It is not just a US phenomenon - new urban stars have won the UK's Mercury Music Prize for the best album of the year for the last two years, while even Prince Charles is getting in on the act, hosting an urban music festival in May.
Nashville still has nearly three times as many music businesses as Los Angeles, but the establishment of a new creative class that includes non-country stars like Jack White and the Black Keys, as well as an improving local economy, has spurred demand for upscale dining options, one-of-a-kind shopping and buzzy cultural venues.