Popkomm

First of I apologize for not posting earlier, i simply didn't have the time during my few hours in Berlin.

What is Popkomm?
Popkomm is an international music fair, a place for record companies, publisher, media, producers, artists, practically everyone that even thinks he has something to do with the music industry to MEET. See each other - because we can't do business only by emailing, calling and faxing can we?

What did I see?
everyone sells, (hardly) anybody buys. Everybody thinks he has something to sell. Imagine me, representing a Croatian record company: everybody that passes by the stand (most companies have a stand to show what they have to sell) thinks his artist can easily be exploited in Croatia, because its a small and new market. NEWSFLASH: if we get a good shot with our domestic catalogue we sell between 5-10.000 albums. These are the biggest sellers. What makes you think that your romanian/russian either french b-artist is going to be a success here?
For the rest it's nowadays mostly about digital distribution. I've met around 5 different ones, all of them have the most inovative uploading systems (winner: www.broadstreedigital.com ) and some of them just are the biggest (www.theorchard.com ) and therefore can offer shabby deals.
Most countries also have a stand. and yes, it's all EXPORT! lithuania EXPORT, Switzerland EXPORT, dutchsounds.com - EXPORT, Ukraine - EXPORT ...

So how the helll do your get your deal done? well, it takes a lot of time upfront. I set meetings upfront (unlike many of my fellow Croatian collegues who go in search of meetings at the spot. and yes, nobody has time for meetings becaues they already settled them). If you search long enough in the Popkomm database (which actually has a lot to learn from the MIDEM database, www.midem.com ) you will always find people that might be interested in buying your stuff (if you have artists to 'license out'.)

What didn't I see?
NEW BUSINESS CONCEPTS FOR THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. There was 1 conference about ad-financed music and it didn't handle the FREE aspect for consumers. The music industry is not playing a different tune. Everybody is waiting for the majors (who have fantastic stands if you look at the designs, all great but i don't really see the purpose) to do something so we can follow. INDIES; WAKE UP. IMPALA, where ARE YOU?

Looks like it's time for ME in PERSON to do something about it. You will hear from me. In the meanwhile I will try to exploit my artists abroad, yes the old fashioned way. In the the other meanwhile i will develop the new business concept i've came up with here in Croatia. Perhaps next Popkomm I'll have my own stand.