Which American City Should a Musician Live In?

If you’re a musician, chances are you won’t want to stay in your hometown your whole life. Artists are often the product of their environment, and while hard work is the #1 tool for success, being at the right place at the right time can make a difference. 

Different people expect different things from the city they choose, and there are factors to lookout for, like a low cost of living, a cool cultural scene or a like-minded community. Here are a few cities to consider.

5. Montreal

I’ve stayed in Montreal most of my life, so this one won’t be too hard to define. Montreal has a great underground scene and it’s ridiculously cheap to live there. For that reason, it’s very idiosyncratic. To  a lot of people I know, commercial appeal isn’t a consideration, like at all. Artists are very pure there, they follow their muse. It's a great place for bedroom producers and DJs. There’s also a lot of multimedia industry, so it’s a good place to network.

The downside is that sometimes you’ll feel disconnected from the rest of America. Culturally, Montreal is mainly a French-speaking city, and for that reason, it’s often held at an arm's length by the US market.

4. Toronto

I’ve been living here for less than a year. So far, I love it. I still have a lot to discover, but the nightlife is awesome. There are a lot of clubs, cool festivals and parties going on. Culturally speaking, it feels a little more connected to the United States than Montreal, but it’s still way more affordable than American cities of the same size. A lot of well-known rappers call Toronto home, which has put it on the map in recent years. It’s probably better suited for beatmakers and vocalists, as well as Canadian citizens involved in the business side of things. 

3. Los Angeles

I stayed in Echo Park when I was in L.A. Located east end of Hollywood., it felt like a small village populated by artists and cool weirdos (read: hipsters). It’s well documented that Los Angeles is a sprawling city with complex cultural dynamics. Someone could write a whole book on the subject, so I’ll simply stick to my own experience. What I liked the most about L.A. was the feeling that things are happening there. You can feel that “sky’s the limit” energy around you. If nothing else, being surrounded by successful and ambitious artists can be a reality check, both for your ambitions and the means your taking to achieve them.

2. New York

Most of my friends who have lived in NYC tell me it’s not what it used to be, especially for artists. The insanely high cost of living makes it hard to make art for the art’s sake. This being said, New York people are very outgoing (sometimes to the point of being intimidating), and it’s in their culture to be accessible.

Just the city itself has so much history and is so larger than life that I get a jolt every time I go there, hopping around from one cultural event to the next. If you can afford it, you should consider moving there for a couple weeks, see what you think.

1. Any other city ex aequo Wherever you are at the moment

Every city has its ups and downs, but nowadays you can link up with cool artists and find a community online. You don’t need to spend a ton on rent to get to the level you aspire to. It might take a little bit more time, but you shouldn’t wait to be somewhere else to start developing your talent and learn how to market what you do.

I’ve mostly lived in American cities, but I’ve stayed in Europe for some short stays. Cities like Berlin, London and Paris are options that should also be considered. Either way, don’t wait to be ready to move somewhere to start exploring the world. Plan short stays and see where you fit in this crazy world of ours.

If you have insights about the cities you have lived in, please share them with me.