What is The NAMM Show?

 

If you’re a musician or producer, the chances are you’ve heard of the NAMM show. You may also have dreamed of heading to the warm Californian sunshine (in the middle of winter) to check out all those new guitars, keyboards, drums and studio gear. It’s also the place to see, hear and even meet music legends.

Over the years, the Studiospares team have spotted and met Stevie Wonder, Steve Vai, John Mayer, Ed Sheeran, Joni Mitchell, Steven Tyler, Bootsy Collins, Quincy Jones, Mick Fleetwood, and the list goes on.

But what is NAMM and how does it serve you the artist?

What is NAMM?

NAMM founded in 1901, stands for National Association of Music Merchants and is the music, sound, and event industry’s not-for-profit trade association in the United States. They strive to grow the music industry and support the art of music-making worldwide.  

The main winter event is usually held in Anaheim, California in January with a smaller event held in Nashville in the summer and the event is usually member only, although they do welcome music educators, students, media, influencers, bloggers, engineers and live event professionals to register. 

Musicians, music retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and other industry professionals from all over the world congregate to showcase and discover the latest innovations in musical instruments, musical equipment, technology, and products.  

NAMM is an integral part of the music products industry as it brings over 100,000 people and over 15,000 member companies together for the benefit of you at home and catering to the music industry year after year. With some of the most important products in the industry were launched at NAMM with the introduction of the Fender Stratocaster in 1954, the Mini Moog in 1970, The Roland TR-808 Drum Machine in 1980, MIDI in 1984, Pro Tools in 1989 and Ableton Live in 2001. 

“From the lights to the stage, the board to the loudspeakers, and the gear the musicians play, it all comes together at NAMM.” (namm.org).

Last year, after only three CEOs in their history, NAMM announced the appointment of John Mlynczak as the new President and CEO of the National Association of Music Merchants. NAMM stated it was Mlynczak’s exstensive knowledge of the industry and his close relationship with NAMM through his work and advocation for music education which made Mlynczak the right candidate for the position. Mlynczak said he is honoured to serve NAMM and its members through the continued strengthening of the music products industry and the promotion of the joy and benefits of music making.

 

What to expect?

You can expect something like a musical Comic-Con, where you’ll see booths and booths of interactive experiences, brands and retailers revealing the latest upgrades to their flagship products like synths and monitors, their long-anticipated release of their new audio interface or prototypes. There are also a lot of meetings between distributors and retailers, and massive performances over 3 days of music celebration. 

 

The NAMM Mission

NAMM uses the income from the annual tradeshow to fund industry charities, programs, and education, which increases public awareness, increases demand and in turn contributes to industry and tradeshow growth.  

Their vision is to create a world in which ‘the joy of making music is a precious element of daily living for everyone.’ It champions a world in which children have a desire to learn and have a recognised right to be taught music. 

Their NAMM Foundation education program has entered its 25th year and aims to recognise the commitment and efforts of teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders from over 43 states and over 900 schools for their dedication to music education. 

 

NAMM during the pandemic

As we know all too well, the global pandemic struck in 2020 which bought cancellations to the Nashville show and until 2022 the summer show. Due to this NAMM 2021 was transformed into an online event named ‘Believe in Music’ with education at the heart of it. There were still opportunities for B2B networking, product launches and the chance to engage with customers in real-time. 

NAMM 2023 was held from 13th – 15th April 2023, moved due to the rescheduling of the NAMM 2022 Nashville event in June. Some of the biggest products to come of the show were the Yamaha YH-WL500 wireless headphones, the Neumann KH 120 II studio monitors, Ultimate Ears UE Premier in-ear monitors among other more intriguing products. 

 

The NAMM Show 2024

This year, NAMM 2024 will be held in Anaheim Convention Centre, Anaheim, California from 25th-28th January. It promises to be the biggest since the pandemic, there will be an incredible lineup of over 500 events, over 200 performances spanning genres such as rock, pop, bluegrass, funk, hip-hop, mariachi, jazz and more, over 3000 brands and attendees from over 94 countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.  

It has just been announced Hip Hop legend and Wu-Tang Clan mastermind RZA will be presented with the NAMM Show’s TEC Innovation Award for setting a high standard of excellence in the creative application of recording technology. 

“His legacy of accomplishments and lasting power on music inspires many music makers beyond hip-hop and he deserves this high recognition.” John Mlynczak, NAMM president and CEO (musictech.com).

The NAMM Show 2024 promises to be one of the biggest yet and is not to be missed so make sure to get your tickets now and stay posted with our coverage of the best of NAMM 2024 throughout the month.