For our latest project, we’ve helped create an Edinburgh Music Map in partnership with Forever Edinburgh to showcase the city’s venues, record shops, bars and places of interest

Swim School helped launch the Edinburgh Music Map at Sneaky Pete’s - pic Greg Macvean

One of the reasons EML exists is to help celebrate Edinburgh’s music scene and put it on the radar of more people.

For our latest project, we helped Forever Edinburgh, the body which promotes Edinburgh to the world, to create an Edinburgh Music Map.

The map, which we believe to the first of its kind for Edinburgh, features a selection of around 50 music destinations across the capital. It can be downloaded via the Forever Edinburgh website with a printed version expected to follow soon.

Aimed at visitors to the city, it lists around 20 of the city’s core music venues which regularly host gigs such as Sneaky Pete’s, a recent winner of the UK’s Grassroots Music Venue of the Year; former Veterinary School, Summerhall; 5-star flagship venue The Usher Hall; and the recently rebranded O2 Academy Edinburgh.

Also included are the city’s numerous independent record shops such as newcomer Thorne Records in Bruntsfield and stalwart shops such as Underground Solu'shn, Avalanche and Assai Records.

A selection of music bars across Edinburgh that host traditional live music sessions, such as Whistle Binkies, Bannermans and Sandy Bell’s, are also featured.

The hope is that more visitors to Edinburgh use the map to explore the city’s music scene, from going to venues for gigs to seeking out our many record shops.

We also curated a playlist of Edinburgh tracks to go with the map to help visitors listen to local acts.

The Edinburgh Music Map was created by Forever Edinburgh, the body which promotes Edinburgh to the world

The launch of The Edinburgh Music Map comes at a time when the story of the city’s eclectic and evolving live music scene is entering an exciting new chapter as it emerges from the pandemic.

Edinburgh has a new venue in the pipeline, with the development of the Dunard Centre in the New Town. This 1,000-capacity concert hall will be the city’s first purpose-built venue in more than 100 years when it opens in 2026. In addition, an old venue, Leith Theatre, is being gradually brought back to life – in August, it hosts a series of gigs as part of the Edinburgh International Festival.

The city is also playing host to a number of largescale events this summer such as the Connect Music Festival at the Royal Highland Centre and the Summer Sessions in Princes Street Gardens.

Alice Johnson, singer and guitarist for swim school who helped launch the map at Sneaky Pete’s, said: “Sneaky Pete’s is one of our favourite venues in Edinburgh. We have played the venue multiple times and also been to watch so many of our favourite bands there - whether you are on stage or in the audience, the energy and atmosphere is always amazing. You can tell it's a highly loved venue the moment you step foot in the door so we hope this map helps encourage more musicians and fans to come to Edinburgh.”

Nick Stewart, owner of the Sneaky Pete’s venue and a leading campaigner for live music in Edinburgh, said: "Edinburgh is a music city with a rich history of great gigs by outstanding touring and local acts. Its nightlife is built around music culture, and it's great to see it recognised in this map of hotspots."

The map is part of Forever Edinburgh’s The Story Never Ends campaign which promotes the capital’s ever-evolving stories and array of experiences that are always developing, just like its music scene, to both visitors and residents. It is also part of a drive by Forever Edinburgh to encourage visitors to explore the city’s exciting music scene by promoting it to new audiences via its website and social media channels which are viewed by millions each year.

In May, Forever Edinburgh appointed an official music reviewer to write reviews of gigs in the city that help encourage more music fans around the UK to visit Edinburgh. The reviewer, Stuart Niven, 37, a learning and development consultant from Leith with a passion for music and an interest in writing, is reviewing gigs each month by local artists and touring performers across Edinburgh venues.

Stuart has reviewed 4 gigs and events so far - Hamish Hawk at The Caves; The Smile at The Usher Hall; Hidden Door Festival at the Old Royal High School; and Michael Kiwanuka at the Summer Sessions in Princes Street Gardens. You can read all his reviews here

Helping to put Edinburgh on the map