CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival 2012 Music Festival / Film Festival Oct 16–20, 2012

Every October since 1980, over 120,000 emerging artists, industry executives, and diehard music fans have come to the annual CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival to share and discover the best in new music and film. For five days and nights, New York University and over 80 venues throughout Greenwich Village and downtown Manhattan host more than 1,300 performances, screenings, panels, seminars, and after parties.

This is where Gotye made his industry debut before topping the world charts as a summer pop-sensation, and where record labels feature their top emerging artists in hopes of similar success. Emerging performers include Doldrums, NO, Robert DeLong, St. Lucia, YACHT, and Wildcat! Wildcat! Music fans come to discover a list of new favorite artists before they make it big, and to catch headlining acts in genres ranging from rap to jazz to electronic dance music. Headlining artists at the 2012 CMJ include AraabMuzik, Kimbra, Poolside, Ghostface Killah, Robert Glasper, Tall Tall Trees, Nneka, and The Walkmen.

Along with the music featured at the 2012 CMJ, the festival also presents screenings of feature-length films and shorts from all around the world. Past films shown at the CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival include notable titles like Killing Bono, The Rooster, and Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest.

Weeklong badges to the 2012 CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival vary in cost. The general admission badge, which includes access to the panels, seminars, screenings, and concerts, is around $549. But if you can get a group of at least five friends together, the price drops by over $100 a badge. Students get the best deal with the student badge costing around $325. Groups of at least five students get the same big discount of over $100 a badge. Music fans wanting to skip the panels and screenings in favor of nonstop concerts will want to opt for the much cheaper CMJ Show Pass at around $149, which only includes concert admission throughout the week.

After watching the headlining acts and discovering your new favorites, hop between the sponsored after parties at any one of the 80+ CMJ venues. If you want to break away from the massive festival for a bit, discover something on your own at the nearby bars and nightclubs throughout Lower Manhattan.