One World. One Industry. One Show. The 2027 NAMM Show Announces Global Five-Day Celebration of Music, Product Innovation and Industry Leadership

CARLSBAD, CALIF., August 18, 2026 — NAMM (The National Association of Music Merchants), the world’s largest not-for-profit music trade organization, today announced the expanded schedule of events and experiences for The 2027 NAMM Show, taking place January 26–30, 2027, at the Anaheim Convention Center. 

Designed as a five-day celebration of the global music products community, The 2027 NAMM Show will bring together music makers, creators, artists, retailers, manufacturers, educators, technology professionals and industry leaders for a week of networking, professional development, live performances, special events and industry recognition. The main exhibition floors will be open January 28–30, offering three days of product discovery, demonstrations, business meetings and brand experiences. 

“The NAMM Show has evolved into a global platform that brings together the people, products and ideas shaping the future of music,” said John Mlynczak, NAMM president and CEO. “The 2027 show builds on that momentum with more opportunities to do business, experience incredible brands and the diversity of our industry, connect with live musical performances and content creators, plus celebrate the achievements of our global industry throughout the entire week.” 

FIVE DAYS OF MUSIC, BUSINESS, EDUCATION AND CONNECTION 

The 2027 NAMM Show begins Tuesday, January 26, with education, networking and professional development opportunities — including half- and full-day education summits targeted at the multiple audiences attending The NAMM Show. 

Tuesday kicks off with a full day of financial training for music businesses presented by financial experts Alan Friedman and Daniel Jobe. In the morning, the NAMM Succession Summit will reveal what drives value in your business and how to prepare for a successful transition; in the afternoon, the NAMM Financial Summit will show businesses how to take control of their finances by understanding how to monitor their financial health and strengthen the bottom line. Also that afternoon, the inaugural NAMM Music Education Advocacy Summit will arm attendees with practical tools and messaging they can bring straight back to their businesses to advocate for music education funding. 

Wednesday continues with the new NAMM AI Marketing Summit. Building on the success of previous Marketing Summits, this year’s edition will dive into leading-edge marketing strategies by harnessing the latest AI technology.  

Additionally, audio professionals will have access to the TEC Tracks Studio Summit and TEC Tracks Live Sound Summit, both of which will share the latest innovations for the studio and stage from a lineup of major thought leaders. The Entertainment Technology Summit will deliver key hands-on strategies for professionals in lighting and live event production. 

The Women of NAMM Leadership Amplified summit will take place again on Wednesday, offering an exclusive training experience for professionals looking to level up their leadership — and their teams. Finally, music educators, industry leaders and workforce partners will gather for the Music Education Leaders Summit, a full day exploring how music education is preparing students for careers across the entire musical ecosystem. 

New this year, the NAMM Sync Summit will take place on Thursday and explore the latest developments in sync and music placement, straight from industry pros. This new summit is offered to serve the over 24,000 artists who attend The NAMM Show each year. 

Beginning Thursday morning, walking into the NAMM Show exhibit halls is an experience like no other—exciting, energetic, and filled with the unmistakable buzz of the music, audio and entertainment technology industry. From the moment attendees enter, they are surrounded by an incredible variety of instruments, audio equipment, technology, lighting, and innovative products, with hundreds of brands creating engaging and immersive booth experiences. Music is everywhere: guitars being played, drums being demonstrated, new products coming to life, and artists and industry professionals connecting face-to-face. The NAMM Show has been described as a place where “gear gets discovered, friends come together, and brands go global,” and that sense of discovery is evident throughout the show floor.

Each floor and every booth are where much of the excitement comes alive. Exhibitors go beyond simply displaying products—they create environments designed to attract attention, encourage interaction, and tell their brand story. From beautifully designed flagship spaces to innovative boutique exhibits and specialized showcases, every aisle offers something new to see, hear, and experience. The result is a vibrant, constantly moving atmosphere where business, creativity, technology, and music come together. At The NAMM Show, the exhibit halls aren't just a place to walk through—they are a dynamic showcase of what is happening now and what is coming next in the world of music and entertainment.

New this year, the Percussion Showcase will feature the top brands, with live demos on the hour, creating an immersive and energetic environment in Hall C for the percussion community. 

Education and professional development will remain a central part of The NAMM Show experience, building on the more than 250 education sessions and 91,000 engagements generated at The 2026 NAMM Show. Programming in 2027 will address business strategy, the creator economy, recording, live sound, music education, AI, emerging technologies and other issues shaping the future of the music industry. 

