WHAT TO EXPECT
MUSIC FRONTIERS breaks format.
It is not just a conference that talks about music's future.
It is a working session where that future gets built.
Two days, one premise: The people who build tools, write songs, run music companies, research AI, and shape policy rarely sit in the same room. Here they do. Technologists debate business-model architects. Artists question the platforms they depend on. Cultural thinkers push back on both.
The program moves through formats built for that friction. Each of the panels, fireside conversations, keynotes, and think tanks has been thoughtfully curated to fit the conversation rather than fill a slot.
Speakers come from across the value chain: artists rethinking their own tools, founders building the next infrastructure layer, executives navigating AI and rights in real time, and researchers with the data to back their arguments.
Get inspired, challenge the status quo, and help shape the future of the music ecosystem.
NETWORKING
09:30 - 10:45
ANGIE’S
FRANZBRÖTCHEN, CONNECTIONS & FUTURE MAKERS:
Registration & The Grand Opening Breakfast
brought to you by the Music Tech Coalition
Kickoff networking breakfast bringing together attendees and industry leaders to open Music Frontiers 2026.
KEYNOTE
10:45 - 10:55
schmidtchen
Welcome Words and Opening Remarks from Matthias Strobel Hohmann
Opening address setting the scope, themes, and vision for the conference program.
PANEL
11:00 - 11:30
schmidtchen
The urgent need for Industry Cooperation: Introducing the Music Tech Coalition
Panel addressing cross-industry collaboration and joint initiatives across music technology ecosystems.
PANEL
11:35 - 12:35
schmidtchen
Rewiring Indie Revenue Streams: Owned, Direct and Thriving
Focuses on how independent artists build sustainable revenue using direct-to-fan channels and owned platforms.
KEYNOTE & PANEL
12:40 - 13:40
schmidtchen
Death of the Algorithm: The Future of Music Promotion and Fan Relationships on Social Platforms
Explores shifting social media dynamics and emerging strategies for organic fan engagement beyond algorithms.
INTERVIEW
13:45 - 14:45
schmidtchen
From Walter White to Saul Goodman:
How Music Supervision Shapes Characters, Consequences, and Narratives.
Interview detailing the impact of music supervision on character development and story arcs in television.
PANEL
14:50 - 15:50
schmidtchen
Cleared in Seconds, Sync at Scale: The Micro-License Opportunity for Music and Creators
Panel discussing automated micro-licensing platforms scaling sync clearance for modern digital creators.
PANEL
15:55 - 16:55
schmidtchen
Fund Your Vision: The New Landscape of Artist Finance
Reviews funding options for musicians, from catalog advances and fan investment to alternative finance models.
Fireside-Chat
17:00- 18:00
schmidtchen
The Composer and the Machine: A Life at the Frontier of Music and AI
Fireside chat exploring human-AI collaboration in composition, creative boundaries, and legal implications.
KEYNOTE
11:35 - 12:05
ANGIE’S
Punching Below Our Weight: How the Music Industry Can Grow Into Its Cultural Worth
Keynote analyzing strategies to translate music's massive cultural value into stronger economic models.
PANEL
12:10 - 13:10
ANGIE’S
Assist, Replace, or Transform?
How AI Is Reshaping the Art and Craft of Music Production
Panel evaluating how generative AI impacts studio workflows, creative choices, and song production.
PANEL
13:15 - 14:15
ANGIE’S
Wem gehört Deine Stimme? KI im Pop und das Recht auf eigene Identität
*This session is conducted in German.
German-language session discussing voice rights, identity protection, and legal frameworks in AI music.
SHOWCASE
14:25 - 15.:25
ANGIE’S
Innovation Showcases I
Live demonstrations of groundbreaking music tech solutions and early-stage startup innovations.
PANEL
15:30 - 16:30
ANGIE’S
The Science and Economics of Music as Medicine and Its Role in Health and Human Wellbeing
Covers therapeutic music applications, clinical research, and commercial opportunities in health tech.
RECEPTION
16.35 - 18.00
ANGIE’S
All Signal, No Noise: The Global Music Tech Networking Reception
by MusicTech Germany, Music Tectonics, Music Tech Europe, Music Tech Coalition
Evening reception hosted by MusicTech Germany, Music Tectonics, Music Tech Europe, and Music Tech Coalition.
FIRESIDE CHAT
10:00 - 11:15
ANGIE’S
FUEL UP, LINK UP:
Friday's Networking Breakfast by Groover and DISCO
Morning networking session hosted by Groover and DISCO to connect music tech founders, labels, and creators.
FIRESIDE CHAT
11:20 - 12:00
schmidtchen
It’s (Just) an Algorithm, After All: What AI Is Really Capable of in the Creative Industry, Between Doom and Salvation
Demystifies artificial intelligence capabilities to assess practical, realistic tools for creative workflows.
PANEL
12:05 - 13:05
schmidtchen
From Training data to rights holder: Closing the Attribution Gap for the AI Era
Addresses training data rights and attribution gaps to ensure fair creator attribution and royalties.
PANEL
13:10 - 14:10
schmidtchen
The Human Algorithm: Why Curation Is the New Scarcity
Discusses why expert human curation and personal taste are increasingly vital in an algorithmic landscape.
PANEL
14:15 - 15:15
schmidtchen
Touch, Play, Own, Treasure: The Physical Music Renaissance
Explores physical formats like vinyl and cassettes, focusing on tangible collector goods and fan connection.
PANEL
15:20 - 16:20
schmidtchen
Connected Intelligence, Wired for Growth: How Smart Music Companies Are Connecting Their Data
Shows how music companies integrate fragmented data sources to optimize decisions and scale growth.
PANEL
16:30 - 17:30
schmidtchen
Human in the Loop: Wiederherstellung von Vertrauen in einer von KI geprägten Musikbranche
*This session is conducted in German.
German-language session examining trust restoration and human oversight in an AI-driven music industry.
INTERACTIVE
THINK TANK
11:15 - 12:40
ANGIE’S
The European Music Ecosystem 2035 in a world of new boundaries and music networks
Interactive think tank mapping future web networks, policy shifts, and decentralized European music models.
FIRESIDE CHAT
12:45 - 13:15
ANGIE’S
The Invisible Upgrade: How AI Is Transforming the Business of Music From the Inside Out
Examines back-office AI adoption across rights administration, catalog processing, and operational tasks.
PANEL
13:20 - 14:20
ANGIE’S
Your catalog, fully alive: intelligent metadata and the infrastructure that makes it pay
Explains how clean metadata and modern rights infrastructure reactivate legacy catalog earnings.
PANEL
14:25 - 15:10
ANGIE’S
From Tools to Agents: The Next Music Business Infrastructure
Panel discussing the transition from standalone software tools to autonomous AI agents in music business ops.
SHOWCASE
15:15 - 16:15
ANGIE’S
Innovation Showcase II
Second showcase session featuring pitches and product demos from international music tech innovators.
PANEL + PITCHES
16:30 - 17:30
ANGIE’S
Dead Money or Next Frontier? Funding Music Tech in 2026
Investors and founders discuss venture capital trends, funding obstacles, and startup opportunities for 2026.
AFTERPARTY
20:00 - Open End
Hafenklang
MUSIC FRONTIERS offical Afterparty
@Hafenklang
Official closing afterparty hosted at Hafenklang to celebrate and network late into the night.
Vibes of 2025
