By: Fredwill Hernandez
The 125th National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show, held from January 20–24, 2026, at the Anaheim Convention Center, experienced a notable rebound in both attendance and exhibitors. The event according to NAMM featured over 1,650 exhibitors showcasing more than 5,400 brands, marking a 25% increase from 2025. Attendance also soared to over 75,000, a significant increase from the 63,000 attendees in 2025. Many, including myself, highly commended NAMM’s new CEO, John Mlynczak, for revitalizing the show’s energy with significant changes such as the handling of Global Media Day. The show also boasted a 50% rise in media and influencer presence.
Besides this, looking at trends through 2026, several major players and smaller companies were either missing or had greatly scaled back their presence, as many businesses since COVID-19 have shifted towards direct-to-consumer sales, choosing online launches instead of costly convention booths.
Among the companies that benefited from the show’s buzz was Peavey, which introduced three new acoustic guitars this year—the Clarksdale CN-3000CE, Tupelo TD-400TCE, and Natches N-5000CCE—under the Blues Trail Series. Peavey states that these guitars offer the rich tonal quality, exceptional playability, and lasting durability that have defined Peavey instruments for decades. Made from the finest woods and top-quality hardware, these guitars bring both aspiring and professional musicians the mystique and heritage of Mississippi.
Another company and booth I always recommend visiting is Warm Audio, since, in my opinion, Warm Audio truly “offers an arsenal” of [high-end] mics, compressors, and equalizers that will definitely “complement and enhance” any recording studio’s situation or application.
This year was especially memorable for me and my fellow HITMKR executives: Vu Ho, Demetrius Sims, REVIVE’s Brian Waites, and Romello LaVan, joined by Paul Montes, an early investor in the HITMKR direct-to-fan ecosystem who also oversees the renowned Pharmacy (formerly Record One), Dr. Dre’s recording studio, as we arrived just in time to see Coco Sarai perform using the Retro 64 mic, which Warm Audio unveiled at this year’s NAMM.
According to Warm Audio, the Retro 64 draws inspiration from a classic 1960s microphone, with a capsule tuned for live stage use. This design offers a familiar sound with a slightly enhanced mid-range for clarity and detail, while softened high frequencies reduce feedback. It’s comfortable for both engineers and vocalists, comes in chrome or matte black, and handles loud sources up to 135 dB. It performs well on toms, snares, and vocals, adding punch and clarity often missing in dynamic handheld mics.
At NAMM, Yamaha unveiled the PSR-E483 and PSR-E583 portable keyboards from their top-tier line. Both feature auto chord play, arpeggiator, and phrase sampling via mic or USB-C, with hundreds of sounds and effects. Priced at $399 and $499, the PSR-E583 adds a modulation wheel, expression pedal jack, and a 12-watt stereo system—twice the power of the PSR-E483. Both support track muting, direct USB recording, and include built-in speakers with audio output for external amplification, making them versatile, affordable options for exploring electronic music, says Tony Escueta, Senior Product Training Specialist at Yamaha.
Another booth that definitely had a lot of buzz and foot traffic was Cream Guitars, due in my opinion to a very cool and unique guitar the Voltage DaVinci.
This model features a 60-segment electronic ink display. Essentially, it changes color, but it’s not illuminated, not LED, or anything like that. It uses ink similar to what you find on Kindle or other e-readers. This means it consumes very little power. We have an app where you can customize the designs and upload them via Bluetooth, and you can control it using the buttons built into the guitar, as explained clearly by Chris Barajas, Project Manager at Cream Guitars.
We have three new studio condenser microphones here: the KSM32C, the KSM40C, and the KSM44MP. Each one has its own unique qualities, so it’s helpful to explain where they really shine. The KSM32C offers probably the flattest polar pattern of the three, making it ideal for a wide range of uses like instruments, vocals, and drum overheads. You can record with this microphone and easily shape the sound in your DAW, adjusting the EQ exactly how you want.
The KSM40C, on the other hand, has a one-inch diaphragm, making it perfect for warm vocal recordings. It delivers a bit more presence and depth, enhancing the richness of your voice. Then there’s the KSM44MP, the versatile “Swiss Army knife” microphone. It features multiple polar patterns—stereo, cardioid, and omnidirectional—that you can select via a switch on the back of the mic. The 44MP is the only one with this multi-pattern capability; the other two have fixed patterns.
Additionally, the KSM series now comes with an updated design and housing. This is a complete redesign that includes an improved shock mount that won’t sag over time, plus a magnetic windscreen that easily snaps on. This windscreen is universal and fits any of the KSM series shock mounts, explained Garrison Krotz, Manager of Global Media Relations at Shure.
The Revival 4000, or 4K as we call it, is a transformer-balanced preamp featuring a Jensen transformer inspired by a 4000 series console. It’s a channel strip derived from the SSL 4K, widely considered one of the most common recording and mixing consoles ever made. It includes the 4000 B de-esser built right in. The compressors, gates, filters, and EQs can be repositioned. You can place the compressor either before or after the EQ using these routing buttons here. This setup doesn’t interact with the patch bay directly, though you can certainly connect it to a patch bay and access the ins and outs from another source. It also comes with the black and brown EQ, like the black 242 EQ famously used by the Beatles and George Martin.
Both the input and output have variable trim controls. The Super 9K shares a similar feature set, except its mic preamp isn’t transformer-balanced. Instead, it uses a very open transistor design – the Super Analog mic pre from SSL. The Super Analog is what helped the 9K become a defining sound for pop, R&B, hip-hop, and rap genres.
