About us

Key topics in local music business, music industry news and interviews with the main characters of Russian music.

Media about music industry. We write about local market organization, music promotion in Russia and abroad, legal, creative and technical aspects of music production.

We share useful materials and news about IMI projects. Сheck out our Telegram, VK and YouTube.

Our Telegram-канал covers the top news in the music industry

Private Telegram-chat supporting musicians and industry figures.

IMI’s original podcast about the music industry and the lives of its representatives: in pop music, niche genres, and behind the scenes. Available in video and audio formats.

Music business professionals’ catalog, digest of the industry events and vacancies and sources about music in Russian.

Music business professionals’ portfolios, including producers, music managers, designers, PR-experts, and lawyers.

Music industry jobs for beginners and professionals. Currently this section is not being updated.

Schedule of useful events in the music industry: master-classes, workshops, and international conferences.

Music and music industry knowledge base: Telegram-channels, books, music documentaries and movies, podcasts, and YouTube-channels.

Open-source educational IMI projects, answering the most common questions and analyzing popular musical topics in detail.

Detailed guide to musician’s career, which helps map out a professional growth strategy and study useful information that can make professional path easier.

Easily understandable and helpful materials explaining how the current music industry works. Instructions on how to promote music, choose distributor or label, and engage users on social media.

Advice for aspiring musicians on how to prepare for a concert, promote your music, and communicate with labels and distributors. Was updated in December 2025.

This manual explains how to identify a mental disorder, and where you could get qualified help. We created this manual together with experienced psychotherapists who have previously worked with artists.

Widely used agreement forms templates in the music industry, supplemented by intellectual property lawyer comment.

Educational videos for musicians and members of the music industry. We published about 250 webinars, in which promoters, musicians, managers, therapists, lawyers, and producers share their experience and knowledge. You can watch all the videos on our website and YouTube-channel.

A free chatbot trained using IMI materials. It helps you find a label, distributor, or venue, answers promotion questions, finds industry experts, and recommends books and films about music.

IMI’s educational projects, including lectures by the experts of the music industry for aspiring musicians.

This nine-session course features lectures, discussions, hands-on training in Miro, and case studies. The main goal is to help both beginners and experienced managers learn to manage a music project as a business and view it as a system.

Books that were created by IMI and released in collaboration with the partners in terms of co-publishing.

THIS MATERIAL WAS PRODUCED BY FOREIGN AGENT ALEXANDER VITALYEVICH GORBACHEV OR CONCERNING THE ACTIVITIES OF FOREIGN AGENT ALEXANDER VITALYEVICH GORBACHEV. 18+.

An anthology of 12 non-fiction articles, that put popular music of different genres in a modern sociocultural context.

The second part of the IMI research on pop music. The authors of this book analyze various aspects of post-Soviet sound and shape its sonic patterns.

The third part of ‘New Critics’ anthology includes articles in which authors explore the Russian music scene that has emerged not only in the largest cities, but also in other parts of the country.

The first Russian-language edition of the book by singer and multi-instrumentalist Ari Herstand. It is an exhaustive guide for anyone who wants to become a professional musician. A collaborative project by IMI and the ‘Individuum’ publishing company.

The Russian edition of one of the most important books about the music industry, written by the ex-leader of Talking Heads. The book print-run is 4000 copies and it was published in partnership with ‘Alpina non-fiction’.

THIS MATERIAL WAS PRODUCED BY FOREIGN AGENT ALEXANDER VITALYEVICH GORBACHEV OR CONCERNING THE ACTIVITIES OF FOREIGN AGENT ALEXANDER VITALYEVICH GORBACHEV. 18+.

A collaborative project by IMI and ‘Afisha’. An oral history of the post-Soviet pop music hits over the past 30 years. Performers, composers, songwriters, producers and music video directors talk about their creative process.

A collaborative project by IMI and ‘Ad Marginem’. Revised edition with the commentaries by the music editor. John Seabrook investigates pop music phenomena, trying to understand how exactly songs become hits.

The Russian edition of this book is a collaborative project by IMI and 'Alpina Publisher'. A professor of psychology and behavioral neuroscience and a former musician explores how we perceive music and how sound affects the human brain.

The author explores how rhythm and melody produce measurable changes in a person’s physical and mental state. The Russian edition of the book was published in partnership with 'Alpina non-fiction'.

The author is an experienced practicing lawyer. He examines key legal issues and complexities facing the music industry. This project was implemented in collaboration with Bombora publishing house as a part of IMI's educational work in the field of music law.

Regional IMI projects, music conferences and meetings with music industry experts.

Music conferences, master-classes, music documentaries screening, and a showcase for independent local musicians of different Russian regions.

IMI.Scene in Samara, 2020
292 guests, 64 acts showcased, 5 groups selected by the experts to perform at the festivals.

IMI.Scene in Kazan, 2020
391 guests, 49 acts showcased, 3 groups selected by the experts to perform at the festivals.

IMI.Scene in Saratov, 2021
287 guests, 115 acts showcased, 3 groups selected by the experts to perform at the festivals.

IMI.Scene in Rostov-on-Don, 2021
580 guests, 121 acts showcased.

IMI.Conference 2021
During ‘IMI Conference 2021’ musicians, promoters, label representatives and other experts in the music industry shared their experience and knowledge with the audience. We firmly believe that all genres whether it’s pop, rap, jazz, academic, electronic or guitar music are interconnected and it’s important to hear and support each other.
Videos from ‘IMI.Conference 2021’

IMI.Conference 2022
The online conference included three streams packed with interviews, discussions and public talks. Among the participants were Ivan Dorn, Karina Istomina, Denis Kukoyaka, Loqiemean, and other music industry experts.
Videos from ‘IMI.Conference 2022’

Regular cost-free lectures by the experts, public interviews with the music industry professionals and acquaintanceship.

Special projects dedicated to IMI events or created in order to support Russian musicians.

Following the program, a music collection containing the participants' works was published.

IMI.Residence 2019
Following the program, a music collection containing the participants' works was published. The ‘IMI.Residence’ compilation was covered by ‘Afisha’, ‘The Village’ and ‘Knife’ media. The compilation was showcased in Apple Music, Yandex Music and VK Music. The project participants performed on the ‘IMI.New Music‘ stage at the ‘Afisha Picnic‘ festival. Introvera and Cosmodelica bands have also released their music videos and EPs.
Watch the recap

IMI.Residence 2026
Fourteen musicians formed duets and, under the guidance of mentors, wrote and recorded new songs during a nine-day program at meDom Tvorchestva Peredelkino.

In 2019 IMI made its own stage for independent musicians at the ‘Afisha Picnic‘ festival. Thanks to it, promising young musicians got the chance to take the next step in their careers and perform at one of the largest festivals of Russia. Both graduates of the ‘IMI.Residence’ and 6 groups selected by the curators performed on stage.

The project was created during the quarantine in order to support groups who had their concerts cancelled. We offered the musicians the opportunity to make a track in their bedroom studios or send us an unreleased song. Each artist received a grant from IMI to create the track. Streaming profits were also transferred to the project participants.