Top 10 Cities in the US for EDM

Let’s face it, the entire country’s music scene is booming right now. More and more cities are doing what they can to be at the top of the list, but these ten cities have made notable strides as innovators here in the US.

We chose these cities based on being home to major festivals, labels, and top music venues. Some of them are the OGs of certain genres and some are newer to EDM but bless us with events and music worth mentioning. 

EDM may not have started in America, but we definitely host top festivals in the world now! Here are the top 10 US cities for dance music:

1. Las Vegas, NV

With mega-festival EDC, sponsored pool parties, and some of the hottest clubs in the world, Las Vegas was the obvious choice for first place on this list. Not in town for EDC week? Don’t worry, you’re more than likely to catch acts like Diplo on a Tuesday at the top rated nightclub XS Las Vegas.

2. Chicago, IL

Chicago is number two on our list for being credited as the OGs of house music. In addition to the EDM stage at Lollapalooza, Northcoast Festival, and Spring Awakening, Chicago clubs like The Mid are bumping seven nights a week with resident DJs from around the world. Home to well-known event promotion and production company React Presents, this windy city is not one to just breeze through. 

3. Los Angeles, CA

LA has a little something for everyone. It is home to HARD Events as well as Insomniac. It home to the very first EDC. The emphasis is on techno and house music at top clubs like Avalon and Exchange LA. Not a fan of the mainstream scene? You’ll have no problem finding an underground burner party nearby.

4. Miami, FL

This is where beach and boat parties are brought to another level. World-known Ultra Music Festival calls Miami home, and it was the port for Groove Cruise. They also host Miami Music Week, the top EDM music conference. Miami is also home to several top clubs in America like Story and Basement.

5. Denver, CO

The bass music scene in Denver will rock your world… literally. Catch acts like Knife Party at Beta Nightclub, or walk a mile down the road to catch Griz on a Wednesday night in a 300 person venue. Didn’t make it to that epic Griz show? He’s playing two nights at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, conveniently located in Denver’s backyard; in addition to the rest of the summer roster that can’t be overlooked. Colorado is also home to Global Dance Festival, Decadence NYE, and Sonic Bloom Music Festival and has brought us great producers like Pretty Lights.

6. San Francisco, CA

Known for its renegade daytime park parties, San Fran has blessed us with Dirtybird Records (Claude Von Stroke, Justin Martin) and Om Records (Kaskade, Mark Farina) and the one and only bass head icon, Bassnectar. San Francisco is paving the way for the West Coast. Check out major venues like Great American Music Hall, an epic club like Temple, or an underground after hours that rages until sunrise.

7. Detroit, MI

After giving birth to Techno music and major artists like Griz, Octave One, and Carl Craig, Detroit has rightfully earned a spot on the top ten list. Detroit is home to the renown techno event Memorial weekend, Movement Festival. Bleu Detroit Nightclub always boasts epic lineups. “Detroit Hustles Harder” seems to be true as you can find after hours parties that go all night to the wee hours.

8. New York, NY

The city that never sleeps has not been sleeping on the development of their music scene. The New York club scene has been raging hard since the 80s. In addition to the huge all-night party scene and pop-up nightclubs that appear out of thin air for a summer, NYC is home to Electric Zoo Festival and Elements Festival, as well as the former EDC New York and former MysteryLand USA.

9. Atlanta, GA

Dirty South Trap would not exist without the ATL. It is also the former home of TomorrowWorld and CounterPoint Music Festival. Iris Presents recently dropped Imagine Music Festival’s first phase on their 3-day lineup to take place this September. They also host a weekly EDM Saturday EDM event called Iris at RUSH Lounge. You can always find top EDM acts at Opera Nightclub, or some heavy bass hitters on one of the best small venue sound systems at Aisle 5.

10. Dallas, TX

With huge New Year’s Eve celebrations like Lights all Night, and Something Wonderful presented by Disco Donnie less than an hour away, Texas has made its way onto the list. Insomniac is now giving us a new Texas festival, Middlelands that happens this month.

The best part of festival season is traveling to new cities and experiencing new places. There is too much going on around the country to just stay in one city. Gear up for festival season with iEDM and stay tuned for your updates on music festivals in some of these cities this year!