Music China 2025 Wraps with New Paths for Industry Change
Post-Music China Reportage of its recent 22nd edition in Shanghai, China.
Post-Music China Reportage of its recent 22nd edition in Shanghai, China.
Music China's Exhibition Hall 2025. Image courtesy of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd
The 22nd edition of Music China wrapped up after four dynamic days at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, bringing together business, creativity, and conversation from 22–25 October.
The fair welcomed around 1,700 exhibitors and more than 114,000 visitors from 121 countries and regions, marking a 15% year-on-year rise in international participation.
Strong overseas attendance once again confirmed Music China’s pull as a global meeting point for the music community. Beyond the exhibition floor, over 600 fringe events, including workshops, forums, and talks, explored everything from music technology and emerging markets to music healing and senior wellness.
Reflecting on the fair’s conclusion, Judy Cheung, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, remarked: “At the crossroads of industry evolution, we are delighted to see how Music China 2025 continued to inspire and connect businesses, professionals, and music lovers from around the world. The level of engagement and exchange across the show floor underscored the fair’s enduring role in shaping the future of music. By facilitating innovation and partnership, and giving fairgoers avenues to explore high-potential growth areas, we remain committed to supporting the industry’s progress and adaptation to ever-changing market needs.”
Fostering global collaboration across the music ecosystem
The fair’s global appeal was reinforced by the diverse participation of exhibitors from 28 countries and regions, including 10 country pavilions, as well as a wide-ranging visitor turnout from key markets. Top visitor countries and regions included Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and the US.
For many returning exhibitors, Music China remains a strategic annual touchpoint with a global impact, as noted by Colin Schofield, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at JodyJazz Inc from the US: “Despite recent market dips, we are confident that growth will rebound. The show’s value extends far beyond China, allowing us to support local distributors while connecting with potential partners from across the region – including Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Australia, and India.”
The fair also proved instrumental for domestic market entry, as Steele Turkington, Owner of Kentville Drums from Australia, offered insights into their astonishing success: “Music China provided an ideal gateway to introduce our products and connect with Chinese customers. On the first day alone, we made contacts with several performers and boutique store owners. The quality of visitors has been exceptional, enabling us to set a solid foothold in this vast market.”
Music technology and next-generation gear take centre stage
The north halls, in particular “Tomorrow’s Music” in Hall N3, shone a spotlight on smart instruments and music production equipment, highlighting the expanding technological applications in music creation.
This trend was further reflected in the award-winning products of the New Product Global Launch 2025, where over 60% of the “Best New Products of the Year” belonged to the categories of electric and electronic instruments as well as music-making tools, including a stringless guitar by Enya Music.
Visitors waxed lyrical about the forward-thinking theme. Speaking to the growing importance of technological innovation, Iain Wilson, Managing Director of the International Business Centre, an OEM and ODM manufacturer for global guitar and accessory brands from the UK, commented: “Innovation is critical. Companies like Donner and Enya, for example, are showing visionary product lines that can push the industry into new territories. It is very encouraging and inspiring to visit Music China and discover the advancements.”
This tech-driven environment fostered a wealth of new sourcing options. Visiting the fair for the first time, Davidson Lynch Shyllon (widely known as SILVASTONE), director of White Hut Studios and member of the British Recorded Music Industry delegation, revealed: “Music China is colossal and truly inspirational. It is the place to discover innovative music technology and brands we had not heard of in London. I found fantastic, compact, and high-quality recording equipment like monitors, speakers, and wireless microphones, which perfectly meets our needs.”
One of the must-sees for his delegation was the debut of the International Music Expo (IMX) area in Hall N3. There, forward-looking technologies were spotlighted through product showcases and discussions delving into emerging fields like AI, Web3, and next-generation copyright frameworks. This marked Music China’s first strategic partnership with IMX, uniting the platform’s focus on music technology and innovation with the fair’s vast network of manufacturers, educators, distributors, and creators.
The impact of smart technologies was further elaborated on at the Future Music Technology and International MIDI Technology Development Forum. A speaker at the forum, Shichuan Luo, General Manager of Popu Music from China, noted: “AI is now driving the transition of digital music from traditional acoustic and electronic instruments to intelligent ones. Notably, visitors to Music China have expanded beyond music professionals to include AI scientists, DSP engineers and music technology enthusiasts, who actively explore ways to lower instrumental learning barriers.”
Technology drives greater accessibility and inclusivity in music
Meanwhile, technology is also redefining the way people create and learn music. The move towards greater accessibility captured attention across the fairground, where upgraded tools are breaking down traditional barriers and making quality music education more personalised and inclusive.
Athan Billias, Executive Board Member of The MIDI Association from the US, highlighted their inclusive design approach: “Our MIDI zone is centred on innovations designed to make music accessible to everyone, and the response has been phenomenal. More importantly, these tools are engineered for inclusivity, enabling individuals with visual impairments or limited mobility to play via touch or even foot movements.”
Underlining the shift towards accessible offerings, exhibitor Adam Deedman, AI Engineer at UK-based SymphoMe, shared: “Our AI Piano Tutor provides personalised feedback on mistakes just like a real-life instructor, while adapting to each student’s progress, which makes quality music education more accessible than before. We are particularly excited by the Chinese market’s strong response to such innovations, which confirms the growing demand for tech-driven learning solutions.”
Vibrant fringe events shed light on emerging potential of music for wellbeing
In support of the industry’s progression, Music China’s fringe programme moved beyond traditional demand drivers this year, tapping into music wellness and the senior economy – the latter a sector projected to grow from USD 974 billion to USD 4.2 trillion by 2035 in China. [1]
The inaugural series of Golden Harmonies: A Musical Journey for Seniors featured a presentation by Ms Rong Chen, Associate Professor of Music Education at Shanghai Conservatory of Music, who shared tailored teaching strategies designed to support the emotional and physical wellbeing of the elderly: “Music China enables us to explore emerging areas like the silver economy in music therapy with both academic rigour and market relevance. By promoting socially meaningful music education, we are set to transform playing music from a professional skill into a healthy lifestyle that enhances public wellbeing and social harmony.”
Echoing music’s growing potential for wider applications, Ms Yi Qin, Associate Professor of Music Engineering at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, explored the synergy between AI and music therapy at the debut Global Forum on Music, AI and Health: “Nowadays, music therapy, already rising in demand, has the opportunity to leverage AI and enter the mainstream. Through workshops tailored for the youth, elderly cognitive intervention, and public stress relief, we aim to unveil its practical application and foster a broader understanding of music therapy.”
These initiatives, alongside the Music and Wellness+ series and Music Healing Experience Workshop, affirm Music China’s dedication to charting new commercial pathways and driving innovation, keeping the industry resilient and forward-looking.
Music China is organised by Messe Frankfurt, the China Musical Instrument Association and Shanghai Intex Exhibition Co Ltd. The next edition will be held from 28 to 31 October 2026.
[1] The State Council, The People’s Republic of China, http://bit.ly/4nmTnW3. Published on 9 March, 2024
