Those who feel unfulfilled by the array of music festivals and activities across the UK and Europe in 2025, then perhaps further afield might be of interest?
While there’s plenty on offer across the country and mainland Europe this year, we know for many there’s something romantic about hitting the US roads and touring the many locations not only to discover bits of local music history, but some of the biggest music festivals in the world.
It’s not just Coachella either; but with a glut of locations to travel too across the United States, and only so much time you can get off work, it might help to consolidate to one particular area of the country than attempt to travel from coast to coast.
That’s why Journeyscape have pitched in to look at the 10 must-see US cities when it comes to music in 2025, not solely based on what festivals are nearby either. The team also looked at the number of times the location has been used in songs, giving a little more ‘credence’ to their place in US music history.
The science part
To identify the best destinations for music lovers in the United States and Canada, Journeyscape compiled a list of cities renowned for their music scenes, using sources like Fifty Grande and supplementing it with major cities not featured in those articles.
For each city, they gathered data across five key factors: the number of music venues (sourced from Yelp) and concerts (from Songkick), both normalized per 100,000 people; the frequency of city mentions in song lyrics (via Chosic, using exact match filters); the number of nearby festivals (from Music Festival Wizard); and search interest in each city’s music scene over the past year (from Google Keyword Planner).
These factors were combined into an equally weighted score, calculated separately for U.S. and Canadian cities to determine the top destinations. Population data was sourced from the United States Census Bureau for U.S. cities and from City Population for Canadian metropolitan areas.
1. Los Angeles, California
With 77 concerts per 100,000 people and 32 festivals within 150 miles, LA is a musical powerhouse. The city has 76,300 lyric mentions, proving its influence on artists across generations. A must-visit is the legendary Coachella festival, where music, art, and fashion collide in the California desert. | Canva/Coachella
2. Boston, Massachusetts
Boston’s rich musical history is alive and well, boasting 165 concerts and 11 venues per 100,000 people. With 31,700 lyric mentions and 18 nearby festivals, including the dynamic Boston Calling, it’s clear the city keeps the rhythm going year-round. | Canva/Boston Calling
3. Seattle, Washington
The birthplace of grunge remains a hub for music lovers, offering 148 concerts and 10 venues per 100,000 people. Seattle's soulful influence is reflected in its 21,100 lyric mentions and 18 festivals, like the eclectic Bumbershoot - which previously saw Pavement and Stephen Malkmus (pictured) perform. | Canva/Getty Images
4. Atlanta, Georgia
Known for shaping hip-hop, Atlanta hosts 204 concerts and 18 venues per 100,000 people. The city’s 61,400 lyric mentions showcase its cultural significance, while festivals like Shaky Knees bring diverse sounds to the heart of the South. | Canva/Shaky Knees