Oh, boy – here we go… the 2024 MMR Dealers’ Choice Awards (DCA) nomination form is now live! I give you: https://rb.gy/1qdpjg
Anyone in MI is eligible to suggest products, companies, and instruments for nomination in the 2024 DCA ballot. You can nominate your favorite guitars, mixers, cases, trumpets, audio interfaces, et cetera, whether you’re an active MMR subscriber or not – although why on earth wouldn’t you be? It’s free to all qualified folks in the industry, after all! (head on over to www.mmrmagazine.com and click on the, get ready to be shocked, the “Subscribe to MMR Magazine!” tab – and you can vote for your choices as often as you please! If you’re an MI supplier and feel your new product or instrument is especially deserving of attention, get all your employees and your entire dealer network to nominate you!
Important reminder about the DCA categories:
- If the category contains the word, “Line,” such as “Band & Orchestra Line of the Year,” then we’re only looking for a brand name (line) — not a specific instrument model.
- If the category doesn’t contain the word, “Line,” such as “Electric Guitar of the Year,” then we ARE looking for a specific model.
In October, the actual DCA ballot will go live. During voting for the ultimate winners of this now 32-year old(!) annual celebration of the best in MI, only active subscribers to MMR are eligible to vote, but for the three-month-long nomination process, it’s open season, so: let your voice be heard!
The Dealers’ Choice Awards are uniquely singular in the realm of “MI industry awards” because of the very conceipt of the honors. I have nothing to do with selecting the winners, publisher Mike Lawson doesn’t fudge the numbers to favor favorite brands, and our sales staff doesn’t influence any of the final decisions. As someone who’s worked and written for plenty of other publications and sites, trust me: that is absolutely not the norm. Not trying to throw shade, but shade be thrown, man. Look through past years’ winners (or this year’s, once decided) – and, inevitably, some of the wins in the biggest categories go to folks who don’t really have much (if any!) of a business/advertising relationship with this magazine. You all, the people who are actually driving the MI retail trade, decide what instruments, brands, and musical gear are the standouts for this calendar year. It’s a lot of work to go through all of the input – lots of people participate (we love it!) in both the nomination and final voting process – but the Dealers’ Choice Awards remain one of the most rewarding aspects of this gig for me. The DCAs are real, honest, and ever-changing. You, reading this column in this issue of MMR, can help shape this year’s results. I said it a couple paragraphs above and I have no shame in repeating myself: LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!
We look forward to announcing the official DCA nominees this fall!
