A&R for Music-Tech
A new sort of A&R has emerged for record labels and artist managers - evaluating music-tech companies to work with to help their artists connect with fans, generate exposure and make money. Discuss how to best approach artist representatives, what they are looking for and, maybe more importantly, what NOT to say.
Presenters
Bill Wilson
VP, Digital Strategy & Business Dev
Music Business Association
As Vice President, Digital Strategy and Business Development for music trade association NARM, Bill Wilson leads the charge on all things digital at the music business association. A music industry professional with over two decades of experience working in varied roles within independent and major record labels, internet ventures, and mobile content, he brings a well-rounded perspective to the industry trade association. One of his most important roles is running NARM’s key initiative, digitalmusic.org, which was created to explore and resolve key business issues for music services and application developers. Key topics on the agenda of digitalmusic.org are digital supply chain, metrics, product development, music subscription, apps & games, and metadata.
Dan Kruchkow
CMO & Head of Digital Strategy
Crush Music Media Management
15 year industry veteran in digital strategy and marketing. Has worked on global tour and album campaigns from superstars including Elton John, Rihanna, Kanye West, JAY Z, Fall Out Boy, Train and many, many others.
Cameo Carlson
Head of Digital Business Dev
Borman Entertainment
Jon Vanhala
Thesis Venture Studio
connector, advisor + creative improvisor. Thesis is a company builder + accelerator. I'm also former musician turned head of digital and/or brand partnership at multiple UMG labels (Island Def Jam, Republic, Verve) and a now defunct music Festival Network startup.
Bryan Calhoun
VP, New Media & External Affairs
Blueprint Group
The Blueprint Group, Digital Strategy and Business Development
Bryan has worked in the music industry in various capacities including A&R, marketing, digital licensing, radio promotions, business development and concert promotions for over 20 years including time at Relativity Records, RED Distribution, Warlock Records, Serchlite Music, as COO of Kanye West’s GOOD Music and most recently as VP of New Media and External Affairs for SoundExchange.
Currently, he provides digital strategy and business development for The Blueprint Group, an artist management company representing Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, T.I., Lil Twist, Hit Boy and others.
He drew upon his varied experiences and founded Label Management Systems in 2003 to help indie record labels succeed. To that end, he developed business solutions to achieve that goal, namely the Music Business Toolbox, originally released in 2008, but being updated for rerelease in 2012. His professional consulting clients have included Kanye West, MSN Entertainment, Ludacris, Monster Cable, SoundExchange and more.
Bryan has a BBA in Finance from the University of Georgia and regularly speaks at music industry conferences and at universities about the music industry. He is a voting member of the Recording Academy and on the Board of Directors for the Future of Music Coalition.
Follow Bryan on Twitter: @bryancalhoun
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