Nashville is known as Music City for a reason. You don’t need to look very far to find a band performing on a stage. For that reason, and the rich music history here, Nashville has become a destination for music lovers. You’ll find flocks of tourists on Broadway where honky-tonk bars are lined up one after the other, with live music playing all day and night.

While Broadway is certainly worth a visit, you might wonder where the locals actually go to catch a show.  Nashville is filled with musicians, music industry professionals, and music lovers, so where are our favorite places? We took a poll and listed some of the best venues in Nashville according to people who live here. So here it is, in no particular order...

Ascend Amphitheater

Ascend Amphitheater is an outdoor venue in downtown Nashville along the riverfront. It has a beautiful view of the city & the pedestrian bridge over the river. While there are plenty of seats available closer to the stage, Ascend’s spacious lawn makes it a great place to hang out on a picnic blanket with some friends to catch well-known acts like Alicia Keys, The 1975, Jimmy Buffet, Phish, and Eric Church, just to name a few.

Ryman Auditorium

The Ryman is a piece of living history in Nashville, and widely regarded as one of the most celebrated music venues in the country. Artists dream of gracing the stage, and it’s one of the few venues in town that locals appreciate just as much as, if not more than, tourists. Grab a ticket to any show there and you’ll be moved by the truly unique live music experience in the near 130 year old theater.

Marathon Music Works

Marathon Music Works is a 1500 cap club that offers a more intimate space. Located in an old auto factory, it’s now a concert venue among a collection of shops. Locals stray from the honky-tonk cover bands to catch some of the trendier acts here. They bring in lots of cool artists such as Mt. Joy, Still Woozy, Surfaces, and many more.

The Basement & The Basement East

Arguably the best place to catch an underground rock show in Nashville, The Basement is an aptly-named small club located in the basement of a historic building on 8th Avenue South. Stop by on Tuesdays for their New Faces Night to watch sets from the up-and-coming local and touring acts, or check out their outdoor concert series this summer, Get Happier Fridays, for some free live music in the sun.

In 2015, a second location was opened on Nashville’s eastside, catering to larger touring acts. Destroyed in the 2020 tornado, but fully restored that same year, The Basement East (known by locals simply as The Beast) quickly established itself as one of the best venues in town, putting on shows from John Prine, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Maggie Rogers, Cage the Elephant, Dawes, and countless others.

Cannery Ballroom

The largest of three music venues in the historic Cannery building in The Gulch, Cannery Ballroom is one of best spots in Nashville to catch touring bands. The venue has hosted notable names like Rival Sons, Jane’s Addiction, Lenny Kravitz, Dua Lipa, Dermot Kennedy, among many others over the years. When you step inside, you immediately feel the history of the old warehouse space with its exposed bricks and wood beams.  

Exit/In

Exit/In is a historic rock club in Midtown that’s brought in some distinguished names since the 70s, including Johnny Cash, Talking Heads, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and even stand up comedian, Steve Martin. It’s a beloved place among locals, which was made evident this past year when the community raised over $270,000 to help the venue owners put in a bid to purchase the building. While the building was unfortunately sold to AJ Capital Partners instead, the club continues to book shows and remains a staple in the Nashville music scene.