Every self-respecting metropolis has its own music scene made up of artists, clubs, live music venues, concerts and festivals, but not every city can claim the status of "music city". Some are born that way by vocation, history and tradition, or become so through innovation and economic opportunity — like New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Toronto, Melbourne and Berlin. But there are others that, while not featuring on the Unesco map or in the global arena of music cities and without making too much noise, are home to vibrant and alternative artistic communities, with events of every kind. These are the musical outposts of 2019 — the ones that are "exploding" or that still manage to surprise: Tallinn, Tbilisi, Bangkok, Chengdu, Beirut. These places attract young tourists and new residents, foster social inclusion and wellbeing, invest in sustainable activities, promote electric mobility and, above all, still experience music and entertainment with extraordinary freedom, despite difficulties and restrictions.

What is a music city?

According to the Ifpi, a music city, by definition, is a place with a vibrant music scene, where artists, musicians, DJs, producers and an active audience populate venues, record labels, recording studios and production houses. For Sound Diplomacy, an international organisation that provides consultancy on the central role of music in economic, social and cultural growth, there are thirteen indicators that must be met before a city can be called a music city, as set out in this manual.

Tallinn, Estonia

A crystal-clear example of a new music city is Tallinn. Modern within its medieval walls, the Estonian capital boasts a welcoming and supportive music scene that benefits from innovative technologies and diverse cultures. The community atmosphere that pervades its inhabitants has rapidly grown the number and quality of artists, musicians and genres. Thanks to Tallinn's positive energy, contemporary projects are emerging, such as 18-year-old producer myspacebabe, alongside already familiar faces like Raul Saaremets and Inga Copeland. Producer and environmental activist Maria Minerva, who has been fighting against fossil fuel extraction for years, will see her Baltic city transition entirely to electric mobility by 2035.

Indeed, charging stations are scattered everywhere here. Music, technology and innovation are discussed every year at Tallinn Music Week, a creativity event that celebrates music, art and ideas, welcoming an audience of 30,000 people from every corner of the globe and hundreds of local and international artists. And so, rather than disappearing under the blows of globalisation, traditional Estonian music is also being championed. This is the case with the folk notes of Duo Ruut, singer-songwriter Erki Pärnoja, urban music reimagined by Yasmyn, rappers such as Alyona Alyona performing at Sveta Bar, and DJs taking turns at MÜRK parties. In the post-industrial spaces of Telliskivi, the city's most hyped creative district, artists can also benefit from grants and reduced rents.

Tbilisi, Georgia

Beyond its landscapes, ancient monasteries and wine, Tbilisi draws visitors with its bustling nightlife and club culture. Situated in the heart of the Caucasus, at the crossroads between East and West, over its long and turbulent history the Georgian capital has accumulated a great variety of customs, traditions and cultures from Europe, Asia, Persia and Russia. For several years now, a new generation has been pushing to establish itself in the city as a creative community made up of artists, musicians, skaters and designers. Many visitors eager to explore Tbilisi until the early hours come here to enjoy themselves just as the Georgians do.

Live music performances in cafés and bars are the norm, as almost every venue offers a stage. Amqari, Amber Bar and RadioCafe welcome local musicians, while the best addresses for jazz are Zazanova, Movement Theater and Jazz Cafe Singer. At Mtkvarze you can often catch Zurkin, one of Tbilisi's best-known DJs who also runs Vodkast Records, a vinyl record shop in the city centre, or Newa, a DJ now making waves across Europe. For bigger concerts, international DJ sets or raves, the place to be is the Spacehall club, Mzesumzira events or Bassiani, the techno mecca widely considered to be the heir to Berlin's Berghain.

Bangkok, Thailand

Thailand's capital satisfies every sense, with its temples, street restaurants and relentless nightlife, particularly in the Soi Nana neighbourhood of Chinatown where houses have been transformed into bars. Seven of these are ranked among the 50 best Asian bars of 2019. Above all stands the Bamboo Bar, a jazz institution since 1953. For dancing, the place to go is the Thonglor district, where clubs such as Violett and other entertainment venues offer everything from karaoke to dance music. Music festivals such as Maho Rasop bring together the best of international indie, while for electronic music the go-to events are S2O Songkran, Kolour In The Park and Transmission.

At live music venues it is a pleasure to catch local acts such as The 10th Saturday, City Plant, Yerm, Patchr, OrbitalXX and Parim. But how do you get around such a chaotic city? Sustainable transport is already a trend in this ever-expanding megalopolis with an eye on urban ecology. Electric vehicle charging stations have already been installed at shopping centres along Sukhumvit at record speed, and more will be positioned along all the main arteries. There are 400 in Bangkok alone, and over a thousand across Thailand. The introduction of new rail hubs, high-speed trains and electric buses, as well as artificial intelligence-based technologies, will be a decisive step forward for the city's mobility and liveability.

Chengdu, China

Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, has a rich history stretching back more than two thousand years. It also has a strong tourism economy thanks to its giant panda conservation centre for the endangered species. More recently, with one eye on the American music city of Nashville and the other on South-East Asia, this megalopolis has developed several music districts, becoming the first Chinese city by number of music businesses. It all started with a former steel pipe factory converted into a music park, but the ecosystem has been driven by a construction boom and music programmes at universities and colleges.

The underground music scene, which began twenty years ago at the rock venue Little Bar, has grown with the support of local government, which established a special fund to finance music projects. In an era of mobility and hyperconnectivity, Chengdu has become a hotbed bubbling with creative music culture, as demonstrated by festivals (ChunYou) and events organised by the collective Morning in spaces with the best sound systems (Nu Space) or a rebellious spirit (Funky Town). At the Poly Center, a central skyscraper with venues and bars on every floor, there is even a club (.TAG, which stands for To Another Galaxy) with a floating dance floor wrapped in mist.

Beirut, Lebanon

The vitality of the Lebanese people and the wide range of entertainment on offer make Beirut's music scene unique — a city where, at any hour of the day or night, you can stumble upon a party, not only in the rooftop venues along the waterfront. A city of great ethnic and religious mixing within the Arab world, where artists, venue owners and residents grow up aware of their musical heritage, which draws on folk tradition and dances such as tarab and dabka. Many indie rock bands have been born here and gone on to cross borders, among them Adonis, Postcards and Filter Happier.

Electronic music, on the other hand, is said to have first landed in Lebanon at the private parties of two English bank employees at their villa in Mansourieh, before spreading to the capital as well. In reality it had already been raging since the 1980s within the walls of the legendary B018, a club that sprang up under the bombardments and is still active today. Beirut is now home to at least ten clubs that regularly programme techno music, including the highly regarded Ballroom Blitz. Several musicians and producers from here have made their mark around the world, among them Rabih Beaini with his Morphine Records, Munma and guitarist Sharif Sehnaoui, the latter co-curator, with cartoonist Mazen Kerbaj, of the experimental music festival Irtijal.

Cover image: Tbilisi © Georgian National Tourism Administration