As members of our team and many of you get ready to head to Austin, Texas, we want to share the SXSW panels and performances that we're excited to attend. 

After two years of virtual events, SXSW finally welcomes guests back to Austin. This year's festival, which runs from March 11 - 21, will bring thousands of music, film, and comedy industry workers together for an extended week of panels and performances that celebrate innovation across the creative space. Beck, Michelle Zauner (Japanese Breakfast), Lizzo, and Nabil Ayers are among an elite group of keynote speakers. At the same time, approximately 1,400 artists will perform day and night in venues across the city.

Songtradr at SXSW 2022

Songtradr will be there, too. Our staff is operating a booth at the Artist Village, open to all official showcasing artists from March 14 – 19. We'll be there daily between 2pm – 10:30pm. Additionally, artists, label reps, and catalog owners can book a personal in-person mentoring session with one of our music experts, who will help explain how our music service offerings can meet your needs. Advance sign-up is required, and access is limited to Music and Platinum Badge holders only. You can book a personal mentoring session by clicking the link below and then the RSVP button on the SXSW website.

• Kyle Warner (Manager of Digital Distribution)
  Mar 15, 2022, 11:30am – 12:45pm CT | Hilton Austin Downtown, Room 412

• Ryan McKay (Director of Client Management)
  Mar 16, 2022, 2:30pm – 3:45pm CT | Hilton Austin Downtown, Room 406

• Tom Riley (Director, Artist and Label Services, UK)
  Mar 17, 2022, 10:00am – 11:30pm CT | Hilton Austin Downtown, Room 412

• Samantha Kolton (Senior Manager, Artist and Label Services)
  Mar 17, 2022, 11:30am – 12:45pm CT | Hilton Austin Downtown, Room 406

If you're a Music or Platinum Badge holder, we'd also love to see you at Malverde on March 17 from 4pm - 6pm for Songtradr's official Music Industry Happy Hour. It's an excellent opportunity to meet our team and catch some live music. Australian folk singer Tom West and Norweigen alt-country artist Malin Pettersen will be providing the entertainment, and if you show up early, drinks will be on us.

Aside from our own commitments, we're excited to catch some live music and hear industry experts speak about the future of music. Here's a look at the SXSW 2022 panels and performances we're most excited about.

Panels

The Music Landscape for Ad Agencies + Brands

Ever wondered what the differences between licensed and original music are? Or what the benefits are for creating bespoke music versus finding an existing song for a project? In this session, leading music supervisors, creative agency executives and creative directors will walk audiences through a real-world case study of the music licensing process from agency brief to execution. The panelists will provide a first-hand look at the impact of a commercial license, from streams to social following to show attendance, while diving into what a brand sounds like, who curates the brand sound, who signs off on it and what the overall execution looks like. They will also drill into financial aspects and ownership rights - providing a snapshot of the whole landscape.

Where: Austin Convention Center, Room 15

When: Mar 18, 2022, 2:30pm – 3:30pm CT

Guests: Johanna Cranitch (MassiveMusic), Lilah Obregon-Wilson (Disco Cha Cha), Todd Porter (Hated Industries), Elijah B. Torn (MassiveMusic)

Gender Equity in Music: Bringing the Balance

EqualizeHer is an initiative to achieve equal representation of women across all aspects of the music industry, from recording studios to stages to board rooms. This is done by providing resources and access to women so they can thrive in the music industry while helping others to do the same. The initiative also generates awareness and aligns many industry organizations to inspire and support young women. As part of this initiative, EqualizeHer is bringing together women in the industry to tell their stories.

Where: Lustre Pearl Rainey, 94 Rainey St

When: Mar 16, 2022, 3:00pm – 4:30pm CT

Moderator: Linda Perry (Co-founder EqualizeHer)
Guests: Audrey Fix Schaefer (Director of Communications for I.M.P./9:30 Club and NIVA Board VP), Jillian Rothman (Interactive, Web3, Gaming Partnerships at Warner Music), Dani Miller (Artist, Vocalist in Surfbort), Samantha Kolton (Senior Manager, Artist & Label Services, Songtradr)

Case Study in Sync: TV & Film + Marketing & Games

An in-depth behind-the-scenes look at the decisions that are made when selecting a song for a sync placement by dissecting specific examples of work by top music supervisors and music producers. We showcase the work, break down ‘the brief’, discuss how tempo, tone/feeling, and theme play a role, examine the reason(s) a song gets selected or not selected, and the importance of context in a song. This is an advanced look at sync placements.

Where: Austin Convention Center, Room 13AB

When: Mar 15, 2022, 11:30am – 12:30pm CT

Guests: Tre Ace (V3 Publishing), Megan Barbour (Buddha Jones), Todd Porter (Hated Industries), Heather Cook (Peermusic)

Music Supervisors VS Composers VS Library Music

There has never been a greater battle for music usage in media than now. Films, TV shows, documentaries, adverts and games are being bombarded with pitches from music rights holders — from composer agents to production music libraries to artists looking at revenue from sync. Film directors like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino have historically commissioned very little composer-delivered music for their features, relying almost 100% on the work of music supervisors. At the same time, many feature documentaries and film trailers rely completely on production music. Finally across genres like video-on-demand platforms — producers often use composed music as it is easy to clear and rights can be negotiated in perpetuity. The question, then, is what is the future of music usage in media?

Where: Austin Convention Center, Room 13AB

When: Mar 15, 2022, 2:30pm – 3:30pm CT

Guests: Peter Bradbury (Sky UK Ltd), Mark Gordon (Score Draw Music), Hannah King (We Are Golden), Aminé Ramer (States Of Sound)

Music In Games: The Future is Now

The gaming industry is larger than music and film industries combined, and the pandemic accelerated gaming engagement and growth. Not only is there financial value from having music placed in games, but end users hear and interact with music differently in a gaming environment and we have a panel of top tier experts from artist management, major label, game developers and music licensing to share insights into what is working and how they size the opportunity. Join the conversation with Beat Saber, Crush Music, and Atlantic Records and learn more about the dynamic intersection of music and gaming.

Where: Austin Convention Center Room 18AB

When: Mar 14, 2022, 4:00pm – 5:00pm CT

Guests: Jaroslav Beck (Beat Saber), Joseph Khoury (Atlantic Records: part of WMG), Aaron Matusow (Crush Music), Vickie Nauman (CrossBorderWorks)

Across the Metaverse: Independent Music in XR

The metaverse and XR offers a vast and untapped playground and revenue source for the music industry but figuring out how to access the tech-forward fans who inhabit the space is still a work in progress. Megastars like Lil Nas X and Ariana Grande have made triumphant appearances in front of millions of fans in the technicolor open-worlds of Roblox and Fortnite and festivals from Glastonbury to Burning Man have hosted amazing virtual events to great acclaim. But if I'm an independent music-maker or label just getting back on my feet after lockdown how do I get started in XR? Who holds the keys to the kingdom and how do I make the metaverse work for me? This panel will explore these questions and offer insights and practical advice to help get you started.

Where: Austin Convention Center, Room 17AB

When: Mar 17, 2022, 2:30pm – 3:30pm CT

Guests: Anne Mckinnon (Ristband Inc), Theon Cross, Crispin Parry (British Underground), Jon Vlassopulos (ROBLOX)