IN OTHER NEWS – According to a new study, Athens has been ranked as the top most underrated city in the United States for music.
Let’s kick things off in 2025 with a big W for Georgia as Athens, GA has been ranked the #1, most underrated city in the United States for music.
That’s according to the latest music & culture study by Vio. This research analyzed live music offerings, Yelp ratings for music venues, and the prevalence of music stores, applying a weighted ranking system to determine the best cities for live music. We also analyzed music fans’ locations, behaviors and preferences, revealing the financial and emotional dedication fans pour into attending live music events. The study surveyed over 1,000 fans and analyzed key data points from popular concert destinations across the U.S.
Some Key Takeaways:
- Athens, GA outranks Bellevue, WA, Kansas City, KS, St. Paul, MN & Charleston, SC in the top 5 most underrated cities.
- Atlanta, GA ranks as the 10th best city for music lovers in the entire country.
- Nearly⅕ of music fans’ monthlyincome spent on concerttravel.
- Metal fans spend the most out of any genre at 18%.
- New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas are ranked as the top three cities for live music.
- 57% of Country and K-Pop fans spend more of their income on multiple concerts than any other genre.
Here’s a sneak peak at the top 10:
With 37% of music fans traveling for concerts primarily to bond with friends, this study highlights how Athens is providing the most underrated musical destination in the United States, where fans can create memories that will last a lifetime.
