What Is Midem?

MIDEM is the premier music trade fair on the planet. For more than 30 years, music industry leaders have gathered for five days of total music immersion.
Recently, over 9,000 people from 94 countries gathered in Cannes, France. Representatives from 3,975 music companies attended. The event was covered by 750 journalists. It was attended by Crown Princes, members of the British Parliament, and high ranking government officials from many nations.

All of which is interesting, but not as interesting as why they were there. They were there because that is where the action is. Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of music business was done. Record distribution deals of all types were made. Booking agents made deals with concert promoters. Songs were pitched, publishing companies were bought and sold. If it is business and involves music, some of it was done.

We look at all this professionally. We intend to achieve the maximum results. We want to place great independent music with foreign record distributors. They attend MIDEM hoping to find some high-quality music. They want to sell it in their home markets. They want to make a profit doing what they do. They distribute music. They need great new music to distribute.
There are countless variations, but it works along these lines: Distributors go to MIDEM looking for music from any place except their home market. A Japanese distributor might make a deal to distribute music from Germany. A German distributor might make a deal to distribute music from Australia. A distributor from Taiwan might make a deal to distribute music from England. All of them might make a deal to distribute music from America. American culture has spread throughout the world. The demand for American music has never been greater.

Only the biggest foreign distributors can afford to make deals for the best known American artists. Regional distributors don't have the financial muscle to buy the distribution rights to the music of big-name American stars. They are looking for music in the $15,000 to $50,000 range. They want exclusive rights, but only for their market. They don't care what happens in other markets. Nothing prevents such limited regional exclusives from being sold to several different regional distributors. Put together several $15,000 to $50,000 distribution deals on an album, and you're talking real money.

We are reviewing music now. Over the next few months we will be selecting the music we will pitch. Our only requirement is quality. There is a demand for all kinds of American-style music. Country, pop, urban, rock, bluegrass, and gospel, have fans in various parts of the world.
I agree with what Louie Armstrong said many years ago, "There are only two kinds of music, good and bad." Great Country music is being produced in Australia, Canada and other countries. We will base our selection on quality. It would not be fair or good business, to disqualify music from any country.

MIDEM is a part of our yearly operation. We are building a reputation for pitching high quality music from unknown artists. We already have many foreign business contacts. We are hard at work establishing more. The well known artists have huge corporations representing them. Our mission is to help highly talented and professional unknown artists.
If you have an album you are proud of, send it to us. The mailing address is:
International Talent GroupDrawer 291827Nashville, TN 37229
Mark it Attention: MIDEM Project. Please allow plenty of time for a response. The selection process is time consuming.

For more information about MIDEM visit www.midem.com