New York And Boston Top StubHub’s List of 20 Most Rockin’ Cities

StubHub is said to be the world’s largest ticket marketplace, which puts them in an excellent position to gauge the interest in live music in various major U.S. cities. This year, the list has shifted a bit and it’s nice to see Boston move from position four last year to position two this year, just behind New York City.

I do have to take issue with the name of this list however. I assumed, at first glance, that a list of "Most Rockin’ Cities" would be limited to live performances that would fit well within the boundaries of the rock genre. Yeah, I’m probably picking nits just a little bit here, but for me, Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffett are not rockers, although with regard to Chesney, I do have an appreciation for country music’s evolution in recent years that has given it more of a rock feel.

Also mentioned as contributors to the artists that helped these cities earn their position on the list were the Jonas Brothers and I’m afraid that is where I have to draw the line. Call me an old classic rock curmudgeon, and perhaps I am, but I don’t see the teeny-bopper sensation Jonas Brothers as rockers. I congratulate them on their success and ability to attract crowds of screeching 12-year-old girls, but rockers they are not.

I suspect not a lot of serious consideration was contributed to the process that was utilized when StubHub selected the name "List of Most Rockin’ Cities," but I suppose it is their list and they can call it what they like. That does not mean that classic rock curmudgeons like myself have to agree with it.

I see that there are some actual rockers included in the top-selling shows, and I wonder what the list would look like if it were based on ticket sales to acts that actually do "rock."

By the way, isn’t "SFBay Area" a bit of a cheat? How would San Francisco and Oakland fair on the list if they had to go it alone?

Maybe I’m just in the mood to complain about stuff today.

In any case, here I present to you, StubHub’s "List of Most Rockin’ Cities."

2008 City Rank   (2007 Rank)  Top Selling Shows:
1.  New York          (1)     Billy Joel 7/18, 7/16, Bruce Springsteen 7/31
2.  Boston            (4)     Kenny Chesney 7/26, Bruce Springsteen 8/2,
                              Neil Diamond 8/23
3.  Los Angeles       (2)     Radiohead 8/24, 8/25,
                              Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers 6/25
4.  Philadelphia      (5)     Kenny Chesney 7/19, Jimmy Buffett 6/14,
                              Coldplay 7/25
5.  Chicago           (3)     Kenny Chesney 6/21, Coldplay 7/23,
                              Jimmy Buffett 7/26
6.  SFBay Area        (6)     Kenny Chesney 6/8, Coldplay 7/18,
                              The Police 7/14
7.  Hartford         (10)     Dave Matthews Band 6/14, Coldplay 8/2,
                              Billy Joel 5/31
8.  Detroit           (9)     Kenny Chesney 8/2, Jimmy Buffett 6/10,
                              Bon Jovi 7/7
9.  Richmond         (17)     Jimmy Buffett 8/30, Dave Matthews Band 6/28,
                              Jonas Brothers 8/18
10. Dallas            (7)     Radiohead 5/18,
                              Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 8/27,
                              Jonas Brothers 7/9
11. Atlanta          (12)     Jimmy Buffett 6/5, Kenny Chesney 7/13,
                              Eagles 5/17
12. Las Vegas         (8)     Coldplay 7/19, Kenny Chesney 6/6,
                              The Police 5/23
13. Indianapolis    (N/A)     Kenny Chesney 9/13, Jimmy Buffett 7/29,
                              Dave Matthews Band 7/26
14. Atlantic City    (19)     Jimmy Buffett 8/24, American Idols Live 8/2,
                              Killers 8/1
15. Seattle          (16)     Dave Matthews Band 8/30, Radiohead 8/20,
                              Dave Matthews Band 8/31
16. Denver           (13)     Jack Johnson 8/17, Rush 6/25,
                              Jonas Brothers 7/19
17. Houston          (18)     Radiohead 5/17, Kenny Chesney 8/16,
                              Dave Matthews Band 8/15
18. Washington, D.C. (15)     Coldplay 8/3, Eagles 7/26, Pearl Jam 6/22
19. Miami            (11)     Dave Matthews Band 7/12, Pearl Jam 6/11,
                              Dave Matthews Band 7/11
20. Cleveland       (N/A)     Kenny Chesney 5/24, Radiohead 8/4,
                              Jonas Brothers 8/22