October 21, 2024 I Event
NAMM Previews The 2025 NAMM Show Event Lineup, Announces NAMM NeXT Dates
NAMM has announced its initial listing of events for The 2025 NAMM Show, which will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, from Jan. 21–25, 2025, with events and education beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Exhibits and the show floor will open on Jan. 23, creating an action-packed week with full energy through late Saturday evening, Jan. 25, 2025.
“The NAMM Show unites the entire global music industry for one spectacular week of exhibits, education and networking in January,” said John Mlynczak, president and CEO of NAMM. “The expansion to five days of events is necessary to provide more time for education and networking that our global members depend on to grow their businesses, industry and professional community.”
The NAMM Show, with five days of events, will offer extended education programs for every NAMM member community, including retail, brands, pro-audio, entertainment technology, music education and music technology professionals, as well as tracks for artists and college music business students.
“Tuesday opens the week with our Day of Service and giving back to the local community with support from our members, followed by networking and education panels specially designed for retailers and brands at the show” Mlynczak said. “Wednesday’s robust schedule offers more education, as well as the highly anticipated NAMM Global Media Day, where multiple iconic brands introduce onstage brand-new, cutting-edge products.”
The first two days will include long-form, workshop-style opportunities for attendees to dig deeper into new strategies to help grow their businesses and professions.
This includes the brand-new TEC Tracks Studio Summit for pro-audio professionals, which will be presented by major thought leaders in recording, music technology and studio operations. Entertainment technology expert Richard Cadena will host a full-day workshop for live event professionals on powering stages.
For retailers and brands, NAMM U will feature an expanded NAMM Marketing Summit that covers AI, content creation and digital marketing, along with the return of the popular Retail Financial Summit. NAMM will also host a special lunch session for exhibitors on Tuesday that reveals the latest influencer-marketing strategies. Thursday through Saturday will continue a robust events schedule balanced with plenty of opportunities to engage with the 4,000-plus brands exhibiting.
NAMM will continue to announce, throughout the fall and winter and leading up to the show in January, new schedule additions to exhibits, education and events, as well as must-see artists and performances that will make The 2025 NAMM Show the ultimate destination for the global music industry. The full schedule of detailed events will be posted in early November.
NAMM Week 2025 preliminary schedule highlights include:
Tuesday, January 21
The NAMM Foundation Day of Service and Networking with the Pros.
Special Exhibitor Lunch Session featuring Tracy Hoeft on “How to Unlock the Full Potential of Influencers,” which is designed specifically for NAMM show exhibitors looking to take a break during exhibit setup.
Retail Financial Summit featuring Alan Friedman and Daniel Jobe of Friedman, Kannenberg & Co. This half-day, audience-driven workshop for music retailers will reveal the vital financial education you’ll want and need to know to thrive in today’s marketplace, while exploring new trends and developments that are certain to impact your business. As a bonus, the event will dive into your most pressing financial questions, feature an extended Q&A and deliver new solutions and insights to help you make the most of 2025 and beyond.
Wednesday, January 22
Global Media Day, which will feature iconic brands and formal executive remarks that focus on new music industry product introductions from top music brands and companies
International Coalition Meeting and Global Reception
NAMM Marketing Summit will be a special education experience for retailers, brands and anyone looking to elevate their marketing. Join us for workshops and sessions exploring the latest strategies and best practices in harnessing AI, content creation and making the most of social platforms. Workshops iclude: AI and Business with Mark Schaefer of Schaefer Marketing Solutions; Win with Video Content Creation with Tracy Hoeft of Amplify 11; and Instagram Boot Camp with Instagram expert Jenn Herman.
TEC Tracks Studio Summit will allow audio professionals to spend Wednesday at The NAMM Show freshening up their thinking by attending the TEC Tracks Studio Summit. Here, the recording industry’s most critical topics will be discussed by leading lights of audio technology and studio operations. Sessions and workshops include: Innovations in Music Production: Tools and Techniques for Modern Studios with Deston Bennett; Pro Tools, 2025 Updates, Tips and Techniques with Jose “Chilitos” Valenzuela; Audiograph Best Practices: Session Checklist with Paula Salvatore of Universal Music Group; The Future of Recording: Changing Roles and Relationships in the Ecosphere with music tech expert
Craig Anderton; and Wendy Parr’s Studio Branding Toolkit and Industry Circle with Wendy Parr.
Thursday, January 23
Exhibits open from 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Industry Insights with NAMM’s John Mlynczak and special guests From the music industry. How do we get more people making music and elevate our industry globally? Find out at this opening NAMM U Breakfast Session with NAMM President and CEO John Mlynczak. He’ll be joined by an all-star lineup of special guests to reveal how we can grow the music business by uniting as an industry. Hear new insights about the concept of unity — and what it means to you.
TEC Awards
Friday, January 24
Exhibits open from 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
The NAMM Dealer Awards
NAMM International Networking Reception
Yamaha Concert Series and Bands@NAMM
Parnelli Awards
Saturday, January 25
Exhibits open from 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Grand Rally for Music Education
Best in Show Awards
SheRocks Awards
NAMM has also announced the second year of NAMM NeXT, a two-day education and networking summit that strengthens the music industry by providing expert insights and analysis for the future of business.
NAMM NeXT 2025 will take place in Nashville, Tennessee, from June 29–July 1, 2025 at the JW Marriott Nashville, with the subsidized individual early-bird pricing at $995. Once again, the event will feature a full slate of high-profile presenters from inside and outside the music industry. Registration will open in January, and NAMM NeXT will be limited to only 400 attendees, so be sure to register early to secure your spot.
“We are excited to announce NAMM NeXT 2025, which will once again unite the leaders of our NAMM member companies around the common goal of strengthening the music products industry,” Mlynczak said. “After witnessing the overwhelming positive energy and abundance of ideas gained at our inaugural event, it was abundantly clear that we need to keep this event going in Music City USA for NAMM NeXT 2025.”
NAMM NeXT will feature big-picture and hands-on sessions with experts from inside and outside of the music industry to inspire new ideas, develop organizational talent and drive conversations that will take attendees’ businesses and the global industry to the next level. Last year, more than 100 global companies gathered at the inaugural conference and shared the following post-event statements from attendees.
