Five things we learnt at IMS Ibiza

04 June 2015 - Editorial

This May marked the International Music Summit’s eighth year in Ibiza and although the sun may not have shone as in previous years, there was still plenty to write home about. Kicking things off with the annual business report the headline stat was the fact that dance music was worth $6.9bn globally in 2014, however, with three days worth of panels and chat there was much more to be gleaned from IMS Ibiza 2015.

SFX is serious about Beatport

When SFX bought Beatport for a reported $50m in 2013 there was unease within the dance community. Concerns over the big live conglomerate taking the heart out of one of the most popular sites for the community understandably worried users.  However, two years on and in a keynote at this year’s IMS Ibiza, President Greg Consiglio laid out a very clear statement of intent, commitment and evolution for the brand. He stated the three pillars of the company would be: live, brand integration and Beatport - with the latter “a core to the vision of the future of what SFX wants to become”. He explained: “For us, Beatport is not just a platform or an opportunity to get into the music business as it has been for the last decade, it’s a promise to electronic entrepreneurs, fans, artists, labels, publishers, promoters etc to keep going, to keep growing and innovating, and supporting the industry regardless of fads and trends.” His impassioned speech detailed a future for the website which will culminate in one central hub for the dance music community. As well as its already popular download store, SFX has plans to evolve the platform into a social network, ticketing destination and paid streaming source. 

Dance music is still white male heavy

This year’s IMS saw 1,200 attendees and while the scene is no doubt in transition, a look around the room at any point displayed a clear cross-section of a white male dominated industry. We also consider IMS to be one of the better-programmed conferences around but the first day featured no female voices on any panels, which strikes us as a shame. Annie Mac stated at last year’s IMS that she looks forward to the day when she doesn’t have to discuss her sex because it isn’t an issue – that day is not in 2015. What the scene is doing well however is servicing young voices. The New Breed panel seeked to highlight some of the brightest newbies with panellists including one half of Disciples, Gavin, coming in at the oldest at 29, but also the likes of B-Traits, 28, and Becky Tong, 23. Elsewhere the Young Guns Network hosted a panel at the event for the second year running, this time focusing on marketing to millennials. What each panel served to highlight was the need to be holistic in both the panellists’ own work practises and with regards to their audience. The New Breed speakers almost all dabbled in several sectors of the industry citing an understanding of the wider industry as a key driver to success. Furthermore Sam Wolfson, Editor of Noisey, explained on the YGN panel how the website’s audience have a much broader range of interests than just music and consequently expect more from their artists than just interviews around release dates. Holly Bott, Senior Planner at Syco / Sony Music UK, reiterated Wolfson’s point, explaining that the millennial audience don’t want to be told what to watch, they want to be engaged. 

SoundCloud isn’t encouraging creators to put all their content on the platform

As noted by David Balfour in last week’s RotD magazine, it was an admirable move by SoundCloud CEO Alexander Ljung to agree to take part in a keynote interview this year. The company is under the spotlight as it finds a way to remunerate content creators and the industry wants answers. Speaking somewhat sheepishly if impeccably media trained, Ljung came across humble as he admitted the company had made “a ton of mistakes” in its past but also asked for patience as it finds a path that will work for everyone. He stated that SoundCloud is keen for its advertising model to be bigger than banner ads and that subscription will have a key role, but: “subscription won't bring enough to support these platforms. We need to find an advertising-subscription balance. It doesn't make sense to look at a world where we only have a subscription option.” In a move juxtaposed to other streaming sites he also advised content creators not to put all of their work on the site. “I understand the content creators frustration” he commented, “we've always been very flexible with every creator out there; use it for what works with you, you don't have to put everything up. They [artists] can monetise on other platforms at the moment, don't put all of your stuff on our platform now.” 

There’s no faking it online

During a lively debate over A-Z billing it was argued that Facebook Likes shouldn’t determine a DJ’s position on a line-up – not least because they can be bought and faked. In reality however, the idea of paid-for success appears to have been a short-term fix that’s been quickly stamped out. Stefan Lehmkuhl, Talent Buyer, for Melt! Festival and Lollapalooza, explained that he uses location checkers to see how many Likes came from his festivals’ country and fakes could be quickly determined. On a panel focussing on whether success could be bought in the electronic world, CODA agent Nick Matthews stated that if all an artist has is statistics “you’ll be found out very quickly”. Matthews  further commented that: “We live in the most meritocratic of times that there has ever been, if you’re good and people think you’re good then you’ll succeed, if you’re crap and buy loads of Facebook likes you’ll be found out.” Despite this he also served a reminder that this kind of manipulation is nothing new, harping back to when record labels would buy records from shops to influence the Top 40. Overall across the weekend it was generally agreed that you could buy market position and perhaps media buzz but ultimately it would be short-lived without the realities to back them up.

Ibiza’s still got it

The IMS Business Report may have focussed on the estimated half a billion dollars in revenue coming out of top 12 US clubs but there’s a reason why Europe’s playground is still world renown. From the terraces, to the sunsets, dance floors and ear-shattering sound systems, Ibiza does clubs like nowhere else. And it’s a reputation IMS works well in conjunction with. Outside of the industry panel chat and business meetings by the pool IMS perfectly marries the conference with the essence of the White Isle with no less than three parties a night at legendary Ibiza clubs across the island included in the ticket price. Whether it’s the visual spectacular of Dalt Villa, the glamour of Pacha or Ushuaia or island baby and UK native, Sankeys, there’s something for everyone, every night. This year organisers mixed things up with a Gibson Guitar partnership showcase at conference hub Hard Rock Hotel, where we fell for Brighton-London-Ibiza lad Harley Maxwell’s rough and ready harmonious rhymes. Outside of IMS, and for those who could tough out a few more days. the island really starts to come alive, as demonstrated by a the blissed-out crowd at DC-10’s killer opening party this year. The 15-year-old techno den’s famous Circoloco Monday party opened in full force and perfectly highlighted why Ibiza has such a high level of return visitors.

While ADE may have the scale and history, we can see IMS Ibiza carving a determined but friendly niche just next to it.