State of industry, quotas, eye-controlled music tech, mental health & everything else at Australian Music Week 2018

An opening address by Senator Glenn Sterle on the state of the music industry kicks off Australian Music Week.

The WA Labor senator recently raised eyebrows – and thumbs up from music executives – at a Senate inquiry on Australian music by suggesting that radio stations that play more local music would be rewarded with discounts on their licence fees.

His keynote will be supplemented with a discussion on commercial radio’s support for Australian music.

Set in Sydney’s beachside town of Cronulla, November 7—9, Australian Music Week showcases 100 national and international acts (including dedicated heavy, hip-hop, Americana and country shows), 48 executives involved in panels and masterclasses, and a music film festival.

The topics discussed include the relationship between artists and their managers, a look at the world’s first eye-controlled music technology Pyskinetic Atmosphere, the legal minefield, of doing deals, crunching the numbers at event marketing, tips on breaking the globe, the future of folk music, and how to cope with mental health issues when on the road.

More details, and topics, speakers and list of artists, are at avaliable at the official Australian Music Week website.

The artist contingent includes Mark Lang, BODIE, Amaru Tribe, Shellie Morris, Nathan Cavaleri, Ben Leece, Dande and The Lion, DOBBY, Hawksley Workman, Jaguar Jonze and Goodnight Japan.

The film festival component delivers 13 screenings, including six feature-length films accompanied by a short film, altogether shaping up 11 Australian premieres, a number of international and world premieres.

The feature event is Turn It Up! Finding Sydney’s Sound about the Harbour City’s live scene.