Blog Post
Every year on June 21, Make Music Day reminds us that music has the power to bring people together. This year, HARMAN celebrated that spirit around the world as employees came together through music, movement, and community. As part of JBL's 80th Anniversary, the global celebration embraced the theme, “Powering What's Next”, showing how music continues to inspire connection across every region where HARMAN operates.
For Cecile Boesch, Head of Events EMEA, that connection starts with music's ability to bring people together. "Music is part of our life, also part of our job when you work at HARMAN... I think it's the togetherness and the joy that music brings."
That spirit was on display across HARMAN offices around the world. From Michigan, to Connecticut, New York City and Los Angeles, to Mexico and China, local teams put their own spin on celebrating.
In the United States:
In Novi, employees took the stage with live bands and celebrated alongside each other.
In Northridge, employees hosted a cornhole tournament powered by an amazing playlist and access to the new Bandbox to demo or play with.
In Stamford, Employees held a donation drive to support the Stamford Science and Nature Museum, sang karaoke for prizes, and provided the new Bandbox for demo.
In NYC, shoppers and employees at the JBL SoHo store unleashed their creativity by displaying their own music, and musical skills through the new JBL Bandbox.
In Mexico, teams of employees gathered for a full day of live music from employees, sports, games, AI-powered experiences, and team building, while also celebrating JBL's 80th Anniversary.
In Shenzhen, China, teams and employees took to an outdoor stage to display their many musical talents in the spirit of Make Music Day with a theme incorporating JBL’s 80th Anniversary.
While every office looked a little different, each event contributed to one shared global celebration. Music also extended beyond the office.
Employees contributed songs to an 80 Songs Around the World Spotify playlist, creating a soundtrack that reflected HARMAN's global community. The playlist blended artists and genres from every corner of the world, from Bollywood and Latin music to rock, jazz, electronic, pop, and hip-hop. Every recommendation came with its own story, making a playlist that reflected the many ways music shapes our lives.
For Manoj Kumar, Director of Systems Engineering, those songs are part of every journey. "Make Music Day” is a celebration of a language that everyone understands. Music connects people across cultures, motivates us during challenges, and brings joy to everyday life. Whether I'm cycling through a busy city or a remote village, music has always been a wonderful companion."
That idea became reality through 80 in Motion, HARMAN's global Charity Miles challenge. Employees walked, ran, biked, danced, and exercised while supporting the causes that matter most to them. Inspired by JBL's 80th Anniversary, the initiative encouraged participants to complete 80 minutes of movement while turning each mile into charitable impact.
Behind every mile was a personal story. Employees chose charities that reflected causes close to their hearts, turning a global movement challenge into something deeply individual.
Whether supporting wildlife conservation, local communities, or other meaningful causes, employees showed that music can inspire more than celebration. It can inspire action, generosity, and a shared sense of purpose.
As HARMAN celebrates 80 years of JBL, Make Music Day reflects what brings our global community together. From local performances and employee playlists to Charity Miles and personal stories, every contribution helped create a celebration that was uniquely local, unmistakably global, and powered by the people who make HARMAN what it is.
