Traditionally, aspiring music producers were obliged to go to a handful of places in the US. However, music production is far more decentralized, and producers can work remotely from anywhere they like.
That said, it's still worthwhile considering where in the country provides the best opportunities for music producers, even if New York and Los Angeles are still worth considering. Here are our top cities where music producers, audio engineers, and other professionals should consider moving.
We've considered job opportunities, collaboration opportunities, and the cost of living. We've listed them in alphabetical order here, but keep reading to find out how we rank them.
| City | Job Opportunities | Collaboration | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GA | High | Excellent | $1,700/month |
| Austin, TX | Medium | Excellent | $1,619/month |
| Chicago, IL | High | Excellent | $2,200/month |
| Denver, CO | Medium | Great | $2,100/month |
| Detroit, MI | Medium | Excellent | $1,100/month |
| Las Vegas, NV | High | Excellent | $1,600/month |
| Los Angeles, CA | Very High | Excellent | $3,500/month |
| Memphis, TN | Medium | Moderate | $1,000/month |
| Miami, FL | High | Great | $2,300/month |
| Nashville, TN | High | Excellent | $1,966/month |
| New Orleans, LA | High | Excellent | $1,200/month |
| New York City, NY | Very High | Excellent | $4,000/month |
| Philadelphia, PA | Medium | Great | $1,800/month |
| Portland, OR | Medium | Great | $1,900/month |
| Seattle, WA | Medium | Excellent | $2,200/month |
15. Denver, Colorado – Rocky Mountain Beats
Think you have the right qualities to become a music producer? Denver has a growing indie and electronic music scene and offers a mix of performance venues and other creative opportunities.
The most famous venue, Red Rocks Amphitheater, is just outside the city and is arguably one of the most incredible music venues in the country.
From live performance opportunities to studio sessions, Denver offers artists and producers a chance to hone their craft in sound mixing, production, and mastering.
- Famous Music Producers: Pretty Lights
- Job Opportunities: Indie music, electronic music, and live production
Check out this track from Pretty Lights.
14. Las Vegas, Nevada – The Entertainment Capital of the World
Las Vegas is a great destination for music producers because of a thriving EDM, pop, and club music market.
As a massive tourist destination and the entertainment scene, there are plenty of venues and opportunities for collaboration. There are also plenty of music festivals, including Life is Beautiful and EDC.
- Famous Music Producers: The Chainsmokers
- Job Opportunities: Club residencies, live performances, and festival gigs
13. Portland, Oregon – Indie and Eclectic Vibes
Portland has become a capital of indie rock, folk, and experimental music. It's a great place for creative producers looking to try new things, and the collaborative arts community offers opportunities to aspiring producers.
- Famous Music Producers: Tucker Martine
- Job Opportunities: Indie and alternative music production and festival gigs
Check out this great Ted Talk from Tucker Martine on musical pathways and how he went from Nashville to Boulder, to Seattle. He now has a recording studio in Portland, Oregon.
12. New Orleans, Lousiana – The Birthplace of Jazz
New Orleans is synonymous with music, particularly jazz. There's a strong music community that also focuses on blues, soul, and brass band music.
If you're interested in a rich, cultural music scene, the Big Easy has you covered.
- Famous Music Producers: Allen Toussaint
- Job Opportunities: Jazz and blues production, live performances, and festivals (such as Jazz Fest)
11. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – History and Hip-Hop Collide
Philadelphia is a city that blends hip-hop, soul, and rock music. The city has various recording studios and other creative hubs, making it an excellent place for aspiring music producers looking for opportunities to collaborate.
- Famous Music Producers: Questlove and DJ Jazzy Jeff
- Job Opportunities: Hip-hop production, indie gigs, and soul music
10. Detroit, Michigan – Motown Magic and Techno Beats
Detroit is the birthplace of Motown and techno music. Because of its incredible musical legacy, Detroit is a popular choice for aspiring musicians and producers because of its low cost of living.
After all, supporting yourself financially while you're just starting out as a music producer is challenging. Still, Detroit is an excellent option if you want to make R&B, soul, or electronic music.
- Famous Music Producers: Juan Atkins and Berry Gordy
- Job Opportunities: R&B, techno production, and local collaboration opportunities
9. Chicago, Illinois – Blues and House Music Hub
Chicago has deep roots in blues and house music, so if you'd like to produce these genres, Chicago is the place for you.
The Windy City is also home to world-class music venues, a vibrant music scene, and a place where many famous music producers have started their careers.
