Full conference programme for Tallinn Music Week 2025 revealed with new speakers including President Kersti Kaljulaid and founding member of Human League Martyn Ware

Tallinn Music Week has unveiled the complete programme and schedule along with new speakers and panels for the conference, taking place at the Nordic Hotel Forum in Tallinn, Estonia, next week from 4-5 April. The two-day conference addresses the music industry’s challenges and opportunities, featuring in-depth discussions exploring sustainable practices, shifting economics of the independent sector, journalistic merit, interviews with pioneering music visionaries and networking opportunities to forge cross-border collaborations.

The conference will begin on Friday, 4 April at 10 AM with opening speeches from President of Estonia (2016-2021) and current President of the Estonian Olympic Committee Kersti Kaljulaid; Minister of Culture of Estonia Heidy Purga; Ambassador of Ukraine in Estonia Maksym Kononenko; Director of Music Estonia Ave Sophia Demelemester; and Founder and Director of Tallinn Music Week Helen Sildna.

Member of the European Parliament from Estonia Urmas Paet and President of the Board and Founder of Music Week Poland Tamara Kamińska will join the opening panel about the European Music Ecosystem, which will present groundbreaking research redefining the music industry whilst examining Europe’s competitive edge and the challenges of platformisation. Newly announced speakers include founding member of Human League, Heaven 17 and British Electric Foundation (BEF) Martyn Ware; TV & Film Music Supervisor from the inaugural team for Marvel Studios Martin Mycoo; Co-founder and Vice President at Plutonic Group Syncs Pam Lewis-Rudden, CEO of A Greener Future Claire O’Neill; and musician and director PLANNINGTOROCK aka Jam Rostron.

Sheffield’s electronic music pioneer Martyn Ware will discuss his five-decade journey that has redefined electronic music. As founding member of The Human League, Heaven 17, and British Electric Foundation (BEF), Ware has crafted a legacy that reverberates through contemporary music with over 50 million records sold worldwide. In conversation with Drowned In Sound’s Sean Adams, he will explore his transition from hit-maker to sound artist, sharing insights from his work with Illustrious Co. Ltd..

Ware will also feature prominently in the “EarthSonic” panel alongside Joseph Dean aka Natural Symphony and Director of In Place of War Ruth Daniel, examining how sound technologies can help understand biodiversity and raise awareness of climate change.

Exploring the evolving role of music in visual storytelling, Martin Mycoo, TV & Film Music Supervisor from Marvel Studios’ inaugural team, will speak at “Global Sounds, Local Stories: The Changing Landscape of Music Sync in Film & TV” panel alongside Vice-President of Plutonic Group Pam Lewis-Rudden and Crunchy Frog’s leading figure Jesper Reginal.

Bolton-born, Tallinn-based artist PLANNINGTOROCK will bring their boundary-pushing perspective to “The Fearless Music Industry Workplace” panel that examines how to foster safe work environments, alongside artist manager and founder of Deutsch Englische Freundschaft Eric Harle and tour manager and activist Joanne Croxford.

“Less Talk, More Action – How to LIVE Sustainably?” brings together pioneers implementing sustainability solutions in the live music sector, including CEO and Co-founder of A Greener Future Claire O’Neill and COO of Flow Festival Katariina Uusitupa. “Beyond Profit” examines industry economics with CEO of the Night Time Industries Association Michael Kill and Vice President of SXSW James Minor, exploring whether the current model is sustainable as independent venues struggle with rising costs while superstar tours reach new records.

“The Baltic Music Market – A Thriving Region” examines the unique industry landscapes of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania with presentations from regional leaders, followed by a panel discussion with key industry figures moderated by Director of Music Estonia Ave Sophia Demelemester.

At “The Medium and the Music: Redefining Media Relevance”, journalists and media specialists including Executive Director of Wavelength Music Jonathan Bunce and Ben Tibbits from the editorial team of  Wonderland Magazine will discuss how complex concepts can remain meaningful in a world where algorithms dictate taste and virality trumps artistic merit, exploring how music discourse can still shape cultural identity and politics, rather than reducing it to simplistic ratings and reactions. “Juke Box Jury” will offer a transparent critique format where selected tracks by TMW 2025 artists will be analysed in real-time by a panel of seasoned music critics.

The TMW conference places special emphasis on artists also with “How to Showcase: Make the Most of Your Time at TMW” offering practical advice for navigating the talent festival, from setting goals to making meaningful connections. Additional artist-focused sessions include FAAR Music LAB’s sessions for music creators” and producers talk; “Is Social Media Virality the Goal, Or Should Artists Focus On Fan Loyalty?”; “Songwriting Without Borders: Crafting Hits for K-Pop and Asian Markets”,  discussions on AI’s polarising role in contemporary music-making; and many more.

The conference also encompasses European music ecosystem challenges; creative and technological frontiers from AI to gaming; export success metrics, and industry wellbeing. The event spotlights diverse markets from Ukraine to Taiwan and the Baltics to Canada.

Previously announced industry experts at the TMW conference include European promoter of Rammstein and founder of MCT Agentur Scumeck Sabottka, Grammy-winning sound engineer Haydn Bendall (whose works include Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, and “The Last Emperor” soundtrack), Managing Director of ESNS Anna van Nunen, Artistic Director of Wavelength Music Jonathan Bunce, manager of Music Moves Europe Award-winning Night Tapes Britt Randma, and Estonian music industry pioneer Jüri Makarov.

The TMW conference at Nordic Hotel Forum takes place on Friday and Saturday, 4-5 April. Preceding the main event, Policy Lab on Adapting the European Music Industry to the Platform Economy by ekip – European Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Policy Platform, Creativity Lab and TMW in collaboration with the Federation of Music Conferences takes place, as well as Keychange Talent Leadership Programme 2025 kickoff. For more information see the conference schedule and recommended PRO programme.

TMW 2025 Main Topics

• European Music Ecosystem and Global Collaboration
• AI and Music Tech
• Challenges of Platformisation
• Running a Record Label
• Gaming and Sync
• Songwriting for Diverse Markets: K-Pop in Focus
• Live Music Market
• Local Heritage, Global Horizons
• Measuring Export Success
• Showcase Festivals’ Offer to the Music Scene
• Keychange Leaders
• Sustainability and Accessibility
• Mental Health and Psychological Safety
  
  Speedmeetings and Networking:
  

• Meet the Estonian Companies
• Creative Europe Baltic-Nordic Desks
• Legal Clinic
  
  Markets in the Spotlight:
  Ukraine, Sweden, Finland, Baltics, Poland, Canada, Taiwan and Central Asia

TMW 2025 conference at Nordic Hotel Forum runs from 4-5 April and the showcase festival across the city’s various venues from 3-5 April.TMW 2025 passes are on sale at the TMW webshop. PRO Pass for €225 (end price €250) provides access to the TMW conference and DigiPRO platform as well as priority access to the music festival. The TMW PRO programme offers inspiration, practical activities and networking options to about 1,300 international music industry professionals, artists, entrepreneurs and policymakers. Festival Pass that grants access to all the music festival events is available for €79 (end price €85).

The prices of TMW passes will increase on Tuesday, 1 April.