producer of the Year, Best Live Performer, One To Watch, and the People’s Choice Award. Nominees for the People’s Choice Award will be submitted by the public. 

Recognizing outstanding artists from across the globe and genre spectrum, nominees for The 2024 Beatport Awards include Chase & Status, Nia Archives, Barry Can’t Swim, Skrillex, Syreeta, Octave One and many others. 

A full list of 2024 winners will be available on April 25, 2024. Limited tickets for The Beatport Awards are available at https://www.beatportawards.com . 

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IMS IBIZA REVEALS NEW DESTINATION FOR 15th EDITION IN 2024

IMS Ibiza, the thought-leadership platform at the intersection of culture, education, industry, and wellness in electronic music, announces today the first details of its curated programming for the fifteenth edition of the summit. For the first time, the summit will be held at the newly opened Mondrian Ibiza and Hyde Ibiza hotels, located in the tranquil and idyllic Cala Llonga, with programming taking place across both venues. 

Sharing facilities, bars, restaurants, and pool areas with direct access to the beach, both hotels will be privatized exclusively for attending delegates to create an intimate, immersive setting for networking and presenting the summit agenda. Just 10 minutes by car or 15 minutes by ferry from Ibiza Town, the new summit venue is an inspiring destination that will unite the global electronic music community. Overlooking the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and framed by pine-clad hills, this picturesque bay on the east coast of the island enjoys breathtaking sunrises and is perfectly placed for walks in nature to balance out the dynamic summit schedule.  

Across three days, IMS Ibiza will unite innovators, creators, visionaries, and disruptors from across the global electronic music ecosystem all in one destination, presenting opportunities for delegates to explore best practices and innovation in music, technology, diversity & inclusion, education, and health & wellness. Co-hosted by leading BBC Radio 1 broadcasters Pete Tong MBE and Jaguar, the summit will deconstruct the topics and issues that really matter to the global electronic music community.

IMS will host Ninja Tune: Unveiling The Wizardry Behind One Of Electronic Music’s Greatest Independent Labels, with the visionary co-founder of the label, Matt Black, who will guide delegates through the label's storied past, revealing the magic behind its success and Coldcut's inspiration for an independent, artist-led, equitable label rooted in inclusivity that mirrored the ‘80s London warehouse scene. With insights from additional significant team members, IMS will explore Ninja Tune's current diverse roster across its 7+ sub-labels, understanding the elements shaping its enduring impact on the music industry.

Tomorrowland: 20 Years of Innovation will see founder Michiel Beers deliver a rare keynote speech sharing insights into the festival's evolution as we delve into two remarkable decades of innovation at Tomorrowland. Alongside the festival’s journey, Michiel will also shed light on the significant impact of the Tomorrowland Foundation which supports vulnerable children through the building of music + art schools.

Going deeper into the IMS Ibiza 2024 theme and the current global landscape of electronic music, Rebuilding Our Community: How To Bring Back Peace, Love, Unity & Respect will examine how we can respect and restore the values of the industry when our community becomes fractured - as it has done with the impact of recent world events.

The summit will explore the vibrant evolution of Amapiano, tracing its roots from the townships of South Africa, to its meteoric rise on the global stage, including Ibiza. Amplifying Amapiano: The Journey of a Genre From The Township to the Global Stage will unpack the genre’s cultural influence as it transcends borders, leaving an empowering mark on the music industry.

Two years after CEO Wez Saunders acquired Defected Records from founder Simon Dunmore, the pair will engage in a reflective conversation on the 25-year journey of the label, navigating challenges in the landscape while preserving the label’s legacy and culture in 25 Years of Defected: Life After An Acquisition. In 2024, IMS will bring back its Market Focus format, this year with a deep dive on the thriving scene in Germany. It will bring together leading lights from the region across labels, publishers, promoters, PROs and the artist, management, and agency community.

IMS Ibiza delegates will be encouraged to make time to prioritise their physical and mental health with free daily experiences presented by The Art of Areté, fully integrated into the summit in partnership with IMS founding partner AlphaTheta. The programme will be co-curated by Vedic Meditation teacher Blaise DeAngelo and Tracie Storey aka Tensuhi, a vibrational sound practitioner, and will include daily breathwork, yoga, sound meditations, morning runs, sunset walks, conversations around mental health, sleep, and well-being, and more.

IMS Ibiza will feature a new Brave Space, presented in partnership with award-winning collective He.She.They, are a brand for all sexualities, all races, all genders, built on the shared values of respect, compassion, and acceptance of others. A place for like-minded delegates to connect and share bold ideas, the Brave Space will be created to foster open and honest dialogue, where individuals feel empowered to express themselves authentically without fear of judgment or reprisal. The space will encourage participants to engage in challenging conversations, confront biases, and explore diverse perspectives whilst emphasising the importance of respect and empathy. 

IMS Ibiza is proud to partner with climate action partner EarthPercent to unleash the power of music in service of the planet. 1% of all IMS Ibiza 2024 delegate badge purchases will be donated to the charity. In addition, the levy will be applied to all event sponsors. Co-founded by Brian Eno, EarthPercent identifies and supports some of the most impactful organisations addressing the climate and biodiversity emergency. Every grant they make is vetted by their world-leading Expert Advisory Panel - an international, multidisciplinary, multi-generational, and diverse group of climate scientists, academic researchers, economists, climate communicators, youth activists, community organisers, and policymakers. 

IMS co-founder and lead curator Ben Turner states: “IMS continues with our third and most important edition since the pandemic, but also our 15th event in Ibiza. Now that the industry has (mostly) enjoyed its bounce-back, this is the real test of stability as consumer habits settle down. It is also a moment where global events have impacted the unity of our scene, presenting many with challenging decisions to make. IMS also moves to a new property in Cala Llonga, a stunning part of our magical island that is now home to the new Mondrian Ibiza and Hyde Ibiza hotels, and now IMS. We can’t wait to host everybody again and continue to help set and drive the conversation.”

Artist and co-founder of EarthPercent, Brian Eno, says: “We’re delighted that IMS have made the pledge of 1% contributions to EarthPercent. The funds will go towards some of the most impactful climate and environmental solutions around the world. We’re in the middle of the most challenging crisis we will ever face and the music industry has an amazing opportunity to champion action. It's hard to know what to do but we know that uniting voices, values, and funds can make a huge difference so we’d love others to join IMS in the movement too.” 

IMS Ibiza delegates will also be able to experience some of the hottest parties and events on the island, including the iconic IMS Dalt Vila closing celebration. Delegate Badges for IMS Ibiza are available to purchase now on the IMS website including concessions for Students, Under 27s, Ibiza Residents, and Delegates using sustainable travel to arrive in Ibiza. Hotel accommodation at Mondrian Ibiza and Hyde Ibiza is also available to purchase, with a limited number of subsidised hotel rooms at Hyde Ibiza available for delegates who are eligible for Student or Under 27 badges, priced at €95 per person, per night, based on double occupancy. Contact info@internationalmusicsummit.com for more information. 

