Tucson Ranks #7 as Best Music City in the U.S.

best music city
Tucson Ranks as Best Music City in the Country!!

If you ask Tucson music fans and artists alike they will tell you: Tucson is a great music town.

Best Music City: Tucson, AZ

A national survey released in 2016 shows that we’re better than great: We are really, really great.

In the list of top music cities in the United States, Tucson comes in seventh overall. Yay Confetti!

In the regional rankings, Tucson is second overall, right behind Austin, Texas — to which Tucson is often compared to.

The Value Penguin does demographically-based consumer lists and this is what they found about music cities in the U.S.:

• Tucson Ranked 7th Overall Nationally

  1. Nashville, Tennessee
  2. Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
  3. Seattle, Washington
  4. Madison, Wisconsin
  5. Austin, Texas
  6. Albany-Schenectady, New York
  7. Tucson, Arizona
    *Phoenix-Mesa landed at 103rd overall.
 • Tucson ranked 2nd regionally, right behind Austin and before Tulsa, Oklahoma.

• Tucson tanked to the bottom of the pile though, for having the most radio stations, coming in at 104 on the list of 200 cities

• We are number 39 for the number of record stores.

• Tucson came in 31st for the percentage of the population with music degrees.

The Value Penguin study evaluated 200 metropolitan areas using statistical data from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, Thrillist, the Burau of Labor Statistics and several media surveys including USA Today and Travel & Leisure.

Here is a PDF of the original article if you’d like to see it.
https://www.valuepenguin.com/2016/best-cities-music-fans

The Tucson Music Scene, from a Local’s Perspective

To expand on this article’s findings, as a Tucsonan, I can provide you with some first-hand feedback about the music scene. If I were going to describes Tucson’s music scene with a movie title I’d name it, Boogy Nights.

From local musicians – to emerging underground artists – to the biggest names in music, you will find it all here.

Geography

Simply thinking about geography, Tucson is a convenient travel stop next to L.A., San Diego, Las Vegas and Phoenix.

Tucson ranked best music city in USA
Tucson ranked best music city in USA

Artists Love the Crowd at Tucson, Unless they Tell that to Everybody…

Not only is Tucson a convenient stop, but artists say they love coming to Tucson because the crowd gives them all “the feels”.

This isn’t a surprise to me — Tucsonans are friendly, energetic and love to dance. It’s a pleasure to be a part of a good community and then to show artists and visitors what we’re all about.

Intimate Venues

If big crowds aren’t your thing and you are more into the private party style vibe, you’ll appreciate how the style is in Tucson. You won’t have to fight LA style crowds here and smaller venues = better views.

Tucson Music Venues

One of Tucson’s most popular music venues is the Rialto Theater, and it has a capacity of 1,200 people making it a small-big venue. This historic venue is congruent with Tucson in the same way that  Tucson is a big city with a small-town vibe (Tucson’s population: 500,000 people).

There are many popular Tucson venues that are a lot smaller than The Rialto, like Hotel Congress, The Rock, Flycatcher, Solar Culture, 191 Toole and many more. Bigger venues are also present in Tucson like the Fox Theater, Tucson Convention Center, Casino del Sol and The Pima County Fairgrounds.

Proximity to Other Happening Places

Did you know that Phoenix is the 6th largest city in America? The drive to get there is easy and simple, a nice straight-shot up I-10 for about 75 minutes will open up another world. Enjoy the happenings and amenities of this big city and then return home to your quiet, safe, better-weathered community (Yes, Tucson has better weather than Phoenix, it’s cooler.). When the moment strikes for different adventures, you also have Vegas, San Diego, and L.A. all in close proximity for a road trip or a short flight.

Smaller Town Lifestyle with Big City Amenities

This is what Tucson is known for. It’s easy to have the best of all worlds living in Tucson. You get small town community with all the big city action coming straight to Tucson and nearby.

Do you want to learn about upcoming concerts in Tucson? Here’s a music meetup group and you can also check our events calendar.

Are you wanting to know even more about Tucson? Do you think Tucson might be a good place for you to live? I am a Tucson realtor with a passion and appreciation for this city. There are many articles on this site for you to go through to learn more and I am happy to help you learn more about Tucson and maybe even help pick out the perfect home for you. As one of the most affordable places to live in the country, home prices are low, making the point-of-entry to own a home actually accessible. There really are some great reasons why you should consider Tucson to build your life, home and business. I’d love to talk with you.

Take care of yourself and if we don’t speak on the phone soon, I will see you on the dance floor.

Have a great day,
Tony Ray
(520) 631-TONY (8669)
Free relocation package and Tucson fun info

Buzzfeed ❤️ Tucson, And You Will Too!

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Not that we’re surprised but Tucson makes the news again! This time Buzzfeed author Anna Maria Glavan gives a glowing review of what makes Tucson the best city in Arizona. I mean, we know it, but it’s always nice to receive recognition from others.

