Atlanta has a thriving music industry and is considered to be a capital of hip-hop including crunk, of R&B and its offshoot neo-soul, and of gospel music - in addition to a thriving indie-rock and live music scene. Classical, country and blues have historically been well represented. From the 1920s through 1950s the city was a major center for country music.
Modern hip-hop, R&B, neo soul
In 2009, the New York Times called Atlanta "hip-hop's center of gravity", and the city is home to many popular hip-hop, R&B and neo soul musicians.
The following hip-hop, rap, R&B and soul artists have had #1 or #2 singles on the U.S. Hot 100 chart: Artist Year Rank Single name Year Rank Album name B.o.B 2010 1 Nothin' on You 2010 1 B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray Lil Nas X 2018-2021 1 3#1 singles 2021 2 Montero CeeLo Green 2010 2 Fuck You! The Lady Killer Childish Gambino 2018 1 This Is America Ciara 2004 1 Goodies 2006 1 Ciara: The Evolution D4L 2006 1 Laffy Taffy Down for Life Kris Kross 1992-1995 1 Jump 1992 1 Totally Krossed Out Lil Jon 2003 2 Get Low Kings of Crunk Lloyd You 2007 2 Street Love Ludacris 2003-2006 1 5#1 singles 2003-2010 1 4#1 albums Migos 2017 1 Bad and Boujee 2017 1 Culture (Migos album) Monica 1998-1999 1 3#1 singles 2003 1 2#1 albums T.I. 2008 1 4#1 singles 2006-2008 1 3#1 albums TLC 1992-1999 1 4#1 singles 1999 1 FanMail Outkast 2000-2003 1 3#1 singles 2003 1 Speakerboxxx/The Love Below Shop Boyz 2007 2 Party Like a Rockstar Rockstar Mentality The-Dream Rockin' That Shit 2009 2 Love vs. Money Toni Braxton 1996-2000 1 2#1 singles 1993 1 Toni Braxton Usher 1998-2010 9#1 singles 2004-2010 4#1 albums Young Jeezy 2008 Put On 2006 1 3#1 albums
Some other local artists include(d):
The Anointed Pace Sisters 1017 Brick Squad 112 (band) 6LACK 2 Chainz 21 Savage Alfamega Andre 3000 Arrested Development ATL B5 Baby D Big Boi Big Gipp Big Kuntry King Big Rube Blaque Bobby Creekwater Bobby V Bone Crusher Bow Wow Boyz n da Hood Bubba Sparxxx B.o.B Cash Out Che Cherish Chloe x Halle Christopher Massey CLAVVS Crime Mob Cyhi the Prynce D4L Da Brat Deante' Hitchcock Dem Franchize Boyz Diamond Dondria DJ Toomp Dolla Drumma Boy Dungeon Family EarthGang Fabo Freak Nasty Future Goodie Mob Gorilla Zoe Gucci Mane Gunna I-20 iLoveMakonnen India Arie Jacquees Jagged Edge Jarren Benton Jazze Pha Jermaine Dupri JID Johntá Austin K. Michelle Kandi Burruss Kap G Keith Sweat Keke Wyatt Keri Hilson Khia Khujo Killer Mike Kilo Ali Kyle Massey Latto Lecrae Lil Baby Lil Gotit Lil Keed Lil Nas X Lil Ru Lil Scrappy Lil Zane Lil Yachty Lisa Lopes London on da Track Lyfe Jennings Lucky Daye Lumberjacks (group) Migos Monifah Mike Will Made It Mullage Musiq Soulchild Natalie Lauren Sims Nivea Nitti O'so Krispie OJ da Juiceman Outkast P$C Pastor Troy Pill Playaz Circle Playboi Carti Polow da Don Princess Rasheeda Rich Homie Quan Rich the Kid Rocko (rapper) Roscoe Dash Rubi Rose Sammie Sean Garrett Silentó Shawty Lo Shop Boyz Silk (group) Slick Pulla Soulja Boy Speech Spillage Village Stat Quo Syleena Johnson Summer Walker Supreeme Taurus The Mr. Move TLC Travis Porter Trillville Tyra B Tyrese Unk USDA V.I.C. Xscape Ying Yang Twins Young Dro YoungBloodZ Young Thug Y.C. Yung Joc Yung L.A. Yung Wun Waka Flocka Flame
In the 1980s and early 1990s Atlanta's hip hop scene was characterized by a local variant of Miami's electro-driven bass music, with stars like Kilo Ali, MC Shy-D, Raheem the Dream, and DJ Smurf (later Mr. Collipark). MC Shy-D is credited with bringing authentic Bronx-style hip-hop to Atlanta (and Miami), such as 1988's Shake it produced by DJ Toomp.
