XP Music Conference: Inside Saudi Arabia's Music Industry Summit — Panels, Networking, Dealmaking, and the Future of MENA Music

Executive Summary

The XP Music Conference has established itself as the definitive music industry gathering for the Middle East and North Africa region, bringing together more than 3,000 professionals annually for three days of panels, workshops, networking events, and dealmaking sessions in Riyadh. Founded in 2021 as a standalone event and subsequently integrated into the broader MDLBeast ecosystem, XP Music fills a critical gap in the regional music industry — providing a professional forum where artists, managers, label executives, festival promoters, technology companies, investors, and policymakers can connect, learn, and conduct business.

The conference’s significance extends beyond its programming. XP Music has become the primary networking hub for the MENA music industry, the venue where partnerships are formed, deals are struck, and the strategic direction of the region’s rapidly growing music sector — recognized by the IFPI as the world’s fastest-growing music market — is debated and shaped. In a region where the music industry is being built from scratch in real time, XP Music provides the institutional infrastructure — the relationships, knowledge sharing, and professional standards — that more established music markets developed over decades.

Conference Overview

Scale and Structure

The conference is structured around three pillars: Learn (panels, keynotes, and workshops covering industry knowledge), Connect (networking events, meeting programs, and social gatherings), and Discover (showcase performances, demo stages, and technology exhibitions).

Programming Tracks

XP Music organizes its programming into several thematic tracks that reflect the key dimensions of the MENA music industry:

Business and Investment: Panels on music industry economics, investment opportunities, label operations, publishing, and revenue models. This track attracts label executives, investors, and entrepreneurs seeking to understand and capitalize on the region’s music market growth.

Technology and Innovation: Sessions on music technology, streaming platforms, AI in music, blockchain and NFTs, distribution technology, and production tools. This track reflects the MENA region’s opportunity to leapfrog established markets by adopting cutting-edge technology from the outset.

Policy and Regulation: Discussions on entertainment licensing, content regulation, copyright law, performance rights, and the regulatory frameworks governing music in Saudi Arabia and across the MENA region. This track is particularly important given the rapid evolution of entertainment policy in Saudi Arabia.

Artist Development: Workshops and panels on artist management, career development, brand building, social media strategy, and the practical skills needed to build a sustainable music career in the MENA region.

Live Events: Sessions on festival production, concert promotion, venue management, ticketing, and the operational challenges of producing live music events in the Gulf.

Cultural Impact: Panels exploring the intersection of music, culture, identity, and social change in Saudi Arabia and the broader Arab world — including discussions on gender in music, heritage preservation, and music’s role in nation-building.

Key Themes and Insights

The State of MENA Music

XP Music has become the primary venue for data-driven analysis of the MENA music market. Key themes from recent editions include:

Market sizing: The MENA music market (recorded + live + publishing) is estimated at approximately $800 million annually and growing at 15-20% per year, making it the fastest-growing regional music market in the world. Saudi Arabia represents approximately 40% of the total, followed by the UAE (20%), Egypt (12%), and the remaining MENA countries (28%).

Streaming growth: Music streaming subscriptions in the MENA region have grown from approximately 8 million in 2020 to more than 25 million in 2025, driven by smartphone penetration, affordable subscription pricing, and the entry of major platforms (Spotify launched in MENA in 2018). Anghami, the region’s largest homegrown platform, has been joined by Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Deezer in competing for subscribers.

Live music explosion: The Gulf states’ investment in live entertainment has created a live music market that barely existed a decade ago. Combined spending on concert talent, production, and venue infrastructure across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain exceeds $3 billion annually — a figure that has grown from near zero since 2017.

Talent development gap: Despite rapid market growth, the MENA region faces a significant talent development gap. The region produces relatively few artists capable of filling major venues or generating significant streaming numbers, creating dependence on international talent that drains economic value from the region. Addressing this gap — through education, infrastructure, and institutional support — is a recurring theme at XP Music.

Industry Analysis

Recent XP Music panels have produced several influential insights that have shaped industry strategy:

The “Three Horizons” framework: Developed through conference discussions, this framework describes the MENA music industry’s development trajectory:

• Horizon 1 (current): Import-driven model where international artists and content dominate
• Horizon 2 (2027-2030): Hybrid model with growing domestic content alongside international imports
• Horizon 3 (2030+): Export-capable model where MENA artists and content compete in global markets

Revenue structure evolution: The conference has tracked the evolution of MENA music revenue from a market dominated by live performance revenue (80%+ of total in 2020) toward a more balanced model where streaming, publishing, sync, and live each contribute meaningful revenue shares.

