5 Music Industry Showcases That Are Not SXSW

U.S. Music IndustryTouringNetworking
Written By Ali Garcia

South by Southwest (SXSW) is known around the world as the ultimate showcase and conference, one that the entertainment industry flocks to every year. SXSW can be an extremely valuable opportunity for all individuals in the industry, American or international. However, it’s not the easiest event for anyone to attend. The registration is expensive, and the rates only increase as the conference nears. Since people from all over the world are attending, it is tricky to secure hotel bookings and transportation. These expenses may also very likely put you over your budget. 

All things considered, if you can properly prepare and afford it, SXSW is a great event to attend. Yet, there are so many other options and variations of music-centered conferences throughout the U.S., offering similar opportunities as SXSW in potentially more accessible ways. While these other showcases may be less mainstream than SXSW, they are still well-respected and extremely useful for international professionals looking to introduce and expand their projects in the U.S. market. 

The following showcases and conferences provide welcoming and enriching spaces, necessary for artists and music professionals of all backgrounds to stay informed, continue growing their teams, and improve their projects:


1. Mondo.NYC - New York City, NY

Mondo.NYC is a Music, Arts & Technology Business showcase and conference festival occurring every October. Along with live artist showcases, there are a number of informational discussion panels analyzing all sorts of topics, led by music industry executives and professionals. They describe their conference format as including, “Panels, workshops, and networking sessions shed light on the current state of fall facets of artist and songwriter career development and technology’s impact on it.” 

2. A3C Festival & Conference - Atlanta, Georgia

A3C Festival & Conference is continuing its annual event for the 18th year in 2023, bringing together leaders in music, technology, and culture, along with the biggest names in Hip-Hop. This will be the first year since 2019 that A3C returns with a fully in-person, three day long event. Along with unforgettable showcases, panels, sessions and workshops, and meet & greets will be offered. The biggest performers that have played this event in the past include: Lil Wayne, Nas, J. Cole, Meghan Thee Stallion, Wiz Khalifa, Wu-Tang Clan, and more!

3. LAUNCH - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

LAUNCH is an education and performance centered music conference and festival, offering a significant number of panels and speakers. As well as over 120 live performances, where any artist can enter a submission to secure one of these performances and showcase their talent. A nice element about their system is that LAUNCH will actually invite all submitted artists, whether they are placed to perform or not, and even provide five complimentary standard weekend badges for them. Compared to other music conferences, LAUNCH has more affordable ticket prices. 

4. Wavelengths Global Music Conference - New York City, NY

This conference is organized and put on by globalFEST, a non-profit organization for curators, artists, and the performing arts field, with the mission to break down cultural and social boundaries by moving international music to the center of the performing arts field. In January of 2023, Wavelengths only allowed a limited number of 100 attendees, so registering early to ensure your place is a must-do when planning for this conference. This is a great space to open the dialogue between artists and professionals, with a dedicated focus on supporting younger BIPOC individuals in the industry. 

5. AMERICANAFEST - Nashville, Tennessee

AMERICANAFEST promises to be a “must-attend event for anyone who loves the melting pot of Americana’s influences including roots, folk, country, blues and soul-based music.” This annual event, which has occurred for 20+ years, offers all of its music industry seminars, panels and mixers throughout the day, with “raw, intimate showcases each night.” Although it’s organized by the Americana Music Association, members of this association as well as all other music lovers, are welcome to attend. There are a variety of rates for conference and festival passes, and you can even choose to attend the live performances separately from the conference. 

Ali Garcia
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