The Best Cities for Music Gigs
In recent years, more and more people have traveled countless hours and miles to see their favorite music artists in another city. The UK welcomed over 19.2 million ‘music tourists’ in 2023, with their spending totaling more than $10.6 billion (£8 billion or €9.3 billion)1. ‘Gig-tripping’ was even named as one of Skyscanner’s top travel trends for 2024 due to its rise in popularity.
Dubbed ‘music missions’ by the British airline easyJet, these trips enable travelers to explore a new location and witness some of the world’s top music acts at the same time. But which global cities are the top destinations for travelers looking to attend a gig?
The team at Bounce.com has analyzed factors such as live music venues, music festivals, and accommodation and transport costs to determine the top gig-tripping hotspots worldwide.
The best cities for music gig lovers
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1. Paris, France - 7.96/10 overall score
Paris tops the list as the best city for music gigs, scoring 7.96 out of 10. The French capital has over 60 live music venues, with some of the highest-rated being Cave du 38 Riv’, La Petite Chaufferie, and Le Pop-up du Label. The city also holds seven music festivals every year, such as The Peacock Society, We Love Green, and Rock En Seine.
There are over 3,800 upcoming gigs in Paris, equating to 180.06 gigs per 100,000 people. Some of the top acts performing this year include Nelly, Twenty One Pilots, Robbie Williams, Imagine Dragons, and BLACKPINK.
There are almost 780 3-star hotels in Paris (35.91 hotels per 100,000 people), meaning there are plenty of budget-friendly accommodation options. On average, a one-way ticket on the city’s local transport costs around $2.75 (£2.14 or €2.50).
2. Austin, Texas, United States - 7.86/10 overall score
Next on the list is Austin, with an overall score of 7.86 out of 10. A one-way ticket on local transport costs just $1.95 (£1.52 or €1.78) in Austin, meaning you can explore the Texan city for an affordable price. There are also more than 100 3-star hotels in the city, equating to 10.31 hotels per 100,000 people.
Over 50 venues in Austin offer live music, such as the highly-rated The Eleanor, Dovetail Pizza, and Chuy’s. 13 music festivals also take place in the city every year, including Levitation, City Limits, and Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic.
There are almost 950 upcoming gigs in Austin, equating to 96.75 gigs per 100,000 people - Tom Jones, Tate McRae, James Arthur, Pierce The Veil, and Lainey Wilson are just a handful of the music artists set to perform in the city this year.
3. Manchester, England - 7.68/10 overall score
Manchester places third, scoring 7.68 out of 10. The city, located in the north-west of England, has over 1,730 upcoming gigs, with top performers including Chase & Status, Billy Ocean, Pitbull, Lionel Richie, and Olivia Rodrigo.
Six music festivals, including Parklife, Outbreak Fest, and Damnation, are held in Manchester every year. Also, more than 50 venues, including the highly-rated Bridgewater Hall, Band on the Wall, and Albert Hall, offer live music in the city.
On average, a one-way ticket on Manchester’s local transport costs approximately $2.57 (£2 or €2.34). The city also has more than 40 3-star hotels, providing plenty of affordable places to stay.
The best city for live music venues
New York, New York, United States - 106 live music venues
If you like to discover new, local artists in intimate venues, New York is the place for you. There are over 100 live music venues in the Big Apple, perfect for experiencing some high-quality entertainment while enjoying a drink or some delicious food.
Fans of jazz music should head to Smallz Jazz Club in the West Village, where multiple live jazz sets are held every day. Paddy Reilly’s, an Irish bar located in the Midtown East area of Manhattan, offers up ice-cold pints of Guinness and live music seven nights a week. Pete’s Candy Bar, the self-titled ‘biggest little venue in New York’, hosts an array of open mic nights, songwriter showcases, and local artists every day in the Williamsburg area.
The best city for music festivals
London, England - 30 music festivals
If you’re a big festival-goer, make sure to add London to your travel bucket list. Thirty music festivals are held in the UK’s capital each year, including All Points East, Mighty Hoopla, Country 2 Country, Wireless, and British Summer Time (BST).
