Editorial
Atlanta runs deep on blues, rock and the songwriter circuit, with rooms that have booked the city for decades. We judged these on the stage, the bill and whether the bar holds up while the band plays.
Eight made the list, from the institution that is Smith's Olde Bar to the dive blues of Northside Tavern. Our full Atlanta live music bars list and the wider live music bars worldwide guide go deeper, and the Atlanta bar guide covers the rest of the city.
For one room, make it Smith's Olde Bar for the history and the nightly bill. For blues, Blind Willie's is the seated room and Northside Tavern is the dive, and you should see both.
Atlanta rewards checking the calendar and the neighbourhood. The scene spreads from Decatur to West Midtown to Marietta, so pick the night by who is playing, plan the drive, and get there before the support.
Sources: Discover Atlanta and Creative Loafing listings; venue official sites and calendars; Google Maps reviews; local music press.