Popkomm Music Fair

Host country Germany is the partner country of this year's Popkomm, a massive music trade fair dominating Berlin from Sept. 19 to Sept. 21.

German Culture Minister Bernd Neumann and Economics Minister Michael Glos officially opened Popkomm on Wednesday, but music lovers already got rocking Tuesday night at the opening party.

German talents such as chanson singer Annett Louisan, actress Jasmin Tabatabai and her band and Berlin legend Knorkator gave audiences a taste of what modern-day Germany has to offer in the (pop) music world.

Other star musicians to perform during the next few days: Paul Weller, Billy Bragg, Benjamin Biolay, Nena, Smudo, Samy Deluxe and DJ Paul van Dyk, whose appearance is one of three concerts presented by DW-TV.

Classical music is also on the program, with opera star Cecilia Bartoli impressing audiences Tuesday night.

Throughout the three-day conference, fair and festival, over 450 singers or bands are scheduled to perform, with Germans making up a third of those billed at venues across the capital city.

Germany aims to boogie on the foreign market

While German pop music has boomed within the country over the past few years, the overall domestic music market has been struggling with plunging CD sales.

In response, the German music industry wants boost its musical image abroad. A record number of 15,000 trade representatives, including 880 companies and associations from the industry, are expected at Popkomm, organizers said, with visitors from 57 different countries.

Everyone from concert organizers to software developers to big music labels like Warner Music, Sony BMG and Universal Music are attending.

The event was formerly held in the western city of Cologne, before it moved to Berlin in 2004.