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STEEL PANTHER at O2 Kentish Town Forum review

Words/photos: Cristina Massei

If anyone thought the Steel Panther novelty would wear out, tonight is the definitive proof there’s still plenty of people out there needing their fix. The Forum is rammed with all sort of fans, all ages and body types, all with a big smile on their face and many with a big wig on their head.

Since the old days when these dudes were the resident Monday cover band at the Viper Room on Sunset Strip, they sold out night after night with a unique blend of hair metal comedy and rock music flair tailored around the crowd of rockstars and groupies - or has-been and strippers, depending what side of 50 you’re on - populating Hollywood’s night hangouts. It came as a surprise to many how this could translate to international crowds, but I guess the rockstar/groupie equation is pretty much the same anytime anywhere, as often is the rockstar’s ego.

The opener “Eyes of a Panther” soon showcases the band’s musical skills, with Michael Starr’s vocals on point as ever and Satchel’s guitar cutting the air. No more hair solos from Lexxi Foxx (sigh) but new bassist Spyder seems to mix in well, with Stixx Zadinia’s drums tying it all together nicely.

“Let me cum in” and “Asian Hooker” get the crowd roaring and set the tone for the night. Politically incorrect as always, Steel Panther entertain us with a selection from their six albums. New tracks “1987”, “Never Too Late (To Get Some Pussy Tonight)” and “Ain’t Dead Yet” stand up well to the older material, although their first full length “Feel the Steel” is still winning.

The thing with Steel Panther is, if you don’t get the joke you’re probably gonna get on stage and punch them for sexual innuendos to your girlfriend and/or your mother. They should come with a warning and some really stocky security guys by their side. But looks like most of tonight’s attendants are getting every joke. The in-between songs banter gets about as much cheering as the songs themselves. By the fourth or fifth track, you either get it or you’re out of the door wondering “what the fuck”. Shame, as you are gonna miss Spyder’s cocaine candies. Satchel reckoned it was just crystal anyway.

If you’re still in, the climax (excuse the pun) comes with classic ballad “Community Property” which, I can tell you, is a concept going well past the 80s and probably beyond music business, just most won’t admit it. Tonight, men and women, we can all yell it out and put it back in a drawer with our wigs and PVC shorts later. For now, let the bras fly.

Poison style’ stage invasion ensues, on the notes of “Party all day (fuck all night)” which for the uninitiated is something between Kiss “Rock & Roll All Nite (and party every day)” and Slaughter’s “Up all night”. They had to go up a notch and do even better. And the stage is filled with improvised strippers, flying tits, drunken wanna-be pole-dancers, rock chicks, rock dudes, older rock dudes out of the closet for the night and all different samples of humanity, all having a fucking amazing time, unafraid for once to offend and be offended.

A PC brigade free environment. Some cool rock music. Free candies. What’s not to like. Gimme my next fix.

See more excellent photos by Cristina from the gig by clicking the below:

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IMS Ibiza 2023 by ClaireB

The 3-day International Music Summit (IMS) took place in Ibiza again this year from April 26-28 at the beautiful Destino Pacha Resort, attended by 1,500 delegates from the global electronic music community. 

Created in 2007, IMS is a thought-leadership platform for electronic music, culture, education, technology and wellness, created to inspire ethical change and catalyse sustainable growth within the diverse global music industry, from the boardroom to the dancefloor. Across the 3 days, the aim of the summit was to unite innovators, creators, visionaries and disruptors from across the global electronic music industry to analysis the most crucial business challenges and opportunities being faced today.

For this 14th edition of the Summit, the theme was ‘Face the Future’. Co-hosted by BBC Radio 1 broadcasters Pete Tong MBE and Jaguar, topics scheduled included debates and discussions of the complexities of AI, the next steps for music and Web3, diversity and inclusion, the impact of ageism in electronic music, music rights management, understanding neurodiversity, the ever-changing dynamic between agents and promoters, an analysis of music journalism, plus the presentation of the much anticipated IMS Business Report. Alongside this were plenty of interviews with artists and players in the industry plus opportunities for showcasing products and services and networking.

IMS co-founder and lead curator Ben Turner stated: “In 2023, we no longer have the luxury of speculating about the future: AI has fully arrived, and things will move fast from this point forward. In our industry's first full year back to business after COVID, we're presented with a dizzying array of new products, problems, and possibilities. Artists finally returning to touring do so amongst a huge generational shift and soaring production and travel costs whilst attempting to navigate the increasingly complex environmental issues surrounding live music. As a tidal wave of AI-generated content sweeps in, some welcome a new era of creative possibilities, while others lament the loss of another aspect of humanity in music, all while a cornucopia of unanswered questions are created concerning the control of rights. It's time for us to collectively ‘Face the Future’.”

Making good use of the vastness and diversity of the space at the Destino Pacha Resort, different areas were created for Summit sessions, networking and of course DJ sets and parties. There were 2 Summit stages, one indoor and one outdoor. Basement club ‘Tox’ became home to the educational focus that is IMS College, there was a Tech Zone, a YouTube Lounge for presentations and networking, the Party Suite (presented by Party Degenerates), the Deezer Suite, a Garden Suite and Beatport Base housed in 2 of the villas, plus meeting rooms and an outdoor DJ booth, where DJs played throughout.

The Art of Areté space offered daily programming supporting mental health and wellness that included meditation, breathwork, yoga, sound healing, sunset walks, and keynote artist interviews. 

With a huge, parallel programme over the 3 days, it is impossible to attend, let alone summarise, all of the sessions and activities, so here are some highlights of things that interested me and a brief snapshot of The Summit from my point of view.

Day 1 of the Summit began at 12.00, with brief introductions from co-hosts BBC Radio 1 broadcasters Pete Tong and Jaguar, and IMS founding partners.

The first session is always the unveiling of The IMS Business Report which was presented by Mark Mulligan, (MD & Analyst, MIDiA Research).

The brief was to look at how the global electronic music business now stands in terms of its value, after the first full year back to business since the pandemic. As well as highlighting the changes and the emerging trends, it provides evidence of the importance of the global dance music industry, which is currently valued at 11.3 billion dollars annually, 16% higher than pre-pandemic, with 34% growth in 2022, showing a strong recovery year for the dance music sector and also the entire music industry.

Interesting takeaways from the report:

Ibiza’s clubs emerged post-pandemic with more demand, more nights and more revenue than before. Ibiza club ticketing revenue reached €124 million in 2022, up 55% from the €80 million registered in 2019 This was underpinned by increases in the number of events per venue, average ticket prices, and the total number of tickets sold going from 2 million in 2019 to 2.5 million in 2022.

TikTok has fast become the central place for fan engagement and electronic music plays a big role there.