Gender and inclusion: XP Music has been an important forum for discussing gender dynamics in the MENA music industry, with panels examining the challenges and opportunities facing female artists, producers, and executives in a region where women’s participation in the music industry is expanding rapidly but remains constrained by cultural factors.

Networking and Dealmaking

The Networking Ecosystem

XP Music’s networking program is arguably more valuable than its panel programming. The conference facilitates connections through several mechanisms:

Structured meeting program: A pre-conference meeting system that matches attendees based on professional interests and business objectives, scheduling one-on-one meetings during the conference. The 2025 edition facilitated more than 2,800 structured meetings.

Networking receptions: Daily evening receptions hosted by sponsors and partner organizations provide informal networking opportunities in social settings. These receptions are often where the most significant business relationships are initiated.

Delegate database: Registered attendees receive access to the conference’s delegate database, enabling pre-conference outreach and post-conference follow-up.

Industry dinners: Small-group dinners organized by conference curators that bring together professionals with complementary interests and potential business synergies.

Deal Flow

XP Music has become a significant venue for music industry deals in the MENA region. Transactions facilitated through conference connections include:

Speakers and Thought Leadership

Notable Speakers

XP Music has attracted speakers from across the global music industry, including:

• Turki Al-Sheikh (Chairman, GEA): Saudi Arabia’s entertainment czar has used XP Music to announce policy developments and articulate the government’s vision for the entertainment sector
• Talal Alrashed (Founder, MDLBeast): Regular keynote speaker discussing the evolution of Saudi Arabia’s music industry and MDLBeast’s role in driving it
• International executives: CEOs and senior executives from Universal Music, Sony Music, Warner Music, Live Nation, Spotify, Anghami, and other major music companies have participated as speakers and panelists
• Artists: Saudi and international artists have participated in “In Conversation” sessions discussing the creative process, career development, and the evolving music landscape
• Technology leaders: Executives from music technology companies, AI startups, and streaming platforms sharing insights on technology’s impact on the music industry

Publication and Research

XP Music produces several publications and research outputs that extend the conference’s impact beyond the event itself:

• Annual MENA Music Report: A comprehensive market report covering streaming data, live event statistics, investment trends, and industry forecasts. The report has become the standard reference document for MENA music industry analysis
• Policy briefs: Short-form publications addressing specific regulatory and policy issues affecting the MENA music industry
• Podcast series: Year-round podcast featuring interviews with conference speakers and industry figures
• Newsletter: Weekly newsletter covering MENA music industry developments, reaching approximately 15,000 subscribers

Competitive Positioning

Regional Conference Landscape

XP Music’s competitive advantages include its position in the world’s fastest-growing music market, integration with the MDLBeast/Soundstorm ecosystem, access to Saudi government policymakers, and the largest concentration of music industry investment capital in the MENA region.

Future Development

2026-2030 Vision

XP Music’s strategic plan includes several growth initiatives:

• International expansion: Launch of satellite XP Music events in other markets, potentially including Dubai, Cairo, and London, to extend the conference’s networking reach
• Year-round programming: Development of year-round online programming including webinars, workshops, and networking events that maintain engagement between annual conferences
• Data platform: Creation of a comprehensive MENA music industry data platform that provides real-time streaming data, event statistics, and market intelligence to paying subscribers
• Accelerator program: Launch of a music industry accelerator that provides mentorship, funding, and infrastructure support to early-stage music companies in the MENA region
• Education partnerships: Formal partnerships with music business programs at universities in Saudi Arabia, the UK, and the US to develop educational curricula specifically addressing the MENA music market

The 2024 Edition in Detail

The 2024 XP Music Futures conference — held December 5-7 at the JAX District in Diriyah, Riyadh — represented a significant step forward in the conference’s ambition and impact. The theme “Flourish” reflected the conference’s focus on moving the MENA music industry beyond its startup phase into sustainable growth.

Notable Speakers and Sessions

The 2024 speaker roster reflected the conference’s growing ability to attract high-profile international music industry figures alongside Saudi and regional voices:

• Director X — the acclaimed music video director responsible for visual work with Drake, Rihanna, The Weeknd, Nicki Minaj, and Kendrick Lamar — delivered a keynote on visual storytelling in the streaming era
• Cordell Broadus — son of Snoop Dogg and representative of Death Row Games — spoke on the convergence of music, gaming, and digital entertainment
• Emel Mathlouthi — Tunisian-American singer-songwriter and Grammy nominee — discussed the artistic and commercial challenges facing Arab artists seeking international audiences

Key Initiatives Launched

The 2024 edition launched or expanded several initiatives with lasting impact on the MENA music ecosystem:

XPerform: An emerging talent platform that provides regional acts with the opportunity to perform at the conference and develop working relationships with MDLBEAST Records. The 2024 edition showcased 15 emerging artists from 8 countries, with three receiving recording contracts.

