Fender Next 2020: 25 Global Artists Expanding the World of Guitar

Fender Next is Fender’s artist development program, designed to support emerging artists that are moving guitar forward in music and culture.

In 2020, Fender has partnered with 25 artists of diverse genres, nationalities and identities for the program from a pool of thousands of submissions. Over the course of the year, Fender provide these artists with gear and support to showcase their work, amplify their voice and introduce their music to new fans.

"We work with over 2,000 artists, and supporting and servicing artist needs first has long been at the core of our artist marketing efforts," said Fender Vice President of Artist and Integrated Marketing Matt Watts. "We wanted to develop a program that was our flag in the ground and say, 'We are making a commitment to artists through product, marketing support, public relations strategies and other areas to hopefully move the needle for them.'"

Last year, Fender Next artists achieved great success, from Ashley McBryde's crowning as Artist of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards to King Princess's acclaimed debut album release and subsequent performance on Saturday Night Live.

This year, Austin soul rock band Black Pumas, New Orleans R&B songstress Ambré and Australian producer Running Touch are just a few of the names who will be featured.

"The music industry has dramatically evolved in the last 10 years - from the diversity of artists, genre and new inventive usage of guitar to streaming service platforms, labels, social media and the emergence of accessible recording via home studios," said Fender CMO Evan Jones. "Guitar is healthier than ever before and being used in more inventive ways by an increasingly diverse set of artists across genres.

"The Fender brand voice is the sum total of the artists and players that create with our products. So, as a global company whose products are represented on countless albums and stages around the world, we decided that it was time to make a deeper, long-term commitment to elevate and amplify artists that are moving music forward today.

We have and will continue to invest in artists across every aspect of our marketing mix, but this program just deepens that ongoing commitment to a growing allegiance of artists keeping guitar at the forefront of music and culture."

Find out more about the program and meet the artists here.