Washington – 50 States of Music

$2.5B

Music Industry Contribution to State GDP

Economists Inc.

44,253

Jobs Supported

Economists Inc.

6,407

Music Establishments

A2IM/Economists Inc./NIVA

3,268

Royalty Recipients

SAG-AFTRA/SoundExchange

23,550

Songwriters

ASCAP/BMI/GMR/SESAC

Birthplace of Jimi Hendrix and grunge,

Washington has made an indelible imprint on music worldwide. From Bing Crosby to Nirvana to Macklemore, this music state has produced, and welcomed, some of the most remarkable music creators ever.

Some
Notable
Musicians

  • Alice in Chains
  • Bing Crosby
  • Brandi Carlile
  • Fleet Foxes
  • Foo Fighters
  • Jimi Hendrix
  • Kenny G
  • Kenny Loggins
  • Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)
  • Macklemore
  • Neko Case
  • Pearl Jam
  • Quincy Jones
  • Soundgarden

Music Venues & Festivals

  • 5th Avenue Theatre
  • Airport Tavern
  • Alma Mater
  • Ballard Homestead
  • Barboza
  • Bass Canyon Festival
  • Benaroya Hall
  • Bing Crosby Theater
  • Brewminatti
  • Bumbershoot Festival
  • Cafe Racer
  • Capitol Hill Block Party Festival
  • Central Saloon
  • Century Ballroom
  • CenturyLink Field
  • Chop Suey
  • Clock-Out Lounge
  • Columbia City Theater
  • Conor Byrne Pub
  • Crocodile Cafe
  • CSz Seattle
  • El Corazon
  • Emerald of Siam
  • Fremont Abbey
  • Funhouse
  • Haynes Hall
  • High Dive
  • Jazz Alley
  • Kalama Amphitheater
  • KeyArena
  • Knitting Factory
  • Kremwerk
  • Lo-Fi Performance Gallery
  • Lucky You Lounge
  • Marymoor Park
  • Moore Theatre
  • Nate Jackson’s Super Funny Comedy Club
  • Nectar Lounge
  • Neumos
  • Neptune Theatre
  • Olympic Club Theater
  • Ora Nightclub
  • Paradiso Festival
  • Paramount Theatre
  • Q Nightclub
  • Reggae On The Way
  • Rumba Notes Lounge
  • Sea Monster Lounge
  • Showbox SoDo
  • Slim's Last Chance
  • Spanish Ballroom
  • Spokane Comedy Club
  • Substation
  • Summer Meltdown Festival
  • Tacoma Comedy Club
  • Tacoma Dome
  • The Big Dipper
  • The Crocodile
  • The Factory Luxe
  • The Gorge Amphitheatre
  • The Plaid Pig
  • The Royal Room
  • The Shakedown
  • The Triple Door
  • The Vera Project
  • Tim’s Tavern
  • WaMu Theater
  • Whidby Island Center for the Arts
  • Wild Buffalo House of Music
  • Woodland Park Zoo Amphitheater
  • Yakima Valley SunDome

Music Schools

  • Cornish College of the Arts
  • University of Washington
  • Northwest University
  • Central Washington University

Notable Music Facts

  • Indie label Kill Rock Stars – home to rockers Kinski and other Washingtonians – has its headquarters in Olympia, Washington.

Major Music Conferences

  • Upstream Music Fest & Summit

Kill Rock Stars

Indie label Kill Rock Stars, home to local Oregon rockers such as Horse Feathers,The Decemberists, Summer Cannibal and many others, is based in music-drenched Portland. →

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