Whether you’re trying to chase the biggest DJ sets, discover the underground sounds of tomorrow or seek out the best insights the electronic music industry can offer, the Amsterdam Dance Event is your skeleton key to every door.

Our community is abuzz ahead of this year’s edition of ADE, the world’s leading electronic music summit, which returns to Amsterdam from October 18-22. And between its Lab, Pro, Festival and Arts & Culture programs, ADE is once again offering a veritable smorgasbord of innovation and live music.

There are enough events to make even the most experienced ADE veteran’s head spin, so we dug deep into the programming to highlight various must-attend parties, panels and more. Read on to discover 23 events you can’t miss at ADE 2023, in no particular order.

And if you’d like to connect with the EDM.com team in Amsterdam, RSVP to our “EDM.com & Friends” show with Nostalgix, Dzeko and more. You can also head over to the ADE edition of our “Insider Access: Global Networking Event” series, our annual networking event and demo drop designed to unite electronic music enthusiasts from all walks of life.

Tomorrowland Expo

Location: De Rode Hoed | Keizersgracht 102, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 18-20, 10:00 – 20:00
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Celebrate 20 years of Tomorrowland in the heart of Amsterdam!

Discover the journey of Tomorrowland from its humble beginnings to a global phenomenon, and take a trip down memory lane. Experience the magic of Tomorrowland’s iconic moments and dive into the artwork of the 2023 ‘Adscendo’ theme by The Great Library Studios.

Grab a glass of Solo Vida in the Bar for networking opportunities, and talk with music industry specialists.

Check In at HBO’s The White Lotus

Location: Felix Meritis (Shaffyzaal) | Keizersgracht 324, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 18, 14:00 – 14:45
Lineup: Cristobal Tapia de Veer (Composer, The White Lotus), Jon Weigell (Rolling Stone)
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Discover the secrets behind the viral sound of HBO Series The White Lotus with composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer.

Jungle sounds, hissing snakes, pan flutes, a roaring bass and chilling screams. If there is a soundtrack that captures the atmosphere of the series well (and also keeps ringing in your head for weeks), it is the score of The White Lotus, composed by Canadian Cristobal Tapia de Veer. He will appear as a keynote speaker at the BMIM x ADE Conference. The music not only plays a major role in the background in this hit series. The soundtrack of The White Lotus has one of the leading roles. The music creates the alienating and oppressive atmosphere, increases the tension and is supplemented where necessary by animal sounds. The soundtrack contributes relentlessly to the message of this dark and wry series.

DGTL ADE

Location: NDSM Warehouse | NDSM-Plein 85, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 19, 21:00 – 05:00
Artists: Bicep, Dixon, Stephan Bodzin, More
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On Thursday, October 19th, we’re kicking off our ADE extravaganza with a heavy-hitting lineup of deeper and melodic sounds. Italo, house and disco deep cuts will be brought to you by none other than Bicep, and Stephan Bodzin will blow the roof off of the NDSM Warehouse with his driving, hypnotic and melodic sounds. Few artists walk the line between past and future as well as Dixon, so we’re very excited this pioneer will be joining our celebration.

Make sure you’re wearing your dancing shoes, standing still won’t be an option during this opening night.

Cercle x W Hotels

Location: W Amsterdam | Spuistraat 175, 1012 VN Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 18-21,
Lineup: Mochakk, Indira Paganotto, Mind Against, Chloé Caillet, LP Giobbi, More
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Uniting the worlds of electronic music and luxury hospitality, W Hotels and Cercle are gearing up to unveil the next iteration of their partnership through a four-day takeover at Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE). Furthering their joint mission to provide music lovers with extraordinary experiences around the globe, W and Cercle will make waves at ADE through an immersive exploration into the deeper meanings of music. The collaboration will showcase not only the monumental growth of the electronic music industry, but how W Hotels has harnessed this momentum to shape the next chapter of luxury travel through a sonic lens. W Amsterdam, an embodiment of historic Dutch architecture and avant garde design will emerge as the epicenter of this year’s conference from October 18 – 21.

Over the span of four days, W Hotels and Cercle will offer ADE attendees access to exclusively curated music experiences, intimate artist interactions and sets from some of the world’s top DJ talent including Gordo, EYNKA, Matisa, Mind Against, Chloé Caillet, LP Giobbi and more. A collective of both emerging and globally revered artists will converge between performances at W Amsterdam to host a variety of panels filled with interactive artistic discourse that provides an insider perspective on the music industry’s path forward.