Live: 2022 was a big year overall for the live industry – the top 100 global tours saw revenue up 276% (Pollstar); Live Nation’s revenues were up 166%; and bookings for the top 100 DJs increased by 314% in 2022 (Viberate). Dance music live revenues were up 65% on 2021, reaching $4.1 billion, which is still slightly below the 2019 total of $4.4 billion and actually represents a significant decline in industry share. So more growth to be unlocked.

Recorded and publishing: Combined revenues were up by 13%, reaching $1.9 billion. Dance music largely grew in line with the wider markets, but slightly increased share.

Production music and hardware: Including studio and DJ equipment, electronic music instruments, software, sounds/samples, and skills sharing/analysis, this crucial sector was up by 7%, reaching $2.8 billion. This growth was broadly in line with the total market.

Key conclusions:

Finally, the dance music industry has shaken off the effects of the pandemic, coming out the other side, bigger, better, stronger and more relevant than ever.

The pandemic shone a harsh light on the industry’s heavy-reliance on live. Now, that reliance is even higher because of live’s huge growth.

There are two key differences from 2019: 1) a resurgent creator tools sector; and 2) a music publishing business that is finally beginning to find its share.

The future is bright, with the rise of creator culture, bringing ever more people into dance music, both as fans and creators, with the creator-fan set to be at the centre of tomorrow’s dance music world.

If you want to see the detail about where the big changes and growth areas are, the full IMS Business Report can be downloaded from here (it’s 35 pages long but it’s an interesting read with lots of graphs to illustrate everything): https://mcusercontent.com/77ec3e3fadbb08e9f7ddbfb93/files/c759b1ce-0ef9-04eb-18de-b5d8af073181/MIDiA_IMS_Business_Report.pdf

This was followed by a Keynote Interview with Max Lousada, CEO of Recorded Music at Warner Music Group, interviewed by Pete Tong.

He was also the first CEO of a major label to speak at IMS and spoke about his background in the industry and some of the current challenges his company and the industry faces. As well as talking about the potential of tapping into new global markets, as big populations come online, such as in Asia and Africa, he talked a lot about how artists and their label can use social media, particularly TikTok to create what he called “memorable moments” that will provide fans with an emotional and personal connection to an artist, leading to loyalty and therefore repeat sales of music, tickets, merchandising and so on.

Interesting takeaways:

Artists need to love to create and be passionate about their music-making and also be concerned about their fans.

TikTok - artists’ use of TikTok is important but not critical, but it’s a great accelerant to their popularity.

Role of radio - not important for breaking an artist, but it’s useful for elongating acts and it drives ticket sales. It’s good for promotion.

AI - when asked about whether he was excited or fearful of AI he said that some of the challenges are how we protect artists (copyright, legislation), visualising output and issues of creativity (humans) v technology. He thinks that the best creatives working with AI will probably create the best output, but we’ll have to watch and understand what it will become and it will be important to protect rights, likeness and voice.

After that very business-focused session, I went to explore the venue and hung out in the IMS Garden Suite for a while. Housed in one of the stand-alone villas in the complex (complete with private pool and a Dalt Vila view, the Garden Suite was provided by Brian Eno’s EarthPercent charity, which aims to unleash the power of music in service of the planet. In the garden of the villa, it’s a social area for delegates to connect, discuss and learn more about the intersectionality of music and climate, with discussions and live DJs. With lots of low Moroccan-style tables and floor cushions under a shady canopy, grass, and views of the sea and across to Dalt Vila, it was a welcome relaxing oasis from the hustle and bustle of the main areas of the venue.

Day 1 ended with networking over complimentary poolside drinks and canapés, hosted by Ultra Records, which gave people a chance to meet and chat about the day’s proceedings and enjoy a drink in the sunshine and look out over the resort and the view across to the port and Dalt Vila.

Day 2 began for me with a debate on ‘Understanding the unstoppable: AI and music unravelled - the potential, the threats, the future’. AI is currently a hot topic in many disciplines, and is possibly the most important IMS discussion in 2023, as AI is everywhere in our sights, and is beginning to be integrated into our culture. With an introduction from Jean-Charles Carré (Artist Management, Co-founder, What a Music Ltd and David Guetta’s co-manager), the debate was moderated by Declan McGlynn (Music Technology Journalist, Consultant), joined by Daouda Leonard (CEO & Co-Founder, Create Safe), Edward Balassanian (Founder/CEO, Aimi), Jay Ahern (Director of Music Industry Relations, Cyanite.ai), Meng Ru Kuok (CEO & Co-founder, BandLab Technologies) and Tatiana Cirisano (Analyst, MIDiA Research). It was widely felt that artists should be able to opt in or opt out of being incorporated into AI content. Discussion ensued about the recent AI-generated Drake and The Weeknd song ‘Heart On My Sleeve’ created by @ghostwriter that went viral. The response was that there’s a need to establish codes of conduct and that it’s early days for all this. The novelty of these AI-generated tunes will probably wear off and that AI might become a dirty word quite quickly.

Interesting takeaways:

AI will replace samples.

Intellectual property is a big issue.

AI might encourage artists to be more distinctive - differentiation for artists is the problem now, not distribution - they’re competing for recognition.

AI is not good at music creation - humans are much better.

The world needs access to more people that can create - billions of people around the world don’t have access to be able to create their own music - they don’t have access to the necessary technology.

What happens when the floodgates open and there are hundreds and thousands of tracks uploaded to Spotify every day? How will platforms like Spotify deal with all this content being created? “Curation is going to become the big buzz word.”

The way we find music is super important.

AI is a way of making cheap music.

Will you be able to create mistakes when you’re creating music - some of my best moments happen when something went wrong in the studio - will AI learn to do that?

In terms of licensing, artists should be able to opt in or out.

Curation leads to discovery and then revenue for artists and labels.

Generative AI is a new medium.

There’s a need for analytical AI to filter out the AI generated music.

There were differences in opinions on the future of AI, with one saying that these small evolutions happen all the time in the music industry, and that AI will probably come and go like most of them, whereas another said I don’t think AI is going to be passé any time soon, it’s in its infancy. Time will tell, but the debate is likely to continue for some years.

Next up was a keynote interview with Fabio & Grooverider who were interviewed by Carl Loben (Editor, DJ Magazine) on the outdoor stage. As a pioneering DJ duo who shaped the sound of drum ’n’ bass (D&B), they played a vital role in establishing the house, techno and early breakbeat scenes in the UK. Setting the scene, Carl stated that D&B has only become commercial in the last few years, and is now the 4th most popular genre in electronic music.

