JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – The Northeast Tennessee Music Census released its 2024 findings Thursday, highlighting the region’s nearly $76 million annual music economy.

The Tennessee Entertainment Commission (TEC) partnered with East Tennessee State University and the Tennessee Department of Tourism Development to survey over 12,000 people in the industry from May to July 2024.

The census revealed that the industry generates nearly $23 million in earnings and supports over 500 jobs across the eight surveyed counties and Bristol.

Bob Raines, the TEC executive director, stated that this information is particularly valuable as it comes directly from the northeast Tennessee community.

“Not only are you looking at a road map and looking at viable data, but this is data that’s coming from the community and stakeholders,” Raines said. “And, you know, ultimately hoping that this will be something that leadership in the community can look at and then act upon.”

Raines said he hopes this census can serve as an example for other regions across the state.

“We’re sort of taking the success and what we’ve learned from this and wanting to replicate it across other regions of the state,” Raines said. “Because ultimately we feel that, again, music and the music economy has to start to be integrated into, I think, the thought process around how do we build economic tools for our creative class and for the music industry.”

ETSU professor Stephen Marshall helped conduct the survey, which he said is an opportunity to support and retain the musical talent we have.

“What can we do as a region to elevate ourselves for both doing great stuff for the musicians and the artists and the people that are all supportive of the music industry?” Marshall asked. “But also for the folks that come to town that are visiting us, how can we elevate all this to for our community?”

Marshall added that advancing the industry will need to be community-driven, and recommended a single organization that brings the several different music scenes together.

“We really can establish an entity that brings the community together,” Marshall said. “You know, ETSU has been pushing this kind of agenda with support from Nashville, the governor’s office and the state entertainment commission. But it’s not an ETSU thing. You know, we’re a great collaborator for our region, but this is something where the municipalities that are in our region need to come together and figure out how do we bring this together.”

A Music Census community summit is scheduled for February 6th in the Dobyns-Bennett Instrumental Music Building from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The summit will be free and open to the public.

On the federal level, Senator Marsha Blackburn has sponsored the American Music Tourism Act, which would require the commerce department to implement a plan to increase and attract domestic and international visitors to venues nationwide. It passed the Senate last month but is still waiting for action by the House.

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