20 Years of Armada Music: How to Stay Relevant

Location: Felix Meritis (Zuilenzaal) | Keizersgracht 324, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 20, 14:45 – 15:30
Lineup: Armin van Buuren, Maykel Piron, Nadine van Bodegraven, Renske van Kollenburg
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As Amsterdam-, New York- and London- based independent label Armada Music celebrates 20 years in dance music, this is your chance to gain unparalleled insights into how the biggest independent dance label in the world has navigated rapid growth, embraced innovation and stayed ahead of the curve across two decades.

Learn how to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving industry with co-founders Armin van Buuren and Maykel Piron (also CEO), and Nadine van Bodegraven, COO of BEAT Music Fund, the first dance music investment company founded by Armada Music.Whether you’re a seasoned industry professional or an emerging talent, this session promises tools, strategies and insights to future-proof a career in dance music.

demo:drop Do’s and Don’ts with Nicky Romero & Jorik van de Pol

Location: Brakke Grond (Boom Box) | Nes 45, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 19, 14:45 – 15:45
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Ever wondered why your demo hasn’t been picked up after sending it out to hundreds of labels? Don’t get demotivated! Most of the time, it’s not about your creativity or productional skills, but about the fact that your work, and most importantly, your way of approaching an A&R, needs to stand out from the huge demo-drop crowd. A true skill you need to develop! In this educational masterclass, Protocol label owner and artist Nicky Romero and A&R director Jorik van de Pol spill the secrets on perfecting the art of demo pitching, having been on both sides of the blade.

If you feel confident or are curious about your tactics, share your demo to demodrop@nickyromero.com, the way you would normally reach out to a label and expect to discover the intricacies of submitting your demo effectively, uncovering the essential do’s and don’ts, and receive valuable insights on crafting compelling emails. Yes, your work will be used on stage as a case-study, and reviewed by Nicky Romero & Jorik!

After all that knowledge sharing, the two might shift focus for a bit and share some valuable feedback on the demo’s that have been shared on a music production level… An opportunity to not miss out on!

The US Tech/House Scene: What’s In It for You?

Location: Felix Meritis (Koepelzaal) | Keizersgracht 324, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 19, 13:15 – 14:00
Lineup: Carissa Szlosek (Prodigy Artists), DJ Susan, Kaysin, Sherm
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Tech house is a subgenre of house music fusing elements of techno (rugged basslines) and house (harmonies/vocals) – Fisher, John Summit, Green Velvet, and Solardo are just a few examples of where the sound comes from, and where it is today. During this session, featuring reps from several top Tech/House labels from the US, the conversation will focus on how to start a relationship with US labels, how to develop a fanbase, organize successful events, and grow profitable relationships with the US. The main focus of the discussion will be built around how foreign labels/artists can break into the booming American Tech/House market.

Monkey Project

Location: Loft Amsterdam | Overhoeksplein 1, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 20, 23:59 – 05:00
Lineup: BLOND:ISH, Franky Rizardo. LP Giobbi, WhoMadeWho
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Prepare for an extraordinary night of music and dancing as Monkey Project proudly presents ‘BLOND:ISH & Friends’ at the iconic A’DAM The Loft, in the heart of Amsterdam!

Friday, October 20th, the city’s vibrant electronic music scene will come alive as we team up with the spectacular BLOND:ISH, to bring you our epic lineup featuring Franky Rizardo, LP Giobbi, and WhoMadeWho! Get ready to elevate your experience to new heights with a night of pulsating beats that will leave you utterly captivated.

Paradise x Loveland

Location: Mediahaven | Moermanskkade 107, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 20, 23:00 – 07:00
Lineup: Jamie Jones, AMÉMÉ, Loco Dice, Hot Since 82, HoneyLuv, More
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Get ready for triple the fun when Jamie Jones and the extended Paradise family return to Amsterdam for another ADE showdown together with the Loveland crew. This time, the party will go down at the mighty Mediahaven where three rooms of Paradise await!

The Future of Festivals

Location: Felix Meritis (Zuilenzaal) | Keizersgracht 324, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 21, 14:00 – 16:30
Lineup: Márk Bóna (Sziget), Ivan Milivojev (EXIT), Gustavo Pereira (Sónar), More
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The Future of Festivals TalkShow will be taking a helicopter view of what festivals are becoming and what they mean to us as a society. Examining the changing sociological makeup of the festival audience and changing audience demographics, we’ll be examining issues including what it means to reshape festivals beyond lineups towards unique community experiences, asking what the essential elements are and what really makes an event unique, as well as diving into what we do in the daytime, and what’s behind the growth of multi-generational events.

The TalkShow will also be looking at initiatives to guarantee a healthy future for large scale live events and the music industry. In Beyond the headliners! Should Festivals be helping and supporting young artists? we ask the big question, are there too many headliners and too few unknown quantities? And looking behind the curtain at the people who make these events tick we examine backstage life: How do you make sure there are enough new, young technicians being prepared for a life of set-building and stage rigging? Why are there so few specialist courses? Where do you go to get trained and educated in live skills?

