Albany has been ranked as the best place to live in the state, according to a survey by the U.S. News & World Report. Some may also be shocked that New York City ranked fifth in the 2023-24 list of best places to live in the state, behind Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo, respectively. What we find less surprising is that all five cities have a large music presence.
Ranked as the #1 best place to live in New York State, the Capital Region is home to several music venues and recording studios. White Lake Music and Post, one of the recording studios on Albany’s roster, has produced, recorded, and mixed multiple Billboard Top 40 singles and provided audio services for clients including Netflix, Discovery, Lifetime, Universal, Disney, Nickelodeon, and HBO. Additionally, the Palace Theatre, which first opened its doors in 1931, has been graced by the presence of musical greats like the Rolling Stones and is home to the Albany Symphony Orchestra.
Ranking second on the list, Syracuse is home to many venues, among them Syracuse Stage, which is approaching its 50th anniversary this year. The premier professional theatre in Central New York, Stage is part of Syracuse University and is a member of The League of Resident Theatres (LORT), the largest professional theatre association in the country. America’s leading actors, directors, and designers work and/or have worked at Stage including Tony Award-winners Jason Alexander, Lillias White, Chuck Cooper, and Elizabeth Franz, Emmy recipients Jean Stapleton, Sam Waterston, John Cullum, James Whitmore, and Ben Gazzara.
Rochester ranks as the third best place to live in New York State. Rochester is home to Water Street Music Hall, the city’s largest and oldest concert venue. Originally opened in 1976 under the name The Country Warehouse, the venue has brought hundreds of large artists including Phish, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Ashanti, David Byrne, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Iggy Pop, Jack Harlow, Sublime, St. Vincent, King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard, Maroon 5, Weezer, and many more.
Coming in fourth is the Queen City of Buffalo, a major music and entertainment region of its own. Buffalo is home to GCR Audio, a recording studio that has worked with Buffalo natives the Goo Goo Dolls, who recorded their self-titled debut album as well as Jed, Hold Me Up, Superstar Car Wash, A Boy Named Goo, Jessie J, and Who You Are at the studio. The city is also home to the nearly 100-year-old Shea’s Theatre, which this year alone has held performances of classic musicals such as Les, Mamma Mia, and in previous years Beetlejuice, Dear Evan Hanson, A Christmas Story: The Musical, The Nutcracker, and Mean Girls: The Musical, among others.
As we know, New York City is the music and entertainment capital of the Empire State, if not the country. With countless music venues such as the Beacon Theatre, Knockdown Center, Brooklyn Bowl and Madison Square Garden, plus dozens of recording studios such as Electric Lady, the Big Apple has earned its title as one of the best cities for music in the world. MSG has hosted more than thousands of sports events and concerts, including upcoming tours by Fall Out Boy and Nicki Minaj. Electric Lady Recording Studio has made music for several big names in the industry such as Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, as well as New York natives Christina Aguilera and Lana Del Rey.
The state of New York is home to several of the most prestigious and oldest music venues in the country, making it clear to see why the aforementioned cities rank in the top five best places to live in New York State.
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