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The 2026 NAMM Show Took Center Stage as a Historic Gathering Celebrating the Future of Global Music Industry .The 2026 Show Marked 125-Year Anniversary of NAMM and Demonstrated Why the Global Music Community Gathers Every Year at The NAMM Show
 

 

 

All Photos: Ray Soto / Central Coast Rocks

NAMM.org

 

NAMM (The National Association of Music Merchants), the largest global not-for-profit music trade organization, celebrated 125 years of NAMM at The 2026 NAMM Show — a powerful week that concluded on Jan. 24 and set the music industry’s narrative for years ahead. Featuring five days of incredible education, live concerts and special events, alongside three days of extraordinary exhibits and brand activations, this year’s show featured 1,650-plus exhibitors representing over 5,400 brands and more than 200-plus educational sessions for NAMM member communities.

The 2026 NAMM Show highlighted innovative music technologies, product introductions and trends that will shape the future of the music industry during a five-day-long platform for networking, connections and meetings that are critical for uniting and growing music makers globally.

“The 2026 NAMM Show once again delivered an incredible week of unity and energy for our global NAMM members, showcasing products, partnerships and networking for the entire music industry,” said John Mlynczak, NAMM president and CEO. “NAMM continues to be the global stage for our industry to announce groundbreaking products, establish transformative partnerships and gain valuable education that drives success for our industry for the rest of the year.”

 

NAMM SHOW 2026 BY THE NUMBERS

 

• 60,000+ show attendees, including 8,760+ international attendees from 122 countries, regions and territories
• 1,650+ exhibitors representing 5,400+ brands, which is 25% more than 2025
• Nearly 15,000 artists demonstrating and endorsing products and brands
• 200+ education sessions with 550+ speakers
• 1,600+ media, influencers and content creators reaching over 200+ million followers, which is 50% more than 2025.

 

 

NAMM SHOW 2026 SET LIST HIGHLIGHTS

 

Product Launches

The NAMM Electronic Press Kit, an online book of product and show announcements, tripled in size from 2025, with nearly 400 brands and companies using the platform to launch new products at The NAMM Show.

NAMM Global Media Day

Now in its third year, NAMM’s Global Media Day featured iconic brands spanning music, sound and entertainment technology categories to announce more than 500 ground-breaking products and business news to an exclusive media/creator/podcast-only audience of 750-plus guests.

NAMM Events and Awards Shows

Providing the platform for some of the industry’s best awards shows and live events, The 2026 NAMM Show saw sold-out crowds all week long, starting with the TEC Awards, followed by The Bass Awards Show, She Rocks Awards and The Parnelli Awards. Each show catered to a thriving professional community that gathered to honor the best of the best in each category.

 

 

Bass Magazine Awards

 

The biggest night in bass at the Bass Magazine Awards, took place Thursday, Jan. 22, at The Observatory in Santa Ana, CA, just minutes from The NAMM Show Campus. This high-energy event honored legendary players and rising low-end innovators with live performances, special guests and viral moments the bass community will be talking about all year. The event boasted an audience filled with world renowned bass players and musicians, industry experts, gear representatives, and fans from all over the globe.

The 2026 Bass Magazine Awards Show honored Les Claypool of Primus, Mike Dirnt of Green Day Marcus Miller, Laura Lee of Khruangbin, and Blu DeTiger. The annual awards show is the biggest night of bass for the low-end community and music lovers worldwide. The evening celebrates and honors legends of the instrument as well as the new wave of bass trailblazers. The night featured stellar performances, highlights included Primus and Marcus Miller's collaboration on "Tommy the Cat," a 30-minute set by Green Day, and a Lifetime Achievement award for Mike Dirnt. The event featured standout performances by Laura Lee and a "DataBass" set by Scott Mulvahil Full Green Day setlist: Welcome to Paradise, Longview, J.A.R., Holiday, American Idiot, Basket Case, When I Come Around.

 

 

Ultimate Jam Night

 

RCF hosted JAMM Night, presenting a live music experience, at the 2026 NAMM Show on Friday, January 23 starting at 6 pm at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena supported by a sound reinforcement headed by flagship TT+ AUDIO GTX 12 line arrays (12 per side), GTS 29 subwoofers, and additional GTX 10s.

The event supports the David Z Foundation, helping provide music education and opportunities for future artists. JAMM Night will feature a lineup of nearly 70 musicians, with performances from an all-star group that spans rock, metal, pop and beyond.

Paulie Z once again served as host for the event, with key players that included Nuno Bettencourt, Corey Glover, Billy Sheehan, Tiffany, Alex Skolnick, Joel Hoekstra, Doug Aldrich, Doug Pinnick, Alissa White-Gluz and Rob Affuso. The night  also showcased Kat Dyson, Marco Mendoza and Marco Minnemann, among many others.

Additionally, this year’s JAMM NIGHT introduced a theme centered on paying tribute to the musical milestones of 2025, creating a reflective look back at the year. The program  honored influential artists we’ve lost, including tributes to Ozzy Osbourne and Ace Frehley, with dedicated performances of Ozzy and KISS classics. The night also spotlighted artists and bands recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, alongside landmark album anniversaries, including 50-year milestones for records originally released in 1975. The show was open to NAMM attendees only.

