5 Reasons to Enter Your Business for the NAMM Retail Awards

2025 Dealer of the Year

Submissions are open for the NAMM Retail Awards, which will be held Wednesday, January 21 at The 2026 NAMM Show. This is an opportunity to celebrate everything you and your team do to build a successful business. Submissions close Wednesday, August 20, so enter now!

Not sure if you want to submit your company for consideration? Here are five reasons why we encourage you to enter the 2026 NAMM Retail Awards:

  1. The size of your business is irrelevant to winning. We’ve had independent, community music stores with fewer than 10 full-time employees win the coveted Retailer of the Year award; we’ve also had large omnichannel businesses receive the designation. Judges are looking, first and foremost, for companies that represent best practices in retail.
  2. You’ll get year-round promotional value. Unsure what value the awards have to your business? Try yearlong publicity. Receiving a NAMM Retail Award — and even making the Top 100 finalist list — can fuel your marketing and social strategy for the next 12 months. It can also make new and longtime customers feel good about shopping with you.
  3. Don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate your team. A few have said that submitting for the awards can feel a little like boasting — we get it. But in fact, the NAMM Retail Awards is about celebrating your team more than anything else. What better way to acknowledge their hard work serving your customers than with a globally recognized honor?
  4. Submitting is simple — and needn’t be time-consuming. Many of the past winning entries have been just two paragraphs long. What’s important is that you tell your story and, when appropriate, provide stats and examples to back it up. And with that in mind, we encourage our members to submit in multiple categories. This is your chance to share your successes.
  5. The awards are open to all NAMM retail members globally. This is an international awards show. We’ve had dozens of winners from NAMM’s global membership, in addition to U.S.-based members. Best ideas and best practices win, and we want to hear from everyone.

A final note: Even if you don’t submit, all NAMM members are welcome to attend the NAMM Retail Awards ceremony at The NAMM Show. Bring your whole team. It’s worth attending just to check out all the innovative, successful ideas, and it’s free to you as a member. We can’t wait to see you there!