AMF Festival

Location: Johan Cruijff ArenA | Boulevard 1, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 21, 2023 21:00 – 06:00
Lineup: Charlotte, de Witte, Armin van Buuren, Afrojack, MEDUZA, Headhunterz, More
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Overmono Live

Location: Paradiso | Weteringschans 6-8, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 19, 20:00
Lineup, Overmono, Nèna
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Overmono can safely be called one of the most exciting electronic acts of the moment. The Welsh brothers originally went their separate musical ways – Tom making techno and Ed dubstep – but found each other in a shared frustration about the limitations of a solo career. The duo Overmono was born.

The brothers released their first work on their own label Poly Kicks, after that they started releasing a number of EPs on UK-based XL Recordings in 2020. Resident Advisor’s Track Of The Year award-winning ‘So U Kno’ marked a worldwide breakthrough. Debut album ‘Good Lies,’ released May 12, includes everything Overmono has been working on during the past few years: 12 equally euphoric and melancholy songs, influenced by American rap records but always filtered through the British prism in which they grew up. Amsterdam native Nèna will warm up the dance floor with an eclectic selection of bass, rolling techno, electronic percussion and more.

View the original article to see embedded media.

Indo Warehouse

Location: Melkweg | Lijnbaansgracht 234A, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 22, 20:00 – 02:00
Lineup: Anish Kumar, Harji, Kahani, Kunal Merchant
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Indo Warehouse is a record label and event series that showcases the beauty of South Asian culture, music and rhythm within house and techno.

We are proud of our South Asian roots and want to move you to global sounds that celebrate growth and inspire connection.

Predicting Hits: Human vs. Machine

Location: Felix Meritis (Teekenzaal 1) | Keizersgracht 324, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 19, 15:15 – 16:00
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In an age where Artificial Intelligence intersects with every industry more and more, a central question has entered the music realm: can AI’s predictive power reshape the music landscape?

During ADE Pro, two absolute specialists in the realm of neuroscience and market-level analysis are set to guide us into the future: Professor at Claremont Graduate University and veteran tech entrepreneur Dr. Paul J. Zak, alongside Associate Professor of Marketing and Consumer Neuroscience Dr. Alexander Genevsky. They are joined by Kim Hoekema, A&R Manager at Sony Music, to help explore how technologic advancements can enhance the A&R process.

Audio Obscura x 10Y R LABEL GROUP

Location: RAW Factory | Joan Muyskenweg 39, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 20, 14:00 – 23:00
Lineup: Cera Khin, DJ Spit, DJ Stingray, Franck, More
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For our Friday program, we join forces with Kobosil’s R LABEL GROUP. It is Berlin’s definitive imprint that purveys boundary-pushing Techno, EBM and Industrial. Highlighting the bill is a special b2b between Kobosil and a – later to be announced – fellow techno kingpin.

Prepare to be hypnotized by the forceful rhythms of key R LABEL GROUP contributors like Somewhen, Melis, Kander b2b Frazier, and a special b2b set between Detroit native and Drexciya associate DJ Stingray 313 and Berlin’s DJ Spit.

Awakenings ADE 2023: Reinier Zonneveld (Live) B2B Special

Location: Ziggo Dome | De Passage 100, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 22, 14:00 – 00:00
Lineup: Reinier Zonneveld, Adam Beyer, Nina Kraviz, Space 92, Kiki Solvej
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The Art of Improvisation with Héctor Oaks by Seedj

Location: Brakke Grond (The Workshop) | Nes 45, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 20, 15:00 – 16:30
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Join electronic music and vinyl luminary Hector Oaks in a workshop hosted by Seedj that delves deep into the art of improvising with vinyl records. In this hands-on session, Hector will share his extensive knowledge and expertise, which he gained from years and years of mastering the decks at renowned hotspots worldwide.

Whether you’re a new to the game or a seasoned pro, this workshop by Hector Oaks and Seedj offers the rare opportunity to learn from a true vinyl-virtuoso to elevate your DJing skills to new heights.

Frequency Music x Tribal Trap x Friends

Location: Café Weber | Marnixstraat 397, 1017 PJ Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 19, 17:00 – 21:00
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It’s the time of year when Amsterdam Dance Event touches down. After a successful networking drinks last year we will be organizing a nice get-together again this year at Cafe Weber with Frequency Music, Tribal Trap, Lacuna and Suit of Bullets.