They related lots of humorous tales and anecdotes about how their musical style developed from wanting to get hip hop into house, leading to jungle which came from a fusion of adding breakbeats to house and how the ‘Rage’ night at Heaven in London led to the birth of jungle. It took off to the extent that everyone, including Goldie, would give them tunes before anyone else and that’s what set them apart, joking that Carl Cox said he couldn’t keep up with them and was going to start playing techno. On D&B they said that they’ve been playing it for 20 years now, but in the early days it wasn’t cool, but it’s forward thinking music which is why people get it 15 years later. “The great thing about D&B is that you can put anything in it.” They embraced digital technology and CDs eventually because it was hard work carrying records around, especially after 9/11 and they often got lost or damaged when they travelled to gigs abroad. Roni Size was first person I saw playing from CDs, but he made it look hard which is why I didn’t start doing it at first. I love vinyl but the logistics and damage that could occur was not worth it. One night in a club, DJ Flight played a track I had paid a lot of money for and planned to play, but I played it again because it cost so much to buy it, and it jumped, so I thought that was it. They then went on to talk about their collaboration with The Outlook Orchestra at London’s Southbank Centre, how that came about and how it worked. They genuinely seemed surprised by their continuing success, with Grooverider joking “I still think I’ll have to go back to work next year which keeps me going because I don’t want to have to go back to work”. When asked where their favourite places to play are, the response was Australia and New Zealand as they have the same or better vibe than the UK and now there’s so much D&B in the UK that it’s not special any more. The genre is also kicking off again in the USA, but there they call it ‘fast dubstep’. Asked why they thought D&B had never had a hold in Ibiza, Grooverider said “drop the drink prices” and then it might happen because drink prices are important to the D&B crowd. They have played here but Ibiza is a hard nut to crack for D&B. If they don’t cut the drink and entrance prices it ain’t going to happen. Talking about the early days, they said that black people couldn’t get into house clubs and that there weren’t many black DJs playing in the clubs, so you had to be good. Grooverider gets the last word, saying “dance music brings a lot of cultures together”.

Video clip. Fabio & Grooverider talking about the current revival of jungle music.

I caught a bit of the debate Web3: Where to now? The brief was that Web3 promised decentralised, tokenised music experiences, giving artists back control of their output and fans a new way to support the music they love.

As hype and investment cools, can web3 still deliver a utopian future for creatives? What needs to change, what have we learned and where can we go from here? Someone stated that we’re in the early days and initially there was a gold rush on what W3 could bring to creators, but the hype cycle moves on to something else. Someone else said that Web3 is just another toolset - last year it was all about Web3, this year it’s all about AI. I didn’t catch the rest as I wanted to go to another session.

One of the most humorous interviews of the day took place in The Garden Suite, as DJ Fat Tony was interviewed by Radio 1’s Sarah Story. The briefing said: Fat Tony is one of the UK’s most-loved DJ characters. A staple in the London club scene from the late 80s, his wild reputation has evolved into a best-selling book ‘I Don't Take Requests’ about his life, and now over 15 years sober, he reflects on the industry and scene that nearly ended his life. Often referred to as dance music’s craziest DJ, he told so many stories about his life and some of the people he has encountered along the way, including Madonna, Kate Moss, Joan Collins and Elton John and had us all in stitches. He also talked openly about his addictions to drinking, drugs and sex. If you want to know the detail, I’m sure they’re all there in the book which is out in paperback on May 25th, or else check on the IMS YouTube channel to see if they publish the interview.

Video clip. Fat Tony talking about what makes a good DJ.

Next up was an interview with Orbital, brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll. Interviewed by Pete Tong, their former A&R man on the outdoor stage, they talked for 45 minutes about 35 years of their careers. How they started making music, what it was like when they started to get noticed and their first appearance on Top of the Pops, through to giving up the day job to concentrate full-time on making music and developing the live show. They first appeared at Glastonbury in 1994, and told the fascinating tale of how they ended up headlining one of the stages as the first dance act ever to do so and in the process they changed Glastonbury forever. Watch the video clip below to hear the story of how this came about.

Video clip. Orbital talking about their first appearance at Glastonbury.

With lots of topics in between, including the use of samples, creating film soundtracks, how some of their albums were created, including their latest release ‘Optical Delusion’ which is their 10th studio album (their Covid lockdown album), on to being back together again as a touring band in 2023 and how they are finding that. Paul said it’s different from the old days, I’d go for a run in the mornings and then go to an art gallery - I loved discovering new places and I really enjoyed it. Paul also talked about his view on AI and how he is experimenting with it. However he did go on to say later that a lot of the best things when making music are what he called ‘happy accidents’, when something unexpected happens that changes what you are creating for the better.

Video clip. Orbital talking about AI.

Day 2 ended with networking drinks around the pool, followed by the IMS Legends Dinner in honour of this year’s legend, Mike Pickering at Beachouse in Playa d’en Bossa. Mike Pickering is a true pioneer and visionary in electronic music, his achievements are numerous: Hacienda DJ, Factory Records A&R signing Happy Mondays, Deconstruction Records boss bringing Black Box, Guru Josh, K Klass, Felix and Kyle Minogue and of course his own M People to the world and Columbia Records A&R who signed Calvin Harris amongst others. These are just a few highlights of a long career that has left a lasting legacy on electronic music and its culture. DJ Spoony hosted the event and Mike was interviewed by Pete Tong. Sadly I wasn’t there, so can’t comment more fully on what happened.

Day 3 started a bit late for me. I needed time to take stock of everything and also save myself for the Dalt Vila party in the evening (I also had bus problems getting to Destino but that’s another, very boring story).

I arrived later than expected but caught the very end of Marshall Jefferson’s masterclass of how he created his house classic ‘Move Your Body’ for IMS College. That should have been a very interesting session and I was annoyed to have missed most of it. Marshall played a set B2B with Ida Engberg at the Dalt Vila party in the evening and he played that tune.

I also caught the beginning of the in conversation session on the outdoor stage with legendary dance music producer Jellybean Benitez and Layla Benitez his daughter who is a rising global DJ star. This was ahead of their scheduled back to back set at the Dalt Vila party in the evening. Sadly this session clashed with the final keynote interview, so I missed pretty much all of it.

The Summit at Destino ended with a keynote interview with Grimes who was interviewed by Jaguar (BBC Radio 1 and founder of The Jaguar Foundation). The briefing in the schedule was that she is the ‘ultimate independent artist leading the way in Web3, AI, visuals, environmental principles … and making incredible music along the way’, and those were the topics that she talked about for an hour. Canadian born Claire Elise Boucher (aka Grimes) is an all-round artist and clearly has very strong opinions on lots of things. Musically at the moment she sees herself being both an artist and an engineer, and that in dance music, art and technology are married to each other. She fully embraces AI, saying that anyone who wants to use her voice can, and that they should share the output 50/50. She said that there’s “way too much gatekeeping in music” and that “copyright sucks” and art shouldn’t belong to anyone. She also believes that the music industry is defined by lawyers and is a stranglehold on music. She sees no reason why other people can’t use your voice and that you need to get rid of copyright - kind of open sourcing Grimes. She said that this moment feels like the beginning of the Internet and is one of the coolest times to be an artist ever. Jaguar asked her about when permission isn’t given and she replied that “I think consent is good but it doesn’t bother me”, you have to give up creative control. However she also said that you can’t replace that human touch of someone singing. Ethically there are difficult issues with AI, like is it ethical to use the voice of a dead artist, but you have to essentially do what is ethically right. Jaguar asked her where does she see AI going, and she replied that it depends on how much regulation there is and who regulates it and she would like the labels to have less control. “I don’t think art should be owned” and that everything about copyright is wrong.

