LIMERICK will welcome some of the biggest names in music and podcasting this week as Sound.Waves, a new summit at the crossroads of audio content creation, launches its inaugural edition in Adare.
The two-day gathering, supported by Limerick.ie, culminates on Thursday November 13, with the first-ever All-Ireland Podcast Awards ceremony at The Woodlands Hotel, celebrating the best in Irish audio storytelling across seven categories.
Limerick broadcaster and podcaster Louise Cantillon will co-host the awards ceremony alongside comedian Kevin McGahern, promising “an entertaining and lively celebration of Ireland’s podcasting talent” as winners are revealed from a shortlist that far exceeded organisers’ expectations.
Sound.Waves brings together a multi-million euro creative industry, with confirmed attendees including Apple, Patreon, Spotify, BBC Sounds, The 2 Johnnies, RTÉ, GoLoud, Sky Sports Golf, Universal Music, Sony Music, IMRO, IRMA and RAAP.
The conference programme features keynote addresses, panel discussions and exclusive one-to-one sessions with global platforms exploring how content travels from idea to audience.
Topics range from artificial intelligence’s impact on music and podcasting to intellectual property rights, global marketing strategies, and A&R access in an oversaturated market.
Discussions will focus on a wide range of topics and dig into major trends shaping the sectors such as the emergence of AI and its effects on both the podcasting and music industry to the importance of IP and how it can be applied across multiple platforms.
Conversations will also centre around how to look at marketing artists and podcasts globally in a digital world and explore the people behind some of Ireland and UKs biggest podcasts and what makes them the success stories they have become. International music executives will also delve into the world of A&R and what are the best ways of access to entry to a market flooded with new music on a daily basis.
“Both music and podcasting are built on storytelling, audience connection and the challenge of standing out in a crowded digital world,” said event organiser Colm Hanley.
“The programme brings those sectors together to share ideas, strategies and spark new collaboration about the future of creative business.”
**SPECIAL GUEST ANNOUNCEMENT**
Sound.Waves. organisers have announced that Shaun Ryder (Happy Mondays, Black Grape) will join the event’s line-up for a special interview to open proceedings this Wednesday November 12, conducted by Chris Simpson of The StageLeft Podcast.
Ryder is currently touring Ireland on a new spoken word tour to promote his latest book: Happy Mondays – and Fridays and Saturdays and Sundays.
The star of more television programmes than anyone has a right to feature on—including Celebrity Gogglebox and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, amongst many others—redefined the sex’n’drugs’n’rock’n’roll lifestyle during the halcyon age of Madchester.
Guests can look forward to a carnival of excess, wild tales, and improbable truths as they enjoy the talents of a unique rock & roll star dubbed Britpop’s answer to WB Yeats.
Attendees are advised to strap themselves in and say Hallelujah for Shaun Ryder’s appearance at Sound.Waves.
Tickets for Sound.Waves. are available here
https://lnkd.in/eKRKBXWg
Sound.Waves builds on the legacy of Music Cork, the boutique music business event that ran until 2019. Founded by Alexis Vokos, Willie Ryan and Jim Lawless, the team—now joined by Joe Clarke and Colm Hanley—have created a fresh, international-facing event for today’s audio landscape.
The podcast awards shortlist features leading Irish productions including RTÉ’s Stolen Sister and Runaway Joe, BBC’s Cover: Stakeknife, The Journal’s The Explainer, and entertainment favourites The 2 Johnnies and This Paranormal Life, amongst dozens of others across categories including Current Affairs & Politics, True Crime, Sport, Business & Innovation, and Audio Drama & Documentary.
Donn O’Sullivan, Head of Marketing and Communications at Limerick.ie, said: “Podcasts and audio content have a unique power to connect, inspire and share our ‘Different Kind of Energy’ with audiences around the world. Through Sound.Waves, we’re turning up the volume on Limerick’s voice—and showcasing the county as a place where ideas, talent and opportunity meet.”
Sound.Waves Conference takes place at The Woodlands Hotel, Adare. The Irish Podcast Awards happens from 7pm Thursday, November 13. www.soundwaves.ie for more information.
