Music Tectonics returns to Santa Monica, California, on October 27–29, 2026, bringing artists, entrepreneurs, investors and music industry executives together to examine how technology can support sustainable music businesses.
The conference theme, “Rising Tide: Growing Music, Growing Value,” connects discussions of artificial intelligence (AI), direct-to-fan businesses, royalty collection, investment and ways to reach audiences.
AI, licensing and creator trust
Representatives from Stability AI, Suno, ElevenLabs and Musical AI will participate in discussions covering creativity, licensing, attribution and business applications.
On October 27, Roland vice president of innovation Paul McCabe and Stability AI chief executive Prem Akkaraju will take part in a fireside conversation about building trust between technology companies and music creators and developing responsible AI.
Merck Mercuriadis will give a keynote on October 28, bringing music rights and monetization into the conference discussion.
“We need to look at AI from multiple angles,” said Music Tectonics founder and director Dmitri Vietze. Organizers intend to bring creators, rightsholders and technology companies together to discuss opportunities and challenges.
Artist income, investment and creative tools
For independent artists and their teams, the program includes sessions on audience development, revenue collection and career financing:
- “Direct to Fan in 2027”
- “Closing the Royalty Collection Gap”
- “Don’t Sell Before You Know Your Options”
Other discussions will examine music on Roblox, digital innovation in physical experiences and where music technology investors are directing their money.
A Creator Fair on October 27 will explore the relationship between creative tools and human expression, featuring creators including Hunna G, Modern Biology and Chuck Sutton.
