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Over 90,000 Take Part in NAMM ’ s ‘ Believe in Music Week ’ Online Event
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convergence of 93,226 industry leaders , buyers , sellers , music educators , artists , media , and music makers from 187 countries and territories gathered between Jan . 18 th and 22 nd to take part in NAMM ’ s first large-scale online event , Believe in Music Week .
The event saw industry professionals virtually convene in 983 special sessions and events , engage with 611 hours of live-streamed and programmed content , which included nearly 200 education , training , and professional development sessions presented by 391 speakers , and experience new products from 1,227 participating brands in the Marketplace .
“ While we knew we could not truly replicate The NAMM Show , we felt that this unprecedented time made it even more important for us to gather the global industry with a marketplace to launch new products , provide an extraordinary education campus , and to bring everyone together as a community to promote music and to set the stage for industry recovery and growth ,” says NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond .
The event took place on the Swapcard platform and created a social network of industry activity from members found across the globe to network , learn , and be inspired . At press time , 33,379 international registrants attended – from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe – representing over 187 countries and territories .
Three main TV stations – Believe , Artist , and Gear TV – offered live interviews , new gear features , and special performances . On the Thursday and Friday , Believe TV served as the main hub of activity and featured the likes of Lamond and co-host Herb Trawick ( Pensado ’ s Place ) for two full days of industry updates , interviews with “ Unsung Heroes ,” and a series of special events . It featured live interviews with Grammy-winning stars Garth Brooks and Melissa Etheridge as the recipients of 2021 ’ s Music for Life award . In his interview , Brooks told stories of adaptation and recognized the importance of his tour team and bandmates , as well as the best advice he could offer emerging leaders in the industry .
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With its mission to support the people who bring music to the world , generous members and participants raised or pledged nearly $ 500,000 in matched funds for 12 non-profit beneficiary organizations as well as other NAMM Foundation charities that work to advance access to music-making . The idea for the matching campaign was conceived and led by NAMM Chair and CEO of Martin Guitars , Chris Martin . After witnessing the devastating impact of COVID-19 across the industry , Chris and Diane Martin offered a personal donation of $ 100,000 to kick off the giveback campaign and matching program .
The NAMM U Business track brought together top minds to offer actionable strategies , tactics , and best practices for music retailers and brands . In the Audio Production and Technology track , sessions for recording , live sound , house of worship professionals , and music technologists dove into the latest tools , tips , and innovations while also exploring the landscape of new technology .
NAMM ’ S JOE LAMOND & MELISSA ETHERIDGE ON BELIEVE TV
A suite of sessions curated by ESTA ( the Entertainment Services and Technology Association ), among others , offered professionals a range of knowledge and credit opportunities in the Entertainment Technology track , while the Artist track covered the new music industry landscape and tips for success . Finally , the NAMM Foundation delivered programming for music and arts advocates , non-profit management , and music education professionals .
David Glaubke , director of corporate communications for Harman International , says about the event , “ Believe in Music Week is a brilliant use of technology that brings forward programs and products to individuals who might not ordinarily have the opportunity to attend the show . While we wish we are all together in Anaheim , we are pleased that NAMM was committed to delivering the best possible experience .” The Believe in Music platform will remain open to registrants until Feb . 28 , 2021 . For more information , go to www . namm . org or attend . believeinmusic . tv .