The IMPF established a number of key targets and priorities for the independent music publishing community across tech, data and newer markets at this year’s Global Music Summit Palma.
Dates have also been set for the fifth edition of the event in 2026. The IMPF Global Music Summit and Songwriting Camp will return to Palma on October 6-9.
The global independent music publishing community gathered in record numbers for the 2025 edition of the Palma conference and its connected Songwriting Camp this month, with a capped total of 650 delegates in attendance.
This year’s conference replaced typical panels with working roundtable discussions focused on some of the most pressing issues affecting the music industry in 2025.
In a session looking at opportunities for and within newer markets, and how publishers should approach other territories, key next steps included:
– Ensure creators from evolving markets are given more access to the annual Palma Songwriting Camp.
– Establish an education programme that will arm publishers with overseas territory knowledge.
– Establish working relationships with local market players in trade mission planning.
In a working session on improving data and thereby increasing collections within the industry, key objectives included:
– Asking all societies to commit to full access to data held regarding copyright information.
– Educating songwriters on the need to accurately register their songs.
– Establishing global protocols for dispute resolution.
Nowhere else will you find so many music publishing leaders with so much experience and knowledge from so many different parts of the world together in one place
Annette Barrett
IMPF president Annette Barrett said: “The IMPF Global Music Summit is truly unique in terms of its makeup: Nowhere else will you find so many music publishing leaders with so much experience and knowledge from so many different parts of the world together in one place.
“We wanted to make sure that we made use of such an opportunity, so we designed this year’s programme in a way we felt would get everyone talking. These roundtable discussions, which encouraged comment and debate from the audience as well as the panel, were very fruitful, and we have some really tangible next steps in some key areas of our business as a result.”
This year’s event also stood out as nine heavyweight speakers keynoted including a special video address from songwriter and president of ASCAP, Paul Williams alongside Peermusic CEO Mary Megan Peer, and Swedish songwriter Chris Wahle; Elizabeth Matthews (CEO, ASCAP) and Women In Music winner Cécile Rap-Veber (CEO, SACEM); Guild of Music Supervisors’ president Lindsay Wolfington; Music creative director at Publicis/Prodigious, Christophe Caurret; award-winning composer, artist and producer Nitin Sawhney; and Reservoir MD and global strategist Annette Barrett.
The IMPF Global Music Summit and Songwriting Camp is made possible through co-financing from the EU’s Creative Europe Programme.
It was backed this year by sponsors including CTM, SACEM, Salt, Buma Stemra, AMRA, Budde Music, Mint, Sirup, GC Partners, Ice, TRO Essex Music Group, BMI, Concord Music Publishing, Downtown Music Publishing, On Music, Reel Muzik Werks, Reservoir, Rytebox and Vistex, Editions Björlund and 22D.
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