Winter Music Conference

The Winter Music Conference (WMC) is a weeklong electronic music conference, held every March since 1985 in Miami Beach, Florida, United States. The conference brings together professionals such as artists, DJs, record label representatives (A&R), producers, promoters, radio and the media for seminars and panel discussions. Thousands of attendees attend the Winter Music Conference each year.

History and background

It was founded in 1985 by then DJs and record pool directors Louis Possenti and Bill Kelly. Held annually in Miami Beach, Florida, the Winter Music Conference, or "WMC" as followers of electronic dance music call it, hosts around 100,000 people. The first Winter Music Conference took place at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott February 19–21, 1986 with approximately 80 dance music industry insiders in attendance. The event festivities are presented across Miami Beach and Downtown Miami. A major event is the International Dance Music Awards. The event commands a major international draw with around 38% of attendees coming from outside the United States. The conference serves as a platform for many underground and indie artists from over 70 different countries who spend the conference at events and panels; it is also a medium used by several entrepreneurs and consumer electronic companies to present their businesses and technological developments.