WMC

What WMC does

Winter Music Conference (WMC), operated by Global Conference Group, Inc., is the world's longest-running and most influential annual electronic music industry gathering, founded approximately in 1985–1986 and co-founded by Bill Kelly. The core offering is the annual Winter Music Conference event held in Downtown Miami (next edition: March 24–26, 2027 at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel), comprising panel sessions, workshops, networking events, label showcases, pool parties, the A&R Pop-Up Lounge for direct artist-to-label demo handoffs, and the International Dance Music Awards (IDMA) ceremony. The company runs no proprietary technology platform; delivery is built around the website, partner ticketing infrastructure (FeverUp, DICE), and event production handled by We Group / EventMasters. The business model relies on tiered badge sales (Tier 1 sold out, Tier 2 available), separate pool party tickets, media pass fees, and event sponsorships. Customers include individual DJs, producers and artists, record labels (Spinnin' Records, Dirtybird, Rekids, Brobot Records, Dirty Workz), music industry professionals, working media, and platform partners such as TikTok and Beatport. WMC is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, public listing, or funding rounds.

Name

WMC

Legal name

Global Conference Group, Inc.

Website

https://wintermusicconference.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Winter Music Conference (WMC) operates the world's longest-running annual electronic music industry gathering in Downtown Miami, serving DJs, producers, record labels, and music industry professionals through panels, pool parties, an A&R Pop-Up Lounge, and the International Dance Music Awards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electronic Dance Music Industry Conference

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional & Association Conferences (MPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA), Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK), DJ & Electronic Music Venues (MPAGAIAE)

Keywords

• Electronic music conferences
• Dance music industry events
• Music industry networking
• A&R discovery events
• Music industry awards

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Badge Sales: Primary revenue from conference badge sales with tiered pricing structure. Tier 1 badges sold out, Tier 2 badges available for purchase through website.
2. Pool Party Tickets: Pool party events sold separately via DICE app or included with WMC Pro Badge. Events hosted at EPIC Pool Deck.
3. Press/Media Passes: Press passes provided to working media only through application process. Limited photo passes requiring professional portfolio submission.
4. Sponsorships: Event sponsorships and partnerships with music industry brands, labels, and platforms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Winter Music Conference (WMC) operates the annual electronic dance music industry gathering in Downtown Miami, FL, featuring 50+ panels and workshops, label showcases, pool parties, the A&R Pop-Up Lounge for direct artist-to-label demo handoffs, and the International Dance Music Awards (IDMA) ceremony. Access is sold through tiered conference badges (Tier 1 sold out, Tier 2 available) and standalone pool party tickets, with revenue supplemented by industry sponsorships and partnership activations with brands such as Beatport, TikTok, and Kimpton EPIC Hotel.

Product overview

WMC (Winter Music Conference) is the world's longest-running electronic music industry conference, organized by Global Conference Group, Inc. The core offering is the annual Winter Music Conference event featuring the International Dance Music Awards (IDMA), supplemented by a tiered badge/pass system for access to panels, workshops, pool parties, and the A&R Pop-Up Lounge where artists can connect directly with label A&R representatives. The conference also offers a media application process for press credentials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Winter Music Conference (Annual Conference) The annual multi-day electronic dance music industry conference held in Downtown Miami, FL, featuring 50+ panels and workshops, label showcases, the A&R Pop-Up Lounge for direct artist-to-label connections, and networking events for artists, labels, managers, promoters, attorneys, and music tech professionals.
• International Dance Music Awards (IDMA) The annual International Dance Music Awards ceremony, the awards finale of WMC, honoring artists, creators, and industry leaders across categories including Best Song, Label, Festival, Club, and Artist of the Year.
• WMC Conference Badges (Tier 1, Tier 2, Pro Badge) Tiered conference access passes granting badge-holders entry to WMC panels, workshops, networking events, the A&R Pop-Up Lounge, and the IDMA ceremony. Pro Badge additionally includes pool party access, with Tier 2 currently available for purchase.
• Beatport Pool Party Series (WMC) Official WMC pool party series hosted in partnership with Beatport Live at the Kimpton EPIC Pool Deck, featuring label showcases during Miami Music Week; tickets available via the DICE app or bundled with the Pro Badge.
• WMC Press/Media Credentials Application-based press pass and limited photo pass credentialing for working media covering the WMC conference, with photo passes requiring professional portfolio submission using SLR/interchangeable lens cameras.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 40 years of continuous operation as the premier dance music conference
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BeatportcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Beatport is the official partner for WMC pool party series. Beatport Live hosts pool parties at Kimpton EPIC Pool Deck featuring Mood Child, Rekids, and Hot Creations x Three Six Zero Recordings label showcases. Beatport also sponsors the 'Beatport Presents: DJs Are The Original Influencers' panel.
• TikTokcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026TikTok has prominent presence at WMC 2026 with multiple workshops: 'The New Stage for DJs: Growing Your Audience on TikTok LIVE' and SoundOn-powered by TikTok workshop. TikTok LIVE team (Julianne Myers, Lauren LeGorrec) present on creator monetization and audience building. SoundOn platform (by TikTok) provides distribution services discussed at conference.
• We Group / EventMasterscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2026We Group is the independent event production collective delivering WMC. CEO Nick Morgan is also Co-Founder of EventMasters, which provides training for the next generation in live events. We Group comprises three agencies: The Fair, We Are Placemaking, and We Are OPS.
• Kimpton EPIC HotelcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Official Miami Music Week Hotel and host venue for WMC 2026. Venue for registration, panels, and pool parties on EPIC Pool Deck (16th Floor). Offers discounted room rates for conference attendees during March 24-26, 2027 dates.
• FeverUpminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Badge sales integrated through FeverUp platform (feverup.com/m/665136) for WMC 2027 ticket purchases.
• DICEminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Pool party tickets sold through DICE app for attendees without Pro Badge or additional event access.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/wintermusicconference
• Xx.com/wmctweets
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/winter-music-conference

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WMC