What City is Producing the Best Music Right Now? Or the Most Good Music?

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The first one that come to my mind is New York, which is so brutally honest as to be almost totally uninteresting. But the Big Apple does seem to be pumping out a lot of noteworthy/quality acts and music right now. What other cities have not just one thriving scene, but a variety of quality bands/musicians putting out good music? Are there any surprises? Who is the winner?

― Jaromil (Jaromil), Friday, 30 April 2004 02:03 (twenty-two years ago)

not melbourne

― the surface noise (electricsound), Friday, 30 April 2004 02:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Helsinki.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 30 April 2004 02:12 (twenty-two years ago)

anyone who says liverpool will get a smack in the chops

― the surface noise (electricsound), Friday, 30 April 2004 02:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Akron, Ohio.

― djdee2005, Friday, 30 April 2004 02:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Akron, Ohio?? I LIVE IN AKRON, OHIO!!!!!!

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 30 April 2004 02:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Sydney.

Haha, just kidding.

Melbourne.

Ahahaha, just kidding.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 30 April 2004 02:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Lucky bastard. I heard they produce the best music right now!

― djdee2005, Friday, 30 April 2004 02:45 (twenty-two years ago)

(xpost)

― djdee2005, Friday, 30 April 2004 02:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Umm... who exactly?

Is producing the best music exactly, I mean.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 30 April 2004 02:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Sorry I was joking.
I have failed to deliver :(

― djdee2005, Friday, 30 April 2004 02:50 (twenty-two years ago)

In all seriousness, Atlanta is prolly high in the running.

Peace up, A-town down.

― djdee2005, Friday, 30 April 2004 02:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Well I mean there is the Black Keys...

Have you heard of the Black Keys? You should!! They're really good!!

(x-post)

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 30 April 2004 02:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Had no idea they were from Akron.

"Akron" sounded like the kind of place that would have no music scene...blast.

Lets pretend I said Ashland, Ohio.

― djdee2005, Friday, 30 April 2004 02:53 (twenty-two years ago)

What!?!?

Ever heard of the Pretenders?? Or Devo???

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 30 April 2004 03:05 (twenty-two years ago)

the Black Keys will be cancelling out all the other good bands from Ohio

― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Friday, 30 April 2004 03:08 (twenty-two years ago)

There's a great band in Melbourne called Tugboat. And another great one called Origami, who I believe Tugboat are heavily influenced by.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 30 April 2004 03:33 (twenty-two years ago)

and there is the heavy silicone scene.

― mullygrubber (gaz), Friday, 30 April 2004 03:45 (twenty-two years ago)

The best known band doing heavy silicon is of course Metal Pr0ng

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 30 April 2004 03:59 (twenty-two years ago)

you hurt me in my heart

― the surface noise (electricsound), Friday, 30 April 2004 04:08 (twenty-two years ago)

There are a lot of good bands coming out of Toronto (and its environs) right now.

― BanjoMania (Brilhante), Friday, 30 April 2004 04:09 (twenty-two years ago)

sorry jim. I'm drunk. Diminished responsibility. (x-post)

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 30 April 2004 04:10 (twenty-two years ago)

you're druuunk? you fucking bastard.

― mullygrubber (gaz), Friday, 30 April 2004 04:14 (twenty-two years ago)

why is it that in these threads everyone nominates cities in the States or the UK, but no-one ever mentions that hotbed of musical activity, Leeuven?

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 30 April 2004 04:18 (twenty-two years ago)

knoxville, TN

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Friday, 30 April 2004 04:28 (twenty-two years ago)

providence, RI

― Ian Johnson (orion), Friday, 30 April 2004 04:47 (twenty-two years ago)

You could spend many years just trying to catch up with all the quality German Electronic music that is coming out, and has been coming out for years. Cologne or Berlin, then.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Friday, 30 April 2004 05:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Barnsley or Flint Michigan

― lukey (Lukey G), Friday, 30 April 2004 10:44 (twenty-two years ago)

anyone who says liverpool will get a smack in the chops

Liverpool.

