MUSEXPO Honors Disney Music Group President Ken Bunt with Lifetime Achievement Award

Burbank, CA—MUSEXPO, the industry’s go‑to conference for music‑business leaders, has announced that Disney Music Group president Ken Bunt will receive its coveted Lifetime Achievement Award at the 27th edition of the event. The honor will be presented during a luncheon at Castaway on March 22 2027, the day after the conference opens.

Bunt’s tenure has spanned more than three decades at Walt Disney Company, where he has overseen recorded‑music, publishing, and live‑concert operations. Under his guidance, Disney Music Group (DMG) has released and promoted soundtracks, scores, and artist recordings that have become cultural touchstones—from the classic melodies of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Mary Poppins, and Beauty and the Beast to modern blockbusters such as Toy Story, The Little Mermaid, Tarzan, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Hannah Montana, Descendants, Zombies, Camp Rock, and It’s a Small World.

DMG’s structure, managed by Bunt, comprises Walt Disney Records, Hollywood Records, Disney Music Publishing, and Disney Concerts. The publishing arm administers rights for the company’s extensive film and television library, while the concert division has expanded into live‑to‑picture productions that bring film scores to concert halls. Disney Concerts now stages thousands of performances each year, including Star Wars In Concert, Marvel Infinity Saga, Disney Princess – The Concert, Pixar In Concert, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Throughout his career, Bunt has cultivated partnerships with contemporary artists such as the Jonas Brothers, Sabrina Carpenter, Demi Lovato, Plain White T’s, Almost Monday, and Freya Skye. These collaborations have helped DMG stay relevant across generations of listeners.

During the award ceremony, Bunt will receive proclamations from the City of Burbank, Los Angeles County, and the California State Assembly, all recognizing his impact on the entertainment industry and the local economy.

MUSEXPO 2027 will run from March 21 to March 24 and will feature panels, networking sessions, and product showcases covering topics from music licensing and publishing to emerging audio‑production technologies. The full schedule is available on the conference website and is open to industry professionals, creators, and technology developers.

Bunt’s career began in 1993 at American Recordings, where he worked with artists such as Sir Mix‑a‑Lot and the Black Crowes. He joined Disney in the early 2000s and rose to the presidency of DMG, a role that places him at the helm of one of the world’s largest music‑distribution networks.

MUSEXPO’s Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals who have demonstrated sustained excellence and innovation in the music business. The selection process involves input from conference organizers, industry peers, and the event’s leadership team.

The announcement was made by Sat Bisla, founder and president of A&R Worldwide and MUSEXPO, who said Bunt’s “visionary leadership has elevated Disney Music Group into one of the most admired and influential music companies in the world.” Bisla added that the award would recognize Bunt’s “immeasurable impact on our industry and popular culture worldwide.”

Bunt expressed gratitude for the honor, noting that the award’s presentation in Burbank is meaningful because it is the city where he began his music‑industry career. He emphasized that the recognition belongs to the many artists and colleagues who have contributed to Disney’s musical legacy.

The Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony will be part of a broader celebration of DMG’s contributions to music, highlighting the company’s role in shaping the soundtracks that accompany some of the most iconic films and television series of the past several decades.

As the conference approaches, industry observers expect the event to continue its tradition of bringing together key decision‑makers, creators, and technology innovators. The award to Ken Bunt underscores the enduring importance of leadership that bridges traditional music‑business practices with modern distribution and live‑performance models.

MUSEXPO 2027 is scheduled to conclude on March 24, 2027, after which the conference’s organizers will release a post‑event report detailing attendance figures, speaker highlights, and emerging trends identified during the sessions.