For R&B, rap, and Latin music, I’d recommend the 9000. Not only does it provide that wide, full-bodied, rich sound, but it also offers variable harmonic drive. This feature adds the grit or character that’s naturally part of the 4K. It’s a slightly different tone, giving a distinct personality. While the 4K is mostly transparent and characterless, the harmonic drive gives the 9000 its unique flavor. Otherwise, the dynamics and filters can be adjusted as you prefer. This model features the pink knob EQ from the 9000J, often called white speed. Both units are priced at $1,999, fully analog with no digital elements. Although SSL offers A to D and D to A converters and interfaces, these are purely analog. You plug your microphone or any source into the unit, then run it into your interface’s A to D converter, and finally record in Pro Tools, explained CJ Lewis, National Sales Manager, Solid State Logic.
Besides companies launching new products, NAMM provides much more, including panels and educational sessions some through the TEC Tracks program. As a member of the executive team at HITMKR, I’m pleased that the HITMKR direct-to-fan ecosystem hosted a two-part educational session part of the TEC Tracks program, allowing attendees to become acquainted with the platform and offering advice on how independent artists can thrive.
I’m glad to be here today to share some knowledge. Your presence shows we all value data and want to understand why it matters. Data is the new oil, currency, and asset—evident in recent acquisitions. For instance, SongTrader’s purchase of Bandcamp reveals deep insights into independent music through millions of fan-artist interactions. It will be fascinating to see how they use that data moving forward. On a larger scale, AI advances rely heavily on vast data sets. Whoever controls data shapes the future, eloquently explained Vu Ho, Founder/CEO, HITMKR.
Today, we focus on fan data, or Fanalytics. As independent musicians, we need to answer: What do my fans enjoy? Why do they connect with me? What do they buy and how? For those with fans already, how can we find more like them? These answers require detailed data. Yet, we mostly get summary stats from platforms like Spotify or Instagram—vanity metrics like likes, followers, or streams—that offer little insight. Having 50,000 followers doesn’t easily translate into actionable knowledge. As independent artists, it’s up to us to bridge this gap by learning to collect and understand our data ourselves.
And be able to enhance that experience so we gain a clearer view of how we’re performing compared to other independent artists. One simple method is building a funnel. How? Start by adding a link to your bio on social media, directing followers to a platform you control—your website or a third-party site—where you exchange something valuable, like a digital download, for their contact info. This gives you a direct line to fans, letting you deepen the relationship and engage more personally.
You can boost this by using automation tools like ManyChat to send messages and comments on autopilot, scaling your outreach. Another option is using a platform like ours to manage fan data and music releases seamlessly. But the simplest approach—something I encourage after this presentation—is connecting with people in person. Ask for their name, number, and email; fans usually gladly share to stay updated. Whether online or offline, that’s the most straightforward way to build a funnel.
To sum up, data reveals insights into the future. It lets independent artists like us make confident decisions based on real history. With limited resources and time, data-driven choices are our best path to success.
Now that we understand why data matters and how to gather it, I’ll have our CMO at HITMKR, Demetius Sims, share a five-step direct-to-fan playbook you can use today.
First, let’s talk ownership and infrastructure. If your song goes viral, do you have the setup to capitalize on it? Do you have your own website or use tracking tools like Meta pixels? Without these, many miss income opportunities because they don’t know their true audience. I’ll offer clear steps to build this infrastructure. At HITMKR, we provide such support. Streaming data shows past plays but not who’s ready to spend. High streaming numbers or social media engagement don’t always translate into sales. You need a system where fans enter your funnel after connecting emotionally, with their info stored in a CRM for direct outreach. For example, knowing “Sarah bought a t-shirt, lives in Ohio, and I can contact her” is the foundation you want.
Next is cultural positioning—key for making people genuinely care about your work. It creates confidence and clarity, rather than just hoping for success.
When an artist is called “the next big thing,” people often hesitate. But showing momentum makes others want to join something bigger than it is. This is cultural positioning—creating the impression that something’s already happening, even if it’s not. Much today is hype without substance, so use that hype to build momentum and make people think, “I want to be part of that.” Simply saying, “Go listen to my song” doesn’t have the same impact.
Now, about product and offer design—a major challenge for many artists. They want immediate support, but directly asking people to buy or listen often backfires. In a world full of sales pitches, which sounds better: “Go listen to my song,” or, “Someone just paid me $500 for my single”? The latter is far more compelling.
I always explain that selling a product is easier when it’s tied to an experience because people remember experiences. For example, if I host a party and say, “Everyone who pays $15 to get in automatically gets my album,” I sell the album alongside the ticket. Subconsciously, people associate my music with a fun experience, making them more interested and likely to talk about it. Experiences are what people love to share, which boosts your marketing.
Now, my favorite: storytelling marketing. This is how you get people genuinely interested. Show your process—those moments people usually hide are exactly what they want to see. When you’re in your room with voice notes, strumming your guitar, working out lyrics and melodies—that’s the real stuff people crave because it shows you’re human. Often on platforms like Instagram, we post polished, cinematic content: everything must be 4K, clean, and perfect. But people want to witness the struggle, the effort behind creating something. That struggle is your marketing.
Use what you already have and do naturally, and people will tell your story for you. Lastly, experience-proofing and iteration matter. Creating a product tied to an experience keeps people engaged and helps you refine your approach. Once you have your funnel, positioning, product, offers, storytelling, and experience-proofing in place, you can fine-tune your process to grow and make more money. Experiences are what people truly remember.
At this stage, develop various events and activations with your artist. If you focus on acoustic music, intimate settings work well—use this as a unique experience to connect your music or product and boost sales.
Adopt the mindset that giving first leads to receiving later, often more. People want to gain something before they commit. Always ask: What do they gain? Why does it matter? Why act now? These questions are key, also added Sims.
I greatly commend NAMM and its new CEO for their significant, noticeable improvements that have led to higher attendance, excitement, and overall show energy, which was definitely felt.
