10:00 AM | DOORS OPEN

11:00 AM | WELCOME REMARKS FROM ASCAP PRESIDENT PAUL WILLIAMS

11:15 AM | THE HITMAKERS

The ASCAP Experience audience is made up of talented music creators from every genre imaginable, eager to learn more and turn their passion for music into a successful career. But “success” can mean many different things, and everyone takes a different road to get there. Our Hitmakers session offers practical advice and inspiration from respected music creators who have enjoyed major success recently. They’ll recount their unique journeys and what kinds of decisions they made to get where they are.  

PANELISTS:

• James Fauntleroy – Singer-Songwriter/Producer/Musician (Bruno Mars, Beyoncé & Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna)
• Hitmaka – Artist/Producer/Songwriter (Lil Wayne, Tamar Braxton, Nicki Minaj, Big Sean, Ty Dolla $ign)
• Sarah Hudson – Songwriter/Vocal Producer (Katy Perry, Dua Lipa, Illenium, Adam Lambert, Nicki Minaj)
• Steph Jones – Songwriter (Sabrina Carpenter, Lotto, Kelsea Ballerini, Selena Gomez, Florence + The Machine)
• Anna Waronker – Composer/Songwriter (that dog., Yellowjackets, Shrill, Josie and the Pussycats, Lovelace a Rock Opera)  
• MODERATOR: Kristin Robinson – Music Publishing Reporter, Billboard

12:15 PM | SOCIAL LISTENING: BUILDING A MUSIC CAREER IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA AGE

Music is fundamentally a social form of art, so it makes sense that some of today’s most valuable tools for music creators are social media platforms, and apps that help you make the most of them. This panel will provide our members with actionable steps to expand their audience and get their music heard. We’ve partnered with some of ASCAP’s buzziest artists who have seen notable impact from their strategic use of social media platforms. These artists will share their unique stories of how they used digital and social strategies to grow their fanbases and build their careers.

PANELISTS:

• Caroline Kimiko Jensen – Director of Digital Marketing, Atlantic Records
• Alex Warren – Singer/Songwriter (“One More I Love You,” “Screaming Underwater,” “Chasing Shadows”)
• MODERATOR: Maria Gironas – Founder of Cool Shit, Cool People; Global Chair, Diversity & Inclusion, Women In Music

1:00 PM | LUNCH BREAK

2:00 PM | INTELLIGENTLY NAVIGATING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Everybody’s talking about artificial intelligence these days. Some call it the future of everything, while others warn it’s the end of everything. Without a doubt, AI’s recent rise to prominence is opening up exciting creative possibilities for music creators. Yet it also brings up some very real concerns about how your music, your rights and your income will be impacted as AI becomes more widespread. This panel brings together knowledgeable experts from the creative, tech and business worlds for a state-of-the-union on AI in music. They’ll discuss how AI has the potential to change how music is made and consumed, as well as how ASCAP is addressing these evolving opportunities and challenges. You’ll also learn about tools to enhance your creative process, while making informed decisions to protect your intellectual property. This is a timely conversation you don’t want to miss.

PANELISTS:

• Nick Lehman – Chief Strategy & Digital Officer, ASCAP
• Rachel Lyske – CEO, DAACI
• Lucas Cantor Santiago – Composer
• MODERATOR: Jazz Tangcay – Senior Artisans Editor, Variety

2:45 PM | BREAK

3:00 PM | GET HEARD: LIVE SONG FEEDBACK

There’s nothing like honest opinions from experienced music fanatics to help you tune up your songs. Want to know what the pros listen for when they’re evaluating music, lyrics and production? Find out at this unique, multi-genre feedback session featuring some of the most trusted songwriters and producers in the music business. They’ll listen to a limited number of songs, pre-submitted by ASCAP Experience registrants, in front of a live audience.

Submissions for our Live Song Feedback session closed on June 12.

