A writer for Making Music magazine wrote that in Denton “Every other person you meet is a musician, and those that aren’t, have a love and respect for music that borders on obsession.” With a population just over 110,000, Denton has over 100 active bands, and because of its small size, musicians here have less ego and more soul. In 2008, Paste Magazine named the city’s music scene the best in the country and according to Citylab, the town’s growing music scene has led to a citywide boom.

But unlike other towns, Denton has intentionally built its music scene collaboratively, through projects like DentonRadio.com. When the internet radio station launched, Denton businesses and organizations rallied alongside musicians to financially support the endeavor. Now the station is a unique online platform for local musicians to expose their work, collaborate, and network.

Artists with city ties

Pat Boone, Don Henley, and Norah Jones passed through in the start of their careers. It also served as the temporary home of bands like Midlake, Bowling for Soup, Eli Young Band, Neon Indian, and Sarah Jaffe. The local polka band, Brave Combo, has won two Grammy Awards (but more importantly, they’ve appeared on The Simpsons).

Venues

There’s 25 venues within walking distance of the town square, and a couple hundred more nearby. But the city’s known for hosting concerts even in donut shops and fast food stops. Dan’s Silverleaf was voted best music venue in 2014. The Abby Underground features free live music and a large selection of beers.

Festival

Each year the city hosts up to 20 large festivals and more than 100 smaller ones, but it’s 35 Denton — the town’s response to nearby Austin’s SXSW — that beats them all. The volunteer-driven festival showcases over 200 hundred bands — almost half from Denton — and attracts 10,000+ people.

Photo: Art and Seek