The Dungeon Family is a hip hop/R&B/soul musical collective, based in Atlanta and specializing in Southern hip hop with heavy funk and soul influences. Members include OutKast, Goodie Mob, P.A., Lumberjacks, Society of Soul, André 3000, Big Boi, Backbone, Mr. DJ, Big Gipp, Cee Lo Green, Khujo, T-Mo, Witchdoctor, Big Rube, Cool Breeze, Big Reese, Killer Mike, Bubba Sparxxx, BlackOwned C-Bone and Supa Nate. The Dungeon Family also includes Rico Wade, Ray Murray, and Sleepy Brown who constitute the production/songwriting team Organized Noize, who have produced hits for the main popular Dungeon Family groups OutKast and Goodie Mob. By the mid-1990s, the rise of OutKast, Goodie Mob and Organized Noize led to the development of the Dirty South style of hip-hop and of Atlanta gaining a reputation for "soul-minded hip-hop eccentrics", contrasting with other regional styles.
The Yin Yang Café (now Apache Café) in Midtown on 3rd Street was a centerpoint for the development of the neo-soul scene including artist such as India.Arie, Society of Soul, Laurnéa, Kemetic Just, Sleepy Brown, Divinity Roxx, Naked Jazz, Khari Simmons, and Anthony David.
From the late 1990s to early 2000s, producer Lil Jon was a driving force behind the party-oriented style known as crunk. Record producers L.A. Reid and Babyface founded LaFace Records in Atlanta in the late-1980s; the label eventually became the home to multi-platinum selling artists such as Toni Braxton, TLC and Ciara. It is also the home of So So Def Records, a label founded by Jermaine Dupri in the mid-1990s, that signed acts such as Da Brat, Jagged Edge, Xscape and Dem Franchise Boyz. The success of LaFace and SoSo Def led to Atlanta as an established scene for record labels such as LaFace parent company Arista Records to set up satellite offices.
In 2009 the New York Times noted that after 2000, Atlanta moved "from the margins to becoming hip-hop's center of gravity, part of a larger shift in hip-hop innovation to the South." Producer Drumma Boy called Atlanta "the melting pot of the South". Producer Fatboi called the Roland TR-808 ("808") synthesizer "central" to the music of Atlanta's versatility, used for snap, crunk, trap, and pop rap styles. The same article named Drumma Boy, Fatboi, Shawty Redd and Zaytoven the four "hottest producers driving the city".
Magic City
Magic City is Atlanta's premiere gentlemen's club, responsible for launching artists such as Future, Young Thug, and Gucci Mane into the mainstream. Magic, the owner of Magic City, takes pride in his love of stripping and believes that the rap game in Atlanta is held together by "the power of booty." However, the role of strippers isn't just a position of subservience for the aesthetics of the club. Because they control the mood of the room, they have the ability to control audiences; they can make or break rap artists. The dancers request songs, so if they're getting 10,000 thrown at them whenever it blasts, they will continue to request the song. A club goer explained, "The girls pick what record pops in the streets. They pick what rapper pops in the streets. The girls at Magic City are the streets."Friedman, Devin. "Inside Magic City, the Atlanta Strip Club That Runs the Music Industry." GQ, GQ, 8 July 2015.
Gospel Atlanta plays a major role in the gospel music scene in many genres, particularly urban contemporary gospel (black gospel) as well as Southern gospel. The leading industry award ceremony, the GMA Dove Awards of the Gospel Music Association, have taken place since 2011 in Atlanta's Fox Theater. The Atlanta Gospel Choice Awards are also given out yearly at a well-attended festival. Gospel groups based in Atlanta included The Statesmen Quartet and many others.
