What the music industry wants you to know about the future of music, reporting from Beyond The Music Festival 2026
This year Beyond The Music festival dazzled as a beacon of both hope and foresight into both the touring and recording industry. Set at the infamous Dock10 studios of Mediacity, this conference-turned-music festival broke the fourth wall. Music industry royalty loitered in the halls that are normally home to broadcast staples including Mastermind, Match Of The Day and University Challenge, passing out business classes and talking about the future of an industry in a state of extreme reformation. From the threat of AI, the oncoming storm of social media and its algorithms and bolstering live touring from the grassroots up, here are 10 things we learned about the future of the industry from the people right at the top who make it happen.
AI is making big strides to seemingly destroy the creative industries, but consumers are voting with their feet.
As a starter for 10, AI was the main talking point of this year's conference. The Friday was bolstered with an entire programme of events centred on how to protect artists creativity, whilst also asking about how more regulation can be used to champion an industry that is seeing creativity ripped apart by software including Suno, with Andy Burnham even weighing in on how we can empower our recording and touring economies. An early keynote speech from the Chair of the Ivors Academy and GOMEZ vocalist, Tom Gray, spitballed an important conversation on how we can improve conditions for songwriters in what he termed as 'sovereign creativity' calling on bigger players to do more for British music, and this lingered in conversations about how to bolster audiences who are growing wary of artificial interactions and algorithmic pigeon-holing as a way to optimise listening consumption. New inventive ways to improve audience engagement are shifting to curate engaging experiences for fans both online and on the stage.
Live Music is totally back in fashion, and the industry is buying into it.
How can you market in a world that optimises everything? In the growing age of online media, this is becoming more of a challenge to create authentic experiences and customer satisfaction is more important than ever. The industry has noticed that live music offers seemingly priceless moments to market and also ground consumer tastes, not just as an anchor point for potentially a lifetime of music listening and influence.
“We survived the pit” mentality has defined the next era of supporting the industry. Music brands, including publications, journalists and the radio industry are incresingly putting on more curated events under their own name to culture authenticity, whilst also producing the pull needed to champion a brand from the grassroots up. In this, bespoke artist events, including signings, are invaluable for making magical moments that last, whilst also leaning into physical merchandise sales.
Fan culture is becoming increasingly more punk rock
It's clear that whilst profit margins make music financially possible, it cannot be further from the truth in how to make the industry sustainable.
During a panel discussion on fandom culture, our speakers were asked what one innovation would be used to make the music industry better. Their unified answer was making ticket prices cheaper or breaking up the music monopolies that control large proportions of the industry. It seemed clear in their answer that making music affordable for young people was the key to grow an artist fanbase organically and invest back into a generation that is met with the cost-of-living crisis. In this, the prevailing sentiment is that newer generations are the driving force behind physical media sales, including vinyl's and cassettes, that really sparks promise that music is in safe and capable hands.
K-pop is setting the standard and the western world is only now waking up to it
Rock and metal move over; Out Of Rage is finally talking about K-pop, and with good reason! The Korean industry giants such as Hybe, JYP and YG are one of the most influential players in the game, the “gold-standard” of music creation and marketing, that the Western world is desperately trying to match.
There are a few resonant points that make artists like BTS, BLACKPINK, AESPA, ATEEZ and STRAY KIDS so influential. Most notably, the resounding loyalty of the fans that are an extension of the band’s label, a fierce and unrelenting marketing tool that creates this intense superfan culture. Rules are enforced by fans on how to support an artist and this intensity - regardless of the moral standpoint of this - is intensified. It feels like only the beginning of the wildly influential impact of K-pop on mainstream music.
Yungblud does it all, and then some
In conversation with Evie Mundy,Tommas Arnby, Adam Wood and Jules Budd, we were given an insight into the YUNGBLUD universe, which is powered by the sentiment that there is no dulling the shine of Dom’s ideas, only matching him at his level. From his store on Denmark street to the iconic Bludfest, creating authentic experiences for his fans is one of the biggest priorities for the team. Here the YUNGBLUD brand becomes an expression of community and collaboration leads to opportunity that uplifts and transcends what rock music can be in 2026. The entire team are masters in the art of overdelivering and it really does take a village to make a rockstar truly great.
Class is the invisible characteristic that needs to be at the forefront of creating upcoming talent
The most powerful conversation during the conference was about shaping creative pathways for the working class youth, and creating opportunities outside of London. Often described as an ‘invisible characteristic’, class is understated and underrepresented in the music industry, including artist development. Positive infrastructure from education - including that from the vice principle of the Brit School - was key to providing long-term change. In their creation of these safe spaces, important conversations around providing safe environments for particularly women and girls can often be taken advantage of in these spaces. Alongside this, over 25’s who go beyond the call for the ‘youth’ stereotype are often being overlooked.
Live venues are prioritising more accessibility for those that have anxiety or neurodiversity
In a round table with some of the important voices in venue creation and management, including AEG and YTL, the conversation turned to delivering positive fan experiences, but it was a comment from Rebecca Lott at the Coop Live that said that the most important development at the venue was making the space accessible and training staff up on creating the best experience possible for those who are neurodivergent or have anxiety. Mentioning “overdelivering” for customers, there should be no barriers to people accessing live music.
Music truly does go beyond money
Several of this year's conference panels talked about reducing ticket prices and making music affordable, but really the social and interpersonal connections can be felt at ground level at the humanitarian aspects of listening to music. In an aptly named panel called “How Music Can Save The World” we approached the industry from a different perspective, one powered by human connection and considering our climate, as an act of unity. Less than an hour later, Martin Goldschmidt, founder of Cooking Vinyl, spoke about the impactful work he led supporting Palestinian musicians, putting on the first showcase festival in the West Bank, and the trials of continuing his work during a genocide.
Ultimately, we were some of the youngest people in the room, but were the most talked about as a demographic…
And it was (mostly) positive! Throughout the conference, there was much to commend young people on including, the driving force behind physical media, a reliance on ‘experience’ led entertainment keeping music alive and consequently the adverse reaction to AI creation. Whilst social media has drastically changed music’s landscape, we’re still incredibly conscious of improving our environment and our community, and being vocal about the issues that matter. Yes, with a financial strain it’s harder for young people to access music on a local level, but as long as we continue to advocate for the industry, there is hope that this is only the beginning of making music a better and more sustainable for everyone.
Words: Amber Brooks
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