The Biggest Challenges Facing The Music Industry, According To WAMCon Speakers

WAMCon kicks off this Friday, Nov 4, with a diverse list of speakers gearing up to talk about their chosen profession, unleash valuable advice and pull about the music industry.

Here are some of biggest issues the music industry can expect to face in the next 12 months.

Moira Mckenzie

Sanicki Lawyers - solicitor

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“Artists finding new and effective ways to earn money from their music.”

Michael Tucak

creativecapacity.com.au - Lawyer, creative/legal

“Continuing to show the real 'value' of music as an essential component of human experience - more than just a streamable 'commodity' but something to engage in quality experiences with, whether live or other ways.”

Sarah Tout

RTRFM 92.1/solo artist/Simone & Girlfunkle — broadcaster, guitarist & vocalist

“Funding. There's an attitude that music should be free to consume, yet the costs of production are considerable. We need to collectively lobby for more sustainable models that produce great art and support the artist.”

Zac Abroms

Viceroyalty/Face The Music/Maroochy Music & Visual Arts Festival - Director, Co-Programmer, Talent Coordinator

“I think the vitally important conversations around inclusivity and accessibility across many aspects of music as well as the promotion of gender and cultural diversity will see vast changes ripple throughout the industry.”

Nick Yates

Unified - Head of Artist Management

“For Australia in general things like increasing Visa costs, lockout laws and the non-funding of Sounds Australia will all have a big impact on the industry.”

John Chavez

Ground Control Touring - Vice President

“I think the decline of the large-scale festival will have the biggest impact on the touring industry.”

Henry Compton

The Orchard - Director, Australia & New Zealand

“Replacing the word "issue" with "opportunity" in the question: data and the insights it unlocks along with acting on the importance of transparency in a business that has long had a stigma of being opaque.”

Andrew Fuller

Clearview Legal Counsel Pty Ltd / myEntertainmentLawyer.com - Principal, Owner

“Hopefully a change to the lockout laws in Sydney to reinvigorate the cultural scene and specifically the music scene.”

Esti Zilber

Sounds Australia - Associate Producer

“I think we are going to be hearing a lot more about streaming services and playlists, there's ongoing issues surrounding US visas, as well as the challenges outlined above.”

Kylie Thompson

Sorrento Strategic Accounting Pty Ltd - Director

“The ongoing pressure and responsibility on musicians to keep abreast of these changes and ensure larger streams of touring income, as there are more people going to more varied gigs amongst an explosion of Festivals.”