The Best American Cities for Live Music

Get ready to book your next trip! From coast to coast and across all genres, these are Reader's Digest best places to find jam sessions, jazz bars, listening rooms, and larger venues.

With more than 80 live music venues, Raleigh is sure to scratch any musical itch you have, from bluegrass and indie rock to rap and Americana. If dinner and a show is your style, the Irregardless Café has been hosting live jazz and bluegrass—not to mention fresh-from-the-farm meals—nightly since 1975. The Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop is a record shop by day that turns into a live music venue at night and doesn’t appear to discriminate against genres; most nights of the week, you’ll find a live show featuring rock, Latin wave, bluegrass, folk, punk, country, Appalachian rock, honky-tonk, garage, soul, funk, and even metal.