GEORGIA MUSIC LEGACY

Georgia’s music scene is diverse, from Atlanta representing an urban music powerhouse to the rest of the state boasting a rich history of blues, classic rock, country, gospel, jazz, pop and alternative music.

Georgia’s musicians and creative community boast a rich legacy, going back to music legends such as Little Richard, James Brown and The Allman Brothers. In the 80’s, the alternative scene in the college town of Athens GA gave birth to pop and alternative music legends such as REM and the B52’s. Atlanta-based record companies flourished while promoting urban, pop and rock artists, from Ichiban Records promoting Clarence Carter’s soul outing, Kilo’s and MC Breed’s base music, and early releases by hip-hop starts Outkast and blues diva Francine Reed, to LaFace Records promoting the likes of TLC, Toni Braxton and Usher.

By the late 90s and into the new millennia, Atlanta has solidified its position as a global urban music headquarters, boasting artists such as Ludacris, T.I., Akon, and many more. This creative community was surrounded by many supporting segments of the industry, including producers (Jermaine Dupree, Brendan O’Brien, etc.) and recording studios, artist managers, and music industry lawyers. Other notable acts include Drivin n Cryin, Shawn Mullins, Collective Soul, Indigo Girls and Matchbox 20.

Today, Georgia continues to serve as a hotbed for new talent in multiple genres, from LaCrae’s Christian hip hop and Sharon Jones’ Motown-style soul music to Deerhunter’s and Manchester Orchestra’s alternative musings, from country stars such as Lady Antebellum, Sugarland, Third Day and Zac Brown to Rock acts such as Mastodon and Civil War History.

Georgia artists continue to lead national and global charts on multiple fronts. In Hip-Hop, you may recognize the likes of Future, 2 Chainz, Migos, Killer Mike, Run The Jewels, Lil Yachty, Rich Homie Quan, Big Boi, CeeLo Green, Metro Booming, GENIUS, 21 Savage, and Childish Gambino. In Country, you may recognize the likes of Jennifer Nettles, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett, Kip Moore, Billy Currington, Brantley Gilbert, and Alan Jackson. In EDM, you may recognize the likes of HRX (Heroes x Villians), Bro Safari, heRobust, Mayhem, and Treasure Fingers.

The state is also home to the world-class Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, which had won 27 GRAMMY® Awards to date.