Whether it’s in reference to the city’s rising economy, sports fever, southern charm or constant entertainment, Nashville has been dubbed the new ‘it city,’ and it’s about time.
For a few years, different news outlets and magazines have noted the rise both population and economy in Music City, but it seems that 2013 may just be the year that Nashville emerges as a top destination in the country. Back in 2011, Forbes magazine listed Nashville at No. 3 on their list of cities in line to be the ‘next big boom town’. Last year, the Business Insider ranked the city at No. 5 for fastest growing job markets in the U.S.
Now, the New York Times is referring to Nashville as the next “it city,” and people can’t wait to become a citizen of the GQ-named ‘Nowville’.
For a city that used to be mocked for its honky-tonk feel, how did it rise to the top?
To start, the change in country music has helped move Nashville away from the old country vibe. Names like Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton have made it popular to enjoy country music again. Urban and Shelton are both in the national spotlight with roles on the hit television shows American Idol and The Voice, while Underwood, Swift and Lambert have all spent the past five years bringing in a younger demographic to the country music fan base.
Country music is no longer limited to just Broadway Ave. Bridgestone Arena is constantly rotating the biggest names not only in country music, but the music industry in general throughout the year. This past December, it was the site for the Grammy Nominations concert, hosted by LL Cool J and Nashville’s own Taylor Swift. This was the first time the show wasn’t in Los Angeles and is a prime example of the city’s growing success in the music world.
Nashvillians do love their sports. Between the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, Vanderbilt Commodores and Nashville Sounds, there’s always something going on in the sports world of Nashville. While the Titans are very popular in the fall, Nashville is actually becoming an NHL city.
Often referred to as ‘Smashville’, people can’t get enough of the Predators, the city’s professional hockey team. As soon as the four month lockout ended earlier this month, chants of ‘drop the puck’ could be heard throughout the city as fans waited for a game schedule. The first game of the short season was January 19th against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The opener sold out Bridgestone Arena (the home of the Preds).
Business insider cites a 2.37% employment growth increase leading to a population of more than 1.6 million people. The technology and food job markets are some of the hottest in the nation and don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Suburbs like Brentwood, Belle Meade, Hendersonville and even Murfreesboro give the city space to breathe unlike other similar cities that just feel too congested.
Combine all of these elements with the resident southern charm, and you have a place that is both thriving and welcoming to those who wish to join the nation’s new ‘it city’.