The popularity of music festivals is on the rise, especially in America. Big name events like Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza sell out in minutes, no matter the cost and have now become global brands worth millions (if not more). New festivals arrive every year, looking to cash in on the hype and hopefully become the next goliath of the music world.
While most festivals are continually seeing growth in attendance, revenue, sponsorship dollars and a rise in fame (or notoriety, depending on the name), one of the biggest and most important festivals to the music industry remains largely unknown to the general public, overshadowed by larger, more well known contemporaries.
The CMJ Music Marathon is a massive, 5-day music festival that takes over New York City every year in the fall, transforming the city into a hub of all things behind the scenes for the music world.
When I say “takes over”, it’s not a hyperbole: the Marathon takes place at every available venue in the city for almost a week, with even the smallest and oddest of spaces all of a sudden becoming a “venue”. 1,200 bands are on the roster this year (out of over 4,000 that applied to play), and the range of genres and styles is incredible. Everyone connected to the music industry makes it to NYC for CMJ, and there are dozens of showcases by independent record labels, management companies and the coolest publications.
CMJ is the prominent name in college radio, publishing a weekly digital New Music Report that comes with a compilation of new tracks getting pushed to campuses across the country. The company also manages charts similar to Billboard, but for the indie market. By focusing on underground musicians, CMJ has positioned themselves as an expert in all things up and coming. Like South By Southwest used to be (before you could see Lady Gaga perform, sponsored by Ford Trucks), CMJ is the place to see an act before they break. Usually even the names in the smallest font on a poster for something like Governor’s
With so many bands taking over New York City for a week, how is it that the Music Marathon has managed to stay under the radar?
“Because we’re so focused on the newest artists, the people that are most interested in those are actually interested in the artists, not the platform” said Matt McDonald, Senior Vice President, Artists & Events. Matt has been booking the event for a decade now, and he said that sometimes everyday, non-industry fans will attend several concerts that are a part of the Marathon without even realizing. The branding takes a backseat to the music, as CMJ feels it should.
One of the best bits about the Marathon is their commitment to helping foster the next generation of music industry talent. This year alone, some 450 college students from across the country will make their way to New York, and for many it will be their first real experience in “the biz”. CMJ wants young people to catch on early, letting them sit in on panels and network with the people who may one day hire them. This is nothing new to the event, and those in charge intend to keep the tradition going.
What’s even more surprising about CMJ’s Music Marathon is how long it has been around. The festival is turning 35 next year, and is looking to shake things up. The company has a lot in the works, from changing the format of the event to bringing back alumni. Tons of now-famous singers, bands, and industry insiders got their start at CMJ, and the future may see many of them being more involved.
That’s all well and good, but for the hundreds of bands, managers, publicists, booking agents, and writers looking at their schedules for next week, 2015 is too far off to even think about. It’s really all just about surviving the marathon!
