Houston is one particular of the worst U.S. towns for new music enthusiasts, in accordance to 1 research

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Megan Thee Stallion in Live performance for Pink Bull at White Oak Songs Corridor.

Photo: Jamaal Ellis/Contributor

If you adore tunes, Houston is a person of the worst metropolitan areas in The usa for it.

That is according to investigation from Intelligent, a serious estate knowledge organization who analyzed data from the U.S. Census, Bureau of Financial Evaluation, Bureau of Labor Studies and extra. They took into account factors these types of as Google Trends scores, pre-COVID live performance ticket selling prices, performing musicians, range of venues and songs festivals

The results? Amid the overall worst audio cities, Houston is 3rd, just driving Miami and Las Vegas. Houston arrives in at the top rated of worst metropolitan areas for reside music, followed by Dallas and Detroit.

“It’s crystal clear that individuals living in these 10 towns are not as fascinated in music ordeals as the inhabitants of other metros,” according to the report.

Houston has an common of one particular audio festival within a 100-mile radius and only 1.1 small concert venues for each capita. There are 14 occupation musicians for each 1,000 people, who make an regular hourly money of $43.60.

Info are details. But are they?

I’m a Houston indigenous and have lined the area audio scene for a extensive time. I know there are issues to the two savoring audio and staying a musician in the metropolis. Functioning musicians frequently struggle for area crowds and assist. Our pageant monitor record isn’t terrific, however the We Are One Tunes + Arts Pageant was just declared for Might. Much too a lot of countrywide touring functions continue to skip Houston.

But I also know how unbelievable Houston’s music scene can be. I have been to spectacular demonstrates in little venues. I’ve listened to albums from Houston functions that are greater than just about anything from major labels. I have observed performers onstage whose talent boggles my thoughts.

Houston has so lots of new music champions, from Kam Franklin to Mark Austin to House Kiddettes. There is definitely practically nothing, nowhere like Houston’s rap scene. And a rising neighborhood of LGBTQ+ artists are producing thrilling, adventurous audio.

So possibly the numbers say we aren’t Austin or Nashville. I will take Houston and its issues in excess of them any working day.





  • Joey Guerra

    Joey Guerra is the audio critic for the Houston Chronicle. He also addresses a variety of areas of pop lifestyle. He has reviewed hundreds of concerts and interviewed hundreds of superstars, from Justin Bieber to Dolly Parton to Beyonce. He’s appeared as a typical correspondent on Fox26 and was head choose and director of the Pride Superstar singing competitiveness for a 10 years. He has been named journalist of the calendar year various times by both OutSmart Magazine and the Encounter Awards. He also handles numerous elements of pop tradition, together with the neighborhood drag scene and “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”