Yesterday (Jan 28th) a big announcement was made at the Midem Music Conference. A new trade body for electronic music has been formed. It’s primary aim is to “ensure electronic music gets the recognition and status it deserves”.
The Association for Electronic Music or the AFEM is the idea of a top industry lawyer, Kurosh Nasseri and Ben Turner, manager of Richie Hawtin and part of the IMS Ibiza team. It will be a not-for-profit company with offices initially in the US and UK. Membership of AFEM is open to all companies and individuals whose business is mainly in electronic music.
The board of advisors includes leading figures, see the full list below:
· Matthew Adell, Beatport, CEO, retailer
· James Barton, President of Electronic Music, Live Nation
· Carlos Correal, Insomniac (music director for Electric Daisy festivals)
· Jason Ellis, Positiva / Virgin Records
· Stephanie LaFera, Little Empire Music
· David Levy, WME: William Morris Endeavor
· Maria May, CAA: Creative Artists Agency (agent for David Guetta)
· Liz Miller, Big Beat / Atlantic
· Paul Morris, AM Only (agent for Tiesto and Richie Hawtin)
· Patrick Moxey from Ultra Records/President of Electronic Music for Sony Music, label
· Maykel Piron, Armada Music
· Duncan Stutterheim, ID&T
· Amy Thomson, ATM Artists (manager for Swedish House Mafia)
· John Truelove, Truelove
· Danny Whittle, Promoter (IBZ Entertainment)
· Tom Windish. Windish Agency.
Legendary producer and dance music pioneer Nile Rodgers has also agreed to serve as an AFEM Ambassador. For more details about this announcement please see the detailed article on Music Week