We’re just upon the start of EDMbiz’s fourth annual conference that will commence on June 16th and go all the way through the 18th straight into EDC Las Vegas. It’s an informational precursor where the brightest and most astute in the dance music industry come together to talk about the scene in the past, its current state, and where it is going. Last year’s panelists and speakers spanned from label heads to world-renowned artists to marketing geniuses to booking agents to the event planners of the world’s largest festivals.
This year’s full list of panelists has yet to surface, but just received word of the first bunch. Representing Zappos and Downtown Project, Tony Hsieh. Insomniac founder & CEO Pasquale Rotella will be in attendance, as well as Mike Darlington, CEO of Monstercat. John Amato – Billboard, James Barton – Live Nation and Paul Morris – AM Only will be there to offer up their vast wisdom. The first two artists announced are repeats, Tommy Sunshine and Krewella (sans Rain Man this year). 
Learning is not a foreign task for people because it happens daily, but it is where and who to learn from that presents the opportunity for them to grow. Aspiring producers or industry executives can read all they want on the industry, its leaders, and the like, but when hearing directly from the mouth of the horse that has succeeded, the information is entirely unparalleled.
For those that attended EDMbiz 2014, you may have attended talks from Above & Beyond, Brett Alperowitz – GM at Casablanca, Geronimo – Senior Director of Programming for SiriusXM, Michael Rapino – President & CEO of Live Nation, or maybe Joel Zimmerman – Global Head of Electronic Music at WME who represents Deadmau5, Calvin Harris, Kygo, and more. These names represent the caliber of acts that make up what EDMbiz is. These people live, eat, and breath electronic dance music in an attempt to push it past its potential and into a worldwide phenomenon.
Insomniac uploaded a handful of the panels from last year to give prospective attendees an example of the dynamic that occurs during the panels and speakers. In #20Something, the mastermind behind ZHU, Jake Udell, talks about his approach to ZHU’s incredible brand marketing. Mike Darlington – CEO of Monstercat – talked last year about how their YouTube channel organically grew into a fully functioning record label. If you’re more of a producer or music-technology entrepreneur, this year’s EDMbiz just announced their first ever startup and A&R contests that will give hopeful individuals a chance to achieve their dreams.
