Sharon Osbourne and Andy Copping to debate where rock is actually going
Where have all the rock headliners gone? MIDEM has asked two bastions of rock as an industry to debate this subject at the event’s 60th anniversary edition.
The two heavyweights will appear together at MIDEM 2026 on Friday, February 6, at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, for a panel dedicated to the enduring and evolving story of rock.
Andy Copping is a central figure in the modern festival circuit. He has spent more than two decades shaping the soundscape of live rock. As the promoter for Live Nation UK and the creative force behind the UK’s Download Festival, he has built a career out of bridging eras. He has booked legacy acts while giving vital stage space to rising rock talent. His ability to read and respond to the pulse of rock audiences has helped sustain the genre’s presence on the world stage.
Osbourne, meanwhile, brings her own formidable legacy as a manager and entrepreneur. From guiding Ozzy Osbourne’s career to launching Ozzfest, she has continuously pushed heavy music into the cultural mainstream while nurturing its rebellious identity. The two recently joined forces on “Back to the Beginning”, a global tribute to Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne that united rock’s past with its promising future.
Their discussion in Cannes is expected to be as candid as it is insightful, touching on the evolution of audiences, the changing role of festivals, and what the future might hold for rock in an age of streaming and crossover genres. More than a nostalgic look backward, it promises to be a forward-thinking exchange about why rock—louder, older, and ever resilient—still speaks to every generation.
It will be interesting to see how they position themselves towards the continuing rise of K-Pop, the new MOR acts such as Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran, the enduring popularity of EDM and rap’s continued relevance (notably in MIDEM’s homeland, France).
Get tickets at the MIDEM site.
(Michael Leahy. Photo: Eva Rinaldi CC BY-SA 2.0)