The Best Cities for Live Music in North America

From Las Vegas to Montreal, our latest research reveals the North American cities with the best live music scenes.

Live music is more than just sound – it’s an experience. It’s the electricity of the crowd, the atmosphere, and the unique energy that can only exist in that specific moment. It’s why even a familiar song can feel entirely new – richer, louder, more alive – when performed in the right setting. But, it’s not just the venue that shapes the sound, it’s the people who fill it. So, which cities offer the most unforgettable live music experiences?

To find out, the Betway online casino team analyzed over 50 cities across the U.S. and Canada, to find out exactly where has the best live music scenes. From the number of annual music festivals per city, upcoming concerts and live music venues, to summer hotel affordability and annual search interest – we uncover the best destinations for music lovers across North America.

The best U.S. cities for live music

The United States has long stood as a cornerstone of global music culture, giving rise to genres like jazz, blues, rock ‘n’ roll, hip-hop and country. Live music is deeply embedded in its culture, with each state – and often city – bringing its own distinct rhythm and style to the stage. But with such a rich landscape, which cities truly stand out as the best for live music?

 *All metrics except the average cost of a hotel have been indexed based on the number of places, events and search volume per 100,000 people. The table includes the raw numbers, and total annual GSV.

1. Las Vegas

Las Vegas tops the list as the best city for live music in the United States. Known for its legendary artist residencies, from Elvis Presley to Adele and Lady Gaga, the city is synonymous with world-class performances. In fact, it is the most highly searched city for live music in the US, with almost 700,000 annual searches for events in the city overall – 108,164 per 100,000 residents.

Despite the demand, Vegas remains accessible, with average summer hotel prices at $166 per night for two adults. And with over 2,500 concerts scheduled in the next year – more than any other location – there’s no shortage of shows to catch in Sin City.

2. New Orleans

New Orleans ranks second among U.S. cities for its live music scene. Considered to be the birthplace of jazz, the city is famous for its contribution to America’s sound and offers an immersive experience for fans with 74 live music venues. This translates to 21 per 100,000 residents, which is the highest concentration of music venues in the entire ranking.

The city also plans to host over 300 upcoming concerts, from late-night brass bands in the French Quarter to soulful performances in neighborhood bars. The average hotel also costs $129 per night over summer, making it a relatively affordable destination for music lovers in 2025.

3. Minneapolis

Minneapolis comes third, known for its deep musical heritage. Whilst the city might be seen as an unlikely contender compared to the likes of New York City, being the birthplace of Prince and home to iconic venues like First Avenue, hosting acts since 1970, the city has played a central role in shaping the sound of American music.

According to the data, there’s over 1,000 concerts in the city scheduled for the next year – equating to 250 per 100,000 residents, meaning live entertainment is certainly in full swing across the city. Interest in the city’s music scene reflects this volume too, with 324,000 Google searches for live music related terms annually (76,889 per 100,000). Meanwhile, hotel prices remain moderate at $149 per night, making it a strong contender for music lovers seeking quality and value.

4. Atlanta

Atlanta ranks fourth among U.S. cities with 1,121 upcoming live music concerts (216 per 100,000). Atlanta also has 42 live music venues including The Tabernacle, an iconic venue which has hosted a wide range of artists including Guns N’ Roses, Oasis and Lana Del Rey.

With an average hotel cost of $136, it offers a relatively affordable stay compared to other cities in the top 10 such as Seattle and Denver, making it an attractive destination for visitors seeking rich musical experiences without breaking the bank.

5. Nashville

Unsurprisingly Nashville, nicknamed ‘Music City’ ranks fifth. With deep roots in country, blues, and rock, it garners over half a million live music related searches each year. Nashville is due to see 1,174 concerts – 170 per 100,000 people, with the city also set to hold two festivals including Deep Tropics, a two day festival featuring electronic artists from across the globe.

Where the city truly excels, however, is being home to the highest number of live music venues (130 in total, or 19 per 100,000 people). Unfortunately the city’s popularity does come at a price, having the most expensive hotels within the top five, averaging $185 per night in summer, but the city’s cultural legacy arguably makes it worth the spend.

The best Canadian cities for live music

While the US might be better known for its music scene, Canada’s cities are not to be forgotten about, especially when it comes to their contributions to the genre of rock.

*All metrics except the average cost of a hotel have been indexed based on the number of places, events and search volume per 100,000 people. The table includes the raw numbers, and total annual GSV.

 1. Vancouver

Vancouver, known for its rich arts and music culture, comes in first place for Canada. The city has the highest concentration of upcoming concerts and live music venues, 84 and five per 100,000 people, respectively. With 384,000 annual searches – 64,000 per 100,000 residents – it’s clear Vancouver’s scene draws serious interest. However, this popularity comes at a price, with summer hotel rates averaging $312 per night.

 2. Edmonton

Edmonton ranks second among Canadian cities for live music with 212 upcoming concerts (30 per 100,000 people), and 23 live music venues ranging from intimate spots like The Aviary to larger spaces like the Winspear Centre. Edmonton shines through as an unlikely contender in the top five best Canadian cities for music, however it should definitely be on a music lovers’ radar.

3. Montreal

Montreal ranks third among Canadian cities for its live music scene. With 850 concerts scheduled and seven festivals planned, including Osheaga, one of Canada’s largest music festivals, and the Montreal International Jazz Festival, the city has a diverse and continuous stream of live music events.

The city’s average hotel cost of just over $200 per night in the summer places it in the more expensive range, reflecting its popularity as a destination for both tourism and the arts.

Meanwhile, Halifax comes in fourth with some of the highest concentrations of music venues per capita due to the smaller population (four music venues per 100,000 people, the second highest behind Vancouver). Ottawa comes in fifth with three live music venues per 100,000 people, and a medium level hotel cost per night of $207 on a summer weekend.

From iconic residencies in Vegas to under-the-radar gems like Edmonton, each city offers a distinct mix of sound, atmosphere, and culture – proving that when it comes to live music, North America hits all the right notes.

Sources and methodology

To find out North America’s best cities for live music, we created a seedlist of more than 50 major cities across the US and Canada, then ranked them based on the following metrics:

• Seedlist and populations – World Population Review

• Number of music festivals each year – Music Festival Wizard (the rest of 2025 and entirety of 2026).

• Number of upcoming live music/concerts – Song Kick

• Number of music venues – Indie on the Move

• Average cost of a hotel (one weekend night in summer) – Booking.com. Converted to US$ and CA$ from GBP on 05/06/2025.

• Annual search volume – Google Keyword Planner. Monthly search volume for “concerts in [city]’, ‘music festivals in [city]’, and ‘live music in [city]’ were taken for each location and multiplied by 12 to find the annual search volume.

All data collected on 06/05/2025.

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