I don't believe it, I'm just a masochist.

― ___ (___), Friday, 30 April 2004 10:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Barnsley or Flint Michigan

explain

― nothingleft (nothingleft), Friday, 30 April 2004 15:40 (twenty-two years ago)

"stand up tall London city!"

― martin (martin), Friday, 30 April 2004 16:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Between the new Mountain Goats and the new Frankenixon, I'd have to go with Ames. Outstanding collegiate riot there this spring, too.

― briania, Friday, 30 April 2004 16:31 (twenty-two years ago)

ypsi, MI

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Friday, 30 April 2004 16:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Atlanta. I can't even think of another (US) city that's anywhere near it.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 30 April 2004 16:56 (twenty-two years ago)

New York has some of the best dressed rock bands right now though.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 30 April 2004 16:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Dallas/Denton is on a pretty good run right now with the Polyphonic Spree, Burden Brothers, Sorta, El Gato, Deathray Davies, Chomsky, and various nu-metal bands (not that they're good, but they are getting some major label action). Plus Eryka Badu, whose last album was probably underrated, still lives in town. If you include Tyler, then you can throw in Eisley. And don't forget Norah Jones. I don't think she's as bad as most people around here would have you believe.

― boldbury (boldbury), Friday, 30 April 2004 16:59 (twenty-two years ago)

fuck y'all, it's happening in Mali.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 April 2004 17:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Is Mali a city?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 30 April 2004 17:06 (twenty-two years ago)

there are probably cities in Mali, yeah. Fuck if I can be bothered to look up their names, though.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 April 2004 17:14 (twenty-two years ago)

osaka (still)

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 30 April 2004 17:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Right now, at this very moment? Nashville, easy. Though six months ago I might have said Atlanta, and a year or two before that, Detroit.

― chuck, Friday, 30 April 2004 17:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Damon Albarn totally beat you to Mali. It's so over now

― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Friday, 30 April 2004 17:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Give it up for Nome, Alaska

― William R Henderson (Cabin Essence), Friday, 30 April 2004 18:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm not going to write off an entire country just because of some British twat.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 April 2004 18:04 (twenty-two years ago)

that wouldn't leave any countries, so I guess you're right

― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Friday, 30 April 2004 19:10 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought Damon was more into North African (like Moroccon/Marakesh) shit though?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 30 April 2004 19:16 (twenty-two years ago)

he probably thinks they're all the same. Though I do remember him releasing an album called Mali Music

― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Friday, 30 April 2004 19:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Mali is south of Morocco and Algeria.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 April 2004 19:19 (twenty-two years ago)

NORWICH!

Well, they've got Bearsuit and Kaito anyway, which is more than enough for me. And probably only me.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 30 April 2004 19:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Queens

― 57 7th (calstars), Friday, 30 April 2004 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Mali is south of Morocco and Algeria.

duh :\

― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Friday, 30 April 2004 19:24 (twenty-two years ago)

oxnard, ca.

― bill stevens (bscrubbins), Friday, 30 April 2004 19:25 (twenty-two years ago)

8 0 5

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 30 April 2004 19:28 (twenty-two years ago)

what are the hot acts outta nashville and/or knoxville? just curious. (sort of comparing notes.)

― msp, Friday, 30 April 2004 19:40 (twenty-two years ago)

you know, stuff like Riding On Trains, the Totem Band for the next decade.

― jack cole (jackcole), Friday, 30 April 2004 19:52 (twenty-two years ago)

oh no man... they broke up... guitarist was in dolphins of the forest... but left cause of their upcoming gap ad.

i'm hearing good things about heroes and villians... supposedly a decent rock band.

new faggot cunts became tan as fuck and are now sorta becoming taiwandeth or something...

well, and dave cloud of course. and davey b. (erman).

and ... probably some sort of metal bands. there's always lot's of metal bands. and neko case. stripping? probably not. but that's ok. i wonder what lambchop is doing these days? they're coming here for the big merge blowout at the end of july. merge is talking street fair! street fair!
m.