Frozen Frequencies

Location: Nova | 16 Korte Leidsedwarsstraat, 1017 RC Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 18, 16:00 – 21:00
Lineup: Electric Polar Bears, Ekonovah, Rich DietZ, More
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Amsterdam Dance Event is back with a bang, bringing you the most electrifying event of the year: Frozen Frequencies at Nova Nightclub. Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the beauty and diversity of electronic music, as we dance the evening away with the coolest beats in town.

Bootshaus x Dillon Francis Invite

Location: Club Prime | Rembrandtplein 22, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 18, 22:00 – 04:00
Lineup: Dillon Francis, BRANDON
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TARAKA presents GORDO

Location: Loft Amsterdam | Overhoeksplein 1, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 21, 18:00 – 02:00
Lineup: GORDO
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Monstercat Showcase

Location: Melkweg | Lijnbaansgracht 234A, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 19, 23:30 – 07:00
Lineup: Adventure Club, Eptic, Dirtyphonics, Nostalgix, More
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Monstercat returns to Melkweg for their ADE gathering on October 19th. Every year the ADE Monstercat Showcase grows bigger and better, and it’s because of the incredible support of fans like you! Just like last year they’ll take on both the Max and OZ rooms at Melkweg for one massive night with a huge lineup.

Awakenings ADE 2023: Adam Beyer Presents Drumcode

Location: Gashouder | Klönneplein 1, Amsterdam
Date and time: Oct 19, 22:00 – 08:00
Lineup: Adam Beyer, Eli Brown, Juliet Fox, Wehbba, More
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Follow Amsterdam Dance Event:

Website: amsterdam-dance-event.nl
Facebook: facebook.com/amsterdamdanceevent
X: x.com/ADE_NL
Instagram: instagram.com/amsterdamdanceevent
YouTube: youtube.com/user/AmsterdamDanceEvent

MEDUZA and James Hype are taking a stance against excessive smartphone filming at shows with a new initiative aiming to “preserve the authenticity” of club culture and live music experiences.

Collectively known as Our House, the dance music superstars are pointing to the rampant lack of presence and in-the-moment enjoyment at today’s concerts, where crowds often prioritize capturing content over connecting and dancing with one another.

“Musicians and performers often find it disheartening to see audiences through the lens of a camera rather than through their eyes,” MEDUZA and Hype said in a press release shared with EDM.com. “It can disrupt the intimate connection between artist and audience that makes house music so powerful as a genre of music.”

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Another major concern for Our House is protecting individual privacy and maintaining safe spaces. Excessive filming can compromise those atmospheres, they said, ultimately leading to a less inclusive space where people are recorded without their consent.

Hype and MEDUZA have plans to advocate for this cause through awareness campaigns and community support, as well as instating a new event policy. Their upcoming show at ADE will be the first to implement it, encouraging attendees to use their phones more responsibly in order to “return to the core principles of live music and club culture.”

“We encourage you to let go and enjoy house music through your ears and eyes rather than at the end of a filmed piece of content on a phone,” they added.

Following that show on October 20th, Our House will continue to push the initiative in Chicago on December 30th and 31st.

FOLLOW MEDUZA:

Instagram: instagram.com/meduzamusic
Twitter: twitter.com/meduzamusic
Facebook: facebook.com/meduzamusic
Spotify: spoti.fi/3jElbuA

FOLLOW JAMES HYPE:

Instagram: instagram.com/jameshype
Twitter: twitter.com/jameshype
Facebook: facebook.com/jameshypethedj
Spotify: spoti.fi/48HiNaN

After reports surfaced indicating that Hollywood studios may be willing to make concessions amid the Writers Guild of America strike with regards to how AI is leveraged in the creative process, a new battlefront is emerging in the halls of the music industry. 

Last week, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), hosted over 70 lawmakers for its annual “We Write the Songs” concert at the Library of Congress, Bloomberg Law reports. ASCAP additionally engaged with lawmakers to request safeguards aimed at protecting the rights of human artists who face competition from algorithms and other generative AI driven systems.

Following the concert, ASCAP members met with 25 congressional offices. In those conversations, ASCAP members reportedly presented and advocated for a regulatory framework consisting of six AI principles, including prioritizing human creators, obtaining consent, ensuring fair compensation, proper credit attribution, transparency and global consistency.

“Artificial intelligence has added yet another layer of stress and anxiety and has interrupted a lot of our sleep as creators,” ASCAP President Paul Williams said at the event. “I know you’re all evaluating AI right now because it will touch every aspect of our lives, but I ask that when you do act, you remember to protect creators in all creative industries.”

Overall, ASCAP’s position remains as such that AI companies should obtain licenses to use musical works for training purposes. That position was echoed by Nick Lehman, ASCAP’s Executive Vice President.