PANELISTS:

• Darrell Brown – Songwriter/Producer (Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Neil Young, Dolly Parton, Ziggy Marley)
• Theron “Neff-U” Feemster – Producer/Composer/Songwriter (Michael Jackson, Dr. Dre, Justin Bieber, Sia)

4:15 PM | BREAK

4:45 PM | CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF HIP-HOP 

Hip-hop has undergone monumental changes since DJ Kool Herc first extended an instrumental break into “five minutes of dance fury” at a Bronx block party in 1973. What started as an inner-city art form evolved into an unstoppable force that has made a major commercial and cultural impact on every region of the globe.  

In this one-of-a-kind session we honor hip-hop’s first 50 years by paying tribute to two of its pioneering practitioners: legendary rapper and songwriter Big Daddy Kane, and renowned DJ and producer Easy Mo Bee, whose beats have underpinned classic tracks by Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac, Busta Rhymes and many more. These two icons will recount how hip-hop shaped their lives and careers, and talk about what it means to be a part of a culture that has changed so much over the decades. You’ll hear the stories of some of their greatest musical triumphs, and find out what they think hip-hop’s next 50 years will look like. 

PANELISTS: 

• Big Daddy Kane – Songwriter/producer (“Ain’t No Half-Steppin,” “Smooth Operator,” “The Symphony,” “Warm It Up, Kane”) 
• Easy Mo Bee – DJ/music producer (Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac, Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J, Miles Davis) 
• MODERATOR: Datwon Thomas – Editor-in-Chief, Vibe Magazine

5:45 PM | BREAK

6:00 PM | KING STAYS KING: KEYNOTE INTERVIEW WITH TIMBALAND  

You can divide the history of R&B, hip-hop and pop production into two eras: pre-Timbaland and post-Timbaland. This sonic scientist has been expanding our minds for over 25 years with his futuristic beats and unerring ear for a hook. In the late ‘90s, Timbaland’s collaborations with Ginuwine, Aaliyah and Missy Elliott changed the sound of radio, building unearthly grooves out of strange sounds that propelled these incredible talents into superstardom. He charted new sonic territory in the 2000s with Justin Timberlake (“SexyBack”), OneRepublic (“Apologize”), Nelly Furtado (“Promiscuous”) and Madonna (“4 Minutes”), amassing a bulletproof canon of massive hits. In the years since, Timbaland has left his stamp on film/TV scoring, production music, book publishing and beyond. More recently, Timbaland united the world during the pandemic with VERZUZ, which brought us epic battles between many of music’s greatest names. And he’s paying it forward with his new platform BeatClub, an all-in-one solution for music creators. Don’t miss this in-depth conversation with one of the most innovative musical minds of our era. You’ll hear about the sounds that inspired Timbaland on his way to the top, and what inspires him to stay ahead of the curve today. 

PANELISTS: 

• Timbaland – Grammy-winning producer/CEO (Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Aaliyah, Missy Elliott, Ginuwine, OneRepublic)
• MODERATOR: Ray Daniels – CEO, RAYDAR; Host, The GAUDS Show podcast

7:00 PM | NETWORKING BREAK – CASH BAR + LIGHT BITES

8:00 PM | THE WRITERS JAM 

It’s an annual tradition: we’re bringing together a killer lineup of songwriters from across the genre spectrum to play their hits in a supercharged “in-the-round” setting. They’ll tell the stories behind their best-loved songs, and play them like you’ve never heard them before. There’s a reason why we close out every ASCAP Experience with The Writers Jam – nothing could top the experience of a world-class songwriter performing an original song as the entire ASCAP community sings along.  

PERFORMERS: 

• BUZZ – Artist/Producer/Songwriter (Katy Perry, Kylie Minogue, Bebe Rexha, Lady A) 
• JT Harding – Songwriter (Darius Rucker, Uncle Kracker, Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton) 
• Joelle James – Singer/Songwriter (Ella Mai,  Saweetie, Tamar Braxton, JoJo)

9:00 PM | THAT’S ALL, FOLKS