Speaking on behalf of the event, Sound.Waves. event organiser Colm Hanley said “We’re delighted to bring the first Sound.Waves. to Adare this November. Both music and podcasting are built on storytelling, audience connection and the challenge of standing out in a crowded digital world. Whether it’s a studio or a stage, creators in music and podcasting face the same questions and the programme we have developed with Sound.Waves. brings those sectors together to share ideas, strategies and spark new collaboration about the future of creative business. The addition of the inaugural All Ireland Podcast Awards to celebrate Ireland’s top podcast makers adds another exciting element to this new annual event.”
www.soundwaves.ie and @soundwavesirl for updates.
The Podcast Awards Shortlist
The Current Affairs & Politics Podcast Award
- A Few Scoops (Go Loud)
- In the News (The Irish Times)
- Know Your Constituency (RTÉ)
- Mercosur special (Irish Farmer’s Journal)
- Path to Power (NK Management)
- The Candidate (The Journal)
- The Explainer (The Journal)
- The Irish Times Election Daily Podcast (Irish Times)
- The Indo Daily (Irish Independent)
- The Second Captains Podcast – The Bernie Sanders interview (Second Captains)
The Audio Drama & Documentary Podcast Award
- Assume Nothing: Murder at the Stables (BBC)
- Assume Nothing: The Hack (BBC)
- Cover: Stakeknife (BBC)
- Ireland Said Yes (Onic)
- KidCast School Tour (RTÉ Jr)
- Runaway Joe (RTÉ)
- Stolen Sister (RTÉ)
- The Real Carrie Jade (RTÉ)
- The Troubles Podcast
- The History Podcast: The Brighton Bomb (BBC)
The True Crime Podcast Award
- Assume Nothing: Murder at the Stables (BBC)
- Cover: Stakeknife (BBC)
- Crime Next Door – Servants and Saints (BBC)
- Inside the Crime: The Una Lynskey Murder (Newstalk)
- Runaway Joe (RTÉ)
- Stolen Sister (RTÉ)
- The Real Carrie Jade (RTÉ)
- The Dating Orange Podcast
- This is Robert (Irish Sun)
- Where is Jón? (RTÉ)
The Entertainment Podcast Award
- Chill Da Beats with Philly Taggart
- Fields of Dreams
- Let’s Do This with Arthur and Donal
- Lunchtime with Michael Fry
- Listen, I’m Delicious
- Marty Miller’s Music History
- Mark Mehigan’s Weekly Roast
- Nicky Byrne HQ
- Red Raw with Rob Heffernan and Laura O’Mahoney
- Roasted with Mark Moriarty
- Stall It with Darren and Joe
- Talking Derry Girls
- The Girls Groupchat
- This Paranormal Life
- Young Hot Guys
The Sport Podcast Award
- Beyond the 45′ (talkSPORT Ireland)
- Beyond the 65′ (talkSPORT Ireland)
- Corny: The Last Irishman in the NFL
- Indo Sport – A Closer Look (Irish Independent)
- MNÁsplaining (talkSPORT Ireland)
- Off The Ball Breakfast (Off The Ball)
- The Football Pod (Off The Ball)
- The GAA Social
- The Offload with Tommy & Donncha
- The Second Captains Podcast (Second Captains)
- This is Your LOIfe (Irish Sun)
The Business & Innovation Podcast Award
- AI SIX
- Better With Money (Irish Times)
- Dishing It Out (Go Loud)
- Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED
- Exploring Ireland
- Life and Leadership with Bobby Kerr (Newstalk)
- PodBLASt – the podcast by Blas na hÉireann, the Irish Food Awards
- Real Business Conversations with Kinore
- Service Pleaseee
- That Great Business Show
- The Big Tech Show
- The Dublin Business Collective
- The Entrepreneur Experiment
- The Retail Tea Break podcast
- Understanding Money with Eoin McGee
The Conversation Podcast Award
- Alright, pet?
- Changing Times – The Allenwood Conversations
- Conversations with Parents from The Irish Times
- Daters Gonna Date
- everymum – The Podcast
- Family Flowers Only by Grief Ireland
- Gardeners’ Corner
- Health Me with Lisa Brady
- If Taps Could Talk’
- Talking Bollox
- Talking Gardens
- The G Spot with Grace Alice
- The Irish Times Women’s Podcast
- The Laughs of Your Life with Doireann Garrihy