The best places in the UK for live music lovers revealed

Entertainment experts at Eat Drink Meet have revealed the top locations for live music based on the number of live music venues, the number of pubs or bars who host live music as well as the number of searches for live music coming from each city.

As well as this, Eat Drink Meet conducted a survey which found a fifth of Brits (21%) think the best thing about watching live music is the opportunity to discover new artists, and a third (33%) prefer to watch live music at a local venue rather than a concert hall or arena.

A spokesperson from Eat Drink Meet commented: “We’re a nation of music lovers and the UK has been home to some of the most iconic artists of all time, including the top two artists on our list. It’s a shame that people struggle to find music venues or live music that’s accessible. At Eat Drink Meet, we saw a need to create a filter on our website to make sure guests could easily access and find local live music because we understand the joy it brings to people.”

Edinburgh is the best UK city for live music lovers   

The research found that the number one city for live music lovers in the UK is Edinburgh. The city is well known for having a thriving live music scene, with venues catering everything from small intimate gigs to huge arenas hosting some of the biggest names – including Harry Styles, on his recent “Love on Tour” tour.

Edinburgh has the second highest number of live music venues at 23 (second only to London, but with a much smaller population); the iconic Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium will be playing host to Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour in June for 3 sell-out nights, and previously the likes of David Bowie, Queen, and Elton John have all graced the Edinburgh halls.

The city also had the second most monthly and yearly searches for “live music,” and when calculated by search per 1000 of population it came in first place, with a whopping 254.69 searches a year. So, not only is Edinburgh the best place to see live music, but it’s also clear those living there have a big desire for it.

One of the best spots in Edinburgh is Greyfriars Bobby’s Bar in the heart of the city on Candlemaker Row. Named after the famous scruffy Skye terrier, Bobby, who faithfully watched over his owner’s grave from his death in 1858 until the pup’s own death in 1872, the pub is known by locals and travellers alike for having great live music every Friday and Saturday evening. A must for anyone visiting!

Manchester, Brighton and Liverpool also top the list  

For those in the know, Manchester is colloquially named “Madchester”, and more than half of the city (55%) agree that watching live music is one of life’s greatest pleasures, according to our recent survey. 29% also agree that live music is the best way to listen to music, and 36% prefer going to see live music at a local venue. This is lucky, as Manchester has a total of 59 bars/pubs with the “live music” filter, making it the top place in the country for local music venues.

London tops the list for number of live music venues 

London is top of the charts when it comes to its number of live music venues, with an impressive 82 – although it’s worth noting that the city is the largest in the UK and more than three times as big as Manchester (second biggest).

Fans of Amy Winehouse will want to visit The Lyttelton Arms, a popular haunt of hers back in the 90s the pub to this day hosts live music on a Friday.

Those in London were also most likely to prefer going to see live music at a local venue, with 42.5% agreeing to this statement and a further 21.9% agreeing that nothing beats seeing live music. One of the best venues in London, according to Secret London, is the Hoop and Grapes, one of the oldest pubs in London. Built in 1593, the Hoop and Grapes managed to escape the Great Fire of London, they often have live music on from various genres.

Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow, and Birmingham all rounded out the top 5 for live music venues.

Manchester is the best city for local music venues 

If there’s one thing Manchester can do well, it’s a space for local bands to come together and perform for intimate crowds who only care about one thing: good music. The city is a hotspot for creativity and music culture, and any lovers of live music can find something that matches their vibe.