Chicago invented house music and perfected the blues. The city's music history runs deeper than any other in America — from South Side jazz clubs to the warehouse parties that launched electronic music worldwide. 1,400+ venues still going strong.
SEE TONIGHT'S EVENTS →Muddy Waters. Howlin' Wolf. Buddy Guy. Chicago electric blues redefined American music. Buddy Guy's Legends still plays every night on Wabash — a living institution.
House was born in Chicago in the early 1980s. Frankie Knuckles at The Warehouse. That sound conquered the world. The city celebrates it every weekend in the city that started it all.
Chicago's South Side jazz tradition shaped American culture. Andy's Jazz Club and the Green Mill in Uptown run jazz nightly, as they have for decades. The Green Mill opened in 1907.
Kanye West. Chance the Rapper. Noname. Chicago hip-hop punches above every weight class. Metro and Empty Bottle anchor the indie scene in Wicker Park and Lakeview.
WHERE CHICAGO PLAYS
Chicago's definitive mid-size venue since 1982. Smashing Pumpkins. R.E.M. Indie, rock, and everything between.
The best small venue in Chicago. Indie, experimental and underground. Seven nights a week, no compromises.
Historic 1892 venue in Pilsen. Indie, folk, electronic. Stunning architecture, perfect sound.
The world's greatest blues bar. Buddy Guy plays a January residency every year. Live blues every night.
Open since 1907. Al Capone drank here. Jazz every single night. Chicago's most storied music room.
Chicago's main arena. Major touring acts, stadium pop and hip-hop. Home of the Bulls and Blackhawks.
Live shows in Chicago sell out fast. Browse upcoming events across platforms — electronic underground, major arena tours, and everything in between.
Live events across the city that invented house music. Updated daily.
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