10 Greater Cincinnati Music Stories from 2023 that Struck a Tune

CityBeat Reviews Taylor Swift at Paycor Stadium

By Ashley Moor and Madeline Fening
A non-Swiftie and a Swiftie walk into a sold-out Taylor Swift show and recount their appreciation for the spectacle. CityBeat’s editor-in-chief Ashley Moor was hesitant, mostly on account of the enormous crowd, but was delighted by the dedication and love she witnessed among the thousands of people. Moor realized an appreciation for the power of Swift’s music. CityBeat’s news reporter Madeline Fening reported an “ass-shaking, razzle-dazzle time,” recalled moments from each Swift era and her experience growing up listening to the pop star’s music, all while learning life lessons in the process.

Black Music Walk of Fame Opens on The Banks

By Katie Griffith
Hamilton County Commissioner Alicia Reece had been planning the debut of the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame since 2021. After two rounds of inductees, the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame opened with an impressive initial eight stars for musicians Bootsy Collins, the Isley Brothers and other Cincinnati legends, along with an interactive park and huge plans for the future. The Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame isn’t just a lane of stars embedded on a path, it’s a way of honoring Black-made music with Cincinnati roots that has impacted the world. The Walk of Fame includes numerous interactive entertainment options and during the July grand opening event, Reece buried a time capsule on site that includes memorabilia and a letter to the future.

The National Bring their Homecoming Festival to Cincinnati for a Second Time

By Ashley Moor
On the ICON Festival Stage in Smale Park, the National headlined both installments of the two-day festival. The indie rock band played albums High Violet on Sept. 15 and Trouble Will Find Me on Sept. 16 from start to finish. They also brought a star-studded roster of musical acts with them like Patti Smith, The Walkmen, Pavement and Weyes Blood, among others. The National shared stories with the audience about growing up in Cincinnati, moments that emphasized the importance of home and a “shared sense of place,” as Moor says in her review of the show.

Mole's Record Exchange – Cincinnati's Oldest Record Store – Closes

By Katherine Barrier
Just before its 49th birthday, Mole’s Record Exchange closed for good on June 3. Ric Hickey, a Mole’s employee at the time, said the closure was due to the University of Cincinnati’s expansion to Calhoun Street, where the store was located. Owner Dean Newman reportedly didn’t think the business would survive obstruction to the store's main entrance because of nearby construction. “Regardless of your age or taste in music, if you wandered into Mole’s you would find something to your liking 99% of the time. … Mole’s was always a store with character and characters,” Hickey said in a blogpost about the store’s closing.

Cincinnati Music Festival Lands Snoop Dogg, Al Green

By Ashley Moor
Around 80,000 people came to Cincinnati just for the Cincinnati Music Festival, which brought hip-hop and R&B legends to the Queen City this year. Three days in July featured performances from vibrant acts like headliners Al Green, Jill Scott, Jodeci, Midnight Star, Gerald Albright, Snoop Dogg, Babyface, P-Funk Connection, Avery Sunshine and Norman Brown. According to a press release, the festival has a $107 million annual economic impact.

Bootsy Collins Performs for the First Time in Four Years

By Deirdre Kaye
One of the most renowned kings of funk graced a Bengals halftime show this year. Bootsy Collins also released “The Icky Shuffle” on Jan. 13, a tribute to former Bengals player Elbert L. "Ickey" Woods. The song aims to unify listeners and promote sportsmanship and peace. Cincinnati and the Bengals had a lot to celebrate at that time, and they did it in the most Cincinnati, funkadelic way possible.

Louis Langrée’s Begins Final Season at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

By Anne Arenstein
March 8 issue
Louis Langrée has been the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s (CSO) music director for the past 10 years. In his final season, Langrée is debuting new works from composers with whom he has collaborated in the past, honoring American composers and exploring French opera — just a few ways he will make the season well-rounded and unforgettable. Langrée’s grand finale in May will feature new work from Anthony Davis, which Arenstein describes as a fitting summary of his career at the CSO. In November, Langrée was appointed as CSO’s music director laureate.

Cincinnati's May Festival and 150th Anniversary

By Anne Arenstein
The May Festival is the oldest choral festival in the Western Hemisphere. In May, it celebrated 150 years of community choral singing. The festival saw specialty programming that included world-class conductors and soloists and various world premiere performances. The May Festival concluded with Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, the "Symphony of a Thousand."

Jordan Smart Wins GemsOnVHS Songwriting Contest

By Katherine Barrier
Folk singer-songwriter from Ludlow, Kentucky, Jordan Smart won a contest from one of YouTube’s most popular music channels, GemsOnVHS. Smart won GemsOnVHS’s 2023 Gems in the Rough Contest after the competition saw more than 1,000 entries, a record number for Gems in the Rough submissions. Smart was awarded a Gold Tone guitar. The GemsOnVHS announcement video revealed that Smart won because of his musicianship, humanity in writing and beautiful performance. His winning submission was “Apple Don’t Fall,” a tuneful example of the folk revivalist movement.

Walk the Moon Featured on Jeopardy! Question

By Katherine Barrier
What is: Shut Up and Dance? In March, Cincinnati’s Walk the Moon was the subject of a Double Jeopardy question. The indie band’s hit song, “Shut Up and Dance,” appeared under the category “Walk the Line” for $400. The question was: “Walk the Moon recounts a night at the disco: ‘I said, 'You're holding back', she said’ this title." The band posted on Instagram in celebration of the Jeopardy! appearance, saying “what is: omg we’re on @jeopardy!!"