January 20, 2023 I Supply
Exclusive: Fender EVP of Products Predicts Trends for 2023
Justin Norvell
While the pandemic years saw a strong interest in home recording gear, Justin Norvell, executive vice president of products at Fender, said he believes the MI market has seen a shift towards live sound and audio mixers in the last year — a trend that will continue into 2023.
“Our mixer sales are up significantly,” Norvell said in regards to its product selection by PreSonus, a brand Fender purchased in late 2021. “It was all about audio recording interfaces the last few years, and now we’re seeing a large push towards live sound gear.”
As Gen Z artists begin to develop a stronger foothold in the industry, Norvell said he also predicts 2023 will be a year where we see a continuation of fragmentation and hybridization.
“You’re seeing more electronic or keyboard-focused bands pulling out guitars and basses while on stage, and you’re seeing that same openness with today’s pop stars, such as Harry Styles, who played a ton of guitar on his most recent tour,” Norvell explained. “Additionally, the multi-instrumentalist is on the rise. The Gen Zer’s home studio is surrounded by an array of instruments instead of focusing just on guitar or just on bass.”
Norvell advised music retailers looking to target multi-instrumentalists to remember to promote their full gamut of gear.
“Instead of thinking about serving a customer with just a guitar or an amp, remember to sell them on the whole system,” he said. “It’s a range of products that serve that multi-instrumentalist customer.” MI
