The Best Cities for Live Music

Even with so many options for streaming music, we are still drawn to the live performance, whether it’s a 120-piece orchestra in a large concert hall or a lone busker on a street corner.

From the first note to the last, we are seduced by live music, drawn by both the sound and the sight, the emotion buzzing through the crowd. Perhaps we want to be part of something, to witness a unique performance, to share the experience with others who also want to feel their heart beating in the rhythm of the music.

It’s nice to live somewhere where your favorite artists like to perform, to be able to experience an evening of live music at your neighborhood pub, or to splurge on a big concert with friends. In a city that’s rich with live music, you may hear the energetic sound of a mariachi band drifting through the door of a restaurant, or the moan of a cello echoing through the subway halls as you catch your train.

On that note, here are the best cities where you can enjoy a fresh and exciting live music scene. Move.org, a site that provides relocation services and moving resources and reviews, ranked the best cities for live music based on the number of venues per 100,000 residents by searching Yelp for music venues in the 70 most populated U.S. metro areas. (Other criteria, like a city’s musical diversity, number of live shows per day, or musical history were not used as ranking factors.) These are the best cities for live music.

Photo: Joseph Sohm / Shutterstock

1. Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas The Best Cities For People Who Love Live Music

1. Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas

Population: 2.2 million Live music venues: 1,007 Music venues per 100,000 people: 46.4

It’s no surprise that Austin tops the list. The city has more than a thousand venues, and the highest number of venues per capita. The downtown streets are alive with bars and clubs playing a diverse mix of music daily — you’re unlikely to step outside without hearing a talented band here, even on the sidewalk. The city hosts music festivals year round, including the famed SXSW music festival and Austin City Limits.

Photo: PiercarloAbate / Shutterstock

2. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, Calif. 2. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, Calif. Population: 3.3 million Live music venues: 1,438 Music venues per 100,000 people: 43

Year-round mild weather and fresh ocean air in San Diego makes it a great place for outdoor concerts, from rock n’ roll to classical. The Casbah in Midtown has long been a prime spot to see up-and-coming acts. Above, people listen to live music in Old Town San Diego.

Photo: Tim Gray / Shutterstock

3. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. 3. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. Population: 2 million Live music venues: 818 Music venues per 100,000 people: 40.9

While there’s not really a central beating heart for music venues here like there is in Austin, there’s plenty of places in the South Bay to catch great bands, whether it’s jazz, rock, blues, hip-hop or classical, and a multitude of large concert arenas. Pictured is San Jose’s Center for the Performing Arts.

Photo: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock

4. New Orleans Population: 1.3 million Live music venues: 497 Music venues per 100,000 people: 39.1

The birthplace of jazz even has its own style of jazz. Louis Armstrong was born and raised here. One of the country’s largest music festivals, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, is held here every spring, and jazz is just the beginning — the festival, and the city itself, is an auditory tapestry of musical genres, from blues, rap, rock, country and R&B to gospel, Cajun, zydeco, folk and Afro-Caribbean.

Photo: Simply Photos / Shutterstock

5. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada 5. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada Population: 2.2 million Live music venues: 854 Music venues per 100,000 people: 38.3

A must-stop for most touring musicians, the Las Vegas area has a wealth of large and small music venues in casinos, restaurants, and concert halls. And, of course, you can see many of the greats any time, like Stevie Wonder, above, at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum — though the wax versions don’t perform.

Photo: Roig61 / Shutterstock

6. San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, Calif. 6. San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, Calif. Population: 4.73 million Live music venues: 1,730 Music venues per 100,000 people: 36.6

So many bands started out in San Francisco, there are too many to list. Some of the biggies include Jefferson Airplane, Journey, Sly and the Family Stone, Santana, The Steve Miller Band, Huey Lewis, Third Eye Blind and the Dead Kennedys. San Francisco offers everything from gritty street musicians to top opera productions. Pictured is the Outside Lands Music Festival in Golden Gate Park in 2017.

Photo: Sterling Munksgard / Shutterstock

7. Portland -Vancouver-Hillsboro, Ore.-Wash. 7. Portland -Vancouver-Hillsboro, Ore.-Wash. Population: 2.5 million Live music venues: 844 Music venues per 100,000 people: 34

Portland, Ore., has an abundance music venues and a lively underground music scene. Above, a one-man band plays alongside the streetcar tracks in downtown Portland.

