Yet behind these increasingly digital, dematerialised and sometimes dehumanized transformations, music itself remains at the heart of the equation, along with those who create it, perform it, and bring it to life on stage.
Over its 60-year history, MIDEM has been a privileged witness to these many transformations.
While artists inevitably take their final bows, their music endures, etched into our collective consciousness through reissues, advertising campaigns, films, and TV series. In the live entertainment world, it lives on through farewell tours, tribute concerts, reunions (with or without holograms), and even shows built around tribute bands, not to mention live-streamed performances.
Audiences do not forget the artists they love. They remain loyal to them just as the industry does.
At a time when the question of tomorrow’s headliners, particularly for festivals is more relevant than ever, what better setting than a conversation about the past, present, and future of rock music between two major figures on the international scene: Sharon Osbourne and Andy Copping ? They will do us the honour of joining the MIDEM 2026 panels on Friday, February 6, at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes.
They are also the driving forces behind “Back to the Beginning,” the landmark tribute concert honoring Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne, held on July 5, 2025, in Birmingham. An unforgettable day that brought together some of the greatest bands in the genre: past, present, and perhaps even future.
Drawing on their respective experiences as managers, concert promoters, and festival organizers (their résumés speak for themselves), they will undoubtedly offer a clear and informed perspective on the connective thread between the past, present, and future of this music. A bond that feels more than ever and deeply human, both for the musicians and their audiences.
A conversation that promises to be truly compelling.
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