LISTEN TO BERLIN: Compilation I Live I Awards I Youth
The booster for your music career
The Berlin Music Commission is looking for new music for its “LISTEN TO BERLIN: Compilation” and is strengthening music careers on and off stage with live concerts, music awards and a new youth festival
Newcomers and new musical talents from Berlin can now apply with their songs for the “LISTEN TO BERLIN: Compilation”. For 17 years, this annual compilation (as a playlist, a high-quality vinyl and a high-quality CD edition) has been proof of and an excellent overview of the diversity of the music scene in the capital. But since this year, the compilation has become even more: under the name “LISTEN TO BERLIN”, the Berlin Music Commission (BMC) has developed and differentiated a comprehensive concept for strengthening music careers. With a youth festival (for musicians aged 14 and over), live stages at established events and the “LISTEN TO BERLIN: Awards” in November, the Berlin Music Commission creates and supports platforms for new music from Berlin. Anyone who applies for the compilation with their own new songs will also put themselves on the radar for activities later in the year. The songs and acts for the compilation will be selected by a jury of experts covering many perspectives of the music industry, thus establishing an important selection process that ensures quality and sustainability.
The aim of the compilation and all other events under the name LISTEN TO BERLIN is to promote Berlin’s creative scene in its artistic and economic significance and to make it more visible to a national and international public.
We are looking for unusual and courageous productions that create new impulses and listening habits: non-conformist and unconventional.
The LISTEN TO BERLIN: Compilation is a space for experimentation and is not orientated towards the mainstream. It is an extraordinary musical journey that serves as a sonic calling card for the capital and provides a platform for up-and-coming newcomers.
A place on the compilation can lead to a career leap.
Bands and artists who were on our compilation in previous years are successful today: for example Moderat, Bodi Bill, Robot Koch, Jan Blomquist and Dota Kehr.
Good music knows no genre boundaries
Berlin doesn’t either. That’s why the compilation is open to all genres and styles. Whether Afrobeats, experimental electronica, funk and soul music, reggaeton, rap, hip-hop, jazz, poppy indie sounds or booming rock – the sound of the capital is versatile. We are looking for a cross-section of the most innovative and exciting music of the future: a multicultural soundtrack for a diverse city.
LISTEN TO BERLIN goes Youth
In addition to the selection of songs by adult artists, the BMC would also like to include the sound of young people on the compilation for the second time. The basic aim is to draw attention to the great potential of young musicians in Berlin. To this end, two slots (out of a total of 21 slots) on this year’s compilation will be filled with songs by up-and-coming musicians aged 14-21.
All music-loving young people can also network at the LISTEN TO BERLIN: Youth Festival on 13 November 2024 at the Frannz Club and get both professional and artistic support. It is free of charge. A separate application is not necessary.
The LISTEN TO BERLIN: Compilation 2024/25 will be released on all streaming platforms and on an exclusive, limited edition CD. In cooperation with the KulturManufaktur label from Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus, a vinyl will also be pressed and released for the LISTEN TO BERLIN: Awards on 12 November 2024.
CO-OPERATION PARTNERS:
Our cooperation partners so far are Dussmann: Das Kulturkaufhaus, FluxFM, Musicpool, Zebralution and the Kesselhaus in der Kulturbrauerei.
LISTEN TO BERLIN: Live
The Berlin Music Commission launched the new format “LISTEN TO BERLIN: Live” for the first time at the beginning of 2024. Linked to major events taking place in Germany and abroad during the year, the BMC offers numerous artists from the LISTEN TO BERLIN: Compilation pool the opportunity to perform on its various LISTEN TO BERLIN: Live stages so that they can present their talent, their works and their potential to a wider audience.
In March 2024, for example, the pedestrian subway on Messedamm, known as the “Passerelle”, was used for LIVE sets by artists from the current and previous LISTEN TO BERLIN years to mark the International Tourism Exchange (ITB). Performance opportunities will also be created this year to coincide with the Carnival of Cultures and the Fête de la Musique. Co-operations with international showcase festivals, such as the Eurosonic Noorderslag Festival in Groningen (Netherlands), are also planned.
LISTEN TO BERLIN: Awards
The “LISTEN TO BERLIN: Awards” show takes place every year on the eve of the international music conference MOST WANTED: MUSIC. This year, on 12 November 2024, the awards will be presented to players in Berlin’s music industry and are intended to honour remarkable achievements in eight different categories. Two of the categories are the Artist Award and the Youth Award. There are also some live acts.
Artists whose songs make it onto the compilation can therefore look forward to the following MAIN PRIZES:
LISTEN TO BERLIN Artist Award: Awards
Youth Prize of the LISTEN TO BERLIN: Awards
Performance at the LISTEN TO BERLIN: Awards
Further LISTEN TO BERLIN: Awards prizes
Concert at Dussmann
Non-cash and cash prizes for musical promotion
Concert at the Maschinenhaus (Kulturbrauerei)
LISTEN TO BERLIN: Live at music conferences
LISTEN TO BERLIN: LIVE showcases are also planned at important national and international music conferences and showcase festivals. First and foremost at the international conference MOST WANTED: MUSIC (MW:M) produced by BMC and its MW:M LIVE format, as well as at the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, c/o POP in Cologne, and at important international showcase festivals such as the Eurosonic Noorderslag Festival in Groningen (Netherlands).
Those who apply for the “LISTEN TO BERLIN: Compilation” also have the chance to be booked for the stages of the LISTEN TO BERLIN: LIVE platform (Karneval der Kulturen, Fete de la Musique, Future of Festivals etc.).
REQUIREMENTS:
Submission criteria:
Musicians who submit a song for the compilation are also applying for LISTEN TO BERLIN: Live and the LISTEN TO BERLIN: Awards.
The following criteria therefore apply:
Song submissions can be made by bands, musicians, labels, producers or publishers.
The artists themselves must be based in Berlin.
Please do not submit cover songs.
The submitted song should be previously unreleased or not have been released before 1 June 2023.
If the song is unreleased, the recording must be “ready for release”. Mastering will be carried out by the Berlin Music Commission.
Musicians who submit a song must also be able to play a live set with their own songs of 30 – 50 min. (No cover songs)
Young applicants must be 14 – 21 years old. For bands, the average age must not be more than 21. Underage musicians must submit a declaration of consent from their legal guardians.
The rights holders provide the licence free of charge (GEMA fees are paid by the BMC)
Artists / bands that are already represented on the “LISTEN TO BERLIN: Compilation” 2023/24 cannot be considered for the current call.
THE ARTISTS HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN THE FOLLOWING PRIZES:
- LISTEN TO BERLIN: Awards
- The “LISTEN TO BERLIN: Awards” show takes place every year on the eve of the international music conference MOST WANTED: MUSIC. This year, on 12 November 2024, the awards will be presented to players in Berlin’s music industry and are intended to honour remarkable achievements in eight different categories. Two of the categories are the Artist Award and the Youth Award. There are also some live acts.
- Artists whose songs make it onto the compilation also look forward to the following MAIN PRIZES:
- LISTEN TO BERLIN Artist Award: Awards
Youth Prize of the LISTEN TO BERLIN: Awards
Performance at the LISTEN TO BERLIN: Awards - Further LISTEN TO BERLIN: Awards prizes
- Concert at Dussmann
Non-cash and cash prizes for musical promotion
Concert at the Maschinenhaus (Kulturbrauerei)
CAREFULLY CURATED – THE JURY
The compilation will be curated by a jury of experts from various sectors of the Berlin music industry. The jury will be announced shortly.
