MIDEM
International music industry conference and market connecting labels, publishers, and music professionals globally.
Definition
MIDEM (Marché International du Disque et de l'Edition Musicale) is an international music industry market and conference held annually in Cannes, France. The event brings together record labels, publishers, distributors, streaming platforms, and music professionals for business and networking.
MIDEM programming includes panels on industry trends, showcases featuring emerging artists, and extensive networking opportunities. The event serves as a marketplace for catalog licensing, distribution deals, and international partnerships.
Why It Matters
MIDEM enables international music business connections that would otherwise require extensive travel and individual outreach. In a few days, professionals can meet counterparts from dozens of countries.
For artists and managers seeking international expansion, MIDEM provides access to distributors, labels, and promoters in target territories with established track records.
Examples in Practice
A MIDEM meeting leads to a distribution deal that brings an indie label's catalog to European markets they couldn't previously access.
Panel discussions at MIDEM reveal streaming strategies that inform a label's digital approach, with insights from platforms and successful independents.
Artist showcases at MIDEM attract festival bookers who program the act across multiple European summer festivals.