LISTEN TO BERLIN: COMPILATION 2023/24

Application phase started!

What does Berlin sound like? For this amazing city, there is no short answer. Berlin is a colorful and constantly-changing musical universe: to capture it, you have to make it audible!

Each year, with the “LISTEN TO BERLIN” compilation series, the Berlin Music Commission (BMC) presents the diverse sounds of the capital. In doing so, it promotes the flourishing local music scene: aiming to bring it closer to the public, the music industry, the creative scene – and politics, in its artistic and economic significance.

NEW: LISTEN TO BERLIN goes Youth!
With the 2023 compilation, BMC wants to put a focus on promoting youth music, to show the world what incredible potential the German capital has. For this purpose, we have set up two new slots on the compilation for young up-and-coming musicians aged 14-18.

Are you an up-and-coming musical talent living or working in Berlin and would like to present your music to key players in the Berlin music industry? Then submit your song –  until June 30, 2023 – for the next edition of the LISTEN TO BERLIN: COMPILATION!

The compilation serves as a cross-genre musical calling card for the capital city, showcasing emerging, new talent. No mainstream sounds are sought, but instead we are specifically looking for unusual and bold productions that create new starting points and listening habits. It allows non-conformist and unconventional artists, and up-and-coming talents, to present their music to a broad audience. The selected 18 artists even have the chance to win the artist prize of the LISTEN TO BERLIN: AWARDS and various performance opportunities, such as the Most Wanted: Music Showcase Festival (MW:M Live).

Good music knows no genre boundaries. Berlin doesn’t either. Whether Afrobeats, experimental electronica, funk and soul music, reggaeton, rap, hip-hop, jazz, poppy indie sounds or droning rock – the sound of the capital is multi-faceted. We are looking for a cross-section of the most innovative and exciting music of the future: a soundtrack for a diverse city.

The LISTEN TO BERLIN: COMPILATION 2023/24 will be released as a CD on 29.08.2023 at the BMC Summer Festival. In addition, in cooperation with the label KulturManufaktur of Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus, a vinyl will also be pressed, which will be released on the day of the LISTEN TO BERLIN: AWARDS!

Requirements:

• Submissions can be made by bands, musicians, labels, producers or publishers. The artists themselves must be based in Berlin.
• Please do not submit cover songs.
• The submitted song should be unreleased or not have been released before 01.06.2022.
• If the song is unreleased, the recording must be “ready for release“. The mastering will be done by the Berlin Music Commission.
• Young applicants: you must be 14 – 18 years old. For bands, the average age must not exceed 18. Underage musicians must submit a declaration of consent from their legal guardians.
• The rights owners provide the license free of charge (GEMA fees will be paid by BMC)
• Artists / bands already featured on the Listen to Berlin: Compilation 2022/23 cannot be considered for the current call 

The artists have the chance to win the following prizes:

• LISTEN TO BERLIN: AWARDS
• Concert at the MWM: LIVE in the Maschinenhaus at Kulturbrauerei
• Song review in Tip magazine
• Concert and live recordings at Dussmann
• Vinyl release – will be released at the LISTEN TO BERLIN: AWARDS on 14.11.2023

carefully curated

The compilation will be curated by a jury of experts from different areas of Berlin’s music industry every year.

This year’s jury will be announced shortly on listen-to-berlin-awards.de.