Video clip. Grimes talking about AI and opening up to the risks.

She went on to talk a bit about how some of her albums were created, collaborating with other artists and lots more. She confessed that she has really bad stage fright, but loves DJing and thinks it’s really fun.

If you want to watch the entire interview with Grimes it has already been posted on the IMS YouTube Channel:

Dalt Vila party

The finale of The Summit is always the infamous party in Dalt Vila. Held in the Baluard de Santa Lucia at the top of Dalt Vila, it’s one of the best locations for an outdoor party in the world, with views up to the cathedral and across to the port and the hills behind Ibiza Town.

Kicking off the proceedings this year at 5pm was Constanza Pucheta, the Pete Tong DJ Academy Winner. With a couple of old-skool house DJs included in the lineup this year, the sets moved through a variety of house/dance genres, with great sets from Jaguar B2B with Taahliah, daughter and father Layla Benitez B2B Jellybean Benitez, Ida Engberg B2B Marshall Jefferson, Pete Tong B2B Kölsch, Anna, culminating with Camelphat closing the show just before midnight.

As in other years, it’s always an amazing finale to The Summit and it’s a great atmosphere watching and listening to the DJs as day turns into night and the impressive light, visual and laser show kicks in to accompany the music.

IMS Ibiza 2023 was another action-packed 3 days of interesting and entertaining interviews, debates and sessions, providing much food for thought for delegates and opportunities for networking in some of the best spaces that Ibiza has to offer. The hot topic that came up time and time again this year was AI, the debate having moved on from last years’ interest in Web3. People were also talking about ‘fans’ and how to build ‘fandom’, particularly in relation to TikTok and how this can increase revenue streams for artists (for both DJs and musicians). This was something I had not noticed in previous years (it even came up in the IMS Business Report), possibly because of the increasing use of Web3 tools and social media for promotion and monetisation. 

IMS YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheIMSIbiza

IMS website: https://www.internationalmusicsummit.com

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VIVE LE ROCK AWARDS announce LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH reunion and more!

After three long years of delays and cancellations, the Vive Le Rock Awards will finally take place at London's O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on Thursday April 6th. And the good news is that the next day is a holiday so everyone can all party like it's 1999!

Featuring all-star chaos and one-off, unique performances, the VLR Awards will salute the legends of punk and rock 'n' roll! The last VLR Awards show in 2019 already holds legendary status, but this year the organisers are pulling out all the stops with a packed five-hour long show!

Many icons and essential bands from Vive Le Rock’s world will be honoured, including the sad loss this year of The Specials legendary frontman Terry Hall, alongside acts such as Bob Vylan, Amyl and the Sniffers, The Interrupters and more. 2023 Vive Le Rock Awards will feature 50 performers and presenters in this unique and raucous rock awards show.

This year will feature three exclusive sets by legendary acts. The headliners are none other than '80s goth punk legends LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH. Joining the band of The Damned's Brian James, Sham 69's Dave Treganna and Clash drummer Terry Chimes, will be the one and only Michael Monroe on vocals. Michael was a great friend of Stiv Bators and the only man on the planet to take his place for this one-off performance.

“The 'Shepherds Bush Empire' was an old variety gig which is what I think the 'Vive Le Rock' show on April 6th is gonna be” states Brain James. “A bunch of different acts doing sensational sets, it's got all the makings of being a fun, memorable night and a good excuse to play some old 'Lords' songs dedicated to the one and only Stiv Bators.”

NEVILLE STAPLE, from The Specials will lift the roof off with a live set of rudeboy classics with his extraordinary band, and East End street punk/West Ham United legends the COCKNEY REJECTS will rock their classics in a fast 'n' furious awards set. 

The all-star house band, THE VIVE LE ROCKERS featuring Paul-Ronney Angel and members of Ruts DC, Jim Jones All Stars and Urban Voodoo Machine will back artists including MILLIE MANDERS, BAD BARBEE - Elizabeth Westwood (WESTWORLD) and Jennie Belle Star (THE BELLE STARS), JIM JONES and GIRLSCHOOL's Kim and Jackie. Compere for the event will be Vice Squad frontwoman and trailblazer BEKI BONDAGE who will host the five-hour extravaganza at the new bigger venue, London's O2 Shepherds Bush Empire and the awards and champagne will be flowing with special mystery presenters and guests.

“It’s always an honour to be asked to participate in a prestigious Rock ’n’ Roll event, especially when the invitation comes from a man like Eugene who has a bigger quiff than Alvin Stardust,” laughs Beki! “I’d originally planned to go to the VLR awards and get pleasantly hammered but now I’ve been collared into doing some actual work I will have to go easy on the sauce. Hopefully the night will descend into beautiful chaos, gongs will be given, songs will be sung and planks will be spanked and a great time will be had by all!”

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IMS LEGENDS AWARD 2023 : MIKE PICKERING

International Music Summit (IMS) will celebrate the outstanding achievements of electronic music industry titan Mike Pickering at IMS Ibiza, who is today announced as the recipient of the IMS Legends Award 2023. Mike will be honoured during IMS Ibiza at a celebratory dinner presented in partnership with YouTube, hosted by IMS co-founder and BBC Radio 1 broadcaster Pete Tong and DJ, radio and television presenter, DJ Spoony.

Mike Pickering is a true pioneer and visionary in electronic music, his achievements are numerous: Hacienda DJ, Factory Records A&R signing Happy Mondays, Deconstruction Records boss bringing Black Box, Guru Josh, K Klass, Felix and Kyle Minogue and of course his own M People to the world, Columbia Records A&R who signed Calvin Harris - these are just a few highlights of a long career that has left a lasting legacy on electronic music and its culture. 

Mike began his career at Factory Records in the early 1980’s as an A&R man signing Happy Mondays and James. Simultaneously Mike formed his own band Quando Quango, who enjoyed an underground dance hit in the US with the track “Love Tempo”, championed by legendary DJ’s Larry Levan and Mark Kamins in the New York club scene. 

Pickering went on to work at the legendary Manchester clubbing mecca the Hacienda, as a booker and DJ, staying at the iconic club for eleven years he created the NUDE night on Fridays, which pioneered house music in the UK.