Lehman later qualified his position, stating that ASCAP is not inherently being “anti-tech” in its approach. He also indicated that AI could serve as a valuable tool for artistic expression and innovation in creativity, provided the interests of human creators remain safeguarded.

A new study conducted by Word List Finder has revealed the electronic dance music songs that garner the most lyric searches.

The study examined Google search results from January 2019 to July 2023 and broke down which tracks had the most searches for their lyrics across a number of genres. With regards to the EDM category, David Guetta and Sia’s 2011 generational dance hit “Titanium” came out on top.

The rest of the top five consists of “We Found Love” by Calvin Harris and Rihanna; “Closer” by The Chainsmokers and Halsey; “Lean On” by Major Lazer, DJ Snake and MØ; and “Pursuit of Happiness” by Kid Cudi, Ratatat and MGMT.

The study also broke down the “most associated genre searches by state” and found that 13 states—including Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico and Oregon—were the leaders for EDM lyric searches.

The study also researched the top lyric searches for songs from many other genres. Dolly Parton “Jolene” led the country realm while Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” was named the most-searched hip-hop track. Meanwhie, Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” was the metal leader and alt-J’s “Breezeblocks” topped the indie category.

The most-searched track across all genres? That distinction went to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” with the Eagles’ “Hotel California” finishing in second.

You can check out the complete study from Word List Finder here.

The new light of Sin City is expected to open for its first official concert on September 29th, and anticipation is already building as to which artists will grace its jaw-dropping stage.

The $2.3 billion MSG Sphere complex first lit up the Las Vegas strip in early July, and it hasn’t ceased to leave the spotlight since then. As the Sphere is readied for U2’s upcoming grand opening performance, we’re considering which electronic music acts would be most inclined to leverage its elevated visual capacity.

There’s no shortage of DJs deserving of a coveted booking at the Sphere, but we’ve selected a handful equipped to meet the challenge.

Tale of Us

Undoubtedly, Tale of US are among the best positioned to capitalize on the Sphere’s unique capabilities. The Afterlife visionaries have been bringing their heralded dystopian robot visuals to massive festivals and standalone complexes across the country, and a trip to the Sphere seems like a logical next step. 

Eric Prydz

Imagine Eric Prydz‘ HOLO visuals leaping out from the walls of the all-encompassing Sphere. From massive gliding humpback whales to clenched fingers uncurling in 3D from the stage, the “Opus” producer’s one-of-a-kind experience is built for the cutting-edge venue. 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=9yj6QWelN4c

ODESZA

ODESZA have been raising the industry standard for what “cinematic” visuals look like for years. The powerhouse duo can do it all, and the visual experience they could potentially bring to thousands at the Sphere is one we can only dream of.

Rezz

“The Spectacle” is a newcomer to the world of immersive visuals, but there’s already tangible excitement for what Rezz has in store. The debut of her new production at Red Rocks featured an ambitious offering of visuals surrounding her signature glowing glasses, and we look forward to the day her shades are haunting the Sphere’s walls.

The Chemical Brothers

The Chemical Brothers have become known for their robust arrangement of vividly psychedelic visuals, from larger-than-life robots to calming colonies of butterflies. Landmark European festivals have been the primary beneficiaries of the legendary duo’s stage production in 2023, but we’re holding out hope they can be swayed to Sin City with a high-profile booking at the city’s new premier venue.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=f_NQANSiBWA

EDM.com‘s 2023 European Press Tour is landing in Amsterdam for the second edition of “Insider Access: Global Networking Event” at ADE.

From London, Tulum, Miami and Vancouver, the event has provided music enthusiasts with an informative networking experience that connects creatives across the industry. In the spirit of the world’s leading electronic music summit, EDM.com‘s 2023 ADE edition of “Insider Access” will unite the community for an evening of enlightened conversations on October 18th.

Producers, DJs, record labels, venue owners, managers, booking agents, content creators and more from around the global electronic music community are invited to take part.

Our inaugural “Insider Access: Global Networking Event” at ADE is taking place at clinkNOORD from 2pm to 6pm CEST. You can secure your tickets via Eventbrite here. ADE delegate pass-holders will be granted free entry.

At the top of every hour, the EDM.com team will identify and announce key partners to help connect and foster one-on-one conversations. Here’s what to expect:

EDM.com Presents: “Insider Access: Global Networking Event” at ADE 2023

• Label Demo Drop: Throughout the event, a handful of record labels will have representatives in attendance to listen to demos and provide feedback.
• EDM.com Media Audit: At the same time as the demo drop, EDM.com representatives will be available to review and provide feedback on artists’ press kits, pitch emails and more.
• Touring 101: Get tips, insider secrets and best practices to learn how to get more bookings as an artist directly from promoters and talent buyers.
• Complimentary appetizers and drinks (limited quantities—arrive early). 

