The 14th International Music Business Research Days 2023
Towards Sustainability in Music Business?
Balancing new business models, changing labor conditions and new competences.
November 1-3, University of Agder, Department of Popular Music, Kristiansand, Norway
Call For Papers
Music business, and the frameworks and dynamics of the music industries, continue to develop and change, with new digital innovations, new formats, new business models and new content being created. It is nothing new that music business operates within changing economic- and technological framework conditions – these are perhaps more to be considered inherent features rather than substantial shifts. Nonetheless, these changes need to be continually addressed and critically discussed.
There’s a need for updated, interdisciplinary research to provide insights on how digital innovations affect business models, value-chains and power dynamics in the music industries. It’s critical that we discuss sustainability – both environmental, economic and artistic. We need to better understand labor conditions in music business and a better understanding of work-life balance and mental health. Not least do we need critical and updated debates on what competences are needed in the future music business, and to what extent universities and academic institutions are in step with developments. As examples, over the last three years we have experienced a pandemic with significant impact on markets and labor conditions, particularly in the live music market. We have also witnessed significant digital innovations, such as web 3 or AI, opening up a range of creative opportunities, but also some difficult discussions.
With this backdrop, we are thrilled to invite you to the14th International Music Business Research Days 2023, which will be hosted by the Popular Music Department of the University of Agder in Kristiansand, Norway in collaboration with IMBRA – The International Music Business Research Association.
The University of Agder’s Department of Popular Music has long provided study programs and research in music business and management, with its pioneering master’s program in music management launched in 2007. We also have our doctorate program specialization in popular music, which has a growing body of doctorate students focusing on issues within music business and the music industries. This year, the department has been recognized as a center for excellence through the CreaTeMe strategic initiative, with the goal of becoming a prime nexus in Europe for developing innovative artistic and pedagogical approaches to technology in higher music education.
The International Music Business Research Association (IMBRA) is an interdisciplinary association for the research in music business. IMBRA aims to facilitate and present the latest research concerning the structures and processes within the music business/industries. The association defines the music business in its broadest sense to include not only the production, distribution and reception of music, but also music training and teaching as well as supporting industries such as musical instrument manufacturing, the media and advertising: http://imbra.eu/#home
THEMES
The International Music Business Research Days provides a platform for interdisciplinary discussion that encompasses various areas such as economics, art, culture, society, law, technology, and other developments that contribute to the different aspects of music, including creation and production, dissemination and distribution, and reception and consumption. The inclusive and interdisciplinary nature of the forum welcomes scholars from diverse scientific fields, calling for a range of research methods. We encourage submissions of papers on a broad range of themes, not limited to those mentioned below:
DIGITAL CHANGE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRIES
· Influence of AI tools on the music industry
· Streaming and power dynamics
· Copyright and AI
· New digital platforms such as web3, metaverse and blockchain based platforms
· Fan engagement
· Locality in globality
· Change in business models, markets and value chain
POLICY AND LEGISLATION
· Sustainability
· Cultural policy and entrepreneurship
· Social worth as economic performance
· Commodification and capitalism
· Cross border licensing
MUSIC BUSINESS EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
· Entrepreneurship pedagogy
· Labor conditions and new competences
· Music and health
· Curriculum in music business education
· Between business and education. How to prepare students for the music industry that is in flux?
SUBMISSION
Please send your abstract no later than 15th of May, 2023 to imbrd@uia.no
Abstracts can be 300-500 words (any references are included in the word count) and should include:
· Objectives of the research and research question
· Brief description of the disciplinary/theoretical context/background
· Data and methods
· Main or expected conclusions / contribution
Abstracts will be subject to a peer review process by an international jury, and authors will be notified of acceptance by June 15, 2021.
The best papers of this conference will be considered for publication in a special issue of the International Journal of Music Business Research (IJMBR). In case you want to be eligible for this special issue, full papers should be sent before November 30th, 2023. They should not exceed 7,000 words (including abstracts, figures, tables, references and appendices) and follow the author guidelines of the International Journal of Music Business Research (IJMBR). A first selection will be made after the conference by the editors, after which a double-blind peer review process is in place for these submissions.
CONFERENCE ORGANIZATION
The conference is organized by:
· CreaTeMe
- Popular Music Research Group at the Department of Popular Music
· IMBRA
IMPORTANT DATES
· 15 May: Abstract submission deadline
· 15 June: Notification of acceptance
· 1-2-3 November: Conference
· 30 November: Delivery of full paper for consideration for publication