The Society for Ethnomusicology

What The Society for Ethnomusicology does

The Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) is a US-based 501(c)(3) non-profit professional association founded in 1955, headquartered at Indiana University in Bloomington where it has maintained a Business Office since 1988 with in-kind university support. It serves a global community of ~1,700 individual members and ~700 institutional members—scholars, educators, students, performers, archivists, and librarians engaged in the study of music in its social and cultural contexts. Its core operations center on scholarly publishing, a flagship annual conference, and a federated structure of 34 Sections/Special Interest Groups and 10 Regional Chapters.

SEM's product surface is anchored by the peer-reviewed journal Ethnomusicology, published triannually by the University of Illinois Press and distributed through JSTOR (1953-2018) and the Scholarly Publishing Collective (2006-present), with ~700 institutional subscribers. The portfolio also includes the quarterly SEM Newsletter, the peer-reviewed streaming journal JAVEM, the biannual student-led Rising Voices, the open-access Ethnomusicology Translations series, the Ethnomusicology Today podcast, the Conversations in Ethnomusicology and World Music YouTube channel, and a searchable membership directory. The Annual Meeting, held each fall and drawing 900+ participants, is the primary membership driver and reputational anchor.

The revenue model is a subscription-and-dues hybrid: calendar-year individual memberships tiered by income ($40 student to $140 high-income; life membership $2,000-$2,200), recurring institutional journal subscriptions routed through the University of Illinois Press, transaction-fee Annual Meeting registration, and donations across multiple named funds with endowment support managed by TIAA. Operating technology is conventional association-management software (YourMembership) hosting website, membership services, and event registration. Governance is through an elected Board of Directors and Council led by a full-time Executive Director and Program Specialist based at the Indiana University Business Office.

Name

The Society for Ethnomusicology

Legal name

Society for Ethnomusicology

Website

https://ethnomusicology.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Society for Ethnomusicology is a US-based 501(c)(3) non-profit professional association, founded in 1955 and headquartered at Indiana University, serving roughly 1,700 individual and 700 institutional members worldwide through scholarly publishing, an annual conference, and a federated network of sections and regional chapters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Scholarly Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarly Society & Association Publishing (EDAGAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA), Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing (MPAJABAK)

Keywords

• Professional scholarly association
• Academic journal publishing
• Ethnomusicology research society
• Annual academic conference
• Humanities membership organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Bloomington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Individual membership dues range from $40 (student) to $140 (income $90,000+); Life membership $2000-$2200; Sponsored membership $50
2. Journal Subscriptions: Approximately 700 institutional subscribers to Ethnomusicology journal through University of Illinois Press
3. Annual Meeting Registration: Registration fees for the Annual Meeting with over 900 participants; fees based on projections of expenses and attendance
4. Donations and Endowments: Donations to various funds (Sound Future Fund, Maultsby Equity and Inclusion Fund, 21st Century Fellowship Fund, General Fund); endowment managed by TIAA

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Society for Ethnomusicology operates as a professional membership association serving individual scholars, students, educators, and institutional library subscribers in the field of ethnomusicology. Its core offerings include individual and institutional memberships, the peer-reviewed journal Ethnomusicology published three times a year, the quarterly SEM Newsletter, additional journals (Rising Voices, JAVEM, Ethnomusicology Translations), and the annual SEM meeting that draws over 900 participants worldwide.

