IMS Ibiza 2025: Day 2 Highlights the Tensions Shaping Electronic Music’s Present and Future

Day two of IMS Ibiza 2025 unfolded under bright Balearic skies. As ever, the summit felt like more than just an industry conference - it mirrored the pace and tensions of the world outside. And today, those tensions came sharply into focus.

The morning began with a hard look at the elephant in the creative room: AI. At AFEM’s much-anticipated session on generative AI, thought leaders from across music and tech tackled what’s arguably the most disruptive force facing the industry, with 6 million music creators using generative AI in 2024 to compose music or lyrics - according to the IMS Business Report 2025. 

No one denied the potential of AI as a tool for artists, but the message was clear - unregulated use is a danger to the very essence of creativity.

Alistair Webber, CEO of The Other Songs and son of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, didn’t mince words: “Over the last six months, in the UK and other territories, governments want to give AI companies carte blanche to scrape copyrighted music to train their models… it’s completely outrageous.” The session didn’t just critique - it pointed to solutions, including AFEM’s forthcoming AI Principles and the work of Inder Phull (KOR Protocol) on equitable fan-artist engagement in a digital-first world.

From the tech-heavy to the deeply human, The Brave Space - presented by HE.SHE.THEY. in partnership with One Of Us - hosted an emotional and urgent discussion on trans inclusion in music. “There’s this idea that trans folk are somehow ‘new’,” said artist softchaos. “Nobody at this conference would have a job without the contributions of trans people to this industry.” Their call for allyship was echoed by Boudica founder Samantha Togni: “Being silent, being neutral, is not an option anymore.”

Elsewhere, the day was full of reflections and revelations. On the Summit Stage, the team behind John Summit’s meteoric rise to selling out Madison Square Garden shared the blueprint for building - and sustaining - artist momentum in a noisy digital age. Later, Andy Crysell took delegates on a vivid journey through 50 years of brand involvement in dance music.

And if anyone embodied the raw energy of the day, it was Fat Tony. His no-holds-barred appearance in Crash and Burn: The Price of Success delivered scandalous stories and much-needed truths. “Music is the best drug in the world,” he quipped. “Just get up there and do your job.”

One of the most heartfelt moments came during The Silent Epidemic, a moving session on tinnitus and hearing loss. Moderator Seb Wheeler alongside insights from experts like Dr. James Schuster-Bruce and Ultimate Ears’ Jenine Civil, hit home for an industry built on sound.

The day closed with a generational dialogue between SHERELLE and DJ Flight - two fierce voices in Jungle and Drum & Bass. “It’s so important to respect the origins and foundations,” Flight reminded us. “Support new music and innovations, but pay homage to what came before.” SHERELLE added her own memory: “When I was young, I was enamoured but scared of Firestarter. And I genuinely thought Daft Punk were cartoons.”

As the sun slipped behind the cliffs of Cala Llonga, delegates moved from immersive audio demos to the vibrant rhythms of the Favela Bar. But the day wasn’t quite over. With panels wrapped and the sea air cooling, attention shifted toward the evening’s main event: the Beatport Awards. 

More than just a celebration, the gala promised to honour the artists, labels, and festivals pushing electronic music forward - capping off a day where deep conversations met creative energy, and community came together in motion and meaning.