NAMM and Making Music Magazine Share Top Musical Gift Picks for 2008 Holiday Season

Learning to play a musical instrument is one of the top New Year’s resolutions, according to a survey of 1,000 consumers conducted this week by Impulse Research and commissioned by NAMM, the international trade association for the music products industry.  Survey results also show that giving musical instruments may be the perfect gift to help friends and family reduce stress, provide a fulfilling form of entertainment, and bring the family closer together this holiday season.

In the survey, which polled men and women aged 18 years and older across the United States, singing and playing holiday music with the family was reported as one of the top two holiday stress-busters.  Additionally, an overwhelming 86 percent of survey participants responded that given the current economic climate, they will be seeking less expensive forms of entertainment during the holidays, such as music making, that the family can enjoy together at home.

“More than ever, people of all ages are making music as a means of stress relief, personal enjoyment and a way to bond with friends and family,” said Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM. “The survey results illustrate the continued, valued role of music in our society, especially during the holidays.”

Recognizing the increased appeal of music this holiday season, Making Music magazine, a consumer lifestyle magazine that reaches music makers of all ages and skill levels, has picked the most popular music gifts for the year, helping to remove the guess-work from holiday shopping.  Listed below are the music world’s most highly anticipated, in-demand new instruments and musical technology available on the market.  (Note gift categories are separated into appropriate age categories and tailored for every musical level and budget.)

“It’s never too early or too late to learn how to play music, and instruments are perfect gifts for anyone on your holiday list, no matter what age or level of experience,” said Antoinette Follett, editor-in-chief of Making Music magazine.  “Music gifts can be enjoyed by both the recipient and the gift-giver, as they’re also an investment in the lifelong appreciation of music.”

“To give the gift of music this holiday season, there’s no better place to look than your local, community music store,” added Lamond, “where you can find quality instruments and other tools to make music a greater part of holiday traditions.”

For more information on NAMM, to find a local music dealer near you, or to learn how to play music at any age, visit NAMM’s Wanna Play? Web site at http://www.wannaplaymusic.com.

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