Last week, Muddy Paw PR announced the 2016 Music Launch Summit, put on by Music Launch Hub. The conference, which will span from September 13-30, will feature 40+ speakers from around the music industry and it’s totally free to view all the talks.
From the comfort of your own home, you’ll be able to access exclusive insight into the careers of top-industry professionals. Guests will speak on topics such as getting indie radio play, building press around your album, songwriting tips, building relationships, and more.
We spoke with Steve Palfreyman, the founder of Music Launch Hub to get some more details on the conference. If you’re interested, be sure to save your spot here.
What is your current position and what does it entail?
I play music in a little Indie Rock outfit called Winter York and I’m the Founder of the Music Launch Hub, one place where musicians & industry pros come together to make great launch campaigns. I’m also the host of the Music Launch Summit which will be the world’s largest virtual music conference come September and the only event that I know of focused 100% on launching music.
How and when did you come up with the idea for the Music Launch Summit?
It’s been a good 18 months in the pipeline! I’d heard of other virtual summits in other industries and saw a gap in the music industry. Mainly because I’ve always found launch campaigns the most fun to work on, but also the hardest part to get right. I’ve also worked on other festivals before, both booking 40+ acts for an indie music festival here in Melbourne, and also running the social media team for an amazing festival called Pause Fest. I’ve also been to a stack of great music conferences and wanted to bring this type of experience to people so they can tap into the amazing collaborations and inspiration that can come from such an event, wherever they are in the world.
What does the event entail? Will there be speakers every day?
Totally get it’s going to be quite a new experience for people! It’s certainly been a challenge to work out how to make this content as easy to consume as possible! Each day during the event new master classes will be added. Each one will be available for three days, so basically at any point there should be a number of sessions to choose from. I’ll be hosting a kick-off event where I’ll talk about how to get the most out of the Summit as well as a wrap up event where people can ask questions and get the run down on the big takeaways from the event.
Can anyone participate? Are there any interactive aspects to the conference?
Absolutely! I actually think anybody who has an interest in the creative industries would get a lot out of this. But naturally everything is tailored for musicians who want to build their career and music pros who want to create their own launches either for their own business or for their artists. Interaction is key, that’s why I opened up the Facebook group before the Summit. There are already a stack of amazing people in there working together which is so exciting. I’ll be encouraging people to participate in the group during the event, letting us know what they loved and what tips they’re auctioning. Hopefully it’ll spark some ideas for collaboration too. Each session will also have a comment stream underneath where I’ll be encouraging people to share their discoveries. I think we can get so much just by seeing what others are experiencing. Also VIP pass holders will spend 4 weeks with me after the summit implementing their next launch plan. That’ll be a way for the serious folks to not just get extra support but also collaborate with other people who are just like them.
How long did it take to plan something like this and organize each of the speakers?
Honestly its still happening! It’s taken a lot longer than I first expected and has just kind of taken on a life of its own now, which is amazing. I think I could have had this all done a lot faster had I worked with someone who had done it before, but I have loved the experience of figuring it all out. Just like any creative project the hardest part is in the first half of putting it together. It’s often hard to figure out where to start or where to focus. I’ve got a rock-solid plan now and a lot of momentum so while more is happening right now it’s easier to know what to do next. The majority of this will be done in a 12 week period, but I’ve already started planning for next year based on what I’m learning as I’m going.
What areas of the industry will the summit focus on? Do you have speakers from multiple professions within the industry?
I began looking for speakers who would help with the marketing side of things but quickly realized there were so many other aspects of launching that should be covered. It’s grown to include every area I can think of. I’ve got people who work specifically with EDM artists, vocal coaches, startup founders who’ll show you inside what they’re building. I’ve got some of the best minds in the marketing space as well as people who will help you plan, coaches who’ll talk about mindset, artists who’ll talk about their career. No stone will be left unturned. And my favorite part is there is a central question each guest is being asked, At the end of each session you’ll have each speaker’s biggest insight into what it takes to make a great launch.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Y’know what, I think it’s important for people to see that just coming to something like this really isn’t enough. It’s about what gets actioned. The sessions are time-limited for free pass holders because I want people to rock up, find something they like and go get to work. Advice is great but nothing beats getting started. I think the smart VIP Pass holders will buy a pass not to try and consume everything at once, but to figure out which sessions matter to them the most and use the implementation program as a way of acting and reflecting with the type of guidance that typically doesn’t come cheap. These speakers have been handpicked because I know that each of them are amazing in their own areas and gosh am I excited to see what people make happen from this!
Filed under: Interviews Tagged: career spotlight, digital conference, music industry, music launch hub, music launch summit, steve palfreyman