The 2026 NAMM Show to Feature World-Renowned Lineup of Award-Winning Artists at Signature Events

I am very much looking forward to the 2026 NAMM Show arriving in Anaheim later this month. I hope to see many of you there! Check out the latest news as it relates to the music-focused event courtesy of the media release that arrived in my inbox today...Robert Kinsler

The 2026 NAMM Show to Feature World-Renowned Lineup of Award-Winning Artists at Signature Events 

 
Show Appearances Include The Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Green Day’s Mike Dirnt, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, Primus’ Les Claypool, Molly Tuttle and Many More 

 

CARLSBAD, CALIF., January 12, 2026 – NAMM (The National Association of Music Merchants), the largest global not-for-profit music trade organization, will celebrate 125 years by spotlighting an extraordinary roster of globally recognized artists to appear and perform throughout the NAMM campus at The 2026 NAMM Show, held January 20-24, 2026, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif. 

 

Molly Tuttle will perform at Global Media
Day (Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026).
Photo courtesy of the artist

It will kick off Wednesday, Jan. 21 with Global Media Day, an exclusive media/creator-only event showcasing the industry’s latest in innovative product from brands around the world. The event will open with a full-throttle rock performance by The Runarounds, a five-piece alt-rock band that’s the center of the Prime Video series, The Runarounds. Global Media Day will also feature critically acclaimed artist Margaret Glaspy and two-time GRAMMY® winner and Best New Artist nominee Molly Tuttle. 

 

On Thursday, Jan. 22, Billy Corgan, founding member and frontman of GRAMMY® Award-winning band The Smashing Pumpkins, will be honored with the 2025 TEC Innovation Award at the 41st Annual NAMM TEC Awards. Renowned for his visionary approach to guitar-driven sound, experimental production and expansive creative output as a solo artist, producer, author, entrepreneur and advocate, Corgan has influenced generations of musicians and audio professionals. The TEC Awards will be hosted by globally recognized drummer Queen Cora Coleman. 

 

The biggest night of bass returns with the 2026 Bass Magazine Awards at The Observatory in Santa Ana, California on January 22nd, 2026. This year’s award recipients are packed full of legends who will be performing including Mike Dirnt of Green Day, Les Claypool of Primus, Marcus Miller (Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock), Laura Lee of Khraungbin, and Blu DeTiger. Presenters include Robert Trujillo of Metallica, Justin Chancellor of Tool, Mark Hoppus of Blink-182, Derrick Hodge, Victor Wooten, and more to be revealed. Additional performances will include Stu Hamm, Vincen Garcia, Scott Mulvahill, and Pops Magellan. 

 

Bass Magazine is excited to announce the first surprise performance reveal in welcoming Primus to the stage for an action-packed set in our intimate venue. Stay tuned in the next week for the rest of the performance reveals that you won’t want to miss. Get your tickets now while they’re still available. www.bassmagazineawards.com  

 

On Friday, Jan. 23, the Yamaha Grand Plaza Stage will once again light up with the Yamaha All-Star Concert on the Grand — a genre-spanning celebration of rising stars and critically acclaimed performers that has amazed and delighted the crowd for years. 

 

The current lineup for Friday features a dynamic mix of performers, with additional acts to be announced soon. It includes: 

 

• The War and Treaty, a critically acclaimed husband and wife duo and Grammy nominees known for their powerhouse vocals and genre-defying sound. 
• Alana Springsteen, a GOLD-certified, chart-topping artist-songwriter and one of Nashville’s breakout stars. 
• Sheléa, a vocal powerhouse, musician and songwriter and Quincy Jones protégé, celebrated for her soulful interpretations and global performances. 
• Ethan Bortnick, a piano prodigy turned viral alternative sensation who blends classical skill with Gen Z appeal. 

 

Also on Friday, the She Rocks Awards will present its annual awards event honoring Carnie Wilson. Wilson, an actress, talk show host, reality show personality and member of iconic pop trio Wilson Phillips, continues to impact popular music through her lifelong creative work, live performances, recording projects and advocacy. Singer-songwriter Margaret Glaspy will also be honored. The event supports the Women’s International Music Network’s mission to connect, amplify and celebrate women across all facets of the music industry. 

 

On Saturday, Jan. 24, NAMM kicks off its final day with a blowout celebration at the annual Grand Rally for Music Education. This NAMM U Breakfast Session event unites educators, students, advocates and industry leaders for the organization’s flagship celebration of the power and importance of music education. Joining NAMM President and CEO John Mlynczak will be Chad Smith, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and longtime advocate for music education, and Victor Wooten, the five-time GRAMMY® Award-winning bassist, educator and author, whose work has inspired generations of players and students. The Grand Rally reaffirms NAMM’s and The NAMM Foundation’s commitment to expanding access to music education and supporting the next generation of creators. 

 

For more information about The 2026 NAMM Show, event schedules and registration, please visit www.namm.org. 

