NYC Is the Pulse of the Music Industry
By Imani Coaxum
This year’s MOME Music Month Conference was a hit! Presented at the NYU Kimmel Center by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), in partnership with NYU Steinhardt Music Business Program, the annual conference kicks off New York Music Month with an in-depth look at the city’s music industry and all of the exciting opportunities during the month of June. Students, professionals, and musicians filled the crowd in celebration of the most diverse music scene in the world.
All of this would not be possible without the hard work and diligence of Shira Gans, the Senior Executive Director of Policy and Programs at MOME, who leads social impact and partnerships that elevate the city’s culture and provide resources for an immersive, educational experiences.
The day was filled with panels, fireside chats, and even some hot takes on the most important and thought provoking topics that consume the music industry landscape today. Panel topics included: Deciphering the Power of Fandom, Attention Economy and Social Media Trends, Hip Hop and Public Health Initiatives, and a State of the Industry Chat.
The presentations offered practical advice and inspirational encouragement for aspiring music professionals, whether on the creative side or business end of the industry. And there were many musicians and executives whose pioneering work has impacted the way we consume music today, including Doug E. Fresh, Entertainer and Co-Founder of Hip Hop Public Health; Pete Ganbarg, President of A&R at Atlantic Records; Vernon Reid, Founder and Primary Songwriter of Living Colour; and Catherine Russell, Grammy Award Winning Vocalist.
On the left: Vernon Reid, Founder and Primary Songwriter of Living Colour.
I’m not the only person who can attest to the success of this conference. The CEO of Respect the Musician LLC (@respectthemusician) and music artist SXNTYLR (@SXNTYLR) spoke with me about what he wanted to get out of attending the conference.
“What drew me to the event was the opportunity to network with fellow music creatives and those on the business side and being able to educate myself on how the ever-changing music industry is and to be ahead of the game to see where the music industry is going,” he said.
I also spoke with Tiffany Walker (@Tiffysingss), who is a musical artist, podcast host of Tiffy Talks (@Tiffytalks), model, and YouTuber (Tiffany Walker). She shared her biggest takeaway from the conference with me.
“There's always more to learn,” she said. “I thought that I knew everything I could be doing for myself as an artist right now, but I learned new ways to promote myself as well as getting insight to how the music industry is run on the business side, such as royalties and publishing.”
Overall, the conference was a testament to the power of music and how the community of New York City fosters it—with help from this kind of programming offered by the New York City Office of Media and Entertainment. MOME’s music initiatives and programs prove that there is no better place to celebrate music than NYC!
For more information on program offerings and the rest of New York Music Month festivities, visit NYMusicMonth.NYC. I’ll see you there!
