MOLINE, Ill. — Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ticket seller Vivid Seats ranked metropolitan areas by their number of singers and musicians for every 1,000 jobs.
The Quad Cities area came in at No. 11 on the Top 22 list, with approximately 48 musicians and singers per every 100,000 jobs. The number of musicians and singers was limited to full- and part-time employees based in the cities listed, not traveling acts.
"The Quad Cities, tt's an accumulation of so many different small communities and there's so many musical opportunities here ranging from children's choir to professional symphony orchestra," said Mark Swessinger, director of music at Quad City Music Guild.
According to Vivid Seats, the Quad Cities originally took up musical influences from travelers on Mississippi riverboats as they navigated between Minnesota and New Orleans. Over time, the region became a welcoming home to musicians due to its number of music festivals and concert venues.
"It's just wonderful because of the support of the community," said musician Laurel Filzen Etzel. "Things that I don't see in all the places that I've lived and worked and I definitely see that here and it's wonderful to see that here and I've experienced all of that in just under a year."
Peoria, Illinois, also made Vivid Seats' list, coming in at No. 15. According to Vivid Seats, the city is home to about 39 musicians and singers per every 100,000 jobs.
Here's where the Quad Cities and Peoria metros ranked in comparison to other music hubs:
- Greater Nashville metro area, Tennessee.
- Urban Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Eugene, Oregon.
- Rochester, New York.
- North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton area, Florida.
- New Haven, Connecticut.
- Greater Hilton Head Island area, South Carolina.
- Greater Utica metro area, New York.
- Waterbury, Connecticut.
- Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- Greater Quad Cities area, Iowa and Illinois.
- Greater Hartford area, Connecticut.
- Trenton, New Jersey.
- Syracuse, New York.
- Peoria, Illinois.
- Appleton, Wisconsin.
- Medford, Oregon.
- Binghamton, New York.
- Greater Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagra Falls, New York area.
- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada.
- Evansville, Indiana-Kentucky area.
- Greater New York City and Newark, New Jersey area.