Day 1 at NAMM 2014: Jonny Lang, Blue Öyster Cult, Shawn Jones, Alana Springsteen, more

While NAMM certainly offers a great place to discover the latest innovations in music making-related technology and the rollout of new instruments, it is also a wonderful way to catch established and up-and-comers performing in front of the most discerning of audiences.

Day 1 at the 2014 NAMM Show (Jan. 23, 2014) offered the chance to see established acts such as Jonny Lang and Blue Oyster Cult, as well as talented under-the-radar and rising stars. Believe me, this post will not be the last time you hear the name Alana Springsteen.

Jonny Lang in sonic flight at NAMM. Photo: Robert Kinsler

Jonny Lang brought his powerful fusion of blues-rock, soul and gospel to the official opening night concert held on the GoPro stage on the outdoor plaza positioned in front of the Anaheim Convention Center. His 90-minute set was another ideal setting for the 32-year-old artist to make a case to celebrate the power of blues-rock. Opening with "(Blew Up) The House," the single from his latest album Fight for my Soul, Lang and his band fired up the chilly evening with his distinctive mix of powerful vocals (notably on "Turn Around" and "Red Light") and blazing guitar work that just keeps getting better (as evidenced by "A Quitter Never Wins"). He closed out his concert with the jam-minded "We Are the Same" (with several of his band mates featured) before offering up a Muddy Waters cover, "Forty Days and Forty Nights," as a fitting encore.

Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser of Blue Öyster Cult . 
Photo: Robert Kinsler

Blue Öyster Cult is not known as an acoustic band, so the curiosity factor was palpable when the band took the stage inside Peavey's booth armed only with acoustic guitars. With the Peavey booth (actually a large room on the second level of the convention center) having a capacity of only 200, many fans simply couldn't get into the showcase if they didn't arrive early for the 2 p.m. set. BÖC didn't disappoint; lead singer-guitarist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser led the classic rock outfit through fiery acoustic versions of some of the band's most beloved material. Opening with the 1981 hit "Burnin' for You," it was clear that Roeser's talents on guitar translated just fine to via the unplugged setting, and harmonies provided by Eric Bloom and Richie Castellano brought the ambitious songs (which have always featured a mix of progressive and hard rock strains) to life. The crowd positioned right up against the stage greeted the announcement the band was going to play "Then Came the Last Days of May" (off the group's 1972 debut) with wild cheers, and the masterwork allowed the group to flex its musical muscles in full; the song's shifting tempos, blend of sterling guitar work from Roeser and Castellano, and lush textures of all three guitars together was outstanding.

From left, Alex Skolnick with Blue Öyster Cult members Eric
Bloom, Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser and Richie Castellano.

BÖC had still one other surprise for the fortunate gathering, with the announcement that lead guitarist Alex Skolnick (of the pioneering metal band Testament) was going to join the band for their final song. With four talented guitarists on stage, "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" was given the ultimate NAMM treatment with an extended version that featured Skolnick and Roeser trading licks, and the crowd getting in on the act with a sing-along of the "Don't Fear the Reaper" chorus.

Shawn Jones frequently performs in Orange County, but his appearance at the GHS Strings booth was something special. He performed instrumental versions of four of his original songs, showcasing his chops that are frequently on display as lead guitarist for singer Deana Carter (including on her just-released album Southern Way of Life). At NAMM, Jones  showcased his love of the blues with a potent take on "Bottom of the Bottle" and a nuanced, graceful version of the Celtic-styled "Missing the Mourns" featuring some beautiful harmonics.

Alana Springsteen at NAMM. Photo: Robert Kinsler

There was nothing short of genuine surprise and awe when 13-year-old Alana Springsteen began to perform her song "Waste of Time" in the lobby of the Anaheim Marriott. She had been invited to participate in a "Song Round" performance with well-known area artists Tim Moyer and Kerry Getz. After Springsteen (no relation to the Boss) played her first song, it was clear her shining soprano, effortless acoustic guitar work and warm personality are a potent package. She was then instructed she should play another song which was equally powerful and cast an obvious spell on the large crowd seated around the stage. She was then told by the veterans sharing the stage she should go ahead and just play her songs for the remainder of the session.

Her next songs provided a glimpse that Springsteen's talent is for real and the depth of her collective talents clearly outdistance her youth. The Norfolk, Virginia native closed her set with the original ballad, "What I Wouldn't Give," which featured her textured acoustic guitar work and a powerful lyrical message of thanks to the military. She was then given a standing ovation, something that I can't recall seeing happen in the intimate afternoon showcases that feature top-tier songwriters from around the world during NAMM. 

Although I never checked in with the media folks to see what other surprises were at NAMM, I did literally walk into Vintage Trouble guitarist Nalle Colt, whose band blew away this writer in an afternoon set at Coachella last year. He broke the news that the band will be going back into the studio later this month to begin work on their sophomore album and followup to 2012's The Bomb Shelter Sessions.