In 1987 Mike started the band TCOY who’s first release was the underground hit “Carino”, one of the first British house records, he started the label Deconstruction with his then managers. In the 90’s Deconstruction took dance music to the charts with massive hits from Black Box, Guru Josh, K Klass, Felix and Kyle Minogue as well as with Pickering’s own band M People. M People went on to sell 14 million albums and had countless hit singles whilst selling out arenas around the world. The group won 2 Brit awards and the Mercury prize for their album “Elegant slumming”.

After M People Mike joined Columbia Records as A&R where he signed and helped the careers of Calvin Harris, Kasabian, The Ting Tings and Gossip amongst many others. Mike still DJ’s and was recently involved in the Hacienda Classical concerts which included a performance on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury to open the festival. Mike’s contribution to dance music is undeniable and he joins an esteemed list of previous recipients of this award which include: Underworld, Nile Rodgers, Fatboy Slim, Pete Tong, Sven Väth, Carl Cox, Simon Dunmore, Space Ibiza founder Pepe Roselló, Mambo Ibiza founder Javier Anadon and Ricardo Urgell founder of Pacha Ibiza and the worldwide Pacha Group. 

An annual and unmissable event, the IMS Legends Dinner presented by YouTube will unite industry leaders from across electronic music culture to enjoy an evening of celebration, with surprise performances, and entertainment and the annual Bridges For Music charity auction.

Mike Pickering comments: 

“I am really honoured to get this award and so proud to be joining such a great list of recipients. I’m really looking forward to the night.”

IMS Partner Ben Turner comments:

“Mike Pickering’s contribution to electronic music culture is immeasurable. From his A&R vision with the Happy Mondays in the late-80s through to redefining popular dance music today with the signing of Calvin Harris - he has been involved in many major crossover cultural moments. And then there is his own M People project; his work with the Hacienda; Deconstruction; Manchester. He’s one of the true unsung heroes of dance music’s rise to global dominance and one of our most gifted musical directors - period.”

Dan Chalmers Head of Music YouTube, EMEA comments:“I can’t think of anyone more worthy than Mike to receive the “Legend Of Ibiza” award. From being one of the first handful of DJs responsible for bringing House music to the UK via the Hacienda - through to his work with today’s Global superstars like Calvin Harris - his footprint and taste is forever imprinted on Dance and Ibizan culture. ”

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IMS DALT VILA LINE UP Friday 28 April 2023

International Music Summit (IMS) today announces their highly anticipated annual IMS Dalt Vila event in the world’s number one dance music destination, Ibiza. Widely regarded as the starting point of the summer season, the event brings together a unique collection of diverse and exciting DJ talent, both rising and established names who are trailblazing on the international electronic music scene. 

Presented in partnership with Pioneer DJ and YouTube, the seven-hour musical celebration marks the closing of the 14th edition of the three-day summit and flagship event of IMS Ibiza 2023. This unmissable event is held in the old town of Ibiza at the historic 2,500 year-old former fort and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dalt Vila, providing spectacular views of the Catedral de Eivissa with panoramic views of the Mediterranean sea.

The IMS Dalt Vila 2023 line-up showcases extraordinary talent with a headline performance by one of the most successful and influential dance acts in music today, the multi-platinum DJ and production duo Dave Whelan and Mike Di Scala, better known as CamelPhat. The GRAMMY and Ivor Novello-nominated duo from Liverpool enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top of the dance music world since breaking through with global hit ‘Cola’ in 2017. They have continued to evolve their sound, releasing a slew of hits, and becoming one of Beatport’s biggest-selling artists of all time.

Also performing is ANNA, the Brazilian born techno producer and DJ supremo. A skilled and accomplished selector, her performances are always energetic, engaging and captivating. ANNA’s gigs at the legendary Warung Beach Club, D-Edge and Time Warp Brazil in her home country are the stuff of legend. She just announced a new ambient project with Mercury KX / Decca / Universal.

Kölsch, the Danish Kompact label boss, DJ and producer has rewritten the rulebook of techno production over his two-decade long career will perform back to back with IMS co-host, BBC Radio 1 DJ and broadcaster and iconic figurehead of dance music Pete Tong (MBE). 

The pedigree of names continues featuring Drumcode aficionado Ida Engberg back to back with one of the most recognisable and respected seminal DJs of our time Marshall Jefferson, an original innovator in Chicago house and a founding father of house music as it is known today. Marshall was a central figure in the development of the Chicago house scene, Acid and Deep House movements and produced seminal house anthems including ‘Move Your Body’ which influenced a generation of music makers. Ida has carved herself a career as a DJ/Producer through relentless hard work and passion. Now an internationally recognized talent whose taste for stripped back, sweat-on-the-ceiling techno and her discerning ear for deep house. 

For the first time at IMS Dalt Vila two generations of DJs unite as the father-daughter pairing of Layla Benitez and Jellybean Benitez perform back to back. Jellybean Benitez hung out at Studio 54 and worked with some of the world’s most influential artists, including Madonna and Whitney Houston. He will be joined by his daughter Layla who has taken influence from his sound, building in an admiration for classic and cutting-edge melodies, channeling an eclectic mix of deep house, world harmonies and soul sounds. 

To complete the unique line up, IMS Ibiza co-host Jaguar will go back to back with emerging talent TAAHLIAH. Jaguar is amongst the new guard of young talent steering UK dance music towards brighter waters. She’s a next-gen tastemaker instigating change through projects such as UTOPIA and The Jaguar Foundation She will be joined by TAAHLIAH, an ascending DJ & Producer from Glasgow who has made her name in the underground queer club scenes of Berlin & Glasgow. Crystallising a new dawn in electronic music, TAAHLIAH constantly seems to challenge the idea that fun and experimental are antonyms. Nothing expresses that better than her viral Boiler Room where mainstream EDM & the sharpest edge of contemporary electronic music cohabit on a tracklist that reads like a manifesto for dance music’s future.

Opening the event will be the winner of the Pete Tong DJ Academy Future Talent Awards, an initiative to celebrate the promising upcoming DJ talent from around the world.

IMS Dalt Vila is an extraordinary, unmissable event, providing an unforgettable moment to dance under the stars and kick off the summer season in Ibiza. 

Tickets for IMS Dalt Vila 2023 are available now for €60 plus booking fee from www.internationalmusicsummit.com

IMS Ibiza Summit badge holders who purchased delegate badges prior to 22 March 2023 receive access to IMS Dalt Vila. Delegate badge purchases made after this date are subject to an additional €30 fee.

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IMS IBIZA 2023: FACE THE FUTURE

IMS Ibiza, a thought-leadership platform at the precipice of culture, education, industry and wellness in electronic music, announces today the first details of its carefully curated programming for the fourteenth edition of the summit, hosted at the inspiring Destino Pacha Ibiza Resort, which, for the second year, will be privatized exclusively for attending delegates. Across three days, the summit will unite innovators, creators, visionaries and disruptors from across the global electronic music ecosystem for analysis of the most crucial business challenges and opportunities facing our industry today.

