On Monday (June 9), the night before David Israelite’s third annual Music Investor Conference, the National Music Publishers’ Association and Billboard hosted their annual music investor dinner at Manhattan’s Estiatorio Milos Midtown. Over Greek seafood, three dozen of the top figures in the music investment business discussed deals, the larger business environment and how music asset values might change in the years ahead.

After brief welcome remarks from NMPA president and CEO David Israelite and Billboard editorial director Hannah Karp, the guests sat down to eat and talk. Among them were investors (Peter Picado-Curtis from Shamrock Capital Advisors), investment bankers (David Dunn of Shot Tower Capital and Aaron Seigel and Jenny Kim from Goldman Sachs), providers of financing (Charles Johnson from Truist Securities) and publishing companies that could be in the market for assets (Josh Gruss from Round Hill, Golnar Khosrowshahi from Reservoir, Mary Megan Peer from Peermusic and more). Also in the room: NMPA evp and general counsel Danielle Aguirre and NMPA svp of external affairs Charlotte Sellmyer.

The big issue was where the U.S. economy is going and what that might mean for music asset prices. (Hard to figure out over the course of dinner.) Another issue that got a lot of discussion was what generative artificial intelligence will mean for the music business, especially on the publishing side. If, as has been reported, the major labels are in negotiations with Suno and Udio to settle their lawsuits, what would a deal mean for the other side of the music business – revenue, certainly, but split under what circumstances. (This, too, was unresolved by dessert.)

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the market for music assets is how much and how quickly it has changed from a business dominated by a few players to one that’s more sophisticated and competitive than ever. Whatever else happens, all signs suggest that this trend will continue.