XChange: Curated workshops held in cities across the region — including Kuwait, Tunisia, and Riyadh — in the months leading up to the conference. These satellite events extend XP Music’s reach beyond the annual conference, creating year-round engagement with regional music communities.

HUNNA: A women-led initiative to amplify female talent from the MENA region. HUNNA’s 2024 programming included showcase performances, mentorship sessions, and a panel on breaking gender barriers in the regional music industry — a particularly significant topic given the rapid expansion of women’s participation in Saudi music.

Sound Futures: A pitch platform modeled on technology startup accelerators, where musicians and music innovators present business plans and creative projects to a panel of investors and industry executives. The 2024 edition distributed mentorship and funding commitments valued at approximately $2 million.

The Healing Oasis: A sensory experience combining nature, music, and art with immersive light, sound, and projection — demonstrating the expanding definition of “music event” beyond traditional concert and conference formats.

Demo Lab: A showcase for music technology products and innovation partners, providing hands-on demonstrations of production tools, distribution platforms, and emerging technologies relevant to the MENA music market.

Impact on the Saudi Music Ecosystem

Talent Pipeline Development

XP Music’s most significant contribution to the Saudi music ecosystem may be its role in developing the professional talent pipeline. The music industry requires not only performing artists but managers, agents, promoters, sound engineers, lighting designers, venue operators, music educators, music journalists, and dozens of other professional roles that support a functioning industry. XP Music provides the networking, knowledge-sharing, and mentorship infrastructure that enables Saudi professionals to develop these skills and build the relationships necessary for career advancement.

The conference’s workshop programming has been particularly impactful in this regard. Hands-on sessions covering topics from sync licensing and music publishing to concert production and digital marketing provide practical skills that Saudi music professionals can immediately apply in their work. Several Saudi music companies — including management firms, booking agencies, and production companies — trace their founding to relationships and knowledge gained at XP Music conferences.

International Connectivity

XP Music connects the Saudi music industry to global networks that would otherwise be difficult to access. The conference attracts executives from major international labels (Universal, Sony, Warner), streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Anghami), live entertainment companies (Live Nation, AEG), and technology firms whose participation provides Saudi music professionals with access to global decision-makers.

This connectivity has facilitated several significant outcomes: Saudi artists securing international distribution deals, international labels establishing Saudi offices, and global streaming platforms developing Saudi-specific programs like Spotify’s Fresh Finds Saudi Arabia and RADAR Arabia initiatives. The conference has also supported the growing international recognition of Saudi music — with Saudi artist Spotify royalties reaching $3.5 million in 2024 (76 percent year-over-year growth) and first-time listener discoveries exceeding 220 million (75 percent growth) — by providing the industry relationships that translate creative output into commercial opportunity.

The MDLBEAST Ecosystem Integration

XP Music’s integration into the broader MDLBEAST ecosystem — which includes Soundstorm, MDLBEAST Records, MDLBEAST Radio, Balad Beast, Beast House, and XP Feed — creates synergies that enhance the conference’s value proposition. Artists discovered through XP Music’s showcase programming can be signed to MDLBEAST Records, booked at Soundstorm, and featured on MDLBEAST Radio, creating a pathway from conference introduction to commercial opportunity that no standalone conference can offer.

The timing of XP Music — held in early December, typically the week before Soundstorm — allows conference attendees to extend their visit for the festival, and festival attendees to arrive early for the conference. This scheduling synergy increases the density of music industry professionals in Riyadh during the December period, creating a critical mass of talent, capital, and creative energy that amplifies the impact of both events.

XP Music has evolved from a startup conference into the institutional backbone of the MENA music industry in just four years. Its continued development will be critical to the professionalization and maturation of a music market that has the potential to become one of the world’s most significant over the next decade. As Saudi Arabia’s entertainment sector expands — with the General Entertainment Authority pledging up to $64 billion in development investment — XP Music provides the professional infrastructure, knowledge sharing, and human connections that will determine whether the investment translates into a sustainable, globally competitive music industry.