Co-hosted by leading BBC Radio 1 broadcasters Pete Tong MBE and Jaguar, the summit will deconstruct the topics and issues that really matter, inspiring ethical and sustainable growth, and catalysing positive change from the boardroom to the dance floor. Topics will include a dissection of the complexities of AI, the next steps for music and Web3, diversity & inclusion, the impact of ageism in electronic music, music rights management, understanding neurodiversity, the ever-changing dynamic between agents and promoters, an analysis of music journalism, plus the unveiling of the much anticipated IMS Business Report and its widely quoted annual industry valuation figure, which has become critical to the industry’s positioning and success.

In his debut appearance at IMS Ibiza, Max Lousada (Warner Music Group, CEO, Recorded Music) will reflect upon his long and influential career in the music industry in a keynote interview, covering his deep affinity for Ibiza and electronic music and lifting the lid on his vision for the future of WMG’s global recorded music operations.

Having carved out a reputation as one of the freshest new artists in UK club culture, BBC Radio 1 Resident and Hooversound label boss SHERELLE (Artist) will be joined in conversation with Fabio & Grooverider (Artists), the pioneering DJ duo that shaped the sound of drum 'n' bass and played a vital role in establishing the house, techno and early breakbeat scenes in the UK. 

In ‘Reclaim Your Rights’ Ben Mawson (Co-Founder, TaP Music) will present a fascinating case study on how TaP Music spearheaded the lawsuit that led to house legends Larry Head and Robert Owens winning a major court battle to reclaim the rights to their back catalogue after decades of struggle. 

A live recording of the ‘Takin’ Care of Lady Busine$$’ podcast will unite Jennifer Justice (Founder/CEO, The Justice Dept.), an entertainment and live experience executive and former attorney to Jay-Z, known for her expertise in building artists’ careers, with TOKiMONSTA (Artist) to discuss the latter's new venture as Co-Founder of SONA, a Web3-based music protocol putting artists in control of the culture they create.

Fat Tony (Artist), will share the journey of his ascent to kingpin of the 80s and 90s club scene as one of London’s most notoriously hedonistic DJs, to rehab and recovery, in an intimate and revealing keynote interview.

Planet in Progress by foundation.fm will present DJ, producer, pianist, activist, founder of Femme House and Music Director for W Hotels, LP Giobbi (Artist) leading a workshop to teach key skills in Sound Production, Engineering and Design for women, queer and non-binary folk. 

Elijah (Founder, Make The Ting) will present his workshop ‘Social Media As A Canvas’, sharing his wisdom and expertise around cutting through the noise on social media to build resonant brands and get your voice heard as an artist. 

In ‘Trust The Process’ Cristiana Simon (Artist Manager, Alegria Agency) manager of Grammy-Award winning artist Black Coffee will share her experiences of taking a leap of faith as a young manager

IMS finally brings back the Presidential Debate to the speaker floor, as Tom Schroeder (Wasserman, Partner; Agency) goes head-to-head with a leading promoter yet to be announced

Live tastemaker and master curator David Sinopoli (Founder, iii Points; Co-Owner, Club Space) will share some of his secrets around building one of the world's most credibly curated and creatively cutting-edge festivals and while managing one of the world's biggest nightclubs, making Miami one of the most important cities in the global dance landscape.  

Each year, IMS Ibiza presents opportunities for delegates to explore best practice and innovation in technology, diversity & inclusion, education & wellness, presented in engaging formats discoverable across the sprawling seaside Destino Pacha Resort site. 

Wellness platform The Art of Areté will once again be fully integrated into the IMS Ibiza experience free of charge to all attendees thanks to the generosity of Pioneer DJ. It will offer daily programming supporting the mental health of our industry, including Vedic Meditation training (as taught by Beatles' guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi), breathwork, yoga, sound healing, sunset walks, and keynote artist interviews to be announced.

IMS College, presented in partnership with Point Blank Music School, will offer a complete schedule of artist-led workshops and DJ & production masterclasses. In between the on-stage sessions, delegates will be able to drop in for one-on-one production feedback, career coaching and product demonstrations. 

IMS Tech X will showcase the very latest in technology, providing a carefully curated selection of the world’s most innovative brands, including Pioneer DJ, TribeXR and more. 

The YouTube Lounge, will create an all purpose co-working space for delegates to host meetings, network and enjoy refreshments. Daily drop-in sessions will invite delegates to come and meet the YouTube team for open discussions on all aspects of the platform and best practice advice for the electronic music industry. Lounges will also be presented by Beatport, Deezer and Party Degenerates. 

The IMS Legends Awards Dinner presented by YouTube will return to celebrate and recognise a true pioneer in the electronic music world for their outstanding contribution to the industry. Previous winners include Simon Dunmore - founder of Defected Records, Underworld, Nile Rodgers, Fatboy Slim, Carl Cox and Ricardo Urgell, founder of Pacha Ibiza, and the worldwide Pacha Group. 

IMS co-founder and lead curator Ben Turner states:

“IMS returns to open the Ibiza season with a powerful and diverse mix of carefully considered content focused on the key issues facing our industry today. In 2023, we no longer have the luxury of speculating about the future: AI has fully arrived, and things will move fast from this point forward. In our industry's first full year back to business after COVID, we're presented with a dizzying array of new products, problems, and possibilities. Artists finally returning to touring do so amongst a huge generational shift and soaring production and travel costs whilst attempting to navigate the increasingly complex environmental issues surrounding live music. As a tidal wave of AI-generated content sweeps in, some welcome a new era of creative possibilities, while others lament the loss of another aspect of humanity in music, all while a cornucopia of unanswered questions are created concerning the control of rights. It's time for us to collectively ‘Face the Future’.”

Dan Chalmers, Head of Music EMEA YouTube states:

"YouTube is proud to support IMS in bringing together world-leading music pioneers. Innovation has always been at the heart of electronic music; forums like IMS are vital to bring us together as an industry to explore how we can collectively innovate and break new ground in the face of an ever evolving technological landscape. Change comes from within, and we're excited to continue our partnership with IMS to empower the next generation of music visionaries.”