“RCF’s JAMM NIGHT is a true musical melting pot,” says Paulie Z. “It brings together A-list artists, touring professionals and up-and-coming musicians on the same stage, across genres, cultures and generations, all for the love of music. It gives artists the freedom to play songs they don’t usually get to play, collaborate with people they might never share a stage with, and remind themselves why they fell in love with music in the first place. Tying it to my foundation gives the night a bigger purpose; it’s about giving back, creating opportunity, and celebrating music not as a paycheck, but as a passion.”

 

 

Yamaha Grand Plaza Stage

 

On Friday, January 23, the Yamaha Grand Plaza Stage will once again light up with the Yamaha All-Star Concert on the Grand—a genre-spanning celebration of rising stars and critically acclaimed performers that has amazed and delighted the crowd for years.

The lineup for Friday featured a dynamic mix of performers

• The War and Treaty, a critically acclaimed husband and wife duo and Grammy nominees known for their powerhouse vocals and genre-defying sound.

• Alana Springsteen, a GOLD-certified chart-topping artist-songwriter and one of Nashville’s breakout stars.

• Sheléa, a vocal powerhouse, musician, and songwriter and Quincy Jones protégé, celebrated for her soulful interpretations and global performances.

• Ethan Bortnick, a piano prodigy turned viral alternative sensation blending classical skill with Gen Z appeal.

• Stevie Wonder joined in for a Grand Finale featuring all performers

All performances on the Yamaha Grand Plaza Stage were expertly mixed using the company's award-winning commercial audio equipment, including the Rivage digital console line. Every note was articulately amplified through NEXO speaker systems. NEXO is a Yamaha company.

 

 

She Rocks Awards

 

The Women’s International Music Network (WiMN) presented the 14th annual She Rocks Awards that took place on Friday, January 23, 2026, at the Hilton Anaheim Pacific Ballroom, with NAMM as the presenting sponsor. The She Rocks Awards celebrate the achievements of pioneering women in music and audio. Among this year’s honorees were multi-platinum songwriter and vocalist Rachel Platten, acclaimed songwriter/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Judith Hill, acclaimed bassist Rhonda Smith, and guitarist Sophie Burrell.

The She Rocks Awards has firmly established itself as one of the premier events during the NAMM Show, bringing together industry professionals, artists, fans, and media to celebrate the achievements of women in music. The evening will feature live music, speeches, celebrity appearances, and a silent auction, along with dinner for attendees. Past honorees include Gloria Gaynor, Pat Benatar, The Bangles, Amy Lee, Lzzy Hale, Chaka Khan, Melissa Etheridge, and many more.

 

 

NAMM TEC Awards

 

Billy Corgan was presented with the 2026 TEC Innovation Award at the NAMM TEC Awards on Thursday, January 22, 2026.

NAMM was again thrilled to present the TEC Awards, now in its 41st year. This is where the most outstanding products in the worlds of music making, live performances, recordings, video games, TV and films are recognized and where creative luminaries like Les Paul, Peter Frampton, Quincy Jones, Joe Perry, Pete Townshend, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Chuck D and The RZA are celebrated for their musical contributions.

NAMM and the NAMM Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards have selected Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins as the recipient of the 2026 TEC Innovation Award, which was presented to him at the awards night on Thursday, Jan. 22. We're sure everyone had a smashing good time.

 

 

Looking Back on NAMM, 125 Years Later

 

NAMM has been consistently guided by the best minds in the music business, who share a common desire to grow the industry and music making. Ever since 1901, NAMM leaders have come together, even as competitors, to ensure their association is helping the entire industry expand. The 125-year timeline is fully digitized and available to everyone on NAMM.org

NAMM’s Music for Life Honor Awarded to Industry Icon Rick Beato

NAMM presented globally acclaimed producer, educator, musician and YouTube creator Rick Beato with its highest honor, the Music for Life Award, in recognition of his lifelong contributions to music and commitment to inspiring music makers. In an exclusive Thursday morning Q&A with NAMM President and CEO John Mlynczak, Beato discussed his early musical influences, the music products that have helped define his career and the future of the music business in the age of AI.

NAMM’s Grand Rally for Music Education

NAMM rallied the industry around its mission Saturday morning, highlighted by magical moments with Grammy Award-winning artists Victor Wooten and Chad Smith. The session, hosted by John Mlynczak and Julia Rubio, brought the audience to its feet with inspirational performances, conversations and messages, as well as live performances from Roots of Rhythm.

The NAMM Foundation

In honor of our 125th “NAMMiversary,” and the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, the NAMM Foundation — with a generous $125,000 matching donation from Chris Martin, past chair of NAMM — announced at the 2026 show a total of $250,000 in funds to give back.

 

The Return of NAMM NeXT Europe and New NAMM NeXT Latin America

Coming off the success of last year's inaugural event, NAMM NeXT Europe will return and NAMM NeXT Latin America will debut in 2026. These NAMM NeXT events are one- to two-day leadership conferences that will gather our industry to focus on how we can grow the industry and address common challenges.

The 2027 NAMM Show is already in the works for January 26-30, 2027, at the Anaheim Convention Center. Booths with early bird rates and discounts are available now at NAMM.org
 

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