Best SXSW Panel: “Welcome To the Music Business –You’re F***ed”

Updated:

November 13, 2018 4:54 pm

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Though not nearly as overwhelming as the music portion of the festival, the conference panels offered a wealth of options this year, which means one had to miss out on a great deal of interesting discussions.

Martin Atkins’s “Welcome To the Music Business –You’re F***ed” took top honors as the best panel this writer witnessed at this year’s SXSW conference.

The Tour: Smart author told the crowd that misuse of technology, shady business models and living in the wrong town are potential threats to artists. Atkins’ maxim is: “If you know that you’re fucked, then you’re not. If you think that you’re not, then you are!”

During his presentation, the speaker’s overarching message was to wage war against cliché and change the context of music presentation. In the age of Internet, send a postcard, he said. If you play country, move to Dublin, not Nashville.

The author is currently soliciting music biz horror stories on his website. Click here to send Atkins in any tales of how the biz has done you wrong.

In general, the best panels at this year’s festival honed in on a specific message. Those that addressed DIY methods for artists were particularly insightful. Badges were required for admittance to the panels, which were held at the Austin Convention center. Official registrants for the festival spiked 89 percent from last year, the Wall Street Journal reported.