IMS Ibiza Summit delegates will also be able to experience some of the hottest parties and events on the island, including the iconic IMS Dalt Vila closing celebration. Delegate Badges for IMS Ibiza Summit are available to purchase now on the IMS website via exclusive ticketing partner DICE, including concessions for Students, Under 27’s, Ibiza Residents and Delegates using sustainable travel to arrive in Ibiza. More information can be found at www.internationalmusicsummit.com 

IMS IBIZA 

Hosted by Pete Tong & Jaguar 

FIRST TEN SPEAKERS FOR IMS IBIZA 2023

Max Lousada (CEO, Recorded Music, Warner Music Group) - Keynote Interview 

Sherelle w/ Fabio & Grooverider - In Conversation

Ben Mawson (Co-Founder, TaP Music) - Reclaim Your Rights: A Case Study with TaP Music Publishing

Jennifer Justice (CEO, The Justice Dept.) w/ TOKiMONSTA - Takin’ Care of Lady Busine$$ (Live Podcast)  

Fat Tony - Keynote Interview  

LP Giobbi - Planet In Progress by FoundationFM (Production Masterclass)

Elijah presents Yellow Squares (Founder, Make The Ting) —  Social Media As A Canvas (Workshop)

Cristiana Simon (Artist Manager, Alegria Agency) — Trust The Process (Discussion)

Tom Schroeder (Executive VP, Wasserman) - Agent vs Promoter (Presidential Debate)

David Sinopoli (Founder, iii Points; Co-Owner, Club Space) - Keynote Interview 

FIRST TEN TOPICS FOR IMS IBIZA 2023

Understanding the Unstoppable: AI Unravelled (Half-Day)

Web3: Where to Now? (Half-Day)

Diversity & Inclusivity: A Deep Discussion

Ageing in Club Culture hosted by Jennifer Cardini 

Reclaim Your Rights: A Case Study by TaP Music Publishing w/ Ben Mawson & Anna Neville (TaP Music Publishing) & John Truelove (Truelove Music) 

Matters of the Mind: Understanding Neurodiversity hosted by AFEM (Association for Electronic Music)  

Agent vs. Promoter (Presidential Debate)

AI: For & Against (Presidential Debate)

The State of Electronic Music Journalism hosted by Shawn Reynaldo from First Floor

How To…Sell Your Career Catalogue hosted by Maximilien Jazani (Founder, Catalogue Associates Limited)

TEN IMS REGULARS

IMS Business Report 2023 + Analysis Q&A (Wednesday)

IMS Legends Dinner presented by YouTube (Thursday)  

IMS & Pioneer DJ present: Pioneer Award 2023 

IMS Visionaries Contest 2023: Entrepreneurial Competition 

IMS Dalt Vila + After-Party presented by Pioneer DJ & YouTube (Friday)

IMS presents The Art of Areté in partnership with Pioneer DJ (Wellness Space) 

IMS College in partnership with Point Blank Music School (Education Space)

IMS Tech X (Technology Space)

Networking Drinks presented by Ultra Music (Wednesday)

Lounges presented by YouTube; Beatport; Deezer; Party Degenerates

APRIL 26 – 28 2023

DESTINO PACHA IBIZA RESORT

Purchase Delegate Badges Here

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Martin Garrix joins forces with Breathe Carolina for their exciting festival banger 'Something'

STMPD RCRDS and Tomorrowland Music – two of dance music’s most esteemed record labels – continue the roll-out of their spectacular 7-track EP! Dutch superstar and STMPD label boss Martin Garrix has joined forces with American duo Breathe Carolina for their exclusive new tune ‘Something’, co-released through both imprints today. In a collaborative triumph, Martin Garrix and Breathe Carolina have created an up-tempo and pulsating festival banger, bursting with energy and passion. 

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Italian extreme metallers Cerebral Extinction have released a new video for the track “4 Eyes Of Chaos” in conjunction with the release of their new album ‘Escape From Illusion’, which came out on July 15th 2022.

Speaking about the meaning behind the song, the band have stated:

""4 Eyes of Chaos" is a mask that has a distinct power of chaos for each eye. Secrets are dead. Hidden , buried, outraged. I sink my arms and feel my knuckles rip in the muddy depths. I connect, I blind myself to the giant sleeping black angel. I see through the mask of the 4 eyes of chaos."

[sonicshocks]

Interview - Waiting

What’re your highlights of the year so far?

Colton Ray (Vocals) - The highlight of my year so far is the release of our band's first record titled "Photo Memory". So pumped about being a part of the scene and music in general.

What are your goals for the rest of the year?

CR - I think what I really want to do is plan more live shows. Sharing our music as a band is something we love doing and so I'm really looking forward to future gigs.

Which new bands/artists are you into right now?

CR - I've really been into the band "Osatia" lately. Alex seems like a chill dude and I'd love to write a song with him. Another is an artist by the name of Mothica. She's just an awesome human and her music is bad ass.

What was the band or artist that got you into music or inspired you to be a musician?

CR - Nirvana for sure. I would always play "Heart Shaped Box' on guitar hero as a kid and eventually learned all the lyrics too. I loved the grit in Kurt's voice and how emotional he would get. The passion that man had for music and for his art still inspires me now.

How best do you write; in a jam room or a studio?

CR - Neither honestly. I love to write at my kitchen table when no one is home. Almost every song from our newest release was written at my kitchen table besides one song on my friend's porch in Dallas. Even then I was alone (laughs)! I just love the quietness. When people talk to me while I write, it's impossible most of the time for me to put pen to paper.

What was your wildest show so far, and why?

CR - I think the craziest show we had was in my friends backyard in San Luis Obispo, CA. He has this stage in his backyard and we would play there sometimes. There was one occasion though that we played and it was wild. It was a hometown show and everyone came out to it. I just remember jumping into the crowd and sharing the mic with everyone. It was all around just incredible.

Where is the furthest across the globe you’ve played so far?

CR - As of now we haven't played any cross country shows, but we are planning to hit South Africa here shortly. Possibly sometime in the fall. It'd be a dream if we can get that going.

Given the current circumstances, what are you doing to keep the band moving forward?

CR - Just never stop creating. We write songs every day and work hard to keep this band going. Honestly, it's our fans that drive us the most. If it wasn't for them, W4A wouldn't be anything.

What are your hopes and plans for 2022?

CR - In 2022, I'd love to do a North American tour. Perhaps even another record would be killer. Till then keep an eye out for our newest release "Photo Memory" on all streaming platforms!

[sonicshocks]

Atlanta Hard Rockers Pistols At Dawn Announce New Album

Atlanta, GA-based group PISTOLS AT DAWN deliver hard-hitting hooks, magnetic melodies and intricate instrumentation with old school arena-size ambition on their debut studio album ASCENSION due August 19 via Megaforce/MRI Entertainment.

Latest single The Truth can be watched here:

The track introduces new vocalist CRIS HODGES who also fronts In The End: The Premiere Linkin Park Experience and has written music for several blockbuster movies including ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and ‘Baywatch.’ “The Truth” nods to nineties alternative with a distinct and dynamic twist. “‘The Truth’ revolves the around the constant noise we have in our head pushing and pulling our emotions so much that we sometimes lose total control and explode,” explains drummer ADAM JAFFE. “We have to be careful to maintain our thoughts and emotions, or ‘The Truth’ is that they could ‘tear us apart.’

The inspiration behind the music video was to show the constant emotional pinball game our minds play on us privately, coupled with the explosive reality of what can happen if we are truly triggered into chaos.”