NUX NeXt Global Guitar Contest (20th Anniversary Edition）
NUX NeXt – The Search for the X
Every note is the next step, and every guitarist carries a universe of sound. But today, music can be fabricated. Algorithms generate solos. Machines mimic emotion. The stage has never been more crowded, yet authenticity has never been rarer.
We know somewhere out there, beyond the familiar, lies the next, the player who wants to share with us of what a human’s guitar can say.
We call this search NUX NeXt.
This year, NUX turns 20. Two decades of shaping sound, building tools for creators, and walking alongside real artists around the globe.
To celebrate, we are uniting the friends, the artists, and the believers we’ve met along the way, and launching a brand‑new series: the NUX NeXt Global Guitar Contest.
Prize Preview
Live performance in Music China 2026
MG-50Li
Modeler & Profiler
Amp Academy Stomp
Horseman
B-7 PRO
2.4GHz Professional Wireless In-Ear Monitor System
B-8
AXON 3
Artists of Judging Panel
Avedis Mutter
Az Samad
Cella
GaoFunk
潘高峰
George Yeh
葉宇峻
Igor Paspalj
Jon Gomm
Katsunari Takizawa
瀧澤克成
Kenji Suzuki
鈴木健治
Neogeofanatic
Phil Short
Rob Chapman
Shape Your Tone
Sony Ismail
Silas Fernandes
Vinai T
Official Rules
1. Eligibility
• Age: All ages welcome (minors require parental or legal guardian consent).
• Location: Open to participants worldwide.
• Submission rule:
• Contestants are required to follow one of NUX’s official accounts on Instagram or YouTube.
• Contestants may submit or resubmit their video any number of times before the deadline. The last submission received will be the official entry.
• Round 1 are open for all participants.
• People’s Choice Awards are open for all Round 1 submissions.
• Round 2 will select the top 3 awards from the top 20 highest-scored participants in Round 1.
• Judges’ Choice Awards are an extra Round 2 award open for all new entries, even if you do not participate or qualify from Round 1 (excluding the final top 3 contestants).
• Gear requirements: NUX products are not required, but using them gives a scoring bonus (see section 4.1).
2. Contest Schedule (Round 2 schedule subject to adjustment as needed)
Phase | Dates | Details |
Round 1 Backing Track provided by Igor Paspalj | May 1 – June 30, 2026 | Use backing track A to record your video submission |
Round 1 (Judging) | July 1 – July 15 | Global representative artist panel scores the final videos |
Top 20 & People’s Choice Award announced | July 15 | Posted on official website & social media |
Round 2 | July 16 – July 31 | Use backing track B to record your video submission |
Round 2 (Judging) | August 1 – August 15 | NUX featured artist panel scores the final videos |
Top 3 & Judges’ Choice Award announced | August 15 | Posted on official website & social media |
Music China 2026 | October 28 – October 31 | Grand champion performs live in Shanghai |
3. Video Submission Requirements
• Length: The backing track is approx. 90 seconds. Your video must match the track exactly without any unnecessary extending.
• Content: You must perform an original or improvised melody over the provided backing track. Copying existing song phrases is not allowed.
• Visuals: Your face and hands must be clearly visible throughout the performance to ensure authenticity. You must also include the watermark overlay provided by NUX here on your videos.
• Branding: While the use of non-NUX products is not strictly prohibited, contestants are encouraged to feature NUX products in their videos. The primary focus of the submission should remain on the musical performance.
• Upload platform: Post your video on any social media platform (YouTube, Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok, Bilibili, Rednote, WeChat Channels, etc.) and must include the hashtag #nux and #nuxnext. Videos without this hashtag will be considered invalid.
• Naming: The submitted video should be named as the following format: “NUX NeXt Global Guitar Contest 2026, Round 1/2｜Your Name“. For example, participant Jack’s Round 1 video should be named as such: “NUX NeXt Global Guitar Contest 2026, Round 1｜Jack”.
• How to submit: Fill out the entry form at the end of the Rules. In your Round 1 submission form, specify one social media link (the one you want to be counted for the “People’s Choice” award – see section 4.2).
4. Judging Rules
4.1 Round 1
• Judging panel
• Representative artists worldwide
• Scoring process
• Each panel member scores the video based on the criteria setting.
• The average score of all representatives is calculated.
• Scoring Criteria
• Total possible score: 100 points (see below).
• Bonus Points: +5 points if any NUX product is clearly visible in the video.
• Results:
• Top 20 determined by total scores.
• 3 People’s Choice Awards.
| Category | Weight | Points |
| Technique | 30% | 30 |
| Musicality & Creativity | 30% | 30 |
| Stage presence / Expression | 20% | 20 |
| Video production quality | 20% | 20 |
| Total | 100% | 100 |
4.2 People’s Choice Award (Round 1, 3 Winners in total)
• How it works:Based on the number of likes on the contestant’s video from one single social media platform of their choice. The winners of this award are determined independently and not overlapping with the Top 20 finalists.
• Which platform: One of YouTube, Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok, Bilibili, Rednote, WeChat Channels. But you must specify the one and only link in your submission email. NUX will count likes only from that platform.
4.3 Round 2
• Judging panel: NUX featured artists.
• Scoring approach: The same scoring criteria as the Round 1, applied by the NUX artist panel.
• Results:
• 1st, 2nd, 3rd place determined by total scores.
• 5 Judges’ Choice Awards.
4.4 Judges’ Choice Awards (Round 2, 5 winners in total)
• How it works: Based on Round 2 judge artists’ personal favorite performances outside of the top 3. They can be either from top 20, or from any entry, even if you do not participate or qualify from Round 1.
• Note: This award requires all participants to submit their videos using backing track B following Round 2 timeline.
5. Prizes
Award | Quantity | Prize |
Grand Champion | 1 | – NUX will arrange and cover the winner’s travel to Music China 2026 – Live performance in Music China 2026 – MG-50Li + B-8 + B-7PRO – Become a NUX Artist |
2nd Place | 1 | – MG-50Li + B-8 + B-7PRO |
3rd Place | 1 | – MG-50Li + AXON 3 |
Top 20 Finalists | 20 | – 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Horseman pedal – 20th Anniversary merch pack (t-shirt, picks, stickers, etc.) |
Judges’ Choice Awards (Round 2 only) | 5 | – Amp Academy Stomp |
People’s Choice Award (Round 1 only) | 3 | – 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Horseman pedal – 20th Anniversary merch pack (t-shirt, picks, stickers, etc.) |
6. Intellectual Property & License
• By submitting your video, you grant NUX a worldwide, non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free license to use it for contest promotion, display, compilations, and related marketing.
• You retain copyright of your original performance, but the backing track remains the property of NUX. NUX reserves the right to use snippets of the original melodies submitted by contestants in promotional materials.
7. Others
• Appeals: If you disagree with the results, you may email contest@cherub.cn within 7 days of the announcement. NUX’s decision is final.
• Disqualification: Any form of cheating (pre-recorded non-live audio, stolen video, illegal or offensive content) will lead to disqualification and forfeiture of prizes.
• Shipping cost: The shipping cost of all prizes delivered will be covered by NUX. Any customs duties, taxes, or other fees incurred during prize delivery shall be borne solely by the winner.
• Rule changes: NUX reserves the right to modify the schedule or details if necessary. Major changes will be announced in advance.
Good luck to all contestants!
#nux #nuxnext
For any questions or appeals: contest@cherub.cn