Photo: Dee Browning / Shutterstock

8. Honolulu Population: 980,080 Live music venues: 327 Music venues per 100,000 people: 33.4

Honolulu isn’t just a vacation spot. With its blend of cultures, the city offers a lively, eclectic music scene with more than 300 venues, plenty of outdoor music spots, cafes, bars, and larger venues for big name bands.

Photo: ARTYOORAN / Shutterstock

9. Raleigh-Cary, N.C. Population: 1.4 million Live music venues: 388 Music venues per 100,000 people: 28.5

Raleigh is loaded with music fans, and is known for its bluegrass, but a diverse community of musicians in almost every other genre has helped shape the music scene here. Above, the Wide Open Blue Grass Festival in 2018, where as many as eight stages take over downtown Raleigh.

Photo: PT Hamilton / Shutterstock

10. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colo. 10. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colo. Population: 2.9 million Live music venues: 796 Music venues per 100,000 people: 27.1

One of Denver’s top spots is the open-air Red Rocks Amphitheatre, a unique place to hear live music, and see the stars (both the musiical kind and the sky kind.) It’s surrounded by 738 acres of wildlife, geological wonders and great views.

Photo: Radomir Rezny / Shutterstock

11. Buffalo-Cheektowaga, N.Y. 11. Buffalo-Cheektowaga, N.Y. Population: 1.1 million Live music venues: 304 Music venues per 100,000 people: 26.9 Photo: Sandra Foyt / Shutterstock

12. New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. 12. New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. Population: 20 million Live music venues: 5,116 Music venues per 100,000 people: 25.6

Above, a jazz band plays on Park Avenue during the Summer Solstice Music Festival in New York City in 2018.

Photo: JJFarq / Shutterstock

13. Milwaukee-Waukesha, Wis. 13. Milwaukee-Waukesha, Wis. Population: 1.6 million Live music venues: 402 Music venues per 100,000 people: 25.5

Above, the Pabst Theater is the jewel of Milwaukee’s downtown district, and one of several historic venues for music and other performances.

Photo: PabstTheater.org

14. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Ill.-Ind.-Wis. 14. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Ill.-Ind.-Wis. Population: 9.5 million Live music venues: 2,420 Music venues per 100,000 people: 25.5

Photo: Joaquin Ossorio Castillo / Shutterstock

15. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash. 15. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash. Population: 3.9 million Live music venues: 957 Music venues per 100,000 people: 24.3

Photo: Checubus / Shutterstock

16. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. 16. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. Population: 3.1 million Live music venues: 719 Music venues per 100,000 people: 22.9

Photo: Shutterstock

17. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, Calif. 17. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, Calif. Population: 2.3 million Live music venues: 533 Music venues per 100,000 people: 22.7

Photo: Shutterstock

18. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Calif. 18. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Calif. Population: 13.3 million Live music venues: 2,984 Music venues per 100,000 people: 22.5

Pictured is the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, designed by architect Frank Gehry.

Photo: shuttersv / Shutterstock.com

19. Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tenn. 19. Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tenn. Population: 1.9 million Live music venues: 433 Music venues per 100,000 people: 22.4

Photo: Shutterstock

20. Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, Ind. 20. Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, Ind. Population: 2 million Live music venues: 453 Music venues per 100,000 people: 22.1

Photo: Shutterstock

21. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla. 21. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla. Population: 2.6 million Live music venues: 568 Music venues per 100,000 people: 22.1

Photo: Shutterstock

22. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Fla. 22. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Fla. Population: 6.2 million Live music venues: 1,242 Music venues per 100,000 people: 20

Photo: travelview / Shutterstock

23. San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas 23. San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas Population: 2.5 million Live music venues: 493 Music venues per 100,000 people: 19.6

Photo: Eblis / Shutterstock

24. Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio 24. Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio Population: 2.06 million Live music venues: 401 Music venues per 100,000 people: 19.5

Cleveland is home to the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, above.

Photo: Checubus / Shutterstock

25. Cincinnati Population: 2.3 million Live music venues: 424 Music venues per 100,000 people: 19.4

Above, the Bunbury Music Festival in Cincinnati in 2015.

Photo: Jack Fordyce / Shutterstock

26. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, N.C.-S.C. 26. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, N.C.-S.C. Population: 2.6 million Live music venues: 491 Music venues per 100,000 people: 19.1

Photo: Shutterstock

27. Salt Lake City Population: 1.2 million Live music venues: 232 Music venues per 100,000 people: 19

Photo: Shutterstock

28. Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa 28. Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa Population: 942,198 Live music venues: 178 Music venues per 100,000 people: 18.9