In the ever-expanding circus of digital tech absurdities, the latest sideshow attraction is MUSIXY.ai, a streaming platform claiming to be the world’s first to exclusively feature AI-generated music.

Dripping in snake oil, MUSIXY.ai puts the “meh” in melody. By featuring dodgy tracks that are banned from other platforms, the company plans to become the “Spotify for AI hit songs,” according to a press release shared with EDM.com.

While MUSIXY.ai also claims to be “the world’s first AI music label,” its website paints a different picture. More a marketplace than a streaming hub, the site harkens back to the contentious HitPiece, the proprietors of whom were lambasted by the music industry for selling NFTs without artists’ knowledge or permission.

In the absence of a discernible music distribution infrastructure, the MUSIXY.ai website simply embeds YouTube videos containing AI-generated music, the legality of which is ambiguous. In fact, many of the videos appearing on the platform aren’t playable because the YouTube accounts behind them were terminated due to copyright violation.

However, the marketplace still offers subscribers a chance not only to purchase the rights to these Frankensteinian mashups, but also resell them for a profit. For example, a goofy AI cover of Adele’s “Hello” sung by a deepfake Kanye West is listed for 702€, or roughly $748. Users can “earn up to 600% overnight,” reads the MUSIXY.ai website.

“Anyone can use and monetize AI vocals of famous singers at will and for free if they are marked ‘unofficial’ to avoid confusion,” said MUSIXY.ai founder and CEO Can Ansay. “Thanks to the AI revolution and MUSIXY.ai, any talented producer in the world can now produce and monetize a hit song with any famous voice in any language, thus multiplying the probability of hit songs.”

Having been accused of exploiting the pandemic for its business opportunities, Ansay is a controversial figure. Despite a ban in Germany, his eHealth company offered civilians “dubious” coronavirus tests, Die Ziet reported. Ansay also launched an AI bot for personalized therapy options and “created free online COVID-19 self-test certificates,” according to his LinkedIn profile.

“Because of Covid, there are such great opportunities,” Ansay is quoted as saying in January 2022.

It’s worth noting that MUSIXY.ai includes a disclaimer at the bottom of its website. “All vocals and chatbots of famous people used are AI-generated and unofficial. The famous people are not affiliated with us in any way,” the disclaimer reads. “We do not accept any liability, especially for any damage caused by the chats due to wrong advice, especially in the fields of health, finance and politics.”

Google and Universal Music Group are in talks to develop an AI-powered tool for users to create “deepfake” music using other artists’ existing work, the Financial Times reports.

The deal would reportedly pay copyright owners for the use of their likeness, and they would have the option to grant Google and UMG permission to license their work for the purpose of AI-driven replication.

The news arrives following Google’s release of MusicLM, a powerful generative AI tool allowing users to create music by entering prompts. Considering the company would need to license UMG’s music for creators to reproduce its vocals, lyrics and sounds, MusicLM is most likely a linchpin of the deal.

The deal is somewhat of an about-face for UMG, which controls roughly one-third of today’s global music market. Back in April, the company urged streaming platforms to block AI platforms from being able to leverage their music catalog when training their large language models.

If the two sides ultimately come to an agreement, it could lead to a watershed moment for the controversial nexus of generative AI and music. The scale of the framework would dwarf that of TuneCore, who recently partnered with Grimes to launch a pilot program enabling artists to utilize her deepfaked vocals “without penalty” and distribute the music to streaming platforms for a royalty split.

Meanwhile, Warner Music Group’s CEO, Robert Kyncl, reportedly condemned the proliferation of deepfake technology in the company’s Q3 conference earnings call this week. He said he believes artists should be the ones deciding whether or not their likenesses may be used to create music.

“There’s nothing more precious to an artist than their voice,” Kyncl said, “and protecting their voice is protecting their livelihood and protecting their persona.”

They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. But what if that owes not to your debauchery, but to the fact that you can’t quite put your experience into words?

That adage has always been more of a verbal hall pass for bad decisions, but now it’s being redefined by AREA15, the world’s most immersive adult playground.

Vegas is where wallets come to weep—but for what purpose? To be a sardine in a kitschy nightclub and hear three different DJs butcher Daft Punk? To experience the thrill of a dealer crushing your soul with a backdoor blackjack?

AREA15, however, is the ultra-rare Vegas house that doesn’t always win. Prestige ranks low on its list of priorities—though they have plenty of it—and pales in comparison to their selfless determination to cultivate an unforgettable experience.