Pop, rock, and metal
Atlanta has also produced rock and pop music singers, such as the folk-pop Indigo Girls, The Black Crowes, Shawn Mullins, The Changelings, alternative metal band Sevendust, ska/punk band Treephort, comedy-core pioneers Attractive Eighties Women, Maserati, post-rock band Light Pupil Dilate, dream-pop band Seely, rock bands Uncle Green (a.k.a. 3 Lb. Thrill), Injected, doubleDrive, City Sleeps, Manchester Orchestra, Collective Soul and Third Day, Butch Walker, and was a proving ground for Connecticut-born pop-rock-blues musician John Mayer. Mayer, as well as India.Arie and Shawn Mullins, all performed pre-fame at Eddie's Attic, an independent club in the intown suburb of Decatur. The "Open Mic Shootout" at Eddie's Attic consistently draws singer-songwriter talent from across the nation, and is held every Monday night.
The Satellites played every Monday night for $1. at Hedgen's in Buckhead, and Pranks played various bars. They all hit the big time.
During the 1980s, Atlanta had an active Punk rock scene that was centered on two of the city's music venues, 688 Club and the Metroplex, and Atlanta famously played host to the Sex Pistols first U.S. show, which was performed at the Great Southeastern Music Hall. Subculture continued to flourish in the 1990s with the Masquerade and Tyranny which featured industrial and dark wave. The Chamber, formed based on the success of Club Fetish, an industrial and gothic night hosted by the Masquerade, became a cultural icon. Little Five Points also continued to be the center of counter culture.
There is also a large metal scene in the Atlanta, including sludge metal band Mastodon, metalcore band Woe, Is Me, Issues, and deathcore band Attila. Other sludge metal groups from Savannah, Georgia are also sometimes associated with the Atlanta scene, including Baroness, Kylesa, Royal Thunder, and Black Tusk.
Justin Bieber lived in Atlanta during the early to mid-2010s when he was heavily recording music, having been drawn there by Usher and signed to the RBMG label.
Atlanta has also had a thriving indie rock scene since the early 1980s. Notable bands and artists over the years have included Drivin N Cryin, Magnapop, The Now Explosion, Mr. Crowes Garden, Dirt, The Opal Foxx Quartet, The Jody Grind, Cartel, Norma Jean, Smoke, Black Lips, Flap, The Subsonics, The Rockerz, Toenut, The Rock*A*Teens, Pineal Ventana, Ultrababyfat, nerdkween, Atlas Sound, Almighty Defenders, The Gaye Blades, Made in China, The Tom Collins, dropsonic, The Dreaded Marco, The Orphins, Bobby Ubangi, The Coathangers, Brass Castle, The Liverhearts, Elevado, Jackyl, Deerhunter, Family Force 5, Whores, The Selmanaires, Kaki King, Woe, Is Me, Starbenders, John-Allison Weiss, and Mallbangs. Other groups prominent in Atlanta included Guadalcanal Diary, The Swimming Pool Q's, Loudflower, Incarceri 9, and Arms Akimbo.
Notable industrial groups based out of Atlanta include Combichrist, Die Sektor, and Finite Automata.
The city also boasts a large, diverse Synthwave and modular synth community featuring groups such as Gregorio Franco, Watch Out For Snakes, and Vampire Step-dad.
Electronic jam-groove band Sound Tribe Sector 9 is also from Atlanta.
In the early 1980s, Atlanta was the home of a thriving pop and new wave music scene featuring such bands as The Fans, The Brains, The Producers, The Raves, Baby and the Pacifiers, The Razor Boys, The Neuz, Desperate Angel, Samurai Catfish, Heathen Girls and Face of Concern. Atlanta is also the home of Grammy Award-winning artist and songwriter Van Hunt.
Atlanta also boasts a thriving metal scene with bands such as Sevendust, Stuck Mojo, Mastodon, and HellBent.
Live music The city has a well-known and active live music scene. In the early 1980s, Atlanta was the home of a thriving new wave music scene featuring such bands as The Brains and The Producers, closely linked to the new wave scenes in Athens, Georgia and other college towns in the southeast. Historically there have been a variety of live music traditions going back to Cabbagetown country music pioneer Fiddlin' John Carson, also including a thriving scene in the 1990s, also in Cabbagetown, centered on a bar called Dotties, later known as Lenny's and relocated a few blocks away before closing permanently in 2010. Video Concert Hall, precursor to MTV, was founded in Atlanta.
The 688 Club was a popular alternative music venue from 1980–1986. The Masquerade is a popular concert venue.
Blues and jazz