― msp, Friday, 30 April 2004 20:04 (twenty-two years ago)

RIDES on Trains you mean JC.

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 30 April 2004 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)

>what are the hot acts outta nashville and/or knoxville? <

rolling 2004 country thread

― chuck, Friday, 30 April 2004 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)

ugh... country. i know this is a sucky attitude, but i have hard time appreciating about 80% of nashville's glittery country music.

i'm a definite fan of old school stuff but.... gillian welch is one of the few that comes to mind. but my head's probably been in the wrong pair of headphones for it... so it's my own ignorance, i'd imagine.
m.

― msp, Friday, 30 April 2004 20:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Gillian Welch??? Wow. Maybe you just really like boring schoolmarms!!

― chuck, Friday, 30 April 2004 20:18 (twenty-two years ago)

hmmm.
m.

― msp, Friday, 30 April 2004 20:23 (twenty-two years ago)

i was at least as accurate as Pitchfork and that's the industry standard right? ;-0

― jack cole (jackcole), Friday, 30 April 2004 20:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Providence is doing pretty well, if you evalutate this per capita.

― NUMBER 1 TERRY RILEY FAN (ex machina), Saturday, 1 May 2004 14:25 (twenty-two years ago)

most spazzy noise side-projects per capita?

I swell like a prideful sponge at all the mentions of Atlanta.

― valley of the lawlz (Adrian Langston), Saturday, 1 May 2004 14:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Adrian, have you heard Pixeltan? This shit is off the hook! The DFA is supposedly putting out a new record with the drummer for Black Dice as their drummer.

― NUMBER 1 TERRY RILEY FAN (ex machina), Saturday, 1 May 2004 14:43 (twenty-two years ago)

But briania, the Mountain Goats aren't located in Ames anymore, and Frankenixon is a Des Moines band. Good stuff all around, though.

(major x-post)

― mike h. (mike h.), Saturday, 1 May 2004 14:47 (twenty-two years ago)

ten months pass...

Atlanta eh? Name some good current acts from Atlanta then, anyone?

― Jena (JenaP), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 00:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Portland is doing alright: The Shins, Sleater-Kinney, Malkmus, Thermals, Decemberists, JOMF, ahhh brain fart, I know there is a ton more, especially ones that actually began in Portland too.

― jmeister (jmeister), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 00:16 (twenty-one years ago)

philadelphia.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 00:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Atlanta eh? Name some good current acts from Atlanta then, anyone?

Listen to much rap music?

― deej., Wednesday, 30 March 2005 00:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Houston or Atlanta right now. There's so much coming out of both towns it's a chore to keep up with it.

― Matt Chesnut, Wednesday, 30 March 2005 00:29 (twenty-one years ago)

>Listen to much rap music?<

unfortunately not, any non hip-hop acts to watch out for? i'm genuinely interested since i've just moved here.

― Jena (JenaP), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 00:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Saying New York is "producing a lot of good music" is a bit like saying that Hollywood is "producing a lot of good actors." Bands go there to make it and then deny their roots. Although there are some bands that go back as far as, say, NYU.

― Hurting (Hurting), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 00:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Paris p0wns.

― Jacob (Jacob), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 02:59 (twenty-one years ago)

You are all wrong, as the correct answer is actually the Norwegian city of Bergen:

Sondre Lerche
Julian Berntzen
Röyksopp
Annie
Popium
Tweeterfriendly Music
Nathalie Nordnes

Plus Sissy Wish records her albums there, using producers from Bergen, as well.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 09:03 (twenty-one years ago)

And, yes, Kings Of Convenience/Erlend Øye are from Bergen as well.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 09:09 (twenty-one years ago)

No contest: Glasgow!

Lucky Luke, Sons & Daughters, The Sky At Night, Park Attack, Taurpis Tula, Porch Song Anthology, Pastels, International Airport, Multiplies, My Latest Novel...oh yeah, and some bunch called Franz Ferdinand.