Live music will also remain at the heart of the show, with performances and artist appearances taking place throughout the NAMM campus on multiple stages and venues. 

THE 2027 NAMM SHOW SCHEDULE 

Tuesday, January 26 — The Education Begins Here 
The week begins with industry programming, networking, special events and professional development across the NAMM campus. 

Wednesday, January 27 — Product Announcements, Education, Networking & NAMM Retail Awards 
Attendees can participate in expanded education and professional development programming, along with networking opportunities and the NAMM Retail Awards, recognizing excellence across NAMM’s global retail community. Global product and business announcements from some of the top industry brands along with live musical performances take place that afternoon at NAMM’s Global Media Day. 

Thursday, January 28 — Exhibit Hall Opens, Industry Insights + TEC Awards + Backline Talk Awards + Bass Magazine Awards, Yamaha Night of Worship Concert
At the conclusion of NAMM President and CEO John Mlynczak’s Industry Insights sessions featuring an array of industry and artist guests, the main exhibition floors open for three days of product discovery, demonstrations, business meetings and brand activations. 

Thursday evening brings a powerful lineup of industry celebrations, including the TEC Awards, Backline Talk Awards, the Bass Magazine Awards Show, and the Yamaha Main Stage lights up with the Night of Worship.  

For 2027, the Bass Magazine Awards will move to the ACC Arena, sponsored by RCF, becoming an official on-campus NAMM event bringing one of the world's premier music celebrations directly into the NAMM Show experience. The January 28 event will feature an all-star lineup of honorees, special collaborations and live performances celebrating legendary players, groundbreaking artists and the next generation shaping the future of bass. Past events have featured performances and appearances from artists including Tool, Green Day, Primus, Khruangbin, Metallica and Earth, Wind & Fire. 

Friday, January 29 — Show Floor + Grand Rally for Music Education + Yamaha Main Stage + Parnelli Awards 
The second full day of exhibits starts with the inspirational Grand Rally for Music Education which recognizes and spotlights the essential role of music education in the music industry while delivering an incredible array of world-class performances and inspirational stories on the impact of music education with students around the world. 

The second full day of exhibits has the show floor buzzing with product demonstrations, business meetings, networking, education, creator engagement and live music. The evening will feature the Parnelli Awards, honoring excellence, achievement and commitment to the live event production industry. 

Saturday, January 30 — Final Show Day + Best in Show + She Rocks Awards 
The final day will feature a full schedule of show-floor activities before The 2027 NAMM Show concludes with Best in Show and She Rocks Awards, celebrating 2027 exhibitor products and services and recognizing women making an impact across the music industry. 

A SHOW BUILT AROUND THE GLOBAL MUSIC COMMUNITY 

The foundation of The NAMM Show remains unmatched in its power to bring industry buyers and sellers together. In 2026, more than 60,000 attendees from 122 countries, regions and territories gathered at The NAMM Show, representing an estimated $9.8 billion in buying power. More than 8,650 global attendees participated, while creator-generated content from the show reached more than 70 million social media views. 

After a successful NAMM NeXT Europe event in June, The 2027 NAMM Show will continue to expand opportunities for attendees to experience the complete breadth of the music industry — from the latest products and technologies to education, business development, creator engagement, live performances and the celebration of industry achievement. 

EXTENDING REACH BEYOND THE SHOW FLOOR 

The digital transformation of the NAMM Show experience begins long before opening day and continues well after exhibitors pack up their booths. In 2026, the online exhibitor directory received more than 150,000 unique visits globally while The NAMM Show mobile app generated 31,000 downloads and 330,000 launches. 

These digital touchpoints continue for the 2027 show when The NAMM Show map is released in September and create months of visibility and discovery opportunities, helping exhibitors connect with attendees before they ever arrive in Anaheim. 

And once the industry gathers in Anaheim, the world is watching through the lens of the top content creators and influencers in our industry, generating more than 70 million views of content in 2026 alone. 

From the opening industry events on January 26 through the final show-floor activities and awards on January 30, The 2027 NAMM Show will provide a continuous calendar of experiences designed to connect and empower the global music community. Stay tuned as NAMM will announce further details throughout the year leading up to The 2027 NAMM Show. 

For more detailed information about The 2027 NAMM Show, please visit NAMM.org. 

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