Accolades
Tucson Ranks #7 as Best Music City in the U.S.
— Tucson Hits a High Note in the Music World —
Ask any musician or music lover—and they’ll tell you: **Tucson is a fantastic music town**. Now, it’s official: in a 2016 ValuePenguin study, Tucson was ranked **7th overall among U.S. cities** for music fans.
— Where We Stand —
In the ranked list, Tucson trailed only Nashville, Urban Honolulu, Seattle, Madison, Austin, and Albany-Schenectady. Meanwhile, our neighbor Phoenix-Mesa came in at 103rd nationally. Regionally, Tucson placed a solid 2nd, just behind Austin.
— Where We Shine—and Where We Can Grow —
Tucson shined in several dimensions:
• Ranked 39th for number of record stores, and 31st for population percentage with music degrees.
• Interestingly, we ranked 104th for radio station count—prompting vibes of “less radio, more live music.”
— Why Tucson Sounds Good —
Beyond the rankings, Tucson is alive with music culture: intimate venues like the Rialto Theatre, Hotel Congress, Flycatcher, Solar Culture, and Club Congress; homegrown genres—from Desert Noir and Mariachi to Desert Funk and Native-American Jazz; and storied organizations like the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. These spaces and sounds keep our music scene vibrant and rich.
Want to live near venues, festivals, and music‑friendly neighborhoods? Tap here and I’ll help you find a home where the soundtrack of your life is always close at hand.
From beat to baroque, we’ve got your tempo. – Tony Ray 🎶
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