By Valerie Milano
Anaheim, CA (The Hollywood Times) 1/22/26 – As the doors swing open at the Anaheim Convention Center, the scale of the show becomes undeniable. More than 1,800 exhibits representing over 3,500 global brands transform the campus into a living, breathing ecosystem of sound, innovation, and connection. From guitars and basses to cutting-edge event tech and pro audio solutions, the exhibit halls are fully activated, buzzing with demos, deal-making, and discovery.
Thursday at NAMM is where curiosity meets commitment. Attendees move fluidly between hands-on gear exploration, live music across seven active stages, and educational sessions designed to sharpen skills for every corner of the industry, from retailers and educators to touring professionals and students mapping out their futures.
One of the most anticipated sessions of the day brings chart-topping artist Charlie Puth to the stage for a deep dive into songwriting and modern production. Rather than focusing on fame, the conversation centers on process, how technology, instinct, and experimentation turn raw ideas into finished hits. For creators navigating today’s hybrid analog-digital landscape, it’s a masterclass in relevance.
Elsewhere, NAMM’s commitment to advocacy and leadership development is on full display. Policy-focused sessions address trade, tariffs, and compliance, reminding attendees that music is both art and enterprise, while gatherings tied to NAMM’s Washington, D.C. fly-in underscore the organization’s ongoing role as an industry advocate.
Community-building remains a cornerstone of the show. The Women of NAMM sessions spotlight next-generation leadership strategies, emphasizing listening, authenticity, and storytelling as tools for influence and collaboration. Meanwhile, GenNext programming continues to bridge education and opportunity, giving students and emerging professionals direct access to industry veterans through networking sessions designed to demystify real-world career paths.
Throughout the day, receptions and meetups, from international member gatherings to first-time attendee events, reinforce a recurring theme of NAMM 2026: this is an industry stronger when it connects.
Music, of course, is everywhere. Bands perform across the entire campus, offering a genre-spanning soundtrack to the show floor. From metal-infused global fusion and high-energy rock to Latin pop, soul, and experimental post-rock, the stages showcase artists who are as diverse as the gear powering their performances. For many attendees, these sets aren’t just entertainment, they’re discovery moments.
As evening approaches, attention shifts to NAMM’s signature nighttime events, including industry tributes, worship gatherings, and the prestigious TEC Awards, where innovation in audio and production takes center stage, this year with special appearances including Billy Corgan.
With Friday’s keynote discussions already generating buzz, tackling the future of recording studios, touring strategies, and the evolving economics of music, the momentum shows no sign of slowing. Add to that NAMM’s 125th-anniversary philanthropic push, including a major matching gift benefiting The NAMM Foundation, and the week’s purpose feels as resonant as its sound.
Day Two confirms it: NAMM 2026 isn’t just back, it’s fully alive.
