NAMM Show Opens in Anaheim, California

he NAMM Show, the longest-running trade show in the United States, opened today welcoming thousands of musical instrument and products retailers and manufacturers from around the world. While the majority of industry professionals have been directly impacted by a down economy, many are ready to put the past behind them and move on to a new decade as they arrive to do important business at the annual trade show.

Themed “Get Ready,” this year’s NAMM Show is focused on the ingenuity and optimism that reportedly are the recurring traits that have kept many NAMM Member professionals moving a step ahead of the economic domino effect.

New and innovative products will be revealed to industry retailers, who are prepared to stock their shelves for consumers in their hometowns after what has been said to have been a “cautious” Christmas season.

NAMM reports that consumer interest in music making is at an all-time high after conducting a 2009 “Attitudes Toward Music Making” Gallup poll (http://www.namm.org/news/press-releases/new-gallup-survey-namm-reflects-majority-americans). In addition, the association will welcome nearly 250 new exhibitors, the highest number over any other year in its 108-year history, showing a surge in market enthusiasm.

The National Association of Music Merchants, commonly called NAMM in reference to the organization's popular NAMM trade shows, is the not-for-profit association that unifies, leads and strengthens the $17 billion global musical instruments and products industry. NAMM’s activities and programs are designed to promote music making to people of all ages. NAMM is comprised of more than 9,000 Member companies. For more information about NAMM, interested parties can visit www.namm.org or call 800-767-NAMM (6266).