VMDO’s Music Data and Insights Summit Returns to Melbourne with Global Keynote

The Victorian Music Development Office (VMDO) is bringing its Music Data and Insights Summit back for another year, with a major international voice and new local research set to headline the program.

Returning to Melbourne on May 18th-19th, the two-day event will once again gather industry, research and policy leaders to unpack the data shaping Australia’s music sector, and what it means in practice.

Leading the 2026 edition is a keynote from Marlen Hüllbrock of Music Ally, who will dive into how the next generation of fans is evolving online. Her session, Marketing to Gen Alpha in the Age of Social Media Bans, will explore how under-16 audiences are navigating tighter platform restrictions, and what that means for artists and marketers trying to reach them.

The summit will also mark the release of the second edition of The Bass Line, a flagship research project from Music Australia. The updated report offers a fresh snapshot of the industry’s economic contribution across the 2024-25 financial year, with a dedicated session set to break down its key findings alongside commentary from sector leaders.

 

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The broader program also spans panels and presentations on audience behaviour, live music trends, workforce challenges and the shifting economics of the industry.

New research will also be unveiled from the Australian Research Council-backed project Community Music Radio: Building the Music-Media Ecosystem, led by Shane Homan and Susan Forde.

A separate report, Supporting First Nations Led Music Business, spearheaded by Kaleena Smith, will also be presented, focusing on the importance of culturally led programs shaped by First Nations artists, businesses and communities.

Held at Collingwood Yards, the summit builds on the success of its 2025 debut, continuing to position itself as a national forum for evidence-driven discussion and collaboration.

VMDO General Manager Kirsty Rivers said the event reflects a growing appetite across the sector for deeper engagement with data and insights. “The Music Data and Insights Summit has quickly become a key forum for the industry to connect around the evidence shaping our future,” she said.

Delivered in partnership with the Music Industry Research Collective and supported by Music Australia, the summit aims to strengthen the link between research and real-world industry outcomes.

A limited number of travel bursaries of up to $2,000 are available, with priority given to applicants from regional, remote and under-represented communities. More speakers and sessions are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information or to buy tickets, see here.