Product overview

The Society for Ethnomusicology is a professional membership organization that publishes scholarly content and hosts annual conferences. Its core offerings include the peer-reviewed journal Ethnomusicology (published triannually), the quarterly SEM Newsletter, and the biannual student journal Rising Voices in Ethnomusicology. Additional publications include the Journal of Audiovisual Ethnomusicology (JAVEM) for streaming video content, the open-access Ethnomusicology Translations series, the Ethnomusicology Today podcast, and the Conversations in Ethnomusicology and World Music YouTube channel. The organization also operates the SEM Annual Meeting (attracting 900+ participants), maintains a searchable membership directory, provides a Career Center for job listings, offers the Public Ethnomusicology Mentoring Program, and maintains a Student Portal. The Members' Area provides access to back issues, SEM documents, and member discount codes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ethnomusicology (Journal) The leading international peer-reviewed journal in ethnomusicology, published three times per year by the University of Illinois Press on behalf of SEM. Features scholarly articles, book reviews, sound recording reviews, film and video reviews, and multimedia reviews covering theoretical perspectives and research in ethnomusicology and related fields. Distributed to individual members and approximately 700 institutional subscribers.
• SEM Membership Annual individual or institutional membership in the Society for Ethnomusicology, running on a calendar-year cycle (January 1 - December 31). Includes access to the journal Ethnomusicology, SEM Newsletter, the members-only directory, voting rights in Society elections, eligibility for prizes and awards, and discounted registration for the Annual Meeting. Individual dues are income-based, ranging from $40 (student) to $140 (income $90,000+), with sponsored membership at $50 and life membership at $2,000-$2,200.
• SEM Annual Meeting The Society's annual conference, held in October or November, attracting over 900 participants from around the world. Features scholarly paper presentations, panels, roundtables, film screenings, lecture-demonstrations, workshops, concerts, and prize awards. Hybrid attendance options support in-person and remote participation.
• SEM Newsletter Quarterly electronic newsletter (published in January, March, June, and September) distributed to all individual and institutional members. Contains articles on ethnomusicology topics, notes about SEM members, Annual Meeting information, conference announcements, and a conferences calendar.
• Journal of Audiovisual Ethnomusicology (JAVEM) Peer-reviewed streaming journal of ethnomusicological film and video sponsored by SEM. Advances the use of video/film as a method for exploring music and its entanglements, and as a medium for presenting those explorations.
• Rising Voices in Ethnomusicology Official biannual student publication of the Society for Ethnomusicology, created and run by students. Highlights current student interests, provides resources for graduate and undergraduate students, and features work that reimagines approaches and future directions of the field.
• Ethnomusicology Translations Open-access online series featuring scholarship translated to English from other languages, expanding accessibility of international ethnomusicological research.
• Ethnomusicology Today Podcast SEM podcast providing ongoing audio content related to ethnomusicology research and discussions, showcasing current research and developments in the field.
• Conversations in Ethnomusicology and World Music (YouTube Channel) SEM YouTube channel featuring video content related to ethnomusicology and world music, including conference recordings and scholarly presentations.
• Guide to Programs in Ethnomusicology Directory of colleges and universities offering bachelor's, master's, and/or doctoral degrees related to ethnomusicology worldwide, used by prospective students and advisors.
• Career Center Job board providing notices for opportunities in academic and public/applied ethnomusicology.
• Public Ethnomusicology Mentoring Program Program connecting professionals working in public ethnomusicology with mentors in the field.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Indiana UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness Office located on Indiana University campus since 1988. Indiana University provides in-kind support including office space and graduate student assistance. Host institution for SEM 2026 (71st) and 2019 (64th) Annual Meetings.
• University of Illinois PresscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublishes Ethnomusicology journal three times yearly on behalf of SEM. Also handles institutional subscriptions for the journal.
• Smithsonian FolkwaysmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEM consultants for Smithsonian Folkways Learning Pathways (2020-). Prior 'From the Field' Series (2013-2015) partnership.
• FreemuseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEM Agreement with Freemuse (2018) for advocacy on behalf of musicians facing persecution.
• American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEM has been an active member of ACLS since 1966. Promotes ethnomusicology through this major humanities organization.
• Indiana University ConferencesmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProfessional meeting planning service contracted to assist with Annual Meeting logistics including site selection, hotel contract negotiation, AV service, book exhibits, food service, and program production.
• YourMembership (Association Management Software)coreTechnology or IntegrationAssociation management software platform powering SEM website, membership services, event registration, and member communications.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Musicological Society: The American Musicological Society is the closest direct peer to SEM: a scholarly society for music researchers, publishing the Journal of the American Musicological Society, hosting an Annual Meeting, and serving overlapping member audiences. SEM and AMS jointly hold a large meeting in 2028, underscoring operational similarity.
• College Music Society: College Music Society serves music faculty and graduate students through publications, conferences, and career resources, with comparable member-driven non-profit structure and overlapping higher-education audience. Also co-hosting the 2028 joint meeting.
• Society for Music Theory: Society for Music Theory is a direct peer scholarly society for music theorists and analysts, with comparable model of journal publication (Music Theory Spectrum), annual conference, and member-driven governance serving academic music researchers. Scheduled co-host with SEM at the 2028 joint meeting.
• International Council for Traditional Music: ICTMD is the leading international scholarly organization for traditional music research, operating with a near-identical model to SEM: peer-reviewed journal, world conference, regional membership, and focus on music in cultural context. Direct functional peer with global rather than North-American primary footprint.
• Society for American Music: Society for American Music is a closely analogous scholarly society focused on American music scholarship, with similar annual conference, peer-reviewed journal (Journal of the Society for American Music), and tiered individual/institutional membership structure. A planned co-host of the 2028 joint meeting with SEM.

Emerging players

• British Forum for Ethnomusicology: The British Forum for Ethnomusicology is a UK-based scholarly society focused on ethnomusicology, comparable in mission and offerings (publications, conferences) to SEM, but smaller and regionally scoped. It serves as an international peer in the same narrow sub-discipline.
• Association for Cultural Equity / Alan Lomax Archive: Alan Lomax Archive / Association for Cultural Equity overlaps with SEM's documentation of world music traditions, sharing partners (Smithsonian Folkways) and overlapping research community. Comparable as a mission-aligned cultural-preservation organization tied to ethnomusicological research.

Broad incumbents

• American Folklore Society: American Folklore Society is a larger, adjacent scholarly society with significant overlap with ethnomusicology in cultural-context methodologies and shared member base, publishing the Journal of American Folklore. Functions as a broader incumbent in adjacent humanities scholarship with similar non-profit membership and conference model.
• Music Library Association: Music Library Association is an adjacent scholarly society serving music librarians and archivists — a core segment of SEM's institutional subscriber base — with a comparable non-profit structure, journal publication, and annual meeting model.
• American Anthropological Association: The American Anthropological Association is SEM's organizational parent context — SEM was founded during AAA's 1955 annual meeting — and continues to overlap in member base, methodology, and humanities-publishing model. A broader incumbent umbrella relevant to ethnomusicology's positioning as a sub-field.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ConversationsinEthnomusicologyandWorldMusic
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheSocietyForEthnomusicology
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ethnomusicology
• Instagraminstagram.com/societyforethnomusicology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Society for Ethnomusicology