7th annual Ohio University Music Industry Summit to feature keynote artists Julien Baker and DJ Premier

The Ohio University Music Industry Summit will return for its seventh consecutive year featuring a wide-ranging group of prominent artists and music industry professionals. The highly anticipated event is scheduled for March 25-27, 2025. The conference will take place in Athens, Ohio on OHIO’s campus. A virtual-only option will be available to anyone free of charge.

The Music Industry Summit (MIS) is the premier music industry conference in the Midwest and offers something for everyone from seasoned industry professionals to high school students and everyone in between. Keynote artists for the conference include breakout solo artist and member of three-time Grammy-award winning trio boygenius Julien Baker and three-time Grammy award-winning hip-hop artist DJ Premier. DJ Premier will perform at the Opening Night Party in Baker Center Ballroom on Wednesday, March 26. The Opening Night Party is free and open to Summit registrants and the public. Julien Baker and TORRES will close out the 2025 MIS with a special concert at Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium on Thursday, March 27.

Rising country-folk artist Charles Wesley Godwin will participate in a special pre-Summit keynote conversation and concert on Tuesday, March 25. The keynote conversation is free and open to the public. The concert is a separately ticketed event. Additional events on the 25th include a special gallery opening featuring photography work by OHIO alumna Mia Barnes, a Happy Hour at Jackie O's Brewpub and a special in-store event at ROAR Records.

"We are beyond excited to help bring Charles Wesley Godwin, Julien Baker and TORRES to Ohio University and Athens for this year’s Music Industry Summit,” said Drew Holzapfel, executive director of OHIO performing arts and concert series. “Their unique voices and artistic vision inspire both musicians, industry professionals and fans alike, and we can’t wait for our community to experience their performances and insights firsthand.”

In addition to the keynote artists, in-depth interviews and panel discussions will be hosted over the two primary days covering a diverse range of artistic and business topics in the music industry. Conversations will include a roster of esteemed musicians and industry professionals, including:

(* indicates OHIO Alumni)

• TORRES, rising American indie rock singer-songwriter
• *Mia Barnes, director and photographer
• *Hunter Evans, A&R Scout, RCA Records
• Abbey Jo, A&R, Columbia Records
• *Xander Zellner, Senior Charts and Data Analyst/Social Manager, Billboard
• Marcus J. Moore, music journalist, editor, event curator, professor and author
• Sean McNamara, Publishing Director, Musical Licensing Collective
• *Tommy Boone, Associate Director, Universal Music Group
• *Semajah Parker, Audience Development Coordinator, Sony Music
• Drew de Leon, Co-Founder & Chief Community Officer, The Digilogue
• *Rob Harvilla, Senior Staff Writer, The Ringer
• Andrea Gleeson, Chief Executive Officer, Tunecore
• *Jill Mapes, Founder, Editor & Writer, Hearing Things
• *James Cartwright, Music Supervisor, Bad Sneakers Music Supervision

“We’re gearing up for an exciting 2025 Music Industry Summit, where artists and leaders from across the music industry landscape will come to campus to offer exclusive learning and networking opportunities,” said Josh Antonuccio, director of the conference. “This year, we’ve expanded our programming to three days, designed to deliver a dynamic range of experiences—including panels, interviews, workshops, networking meetups, and mentoring sessions. Attendees will have meaningful opportunities to connect and collaborate with our speakers and guests. We’re also thrilled to host a series of performance events both on campus and around the uptown area.”

Smaller breakout sessions and workshops featuring music industry professionals and OHIO alumni will return with MIS 2025. Small group programing has been a highlight for previous attendees and will provide participants with a more intimate glimpse into the inner workings of various aspects of the music industry.

“With each year, the Music Industry Summit continues to grow, bringing together top business leaders and artists who are shaping the future of the music industry,” said Paul Benedict, director of Ohio University’s Center for Entrepreneurship. “We’re proud to watch the connections and growth that result from each Summit. This is a world-class networking and learning opportunity that remains free for students, ensuring access to the best minds in the industry.”

At the conclusion of the days programming on Thursday, March 27, StewMac, an Athens-based company specializing in the production of luthier tools, guitar parts and supplies, will open the doors to their historical building for a Happy Hour and Jam Session. This is a free event but requires separate registration. 

Following the Happy Hour, Julien Baker and TORRES will perform the Closing Night Concert at Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium. This is a separately ticketed event. The official after party presented by Ohio University's Women in the Music Industry will be held at The Union Bar following the concert.

The OHIO Music Industry Summit has become the largest music industry conference in the Midwest and was named one of the “7 Essential Music Conferences” by Soundfly, along with conferences, such as South by Southwest and Canadian Music Week. Nearly 2,500 people attended in-person and online events during last year’s conference, from 43 states and 23 countries.

The Summit will continue to be free for students and educators at any institution as well as Ohio University alumni. New for 2025, there will be a registration fee for all other in-person attendees. The early bird fee will start at $50 for the entire conference and will increase to $75 on March 3, closing March 23. The registration fee will be $100 at the door. Conference registration will include access to all primary programming and evening networking events, including an opening night party featuring DJ Premier. Register here. All attendees will be required to purchase tickets for concerts at Memorial Auditorium.  

Registration is free for all students and OHIO alumni thanks in large part to the support of nearly 50 campus and industry sponsors including Haden DeRoberts Foundation, Revada Foundation, Shure, Discogs and the Ohio Arts Council.

The Music Industry Summit is produced by Ohio University’s Scripps College of Communication and the School of Media Arts and Studies, Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts’ OHIO Performing Arts and Concert Series and the Center for Entrepreneurship, in partnership with the College of Business, TechGrowth Ohio and the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service.

For more information on registering, the full schedule of events, speaker biographies and more, please visit https://www.ohio.edu/music-industry-summit.