Musical Cities to Visit Across the US

Many music enthusiasts crave the adventure of seeing musical epicenters around the world. There are cities spread across the country with different backgrounds that can show you the diversity of music. From classical to modern and everything in between, here are six cities for you to visit.

Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles is often the first place people think to go when they are looking for fame. From Cher to Megadeath, the different genres you can find born out of LA are endless. With celebrities and multiple recording companies residing in the area, it’s where many think they have their best chance of making it big. Whether you’re looking for big name stars or aspiring musicians who are really looking to make it big, LA is home to people from around the country who are ready to put on a show.

New York, NY

New York is another place that people go in hopes of being discovered. It’s full of street musicians and bars that host local musicians every night. New York is home to both Broadway and Carnegie Hall. Plus there are many concert venues both large and small with the most famous one being Madison Square Garden. In a city where it’s hard to stand out, musicians are always hard at work to make sure that they are seen in hopes of being discovered here like Ella Fitzgerald, Kiss, 50 Cent, and more.

Raleigh, NC

The capital of North Carolina is an often overlooked place for the music lover. Clay Aiken and Scotty McCreery are some of the larger names to come out of Raleigh. However, there are a multitude of places to enjoy local music, including a wine bar in Raleigh that has over 50 wines on tap. Sit back and enjoy the music as you may be listening to the next American Idol.

Portland, OR

Often known for being hipster capital of the US, music and the arts are thriving in Portland. Home to the Oregon Symphony, Courtney Love, and The Decemberists, you can find a variety of music in Portland. There are festivals that feature local musicians such as PDX Pop Now!, which is free every summer.

New Orleans, LA

New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz, and known for its vast amount of street music. Louis Armstrong is perhaps the biggest name to hail from New Orleans, but the popular rapper Lil Wayne calls this Louisiana city home as well. In addition to all of the music on the streets, House of Blues and Preservation Hall are two of the venues that are often packed. The city is a total cultural experience different from anywhere else nationwide.

Seattle, WA

Seattle is a more recent addition to this list. It is best known for the creation of grunge in the 1980s, with artists like Alice In Chains, Kurt Cobain, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam. However, Seattle is home to all kinds of musicians including Sir Mix-A-Lot and Jimi Hendrix. One of the interesting things about the Seattle music scene is that many of the largest names to hail from there are still touring and playing there today. It is a piece of living music history in the US. There are both bars with local musicians and venues such as The Showbox, where you’re most likely to see some of those Seattle grunge bands.

Plan your road trip to one of these cities or all of the above. You can explore new artists or genres entirely new to you. From coast to coast, there are all kinds of music just waiting to be discovered.