Conference Presentation, Panel
Scaling the Global Music Economy | Global Conference 2026
Milken InstituteShirley Halperin, Aaron Bay-Schuck, Wyclef Jean, Michelle Jubelirer, Harvey Mason Jr.
- Industry operations are expected to undergo a fundamental shift where the ecosystem evolves into a "leaner environment" that retains the resilience of major labels while moving away from top-down executive control toward models where fans hold more power.
- Technology is predicted to drive festivals to double or triple in number as consumers seek human experiences to counter digital simulation, alongside a market split between AI-generated, AI-assisted, and purist-created content that may require years for the Recording Academy to regulate.
- Music companies plan to form alliances strictly with partners adhering to fully licensed and ethical training models, utilizing AI to accelerate A&R processes by generating rapid vocal demos while reserving the right to accelerate inspiration without releasing AI-only tracks to the marketplace.
- Label executives anticipate that the frontline business will require several years to stabilize its current firing pace, during which capital will rely heavily on catalog revenue, while the typical timeline for an artist to gain major recognition remains five to seven years.
- Financial pressures are expected to intensify as compressed per-stream revenues threaten the survival of working-class artists, a reality that could be exacerbated by enormous signing checks that force premature decision-making before the standard five-to-seven-year development period concludes.
- Strategic plans include fostering a cohesive unit to address youth mental health and artist development, alongside improved legal collaborations to incentivize labels to provide artists with the time and space needed for natural growth.
- The industry is projected to face challenges from AI and streaming disruptions where current participation is widespread, even among those who claim otherwise, necessitating collective preparation to lead rather than react to these technological advancements.
- Globalization is identified as a survival necessity for artists as American culture influences every country, driving a need for tech-music partnerships to fund "one-of-one" artists and support development, provided sufficient capital is available to back these opportunities.
- Data usage is expected to become universal, with industry claims of avoiding it deemed false or misguided, though leaders caution that data should not serve as the absolute determinant for decision-making in a landscape requiring compassionate, "whole human" care.
- A long-term outlook envisions a future where technology cannot replace the human soul, potentially driving audiences back to natural habitats and necessitating a structural shift where the industry proactively addresses disruptions in sampling, streaming, and AI rather than remaining caught off guard.