First International
Buyers & Speakers Announced

Check out our first list of buyers and speakers, hot-footing their way to Brisbane this September for BIGSOUND.

With a list headed by keynotes from Terry McBride from Canadian powerhouse Nettwerk Music (Xavier Rudd, Father John Misty, Stereophonics), the list of talent scouts also expands to include giants of the music world Sub Pop (Nirvana, Fleet Foxes, Foals), Captured Tracks (Mac Demarco, DIIV, Beach Fossils), Mom + Pop Records (Tom Morello, Courtney Barnett, Tash Sultana), Green Man Festival, Domino Creative Sync, Paradigm Agency (Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, The XX, Bon Iver), Primary Talent International (Catfish and The Bottlemen, DMA’s, Alt-J), The Feldman Agency (Sarah McLachlan, Simple Plan, Michael Buble) and many more.

“Everybody thinks Nettwerk is an Australian label, after all we have 17 Artists from Australia/New Zealand signed already," said Terry McBride.  "The fact is we are lovers of good music and data. When you combine those two things together then you understand the power of music and its ability to create a community that goes beyond physical borders."

With a diversity across industry sectors, BIGSOUND also welcomes BBC Radio 1’s Abbie McCarthy, Paul Brindley from respected industry think-tank Music Ally, Kamran Haq from Live Nation UK, talent buyer Jon Halperin from Californian venue and record store The Glasshouse, as well as five South American buyers from Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Colombia, representing major events and agencies across this important emerging market. 

"Australia has a global reputation for being at the forefront of new music in the southern hemisphere and BIGSOUND is where the music community comes for connection,” said programmer Tom Larkin.

Artist applications for BIGSOUND are open now (applications close May 16), with the festival once again providing three nights of showcases with over 150 bands from across Australia and the world playing in front of global industry decision makers. With BIGSOUND launching international careers for alumni including Flume, Gang of Youths, Courtney Barnett, Tash Sultana, Rufus Du Sol and many more, this event is the place Australian artists come to be put on the map.

BIGSOUND Tech also makes its return, expanding and extending to the length of the conference, giving tech entrepreneurs the ability to showcase to the wider conference as well as gain access to greater market feedback, training and support.