Thinking about attending A2IM Indie Week this year? 🎶 🏙️ A2IM’s Indie Week has become a key gathering for the independent music community, bringing together artists, labels, distributors, and industry professionals for several days of panels, conversations, and networking in New York City.
Hosted by the American Association of Independent Music, the event focuses on the unique challenges and opportunities within the independent sector, covering everything from marketing and distribution to rights, revenue, and the evolving digital landscape. Here’s what you should know before you go…
Let’s Connect at A2IM Indie Week
📆 When: June 8 – 11, 2026
📍 Where: New York, NY (300 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036)
About A2IM Indie Week
A2IM Indie Week is a key gathering for the independent side of the music industry, bringing together artists, labels, distributors, DSPs, and tech companies for a few days of panels, conversations, and networking across New York City. Hosted by the American Association of Independent Music, the event is built specifically around the needs and realities of the indie community.
The programming focuses on the areas that actually matter to independent teams, with sessions covering marketing strategies, revenue streams, rights, and the ongoing changes in streaming and discovery. You’ll hear from people actively working in these spaces, which keeps the conversations grounded and relevant.
What makes Indie Week stand out is how targeted it is. The discussions aren’t broad or overly theoretical; they’re built around real challenges and opportunities in the independent sector. Between the panels and everything happening around them, it’s also a strong environment for meeting people, exchanging ideas, and building connections that last beyond the event.
How To Prep
Indie Week moves fast, so having a plan going in will help you get a lot more out of it. Take some time to look through the schedule ahead of time and flag the panels, meetups, and events that actually line up with what you’re working on. There’s a lot happening across the city, so a little planning keeps you from missing the things you care about.
For promo, keep it simple and easy to share. No one wants to carry around a stack of stuff all day. Focus on quick access. QR codes are your best friend here, whether that’s linking to your music, your EPK, or your socials. Business cards still work, just make sure they actually lead somewhere useful. Anything lightweight that helps people remember you after a quick conversation is worth bringing.
And don’t forget, what happens after Indie Week matters just as much as being there. Follow up with the people you met, send a quick message, stay in touch on socials. That’s usually where the real opportunities start to build.
Symphonic will be participating in multiple panels at Indie Week this year! 🎤 See the full details below…
Market Spotlight: LATAM
When: June 9th, 12 – 12:45 pm ET
Moderator: Janette Berrios, VP Corporate Marketing
Latin America continues to be one of the fastest-growing and most culturally influential music markets in the world—but growth in the region looks very different from the U.S. or Europe. This market overview panel offers a practical look at how the LATAM music ecosystem actually works today, from streaming dynamics and audience behavior to local partnerships, monetization realities, and regional nuances across key markets. Learn what indie labels need to know before entering or expanding in LATAM, including market fragmentation, language considerations, release strategies, rights and revenue flows, and common pitfalls for non-local companies.
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Right People, Right Time: Strategic Hiring for Music Companies
When: June 9th, 1:30 PM ET
Speaker: Randall Foster, Chief Creative Officer
Hiring is one of the most important and most challenging decisions for independent music companies. With lean teams and limited resources, every hire has a direct impact on culture, performance, and growth. The conversation will cover how to assess cultural fit without bias, identify the right candidates beyond resumes, set clear expectations, and avoid common hiring mistakes.
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The Modern Label Playbook: Data, Discovery & Demand in 2026
When: June 10th, 12 – 12:45pm ET
Moderator: Greg Devito, Director of Client Marketing & DSP Relations
The next era of label growth isn’t about releasing more music — it’s about building smarter systems. In 2026, the strongest labels will blend data discipline, real audience insights, DSP strategy, fan discovery, and multi-vertical marketing to drive sustainable demand. This panel brings together leaders across DSP relations, artist marketing, brand partnerships, and tour/media strategy to break down how modern labels can operate like scalable enterprises. We’ll explore what today’s performance signals really mean, how to architect a repeatable growth engine, and the tactics that will shape catalog, A&R, and marketing decisions over the next decade.
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UGC & the Influencer Landscape: What’s Actually Working Now
When: June 10th, 3:45 PM ET
Speaker: Cathy Cao, Social Media and Creative Content Specialist
User-generated content (UGC) and creator partnerships have become core drivers of music discovery, fan engagement, and release strategy. But with constant platform shifts and rising costs, independent labels must make smarter decisions about when to invest, how much to spend, and which partners actually deliver results. This session explores how teams are strategically leveraging creators, influencer campaigns, and fan-driven content across platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to build sustained visibility.
Let’s Connect!
If you’d like to meet up with someone from our team, please fill out this Meeting Request Form.
