NAMM Sees Positive Signs Ahead for Music Products Industry

CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of last month's record-breaking NAMM Show, the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) today announced its anticipated schedule of activities for 2011. Demonstrating that the universal passion for music making is at an all-time high, NAMM reported a three percent increase in attendance from last year's trade-only music products trade show, setting a new record of 90,114 registered attendees. The 109-year-old trade show also saw a two percent rise in international attendees with more than 10,000 attendees hailing from overseas, and more than 1,400 exhibitors.

At the 2011 event, talk on the NAMM Show floor was positive with industry leaders forecasting a strong and vibrant year for the industry and providing business tips and insight for success in today's marketplace.

"A lot of people, like us, have focused their business," said Jon Rooff of Dean Markley Strings, Inc. "We've focused our business back on what we do best and a lot of the stores have done that, and that's how they've survived economically. For our company in particular, we're looking at probably 20 to 30 percent growth this year."

Also growing is consumers' desire to take music lessons according to new data from TakeLessons.com, the country's largest lesson provider who recently reported a 71 percent increase in their business over last year.

National Wanna Play Music Week

NAMM's ongoing nationwide Wanna Play? public awareness campaign is dedicated to increasing the understanding about the proven benefits of playing musical instruments for people of all ages. From May 2-6, 2011, NAMM will help celebrate the fifth annual National Wanna Play Music Week in the United States. The week kicks off with "Music Monday," a tradition begun by the Coalition for Music Education in Canada that encourages musicians, music organizations, school bands and music lovers everywhere to play music at the same time, thus demonstrating the galvanizing power of making music. Other activities that week aim to raise awareness and inspire people of all ages and talent to get involved in playing music, from taking lessons to purchasing their first instrument or music software. For more information about the Wanna Play? campaign and to get involved, interested parties can visit www.wannaplaymusic.com.

Summer NAMM

The annual summer industry gathering will be held in Nashville, Tenn., July 21-23, 2011. Continuing the industry's work to introduce more people to the benefits and fun of playing music, Wanna Play Day on Saturday will be open to the public. For more information about the 2011 Summer NAMM event, interested parties can visit www.namm.org/summer/2011.  

The Benefits of Playing Musical Instruments

Research suggests that interest in playing music is at an all-time-high. More people are currently playing music and own musical instruments than have in the last decade, despite challenges to music education programs nationwide.  According to a recent NAMM Gallup poll on the Public Attitudes Toward Music, the majority of Americans completely or mostly agree that benefits for children and teenagers playing musical instruments include:

• Helping a child develop creativity(97 percent total, 59 percent completely and 38 mostly agree)
• Helping develop teamwork skills from playing in a school band (96 percent total,
• 51 percent completely and 45 percent mostly agree)
• Helping a child's overall intellectual development (94 percent total,
• 45 percent completely and 49 percent mostly agree)
• Relieving stress and providing relaxation, which is needed during these troubled economic times (94 percent with half completely agreeing)
• Helping make friends (93 percent total with 42 percent completely agreeing)
• Helping prepare them to be creative and innovative in the workforce
• (91 percent total, 42 percent completely and 49 percent mostly agree)
• Yielding better grades, teaching discipline, motivating them to stay in school
• (88 percent total, 36 percent completely and 52  percent mostly agree)
• Making you smarter (83 percent total with 37 percent completely agreeing)

Additional study highlights on America's attitude toward playing music:

• Nearly all (96 percent) of respondents in the survey believe musical skills can be learned at any age
• Most (92 percent) completely (56 percent) or mostly (36 percent) agree that schools should offer music as part of the regular curriculum
• Eight in ten completely (43 percent) or mostly (37 percent) agree that music education should be mandated by states
• Most (87 percent) completely (47 percent) or strongly (40 percent) agree that music is a very important part of their life
• Eighty-five percent who do not play a musical instrument say they wish they had learned to play
• Seven in 10 (69 percent) report they would like to learn to play a musical instrument
• The majority  (64 percent) of respondents completely (45 percent) or strongly
• (19 percent) agree they would be more likely to participate in music-making, if scientific research found that it improved their health
• Most that don't play a musical instrument say time (40 percent) and too many other interests/conflicts (26 percent) are the biggest barriers to playing music
• For kids, time and related issues again seem to be a major challenge with competing activities such as sports (19 percent), video games (14 percent) and extracurricular activities (14 percent) leading the list of barriers to children learning to play music

During these tough economic times when music education nationwide is often threatened, this report confirms that it is more important than ever to ensure everyone can enjoy the proven benefits of music, especially youth. 

About NAMM

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).

SOURCE National Association of Music Merchants