WAMCon Focus: Henry Compton

Organisation: The Orchard - Director, Australia & New Zealand 

How did you first become involved in the music business and how did you end up where you are today? I guess it all started from DJing in the mid '90s, Sydney community radio in the late '90s, then music retail and into the distribution and acquisition side of the business in the early '00s. 

What's been the biggest change in the music business you've seen over the past 12 months? The constant battle for retail supremacy with stores exiting and entering the market at a rapid rate combined with streaming revenue overtaking the traditional download or physical market. A long time coming, but it's here! 

What do you think will be the biggest issue affecting the music industry in the next 12 months and why? 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.  

What advice would you give young practitioners in your area starting out today? Throw yourself into every aspect of your art and your business. Fail often, iterate and keep coming back stronger. More than ever, your career's destiny is in your hands, so take control of it! 

What will you be primarily discussing during your appearance at the WAMCon? I'm sure all sorts of things will be discussed on the WAMCon panel! It's a broad topic and my experience from past panel conversations suggests that they often touch on many areas outside of the initial topic!

What are you hoping that people will be able to learn from your panel/interview? The importance of streaming and how best to consider and utilise this as a valid and viable revenue opportunity and discovery point for both artists and label.

What do you personally hope to take away from your time at WAMCon? I'm looking forward to lots of great music and meeting lots of amazing new people. Learning is a central, ongoing part of life - conferences like this always provide an opportunity to expand your knowledge.   

Which acts are you most looking forward to checking out at WAMFest? So much amazing music comes out of WA, so to narrow it down to just a few acts is plain unfair! I can't wait to get in front of as much music as possible!