BST is London’s biggest music festival and is held over multiple weekends in the famous Hyde Park. This year’s headliners include Olivia Rodrigo, Zach Bryan, Noah Kahan, Sabrina Carpenter, and Stevie Wonder. Wireless is the perfect festival for lovers of rap and hip-hop, with previous headliners including Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat, J. Cole, and Cardi B. Country music fans will love Country 2 Country, which will be returning to London in March next year. With Lainey Wilson, Dylan Gossett, Tucker Wetmore, Cody Johnson, and Shaboozey all having performed at this year’s event, which country stars will be announced for 2026?
The best city for gigs
Ibiza, Spain - 635 gigs per 100,000 people
Ibiza is well known for its music scene, so it’s no surprise that it tops the list as the destination with the most gigs. The Spanish island has 338 upcoming gigs, equating to 635 gigs per 100,000 people. Every summer, plenty of DJs and dance acts head to the party island to put on a show for gig-goers.
David Guetta, a veteran in the DJ world, has plenty of Ibiza gigs in the pipeline this summer where he’ll be playing some of his best tracks, such as ‘Titanium’, ‘Memories’, and ‘I’m Good’. There are also plenty of well-loved DJ newcomers appearing on the island, including James Hype (‘Ferrari’ and ‘More Than Friends’), Patrick Topping (‘Be Sharp Say Nowt’ and ‘Mad Motion’), and Dom Dolla (‘Dreaming’ and ‘Savin’ Up’).
The best city for affordable hotels
Paris, France - 35.91 3-star hotels per 100,000 people
As well as being the best city for gig lovers overall, Paris is also the best city for reliable accommodation. There are almost 760 3-star hotels on offer in the city, equating to 35.91 hotels per 100,000 people.
Hotel Augustin - Astotel is one of the highest-rated 3-star Parisian hotels on Tripadvisor, receiving 4.8 out of five. Close to the Opera, Champs-Elysées, and the Place de la Concorde, the hotel is the perfect hub for gig-goers who also want to explore the city. Other highly-rated 3-star hotels in Paris include Hotel du College de France, Hotel Joke - Astotel, Hotel Gustav, and Hotel Yllen Eiffel.
The best city for affordable public transport
Brisbane, Australia - $0.31 / £0.24 / €0.28 for a one-way ticket
If you’re prepared to fly long-haul for a gig of a lifetime, then be sure to add Brisbane to your must-visit list. Located in the state of Queensland, the Australian city offers super-affordable public transport. A one-way ticket will cost just $0.31 (£0.24 or €0.28), meaning you can explore the city without blowing your budget.
Brisbane has a vast public transport system, offering buses, trains, and ferries. Travelers can get around the city by purchasing a Go Card, with specific offers available for tourists. After money has been added to your card, all you need to do is tap it on the reader when you board and disembark your chosen mode of transport. Regular credit and debit cards can also be used on selected train fares.
Cody Candee, CEO and founder at Bounce, comments on the potential reasons for ‘gig-tripping’:
“There are multiple reasons why people choose to travel to another city for a music gig. The demand for a gig often outweighs the number of tickets available for a certain location, meaning people might miss out on securing tickets for the city they live in.
“Gig tickets can also be cheaper in some cities than others. For example, in Europe, Milan and Munich are some of the most expensive places to see a gig, whereas the likes of Antwerp and Belfast are more affordable2. This means that people may actually be able to save money by traveling to another city for a gig.
‘‘’Gig-tripping’ also allows people to combine their love for travel and music into one trip. Not only do you get to witness one of your favorite music artists live, but you also get to explore another city and potentially visit an iconic live music venue, such as Madison Square Garden, Wembley Stadium, or the Hollywood Bowl.’
Methodology:
We began by using sources such as TimeOut, Tropical Sky, NI Travel News, and iVisa to create a seed list of the best cities for music lovers. The most recent population figures for each city were sourced from CityPopulation.
Next, we used Yelp to discover the number of live music venues within five miles of each city.
We then used Music Festival Wizard to gather the number of music festivals in each city.
Next, we used Songkick to discover the number of upcoming gigs in each city and calculated this per 100,000 people.
We then used Tripadvisor to gather the number of 3-star hotels in each city and calculated this per 100,000 people.
Next, we used Numbeo to discover the average cost of a one-way ticket on each city’s local transport.
Finally, we gave each of the five factors a normalized score out of 10 before taking an average across all factors to form our overall score.
All data is correct as of 10th April 2025.
References:
https://plus.pointblankmusicschool.com/uk-music-releases-astonishing-statistics-on-music-tourism/
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