NAMM show
The NAMM Show is one of the largest trade shows for the music industry worldwide . Only the music fair in Frankfurt am Main is comparable in scope . The NAMM is usually held annually in January in Anaheim , California. According to the organizers, the show of 2008 was a new record with around 1,560 exhibitors and 88,100 visitors from all over the world. In 2019, 115,000 participants from 139 countries were registered. The NAMM Show is not open to the public; only a professional audience and invited guests have access.
The NAMM was founded in 1901 and developed from a national retail association to an international association whose members include companies, wholesalers and manufacturers.
The acronym NAMM originally stood for National Association of Music Merchants . In the meantime, not only music dealers are involved, but also manufacturers and affiliates, and therefore the full name is no longer used.
Every year thousands of new products are presented at the fair, so that there is a large media presence. Some media even have their own publications that can only be purchased at the fair.
The Anaheim Convention Center , where the show takes place, is one of the largest exhibition centers in the world. The NAMM has been filling the entire available showroom since 2007. Despite the strict rules for sound emissions, the volume level is often over 85 dBA due to the background noise alone.
In addition to the January show, there is also another summer show held in Austin, Texas. This roughly two-thirds smaller event is primarily aimed at networking in the industry.
Web links
- www.namm.org (English)