Indie Week 2025 Levels Up With Star-Studded Keynotes, Cutting-Edge Panels, and Industry Game-Changers

The independent music industry’s flagship event, Indie Week 2025, is making waves once again with a powerhouse lineup of keynotes, panels, workshops, and groundbreaking initiatives set to elevate the indie scene. Returning to the InterContinental New York Times Square from June 9 to June 12, this year’s conference promises to be the most ambitious yet.

Leading the charge are newly announced keynote speakers Steve Savoca and Bryce McLaughlin of Apple Music, alongside Dan Runcie, the influential mind behind Trapital, a go-to resource dissecting the business strategies of hip-hop’s elite. They’ll join already confirmed thought leaders Cherie Hu (Water & Music) and Shira Perlmutter (U.S. Copyright Office) to tackle the pressing challenges and future opportunities for the independent music world.

But Indie Week isn’t just about big names—it’s about action. The 17th annual edition expands its programming with over 60 panels, workshops, and international roundtables, delving into hot-button topics from AI and catalog strategy to sync licensing, global growth, monetization, and even music journalism in 2025.

Workshops this year are supercharged with hands-on insights from the likes of beatBread, Trolley, EMPIRE’s Supply Chain, MusixMatch, Beatdapp, Spotify, NORDER, ONErpm, Bandcamp, Chartmetric, and Red Bull Records. Plus, legal minds can get in on the action with a CLE series curated by Perkins Coie LLP.

New for 2025, the IndieVest '25 track will connect the indie music scene directly with the financial sector. The program includes a pitch competition in collaboration with Triple G Ventures, bringing innovators face-to-face with top investors like Lorine Pendleton (125 Ventures) and Bob Cisneros (Primary Wave). It’s a rare shot for creators to turn visionary ideas into backed ventures.

"Indie Week has always been the meeting ground for where creativity, commerce, and community collide," said one organizer. "This year, we're taking that to the next level."

With over 1,800 curated business meetings and countless networking opportunities designed specifically for the global indie sector, Indie Week 2025 is where the future of independent music will be shaped.

Badges are on sale now. If you’re serious about navigating—and thriving in—the evolving music industry, this is where you need to be.