“With so much overstimulation around the Internet, you lose yourself in the present moment. I think AREA15—from my perspective—brings people into the present moment through immersion,” Noah Kessler, AREA15’s Head of Entertainment, told EDM.com. “You’re here, and you’re here now. You forget about everything else you’re bombarded with all day, every day. And you can have a present moment to really enjoy what life is.”

The sensorial experience began as soon as we walked in, the phantasmagoric room opening up before our eyes. Perhaps most striking is the “Oddwood,” a bar situated under a giant, artificial Japanese maple tree adorned with thousands of pulsing LED lights.

Sin City has always been a butterfly effect of deception, and the word “immersive” is its latest red herring. After the pandemic-era explosion of livestreaming, the term was plugged ad nauseam by the entertainment industry’s many silver-tongued puppeteers. For that reason, their strings have since frayed and consumers are seeing through the makeup of their marionettes.

The Omega Mart, which took three years to build, is the epitome of immersive. There exists no experience that stacks up to this inconceivable installation, the brainchild of the unrivaled Meow Wolf.

The anchor tenant of AREA15, Omega Mart looks like an ordinary grocery store—but this is Meow Wolf we’re talking about here. Their tagline says it all: “You have no idea what’s in-store!”

Vegan Goat Pus, Aspirational Carrots, Mammoth Chunks, Leprechaun Kidneys and a Canned Romantic Dinner are just a few of the bizarre items you’ll find, and the level of detail on each is astounding. And nearly everything is actually for sale.

It gets much, much weirder. Hidden “portals” in the grocery store lead to its mind-bending underbelly, a giant labyrinth of trippy interactive art.

Here, time becomes irrelevant and you find yourself entangled in an iridescent matrix. There is a palpitating web of surrealist art behind every door.

Meow Wolf has embedded a serpentine storyverse in the Omega Mart, inviting you down the rabbit hole to uncover the secrets hidden by its fictitious parent corporation. That’s where the immersion comes in. We engaged with many of the installations, like when we encountered a poster for a missing woman and entered a nearby phone booth with a list of numbers on its interior wall. Calling those numbers led to eerie voicemails with clues about her disappearance.

That all merely scratches the surface. We could’ve easily spent hours in the Omega Mart.

Leaving Omega Mart doesn’t teleport you back to reality, however. It’s just one of AREA15’s countless illusory spaces, which function as blank canvases that constantly interchange and transform into new experiences, like concerts or projection-mapped visual shows.

The best way to describe AREA15 is as a living tapestry. It’s this adaptability that makes the venue the iconoclastic architect of Vegas’ nightlife future.

Jaded by a moth-eaten festival blueprint, today’s leading musicians crave innovation and many adopt a contrarian approach in their pursuit to connect with fans by virtue of their performances. Naturally, they’re racing to AREA15’s spaces like paper boats rushing down a rain-soaked street.

“I think artists are seeing AREA15 as another artist, not just another promoter or venue,” Kessler says. “So they’re starting to look at AREA15 as another artist that they can almost collaborate with. Like, ‘I want to go to AREA15 because of this special, quirky, wild, weird space, and I can curate my art within it.'”

Take, for instance, “The Portal,” a massive room cocooned by a customizable 360° wraparound LED wall. Here, renowned electronic music producer What So Not activated his Anomaly album by headlining a preternatural rave as his visuals mutated and morphed across the wall in real-time. Next up is trance icon Gareth Emery, who is poised for an exclusive residency in “The Portal.”

Just next door is the adjacent AREA15 “A-Lot,” an open-air concert space with festival-grade production capabilities. Despite its grandiose feel, Kessler says DJs can “come in, plug in and just rock it.”

CloZee, a rising superstar in the world of electronic music, is primed to bring her breathtaking “Microworlds” tour to the “A-Lot” later in 2023. She follows in the footsteps of Bonobo, deadmau5’s TESTPILOT, Zeds Dead and the viral “Shrek Rave,” among others.

Just like those artists are prioritizing new and unique nightlife experiences, so are consumers. In an ecosystem as cutthroat as Las Vegas, nightlife brands swirl and vanish like withered leaves in a winter storm. But the disruptive AREA15 has found solid ground, precisely because it’s not a nightclub.

According to the movies, luxury in Vegas comes in a handful of forms: a woman sauntering past the Bellagio fountains carrying a giant Chanel bag; a suited-up high-roller playing craps with a Rolex on one arm and a chesty blonde on the other; a group of frat bros showering each other with $1,000 bottles of Dom Pérignon at a table.

Deep pockets are rewarded but they’re usually in the silk-lined pants of the vapid. It’s an axiom that true hedonism is typically reserved for those sorts of people.

But AREA15 offers a different kind of indulgence, one whose gates aren’t blocked by guards with superficial dogmas. Immersed in the whimsy of AREA15, even the most introverted misfits feel at home—and thriving.

