MMR recently sent out a survey to over 1,000 subscribers to get some feedback on the state of the drum and percussion retail market and… the results are not pretty. Half of the participants in this poll report that sales are down compared to 2013, with an equal percentage saying that low-end sales are where the motion is for their business. There are some regional differences played out in the responses we received regarding trends in the market, but overall it seems like times are tough for this segment. Or, as Larry Miller of Mansfield, Ohio’s Metronome Music puts it: “What’s to say? Drum sales stink.”
Compared to this time last year, your drum & percussion sales are…
Worst year ever for acoustic drums. Accessories do great. We won’t be carrying kits anymore. They take up too much real estate that can go to keyboards. Keyboard sales are through the roof. Other dealers we work with pretty much say the same thing.
Chris Carusos
Georgia Music Warehouse
Savannah, Ga.
Craigslist has stolen most sales and profit margins are too low to stock enough to be a destination shop.
David Chandler
Kentucky Music Co.
Bowling Green, Ky.
What’s to say? Drum sales stink. If I knew the answer, sales wouldn’t be down.
Larry Miller
Metronome Music, Inc.
Mansfield, Ohio
Our drum sales remain fairly consistent from year to year, although we would love to see more young players get involved in drumming. It’s more costly on the average, than say… playing guitar, and a lot of parents shudder at the thought of their child playing percussion, so those are a couple things that keep more drummers from starting to play. With good, affordable digital drums on the market now, we try to suggest that [option] in hopes of encouraging more people to play drums. As we know, good drummers are hard to find anywhere in the country. And drummers aren’t usually like guitarists, for instance, who may have six or seven of their given instrument at home, so that slows sales, and the pro guys save up and buy their dream kit and that’s it!
Jake Biggerstaff
Strings Attached Music
West Plains, Mo.
What price points are doing best for your operation?
“Overall, the drum business has been soft for a few years.”
– Spidey Mulrooney
The Music Shop
What genre of music is driving the most “new customer” traffic to your drums & percussion department in 2013?
What larger trends have you been noticing in the market, with respect to drums
and related gear?
I would have to say cymbals and cymbal companies. The O-Zone cymbal and other non-traditional type cymbals have sparked the interest of a lot of drummers to enhance and expand their sound sources while bringing attention to their setup. And the best part about it is that it can be done for for couple hundred dollars or less.
John Spinelli
Seminole Music & Sound • Seminole, Fla.
[We’re] doing well with used sets and cymbals. We see less foot traffic each year. Drum lessons holding steady. Overall, the drum business has been soft for a few years. Hand-held percussion and Latin percussion is also slowing down.
Spidey Mulrooney
The Music Shop • Southington, Conn.
Cymbal buyers are looking for high quality and low price, [so] they’re willing to try new brands. Gong buyers are looking for high-end and big.
Andrew Borakove
Gongs Unlimited • Lincoln, Neb.
A vast majority of our drum set sales are to beginners. We have a lesson program with 50 drum students and encourage all to purchase electronic drum sets. And several independent drum teachers in our town feel the same way and refer their students to buy electronic kits from us.
Britt Cawthon
Captal Music Center • Austin, Texas
Most percussion is going into the realm of MIDI triggering and beat machines.
Santino Rumore
Paragon Music • Tampa, Fla.
Very small jazz kits or sets with large bass drums have been selling very well. Drum sets with a 22” or 24” bass drum has been slow unless it is a vintage set in a rare finish.
Rusty Olson
Rockhaus • Milwaukee, Wis.
It seems like there is less excitement about new products. Maybe because big box stores have a big sale every other weekend, and continuously change which brands they throw their weight behind.
Doug Maenhoudt
Metro Music • Memphis, Tenn.
