Despite – or because of – the music industry’s continuing travails, Music Matters continues to be a popular stop on the international music-biz conference circuit.

More than 500 attendees have so far registered for the fourth annual edition of the conference, which takes place in Hong Kong June 2-4. Organizers Branded Asia say that more than 300 companies from 24 countries will be taking part in Music Matters, which once again has attracted a slew of well-known names from the international music business as speakers or panelists.

They include Nettwerk CEO Terry McBride, Warner Music Asia Pacific President Lachie Rutherford, Universal Japan CEO Kei Ishizaka (who will deliver the keynote speech on June 3) and Mobile Entertainment Forum Chairman Emeritus and Founder Ralph Simon.

The pleasantly avuncular Simon will be interviewing artist Jamie Cullum at the piano in the conference’s final session on June 4.

Topics up for discussion at Music Matters include branding, licensing, Asian indie labels, Google Music and monetizing social networks, as well as a “real-time artist mentoring session” with McBride.

McClure’s Asia Music News will be in the front row as usual, asking pesky but pertinent (we hope) questions and reporting on each day’s proceedings.

For more information, check out the Music Matters website: http://www.musicmattersasia.com/2009/