The scary part? AREA15 is expanding. They’re currently developing “District 2,” a gigantic space spearheaded by a gigantic tenant: Universal Studios. AREA15’s proprietors are also transforming the complex’s West Lot, Kessler says, into an “outdoor festival site” where up to 15,000 can rave together.

Shared experiences are Kessler’s love language. The nightlife vet, who also produces electronic music as SWAYLÓ, grew up in the enchanting Zuni Pueblo of New Mexico, where he says art “really is a way of life.” He then started designing music programs with community centers and incarcerated youth in Albuquerque, where he developed a series of off-the-wall events like breakdance battles and jam-skating sessions.

Eventually Kessler found himself at the Santa Fe-based Meow Wolf, with whom he cut his teeth organizing parties at the intersection of music and thematic art. He then spent five years at C3 Presents, one of the nation’s leading concert promoters, before returning to Meow Wolf for another four and ultimately landing at AREA15.

Kessler and his cohorts are now on pace to deliver roughly 250 shows this year, the majority of which are owned and operated by AREA15. They’re also co-producing events with Live Nation and electronic music titan Insomniac Events, as well as with local promotion powerhouses like RVLTN. They’re even in talks with major casinos for strategic collaborations, the promise of which represents a watershed moment for a brand who would otherwise be considered an interloper.

And therein lies AREA15’s X-factor. Kessler says the main ingredient of their winning formula is collaboration, rejecting the tired ideology that nightlife businesses must maul each other in the name of competition.

“We approach things very collaboratively. I think that’s the paradigm we live in,” Kessler explains. “It used to be competition… what we’re doing is really pioneering collaboration over competition. I feel like we’re unifying the market.”

The big vision, he adds, is to turn the AREA15 campus into a festival metropolis where all of its properties are enkindled to ignite a cohesive latticework of branded experiences. For now, they’re establishing the building blocks with “Massives,” a series of psychedelic events they call “a hybrid between your typical concert and over-the-top festival experiences.” The next one is “Galactic Zoo,” which is scheduled for September 16th.

That brings us to the aliens. Unless you’ve been hibernating in a knowledge-proof cave, odds are you’ve heard about the impending invasion, so says every shamelessly fear-mongering media outlet on this planet.

A whistleblower named David Grusch, a former intelligence official, went public with claims that the U.S. federal government maintains a highly secretive UFO recovery program and is in possession of “non-human biologics” from alleged crash sites. Those revelations led to a Congress hearing wherein he and two other former military officers testified under oath that they believe the government knows much more about UFOs than what they’re telling the public.

It couldn’t have come at a better time for the team behind AREA15, who are developing bespoke experiences to summon the “aliens” to Galactic Zoo.

“It’s inherent to what we are… a spinoff of Area 51, which is sort of this highly classified military base where you don’t know what’s happening,” Kessler explains. “Are they cloning humans? Do they have aliens? Are they creating weapons? We don’t really know… but weaving the mystery of life of the universe and the unknown in a positive and trusting way has always been part of our story, and continuing to weave it into the narrative is exciting to us.”

Follow AREA15:

Instagram: instagram.com/area15official
Facebook: facebook.com/AREA15LasVegas
Twitter: twitter.com/AREA15official
YouTube: tinyurl.com/2p9h3t22

After an explosive 2022 for live music, 2023 has set the stage for even more growth in the years to come. 

In Live Nation’s Q2 earnings call, President and CEO Michael Rapino told investors that amidst a record year for the company, the live music sector has not only returned, but it’s also becoming bigger than ever before. 

“Live music is bigger than ever, with global demand driving the industry to record levels,” Rapino said. “There’s a more diverse pipeline of artists breaking from all corners of the world, and at the same time tours are going to more markets—particularly in Latin America and Asia. This was our strongest second quarter ever, with 2023 on pace to be a record year, and early indicators for 2024 giving us confidence in continued growth.”

Live Nation has sold more than 117 million tickets, which is up 20% from 12 months ago, according to IQ Magazine. International markets are fueling this expansion, rising at a 46% clip. Rapino also said consumers are driving global consumption “with no gatekeepers,” citing heavy social media use.

This massive surge will reportedly allow Live Nation to invest more than $12 billion in staging artists’ shows in 2023, a 30% increase from 2022. 

“We have been on this march for a long time,” Rapino added. “And we think there’s still lots of opportunity… in Latin America, Pacific Rim, Eastern Europe. We kind of predicted the artists would continue to go global—more global artists and international markets would want to be just like New York—and Boston would want to be hosting U2 and Beyoncés of the world, so we had an opportunity to build out those markets. So pedal down, we see lots of great growth opportunity for years to come on that front.”