The Northeast Tennessee Music Census, a regional community-led partnership with the Tennessee Entertainment Commission, has released its 2024 findings at www.NETNmusic.com, highlighting the region’s $75.9 million annual music economy and insights into its ecosystem across eight counties and Bristol.

Key Findings:
Economic Impact: The Census revealed that total annual economic activity from music earnings in the region amounts to $75.9 million, with music contributing significantly to local culture and commerce.
Ecosystem Composition: Music creatives make up 78% of the ecosystem, with venues and industry professionals comprising 11% and 10% respectively.
Music Localism/Community Advocacy: Strong interest in forming a Northeast Tennessee community-based collaborative to pull together the region and collectively advocate for and develop music as an economic and cultural force.
Career Concerns: Rising costs of living and stagnant pay rates are among the top challenges facing music professionals in Northeast Tennessee.

Venue Insights: Small venues dominate the scene, hosting over 1,590 live events annually. However, regulatory hurdles and limited support for diverse genres pose challenges for growth. There is a need to increase the number of performances at existing venues and also to expand genre diversity.
High Levels of Experience but Low Entry of New Talent: A large proportion of
respondents have over 10 years of experience, indicating a highly seasoned community
with few new entrants into the industry.
Industry Services: Many music creatives manage their own booking, publicity, and merchandise, indicating a lack of accessible industry services in the area.
Community Needs: Respondents emphasized the need for communal spaces to collaborate musically and access to audience development tools like local media and gig calendars.

See the Data Dashboard.