Billy Corgan Shines at the 41st NAMM TEC Awards

Attending the TEC (Technical Excellence and Creativity) Awards at NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) for the first time was nothing short of impressive. From the seamless stage production to the pristine audio, every detail reflected the excellence the awards are known for. Now in its 41st year, the TEC Awards stand as one of the most prestigious honors in the pro audio and sound recording industry—celebrating the technologies and creative minds that shape how the world experiences sound.

Each year, the awards spotlight the most outstanding achievements across music production, live performance, film, television, video games, and multimedia. Presented by NAMM, the TEC Awards recognize the innovators, companies, and visionaries behind the soundtracks of our lives.

The 41st Annual NAMM TEC Awards returned to the Hilton Anaheim’s Pacific Ballroom on Thursday, January 22, during the 2026 NAMM Show, with globally acclaimed drummer Queen Cora Coleman—powerhouse percussionist for Prince and Beyoncé—hosting the evening.

One of the night’s biggest highlights came during the finale, as The Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan was honored with the 2026 TEC Innovation Award, recognizing his lasting impact on music, creativity, and sonic innovation.

Corgan took a reflective and heartfelt moment on stage while accepting the TEC Innovation Award at NAMM, sharing a personal story about his early days in music, the legends who influenced him, and the technology that continues to shape his sound:

“Appreciate this. It’s very kind. I started The Smashing Pumpkins, and there was a local guy, Mark, who had a basement studio with an Atari 16-track and a Tascam Scorpion board. Anybody remember the Tascam Scorpion board? I’m sure somebody’s making a plug-in of it as I’m talking.

That’s where we made the first demos that got us our record deal. I love Mark — he’s a great guy — and he changed my life. One day we were in his basement studio listening to something we recorded, and I touched the board. He said, ‘No, you don’t touch the board. I’m the engineer. You’re the artist.’ He learned that’s not something you say to someone like me. So I began to learn the art of recording.

Butch Vig, Alan Moulder, Roy Thomas Baker — and I was lucky enough to work with the great Sylvia Massy, who’s sitting up here today. So my story is thank you. Thank you for making the things that inspire us to make our music, that push us to chase down these crazy dreams. Right? And to the pedal makers, the app makers, the plug-in makers — thank you.

You know, it’s a very interesting thing. I have a lot of vintage gear. I remember someone pulling up a Teletronix plug-in, and I said, ‘Well, I have the real thing right there.’ And they said, ‘Well, that doesn’t work anymore.’ I don’t know if there’s a story in that, but let’s just say it’s been amazing. The technological advancements have been very inspiring to me as an artist, and I look forward to seeing what you do next.

Thank you for this great honor.”