United States · Music
Events in Los Angeles, United States
From the Whisky a Go Go and the Sunset Strip's rock history to Compton's West Coast hip hop and the Low End Theory beat scene, LA is a music capital. The Hollywood Bowl seats 17,500. Every show on Mood.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles music scene
Few cities have shaped popular music like Los Angeles. The Sunset Strip in West Hollywood was the West Coast's rock engine - the Whisky a Go Go, opened in 1964 and credited as the first true American discotheque, where the Doors were briefly the house band; the Troubadour (1957), which launched Elton John's US career; and the Roxy (1973). By the 1980s the same strip was the capital of glam metal, home to Van Halen, Mötley Crüe and Guns N' Roses.
LA is equally central to hip hop. N.W.A formed in nearby Compton in 1987, and their 1988 album Straight Outta Compton put West Coast rap on the map; Dr. Dre's Death Row Records (1991) and his album The Chronic defined the G-funk sound. The city's beat scene crystallised at Low End Theory, a weekly Lincoln Heights club night (2006-2018) where Flying Lotus and the Brainfeeder label emerged. For scale, the Hollywood Bowl (1922) seats 17,500 as the LA Philharmonic's summer home, and the mild climate keeps live music running year-round. Every show is on Mood.
Common questions
What are the most iconic music venues in Los Angeles?
LA's landmark venues include the Whisky a Go Go (1964) and the Troubadour (1957) and Roxy (1973) on the Sunset Strip, the open-air Hollywood Bowl (1922, 17,500 seats) and Greek Theatre, and the Hollywood Palladium (1940). Upcoming shows are on Mood.
Why is Los Angeles important to hip hop?
LA and neighbouring Compton are the home of West Coast hip hop and G-funk - N.W.A formed in Compton in 1987, Straight Outta Compton followed in 1988, and Dr. Dre's Death Row Records (1991) and The Chronic defined the sound. Upcoming hip hop shows are on Mood.
Is Coachella in Los Angeles?
No - Coachella is held in Indio, about two and a half hours' drive east of LA, not in the city itself. Los Angeles's own major festival was FYF Fest, held at Exposition Park. Events actually in LA are listed on Mood.
About Los Angeles
Los Angeles is a sprawling global epicenter of the entertainment industry, renowned for its influence on cinema, music, and fashion. Beyond the allure of Hollywood, the city is characterized by its diverse multicultural neighborhoods, Mediterranean climate, and a unique architectural legacy that blends historical Spanish missions with modern urban design. As a major cultural powerhouse, it continues to shape global popular culture through its vibrant arts scene and innovative creative industries.
