6.
5.
8.
1. Members of NAMM YP gather during the organization’s NAMM show Networking Mixer. Photo by Ryan Kotrlik. 2. AlphaTheta Music Americas’John Powell, Yoshinori Kataoka and Lars Schlichting show off the new RMX-IGNITE DJ effector and sampler. 3. The Gator Cases team highlights the company’s latest announcement for the show. 4. Guitar Center’s Jerry Bran- dehoff accepts Music Inc.’s Retail Excellence Award from editor Katie Kailus after the duo’s NAMM education session. 5. Theo Wanne’s Theo Wanne (center left) and JJ Babbitt’s Steve Rorie make their new partnership official surrounded by their team members. 6. Smashing Pumpkins’Billy Corgan highlights his work with Carstens and Laney on a new amp collab. 7. Sheléa, Alana Springsteen and The War & Treaty perform. Photo by: Ryan Kotrlik. 8. Ryan West (right) moderates an AIMM panel during the organization’s annual summit during the show.
7. GATHERING Goldenson, KHS America’s president, said he noticed a similar sentiment.
By Katie Kailus
THE EXHIBITOR BUZZ With a similar number of attendees as last year, this year’s exhibitors, including Yamaha, said the overall energy of the show was strong. “Compared to The 2025 NAMM Show, our Yamaha booth drew almost the same num- ber of guests as the 2026 show,” said Tom Sumner, Yamaha Corp. of America president. “Since we eliminated a performance stage we had in the booth in 2025, and while the number of guests was similar, we were able to have better conversations and attract the dealers, customers, influencers and press we wanted to reach. We felt the overall energy of the show — and in the Yamaha display area in particular — was excellent. The mood of show attendees in 2026 was very upbeat and felt better than in 2025.” At KHS America’s booth space, Jerry
Convention Center, Roland placed a greater emphasis on “meaningful connection and on creating experiences that could only happen at NAMM,” according to Katherine Wing, Roland’s vice president of marketing. “We focused on engaging every audience group: dealers, artists, creators, media, consum- ers, and even our own team, in ways that felt personal, intentional and memorable,” Wing said. “This year, we combined product innova- tion with immersive performances, hands-on demos, and unique brand activations designed to inspire and strengthen our community.” Flip through the following pages for a look at all the happenings across The 2026 NAMM Show campus during the five-day event. The 2027 NAMM Show will be held from January 26–30, 2027, at the Anaheim Convention Center. MI
“Coming off a challenging year for most manufacturers, there was a bit more opti- mism among the retailers we met with,” Goldenson said. “There was a feeling of more participation and engagement from dealers and manufacturers. The increase in influencers and content creators amplifying the show activity in a more purposeful way elevated the visibility and effectiveness of our efforts. [NAMM’s] Global Media Day experience was drastically improved from 2025, and the timely sessions addressing concerns facing our industry continue to improve. There was a continued trend to- wards making the show more experiential and fostering a better sense of community.” Up on the second floor of the Anaheim
APRIL 2026 I MUSIC INC. I 33
Powered by FlippingBook