Final Report — Industry Comes Together at 2009 NAMM Show

NAMM, the trade association of the international music products industry, today announced final registration and exhibitor numbers for the 2009 NAMM Show. At show close, NAMM reported 85,799 registrants, a 3 percent decrease from last year.

Even in economically challenging times, the association reported 1,505 exhibitors at this year’s show. International registration also experienced a 2 percent decrease.

The high-energy event featured performances by Yamaha artist Alicia Keys, who launched a new product line at the show, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, and Billy Bob Thornton & the Boxmasters. Celebrity appearances included Gene Simmons, who offered retailers marketing advice at the opening “Breakfast of Champions” NAMM University session, and Steve Vai, who launched a new amplifier with Carvin.

Themed “Come Together,” the show offered attendees the opportunity to reunite with industry peers, learn the latest business and marketing tactics and trends at daily NAMM University sessions, and ultimately make their biggest business deals for the year ahead.

“The 2009 NAMM Show was perhaps one of the most important industry gatherings in memory,” said NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond. “Our Members once again demonstrated their determination and persistence as the best and brightest from around the world gathered to experience four days of new products, NAMM University courses, networking and great live music.”

“It's been excellent, probably the best NAMM we've ever had,” said Alex Auxier of Orange USA. "It seems like the people here are here to do business and that's great for us.”

“This has been a great show,” said Ron Benditt of Alien Apparatus. “We've met up with the people we needed to talk to including reps, distributors, resellers from all over the world—it's been fabulous.”

“We’re very pleased with the steady traffic that has been visiting our display at the NAMM Show within minutes of the show opening on Thursday,” said Dennis Houlihan of Roland Corporation U.S. “Dealers are eager to see new products and new technologies. Everybody is anxious about 2009 and yet there’s an underlying confidence in the value of music and the need for music products in our country right now more so than ever before. Roland Corporation is very pleased with the attitude of retailers and we’re responding to their needs with products and programs to help everybody navigate through this time of uncertainty and economic challenge. Roland is confident, optimistic and moving forward, full-speed ahead.”

"NAMM is always one of the best shows for us to go to,” said Grant Henry of Ludwig Musser. “This year especially—we’re celebrating our 100-year anniversary, which has been great. It has been one of the most excitable times that we’ve had at the booth. The number of dealers, the number of artists, and the drummers that have come through have recognized what kind of things we’re doing. So this year’s NAMM Show, as always, has proven to be a success and we’re really excited about what this year has to bring."

“It’s been a great show,” said Steve McCreary of Collings Guitars. “We didn’t quite know what to expect coming in, but Thursday and Friday, we were swamped, Saturday was busy, Sunday was a little bit slower but that’s to be expected, and we had a lot of international interest, which was great. We’re looking forward to Nashville.”

“This is our second year here and we are getting good feedback from people and we are very interested in coming back next year,” said Tarig Mehmood of Khalid Pipe Co. in Pakistan.

“We have worked very aggressively to get our dealers and our distributers to the show,” said Stephan Fyock of Numark. “We had a full schedule and everybody showed up—even our European distributors from Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. So it was a great show for us.”

"We're pleased with the show this year—really good floor traffic,” said Frank West of Lowrey Organ. “We've talked to a lot of new dealers and we have some very good prospects for new dealers."

"It was great, we had a lot of traffic and the quality of people coming through was excellent," said Mike Papa of American Music and Sound.

"The show was very good for us,” said Mark Posgay of Monster Cable Products, Inc. “We saw a real uptick in international product requests here at NAMM."

To view video coverage and news about the 2009 NAMM Show, interested parties may visit www.namm.org/thenammshow.

The next NAMM trade show will be Summer NAMM, which will be held July 17–19, 2009 in Nashville, Tenn.