― Stew (stew s), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 09:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Can I second Cologne?

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 10:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Chocolate City

― LeCoq (LeCoq), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 11:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, and I forgot Alasdair Roberts. He's Glasgow based, although originally from Callender in the Trossachs. Lots of interesting things going on in Glasgow - freak folk, nu folk, whatever horrid term you wanna come up with; laptop stuff like Frog Pocket and Christ; electro punk, art rock...and surprisingly few Franz copycats.

― Stew (stew s), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 11:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Hurting OTM about New York, also applies to Portland, OR. Portland, ME, however - that's a different story altogether. great scene there.

does the Fresh Prince count as being from West Philly or Bel Air?

overall, i add my vote to Atlanta, on the basis of some quantity and a lot of quality. as far as the UK goes, we seem to be bereft of a decent city-based scene right now, but Glasgow has possibly the best shout.

― Lee F# (fsharp), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 11:52 (twenty-one years ago)

also Enslaved are from Bergen

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 12:11 (twenty-one years ago)

What's happening in Chocolate City LeCoq? Do you mean go-go or Dischord bands or neo-soul or chitlin-circuit soul or dancehall or something else, or all of the above?

If San Juan, Puerto Rico is where most reggaeton rappers are from, then here's a vote for that location.

Or maybe Rio where I think the favela baile stuff comes from...

― steve-k, Wednesday, 30 March 2005 12:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Atlanta's nomitation STILL baffles me.

― Jena (JenaP), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 13:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Hotlanta! The Atl! Home of numerous rap producers (J. Dupri) and rappers like Outkast and Ludacris and many many more.

Whether that's the best music right now, or whether any one city is producing the best music is a whole 'nuther matter. Or maybe that's your point.

― steve-k, Wednesday, 30 March 2005 13:37 (twenty-one years ago)

plus Cee-lo and the rest of Goodie Mob, of course. and King Geedorah, Viktor Vaughn and MF DOOM are all from Atlanta...

― Lee F# (fsharp), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 13:46 (twenty-one years ago)

F.I.L.A!

― stephen morris (stephen morris), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 13:49 (twenty-one years ago)

glasgow... easily...

every type of music. punk to electronica

― danny boy, Wednesday, 30 March 2005 13:59 (twenty-one years ago)

OAKLAND:
Deerhoof, Erase Eratta, High on Fire, GravyTrain!!!, The Cuts, Inspector Double Negative, The Network, Transplants, and stuff. Purdy hot.

― Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Friday, 1 April 2005 04:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Bobby, I was JUST about to say that!

― modernaire, I wanna be, Friday, 1 April 2005 16:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Not that I love the Montreal scene but by now I kind of expected somene to mention it:

Arcade Fire
The Dears
Stars
Metric
Broken
Social Scene
Godspeed You Black Emperor!
The Unicorns

― daavid (daavid), Friday, 1 April 2005 17:11 (twenty-one years ago)

the Bay Area's hot shit right now, it's true. Much better than just a couple years ago. Tons of different stuff going on both in Oakland and SF - freak folk, "stoner rock", indie pop, etc. Joanna Newsome, High on Fire, Deerhoof, Comets on Fire, Parchman Farm, Six Organs of Admittance, the entire Birdman Records roster, etc. plus my band, of course!

― Shakey Mo Collier, Friday, 1 April 2005 17:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Atlanta's nomitation STILL baffles me.

thats because you don't listen to hip-hop. I don't think the original thread question excluded it.

The Bay has hot hip-hop these days too.

― djdee (djdee2005), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd better get into hip-hop, quick.

― Jena (JenaP), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:44 (twenty-one years ago)

It's either that or move to Athens.

― nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Been there, done that, moving to Berlin.

― Jena (JenaP), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Mastodon is also based out of Hot'Lanta.

― earlnash, Saturday, 2 April 2005 04:00 (twenty-one years ago)

lecoq otm

― charleston charge (chaki), Saturday, 2 April 2005 04:06 (twenty-one years ago)

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