Hamburg
Hamburg, as Germany’s second biggest city, is one of the most dynamic regions for the creative industries in Europe and an established hub of the music industry since decades. The city attracts both artists and music business professionals and hosts the complete music business value chain (studios, publishers, musicians and composers, orchestras and bands, concerts and clubs, labels and organizers). Hamburg's reputation as a music city dates back to the 17th century. The huge musical heritage of baroque and church music (e.g. Telemann, Bach), musical instruments (e.g. Steinway, organ building.) and the “Oper am Gänsemarkt”, the forerunner of today's State Opera established in 1678, marked the beginning of Hamburg’s status as a music city.
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The rich and diverse music scene includes top-level orchestras, soloists and chamber ensembles, as well as jazz, hip-hop and world musicians, singer-songwriters, rock bands and electronic music artists, accompanied by a deeply rooted independent scene that recognizes and develops new trends at an early stage. Hamburg has one of the most influential German music scenes, including the world wide famous Reeperbahn, where the Beatles began their career. The surrounding St. Pauli district has Germany’s highest club density. Since the 1980s it is home to a huge left-wing punk scene. And in the 1990s and 2000 indie rock of the so-called “Hamburger Schule” and Hip Hop from Hamburg deeply influenced a whole musical generation and youth culture in Germany. In addition, internationally well-known festivals from indie, jazz, metal, classic or contemporary, such as MS Dockville Festival for Music and Art, Reeperbahn Festival, Elbjazz, Wacken, Greatest Hits, Blurred Edges or Klub Katarakt, mark the diversity of Hamburg’s musical scene. Since January 11th 2017, many of these music makers now find a new venue in the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg. One of the worlds best concert venues, reflecting the diversity of Hamburg’s music landscape in its program.
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For the Music Cities Network the Hamburg Music Business Association (IHM) cooperates with the City of Hamburg and the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce.
Why Music cities network?
"We are proud members of the Music Cities Network since its inception. The MCN offers an ideal platform for exchanging knowledge and collaborating on projects among dedicated cities and individuals united by a common goal: to enhance local music ecosystems through global collaboration."
Timotheus Wiesmann
Managing Director Hamburg Music
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hamburg as a member city is represented by:
