Music business research is an interdisciplinary field that puts different analytical approaches into mutual dialogue. It is located at the intersection of economic, artistic, musical, cultural, social, legal, and technological understandings of the creation, distribution, and use of music. This interdisciplinary nature calls for conceptual and methodological multiplicity and an openness to scholars from different fields.

The 15th International Music Business Research Days 2024 will be hosted and organized by the Department of Journalism and Communication Research, Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media. The conference theme for Thursday June 6 is ‘ecosystem thinking’. The term ecosystem presents opportunities for better understanding the complexity, dynamics and interdependence within the new digital boundlessness of the music sector and music-related sectors. A sustainable development of them will only succeed if not only the market and contractual relationships within it are understood, but personal network relationships, data and AI as well as social and ecological environments are understood and used productively in the long term. This is significant not only for the music economy and music-related sectors, but for society and the planet. The ecosystem metaphor was first developed by the Chicago School of Sociology and it is constantly being rediscovered and developed. In this context, ecosystem theories are emerging to understand possible futures of the music sector. Ecosystem thinking has become a guiding idea within cultural and creative industries debates and in particular in management and strategic thinking as well as in the field of strategic economic and political consulting.

Friday June 7th is the open music business conference day. We invite papers that explore a variety of different approaches, questions, and methodologies for studying the music business, including, but not limited to, the following themes and topics:

• Different structures of ecosystems and their openness

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the music business

• Digital and ecosystem transformations and the future of the music sector

• New music networks and the rise of the creator economy

• Labour conditions, work-life balance, and mental health

By coming together for the 15th International Music Business Research Days conference in Hannover in 2024 we will update interdisciplinary research and provide insights concerning how music ecosystem trends will affect business models, value-chains, and power dynamics in the music sector. It is critical that we discuss environmental, economic, and artistic sustainability. Further, we need to better understand effects of ecosystem transformations on artistic practices and processes, the division of labour, and the rise of the creator economy. We also need to understand established structures in the sector and related topics, such as labour conditions and mental health. We need critical and updated debates on what competencies are needed in the future for the music business and music ecosystems.

Please submit your abstract by May 15th, 2024 to imbra@ijk.hmtm-hannover.de. Abstracts should be between 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 until May 15th, 2024.

Registration will be open from March 11th to June 7th 2024. The fee includes conference attendance, reception, coffee breaks and the conference barbecue on June 7th.

Registration/Conference fee Euro 175,–; IMBRA & GMM Members 125,– and Students 50,–. Please register via https://ntry.at/IMBRD2024?l=en

The best papers of the 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 June 30th, 2024. 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.

• IJK, Departement of Journalism and Communication Research, Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media

• Conference Organizer Prof. Dr. Carsten Winter (Media & Music Management)

• April 10th: Abstract submission deadline

• April 15th: Notification of acceptance

• June 5th to 7th: Conference

• June 30th: Delivery of full paper for consideration for publication

• If you have any Questions, please contact: imbra@ijk.hmtm-hannover.de

• Further information: https://hypeandfriends.org/ (… about hotels & more …)

The Young Scholars’ Workshop is part of the 15th International Music Business Research Days. Young researchers are invited to submit abstracts from all disciplines exploring questions that help understand economic and managerial problems as well as processes in the music sector and in the field of music management. The Young Scholars’ Workshop will be co-organized by the IJK and the GMM e.V., the German branch of the IMBRA: A society for music business and music culture research.

We encourage early-stage researchers, either in the beginning of their doctorate projects, or in the beginning of their academic careers, to submit paper abstracts. There are many questions that call for investigation in music business research, for example, in the fields of ecosystem transformations, the fields of digital change (AI, streaming, DIY, fan engagement, change in business models, markets and value creation), in Policy & Legislation (sustainability, cultural policy, commercialization and entrepreneurship) and in Education & Research (ecosystem entrepreneurship, new competences, music and health, curriculum in music business in its broadest sense, and the preparation of students for a sustainable future of music ecosystems ).

These research questions are not exhaustive, papers may also address other aspects. The workshop organizers strongly encourage submissions from students at all levels of MA & PhD. Students are supposed to work on their MA or PhD thesis and discuss it with senior researchers of music business research.

SUBMISSION: Please submit your abstract by May 15th to imbra@ijk.hmtm-hannover.de Abstracts should be 500 up to 750 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

Please email your proposal with “YSW 2024”. Proposals must be submitted as pdf-documents and should include contact information, at least affiliation, e-mail address, telephone number and postal address of the author(s).

A maximum of 6-8 papers will be selected for presentation to guarantee a good workshop atmosphere. The sessions will combine paper presentations and discussions. The Young Scholars Research Day will take place on June 5th.