News Releases

Chosen by a combination of public votes and a panel of music industry judges, eight teen bands across the U.S. will spend their winter break honing their craft, having made it to the finals round in the National Association of Music Merchant’s (NAMM) annual SchoolJam USA competition. On Jan. 26, 2013, during the world-famous NAMM Show, the bands will strut their musical skills at the live battle of the bands in the Downtown Disney District in Anaheim, CA.

Pro sound, lighting and staging professionals from around the world will converge with the music instrument and product industry at the 2013 NAMM Show, which runs January 24-27 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Hundreds of pro sound and lighting brands including Harman, Avid, Chauvet, Bosch, Sennheiser, Shure, Korg, Tascam, Yamaha, American DJ and Behringer will be debuting products at the show. These new developments will change the look and feel of live performances at theme parks, casinos, nightclubs, concert venues and houses of worship worldwide in the coming years.

The opening of the 2013 NAMM Show on January 24, 2013 marks not only the start of the world’s premier gathering for the music instrument and product industry, but also the debut of the Anaheim Convention Center’s new outdoor venue, The Anaheim Grand Plaza.  To make full use of the Grand Plaza, NAMM has booked four jam-packed days of live music, tributes, events and networking opportunities in the new, outdoor space.

A record 51 college students pursuing careers in the music products industry are making plans to attend the 2013 NAMM Show having received the NAMM Foundation's President's Innovation award. Cash grants of $600 are awarded to graduate and undergraduate students who have expressed commitment and aptitude for business leadership and innovation in the music products industry.

A new Harris Interactive survey commissioned by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) found that technology such as YouTube videos, online lessons and music apps are inspiring more than one in four young people ages 8 to 21 (27 percent) to learn to play a musical instrument, compared to 16 percent of respondents of all ages.  Specifically, 17 percent of people 8 to 21 years old say they would never have tried to learn to play without technology.

Educational sessions and professional development courses designed to keep retailers competitive in the marketplace are abundant at the 2013 NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA from Jan. 24-27. The NAMM Show gathers 90,000 members of the music product industry from around the world to preview new products from thousands of brands across every category with educational sessions tailored to every Member and partner need to match.

The NAMM Foundation’s 14th annual Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) survey is now open for school districts and schools across the country to participate in. The survey acknowledges and celebrates schools and districts across the U.S. for their commitment to and support for comprehensive music education in schools. Ninety-four percent of Americans consider music to be part of a well-rounded education and believe that schools should offer musical instruction as part of the regular curriculum, according to a 2006 Gallup poll.

The NAMM Foundation will kick off the highly regarded Best Communities for Music Education survey during the upcoming SupportMusic teleconference and webinar. SupportMusic’s monthly event will be live from Music for All’s Bands of America Grand National Championships, the premier high school marching band competition, on Thursday, November 8 at 10 a.m. PST. The Best Communities program recognizes and honors schools and districts across the U.S. for their commitment and support of music education as part of the core curriculum.

School band and orchestra sales remain strong this fall as the music product and instrument industry prepares for the 2013 NAMM Show’s return to Anaheim, CA from January 24-27. Brands that make products for school music programs are among the thousands of music industry companies putting final touches on new instruments and products that will debut at the NAMM Show. Retailers are looking to the NAMM Show as an opportunity to restock shelves following an uptick in school music sales this fall.

NAMM International offered nine tailor-made NAMM University sessions at the recent Music China show in Shanghai to a standing room only crowd. Presented by industry experts, these educational sessions and best business practice seminars saw a major increase in participation since their Chinese debut seven years ago.

Guided by industry trends, retailer feedback and consumer sentiment, The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and Making Music magazine have pooled their expertise to predict which musical instruments and technology will be topping gift lists this holiday season.

NAMM Musikmesse Russia and Prolight + Sound NAMM Russia are going to start its 2nd edition back in Moscow on May 16, 2013 through May 19 and 18 respectively. Following a successful 2012 debut, new event features will provide more educational and product opportunities for all involved, while popular programs including Piano Days return.