The 19th annual Popkomm music conference started today in Berlin. This show, which started in 1989 in Düsseldorf, is held as a regular meeting place for the music and entertainment industries. Popkomm’s trade show is the biggest in the music industry, with over 800 exhibitors and over 15,000 visitors from around the world last year. There is also a major discussion forum at the show where different ideas are shared and industry issues are discussed. Economics, politics, and communication are the three “pillars” of discussion at this year’s conference, presented by keynote speakers such as the German Federal Minister for Economics and Technology, Michael Glos, and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Bernd Neumann. Several other notable people within the industry will also be speaking, ranging from musicians and producers to band managers and label representatives.

But Popkomm is not all about business, there’s a lot of fun to be had, too. Their annual festival attracts hundreds of musicians from dozens of countries to perform, essentially turning the entire city of Berlin into a huge concert venue. Last year, 70,000 people watched concerts during Popkomm, and this year the crowds are expected to be even bigger. There is also an awards ceremony where the most creative music industry ideas receive an IMEA, or Innovation in Music and Entertainment Award.

Popkomm will continue for 3 days until the 21st. If you’re fortunate enough to be in or near Berlin the next few days, check out some of the activity. You are bound to find some exhibit or concert you like.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 19th, 2007 at 9:50 pm and is filed under German Info, Marketing and Promotion, Music Industry News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.