- Famous Music Producers: Kanye West and Steve Albini
- Job Opportunities: Blues and house music production, and recording gigs
Here's a great interview with Steve Albini and Dave Grohl talking about how he became Nirvana's producer for their album "In Utero".
8. Seattle, Washington – From Grunge to Hip-Hop
Seattle is best known for the grunge scene, but this isn't the only genre for which the city is famous.
Beyond grunge, there's also indie, hip-hop, and electronic music, which offers great opportunities for aspiring music producers interested in experimenting with different sounds.
- Famous Music Producers: Jack Endino and Ryan Lewis
- Job Opportunities: Indie rock, live music production, and festival gigs
7. Memphis, Tennessee – Soul and Blues Roots
Memphis is a city that lives and breathes soul and blues music. Compared to some of the other top cities, the cost of living and the community's musical opportunities make it a great place for any producer to break into the industry.
- Famous Music Producers: Willie Mitchell
- Job Opportunities: Blues production, local collaborations, and studio gigs
6. Austin, Texas – Live Music Capital
Austin has established itself as one of the country's premier live music cities, so much so that it dubs itself the live music capital of the United States. There are big music festivals like SXSW and Austin City Limits, too.
The city's music culture means that there are plenty of opportunities for music producers to showcase their work.
- Famous Music Producers: Adrian Quesada
- Job Opportunities: Live music production and indie and rock music
5. Atlanta, Georgia – The Epicenter of Hip-Hop
Atlanta is one of the country's hip-hop capitals and the epicenter of trap music. There are over 300 recording studios and a massive community of artists for producers to work with.
Don't forget that you can also produce music online before you go rushing from one end of the country to another.
- Famous Music Producers: Matro Boomin and Zaytoven
- Job Opportunities: Hip-hop and trap production, festival gigs, and artist collaborations
4. Miami, Florida – EDM and Latin Vibes
Miami has bustling EDM and Latin music scenes where music producers can find plenty of opportunities.
There are also major events like the Ultra Music Festival. Miami also features a vibrant nightlife where music producers can find opportunities to showcase their work.
- Famous Music Producers: Emilio Estefan and DJ Khaled
- Job Opportunities: EDM and Latin music production, festival gigs, and studio work
3. New York City, New York – The City that Never Sleeps
We've already mentioned that New York City was a popular destination for aspiring musicians and music producers.
The city is home to iconic recording studios where world-famous artists have recorded some of the biggest hits ever.
There are also plenty of major record labels in NYC with almost every genre you could imagine, from jazz to hip-hop, where the music industry thrives.
- Famous Music Producers: Mark Ronson and Swizz Beatz
- Job Opportunities: Major label gigs, song recording, and commercial music
Mark Ronson is famous for his collaborations with a lot of different artists. You might know this one.
2. Los Angeles, California – The Heart of the American Entertainment Industry
Los Angeles is also a hotspot for music producers. In addition to Hollywood's studio culture, pop production, and audio engineering, the city is home to some of the best recording facilities in the country.
Producers work with Grammy-winning artists across many genres, from film scoring to pop music.
It's one of the most expensive cities, but it's also one of the best places to earn a good salary in music production.
- Famous Music Producers: Dr. Dre and Rick Rubin
- Job Opportunities: Pop and film scoring, recording studio gigs, and label collaborations
1. Nashville, Tennessee – The Country Music Capital
Nashville has earned its nickname "Music City", and while it certainly provides an excellent base for aspiring music producers looking to focus on country, blues, and rock music, it's not exclusively for them.
There are Grammy-winning producers, legendary studio engineers, and all manner of incredible opportunities for anyone considering a career in music production.
- Famous Music Producers: Dave Cobb and Michael Wagener
- Job Opportunities: Studio gigs, live sound production, songwriting, and composition
Find the Best Music Production Tutors with Superprof
Now that you know where to go, you should learn about music production. After all, you can't simply walk into the music industry and start your career.
Who you know is certainly important, which is why it's worthwhile to be in the right places and network as much as you can. However, you also need to develop the skills to ensure that people notice you.
To develop music production skills, why not use the Superprof website to find a talented and qualified music production tutor?
No matter what skill you want to learn or what genre you'd like to focus on, you can find tutors across the US and worldwide.
Whether using new music production technology, mixing and mastering a record, or working as a sound engineer, you will find someone who can help.
Many of the tutors on Superprof offer the first session for free, so you can try a few potential candidates before working with the right tutor for you, what you want to learn, and what you want to do in your music production career.
Don't worry if you're not in one of these cities, either. There are thousands of great tutors offering online tutoring, so as long as you have a webcam and a decent internet connection, you can learn from Superprof tutors wherever you are.
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