strategy

The Memphis Music Strategy was developed through an extensive research and engagement process, underpinned by six core pillars:

• Literature Review and Regulatory Assessment
  Coordinating with our partners in Memphis, Sound Diplomacy conducted thorough research into the strategies, regulations, laws and programs that are related to the music ecosystem in the city and state.

• Asset Mapping Analysis
  There are 1,148 music‑related physical assets in Memphis and within a 5.5 mile buffer, with nearly a third (313 / 27%) dedicated to live music, of which 25% are music venues.

• Economic Impact Assessment
  Memphis's music ecosystem supports a total of 5,014 local jobs (1.77% of local employment), generates a total output of $721.6 million, and a total gross value added (GVA) of $458.4 million. For every $1,000 of output generated by the music ecosystem, an additional $750 is created locally across other industries.

• Stakeholder Engagement
  Sound Diplomacy engaged with nearly 700 stakeholders through an online survey, and in person and online interviews and roundtables.  Participants represented key sectors across recorded music, live music, music tech and business, local government, education, destinations and placemaking, associations and societies, faith-based spaces, Memphis expats, and infrastructure.

• Mud Island Economic Forecast, Benchmarks, and Audience Profiles 
  Sound Diplomacy utilized: findings from roundtable discussions; developed benchmark case studies on successful amphitheaters; demographic, psychographic and behavioural segmentations from the music ecosystem survey to identify audience profiles; and data sources to Memphis to calculate estimated event attendee spending in the local economy, and the indirect and induced impacts should Mud Island reopen.

• SWOT Analysis and Action Plan
  All findings were assessed and summarized into a SWOT analysis, highlighting the key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats based on each stage of research.

Findings & outcomes

Launched in March 2025, the Memphis Music Strategy delivers a clear, community-rooted vision via 25 actionable recommendations for embedding music in the city’s economic and social development.

• Investment & Infrastructure
  Recommendations include revitalising iconic spaces like Mud Island Amphitheater, improving public transport, creating new funding mechanisms for the  music ecosystem, and establishing incentives for music businesses.

• Talent Retention & Workforce Development
  The strategy identifies ways to support professional pathways in music education, production, and business, expand touring support, and improve access to music training at all levels.

• Tourism & Global Positioning
  It calls for expanding Memphis’s music tourism narrative to include all genres and communities - with a particular focus on hip-hop, enhancing the city’s cultural identity and global appeal, while promoting diversity within the industry and cultivating a resilient and sustainable economy.

• Cultural Preservation & Equity
  The strategy prioritises inclusive storytelling, racial equity, and genre diversity, ensuring Memphis’s music ecosystem represents and benefits all communities.

With these foundations in place, Memphis is now equipped with a strategic, actionable blueprint to honour its legacy while building a resilient, inclusive, and world-leading music economy.