The Greater Memphis Chamber and City of Memphis in conjunction with Sound Diplomacy released a comprehensive report and strategy on the state of music in Memphis. The study aims to develop a framework that helps Memphis music evolve. This study was conducted over 10 months of roundtables, surveys, and interviews engaging 700 people. Here are 3 key facts from the Memphis Music Report

There are over 1,100 music-related assets in Memphis.

The report found that there is a total of 1,148 music-related assets in the Memphis area. They define the music industry as “the groups of actors and industries that have as their main purpose, the creation, production, reproduction, promotion, distribution, or commercialization of goods, services, and activities related to all aspects of music in a particular place.” This means that there are over 1,000 entities in Memphis contributing in at least one of these categories. Additionally, 52% of these resources are in the creation category. Sound Diplomacy reported that stakeholders agreed that the talent in Memphis is its greatest strength in the music ecosystem.

Shelby County outperforms the national average when it comes to live music events.

The vast majority of musicians (92%) and music organizations (82%) report their audiences are primarily local, thus proving the Memphis community’s strong engagement in the music ecosystem. Memphis hosts numerous free and affordable events throughout the year allowing for increased accessibility to the local music scene. Despite all this, 80% of music fans still want more live events and 46% of music fans want more concerts that play original music. Sound Diplomacy found that artists are also looking for more opportunities to play their original pieces and show off their creativity.

Hip-hop is the third most performed genre in the city.

Hip-hop combines other genres that are Memphis staples like blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll. Memphis has contributed to that formation from the beginning. It is the third most popular genre with artists and with fans. R&B/soul and rock are among the other top genres in Memphis. Because of the history and culture engrained in the city, Memphis is uniquely positioned to help grow the genre and further cement itself as the home to hip-hop.

Bonus: Memphis is the only city in the world to be mentioned more than 1,000 song lyrics and titles

Recommendations

Memphis has plenty of room for growth in our music scene, but our extensive history makes us prime for new music opportunities. Sound Diplomacy made 25 recommendations to help in the city’s efforts to cultivate the music ecosystem, some of which include:

  1. Introduce a Multisectoral Music Board
  2. Champion Workforce Diversity Through a Music Workforce Equity Subcommittee
  3. Create an All-ages License for Music Venues
  4. Create a Memphis Music Passport
  5. Organize an Annual Hip-Hop Cultural Summit

The full report includes various data points, detailed explanations, and recommendations. View the Memphis Music Strategy Report to see what’s next for Memphis music.