The Reasoning

Joe Pagac's Latest Mural in Hamel Park
Joe Pagac’s Latest Mural in Hamel Park
Glavan lists 21 things that she believes makes Tucson the best city here in AZ. We’re going to look at a few to see if we agree! Actually, we’re just going to compare her list to ours and see how we do. Out of 21 reasons she lists, we’ve already covered these.
  1. Murals, near the top of her list was the mural hunt. It’s true, no matter where you go in Tucson you are bound to stumble across some amazing public art. 
  2. San Xavier Del Bac, truly a landmark here in the Old Pueblo. Known as the “White Dove of the Desert” it’s a must see for locals and visitors alike.
  3. La Estrella Baker, not surprising. Recently acknowledged by the Washington post for their amazing Pan de Muerto.
  4. Saguaro National Park, this is a go to for hikers and photographers.
  5. Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, yup we have that one too. It’s a great place to see a lot of native flora and fauna in one place.
  6. The Mexican Cuisine, Glavan even taunts that “I bet Phoenix can’t call itself a city of gastronomy.”
  7. Historic 4th Avenue, a great place to find an eclectic slice of Tucson.
  8. Shopping, there is no shortage of great places to shop, seriously take your pick.
  9. Tucson Museum of Art, this museum is bigger on the inside. It has a surprising collection of both regional and contemporary art with some classics thrown in for good measure.
  10. The Mercado, including the MSA Annex. Sprawling open markets to find coffee, food, and of course more shopping.
  11. Raspados! Of course our favorite place to get them is Sonoran Delights.

Our Conclusion

Maria Glavan has got everything we have and more. It’s time for us to go out and round out our own list. We hope this list is tempting you to make a visit, and if you’re already a local go check out something new!  Check out the original article on Buzzfeed! http://seetucsonhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/21-Things-That-Prove-Tucson-Is-The-Best-City-In-Arizona.pdf

Tucson Rated 20th Best City to Live In America

Well, look what we have here! Yet another accolade and feather in Tucson’s cap. According to Resonance Consultancy Tucson is the 20th best city to live in America! That’s no small feat, there are a lot of other cities from sea to shining sea in the USA. And just so you know, that’s up 21 spots from where we ranked last year. Let’s take a look at what made Tucson 20th best city to live in.

Tucson Was Rated Using These Categories
Tucson Was Rated Using These Categories

The 20th Best City

Resonance Consultancy used 6 major categories to grade upon: People, Place, Product, Programming, Promotion, and Prosperity. 

Notably, we ranked #14 in Place,

“Fast-growing Tucson is buoyed by its sense of place, ranking #10 in both our Weather and our Parks & Outdoors subcategories. The city is poised to ascend up future national rankings, due to a torrent of new investment in all manner of green and common space,” said Resonance.

The company also rightfully credits the University of Arizona for our cities “youthful bounce” considering that almost 25% of our fair city are between the ages of 20-35 years old. We’ve all seen the construction blowing up around the UA and downtown. Growth is coming ready or not. And honestly, we think Tucson is ready for it. You can’t stop the march of progress.

We also ranked #10 nationally on Prosperity if you can believe it. We can. Housing prices are steadily climbing as more and more people take notice of our little jewel in the desert. And, despite the pandemics brutal economic impact on Tucson, we still ranked an impressive #17 in shopping!

What’s Next?

We have no doubt that by 2022 Tucson will continue to scale the Best City list from the 20th best city until we break into the top 10! Where do you think we will rank next year? What about 5 years from now? Well, no matter where we land, we here at See Tucson Homes are ready and excited for it.

Tubac Nominated a Top-10 Small Town for Art by USA Today

Tubac Nominated a Top-10 Small Town for Art by USA Today
Tubac Nominated a Top-10 Small Town for Art by USA Today

I have always been very fond of the adorable historic village of Tubac. Finally, the rest of the world seems to be catching up! In fact, Tubac has been nominated by the esteemed editors at USA Today as a favorite small town for art. The art colony joins other luminaries like Carmel-by-the-Sea in California or Marfa in Texas. Keep reading to learn why Tubac is a favorite for art lovers and how you can vote for this prestigious award!

Tubac is for Art Lovers

Historically, the town is the site of the original Spanish colonial garrison in Arizona. The land originally belonged to the Tohono O’odham tribe and the name is a derivation of he original native name, Cuwak. The town changed hands numerous times until Union troops, upon advancing towards Tucson, caused the Confederate troops stationed there to retreat.

The town of today came about between the 1930’s and the 1960’s. Painter Dale Nichols opened the first art school (in 1948) and began restoring the dilapidated buildings. The school enlisted numerous high-profile artists. In 1964, the students and other residents founded the Tubac Festival of the Arts, thus charting the future for the small desert village.

USA Today 10 Best
USA Today 10 Best

Vote Today for Tubac to be a Top-10 Small Town for Art

USA Today 10Best is well-regarded for their wonderfully insightful lists. If you are planning your educational trip, check out their list of the 10 Best Free Museums. Additionally, if you are looking for a bite to eat check out  their 10 Best Meal Delivery Services. There is something for everyone at 10Best. The greatest part of the lists is the user-interaction. This allows you to weigh in on any of their popular lists and affect the placement of your favorites.

If you have read this far, I encourage you to take a trip to Tubac today. Experience the sights, sounds, and culture offered by the wonderful art colony. Once you have been struck by the magic, please visit 10Best Vote for Tubac. As the title says, vote for Tubac to be one of the 10 Best Small Town Art Scenes in the country. We can help bring even more visitors and share this artistic treasure found just outside Tucson.