Forget Hollywood's fading spotlight because Atlanta isn't just competing in the entertainment world anymore—it’s absolutely dominating it, generating a staggering $9.5 billion in direct film spending in 2023 while simultaneously leading the music charts and innovating the gaming industry.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, Atlanta's film and television production industry generated over $9.5 billion in direct spending, making it the second-largest production hub outside Hollywood after New York
- Georgia's film tax credit program, centered in Atlanta, reimbursed $1.2 billion to productions in 2022, with 75% of projects filming in metro Atlanta
- Atlanta hosted 1,250 days of principal photography for TV series in 2023, including Marvel's "Thunderbolts" and Netflix's "Stranger Things" spin-offs
- Atlanta's music industry generated $6.2 billion in economic impact in 2022, supporting 62,000 jobs across recording, touring, and live music
- Atlanta released 1,450 albums and 45,000 singles in hip-hop/R&B genres in 2023, topping U.S. cities for urban music output
- Trap music originated in Atlanta with 72% of global trap tracks produced there since 2010, featuring artists like Future and 21 Savage
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosted 45 concerts in 2023, grossing $250 million, highest for NFL venues
- State Farm Arena saw 220 events in 2023, including 120 concerts with 1.5 million attendees
- Atlanta's concert ticket sales reached $450 million in 2023, up 18% YoY, per Pollstar rankings #5 U.S. city
- Gaming industry in Atlanta employed 15,000 developers in 2023, with 25 studios producing $2.8B revenue
- Hi-Rez Studios in Atlanta developed "Smite" and "Paladins," peaking at 40 million players combined in 2023
- Atlanta's VR/AR firms grew 28% to 45 companies in 2023, securing $150M in funding for entertainment apps
- Fox Theatre Atlanta staged 12 weeks of Broadway shows in 2023-24 season, selling 250,000 tickets
- Alliance Theatre in Atlanta premiered 8 new plays in 2023, drawing 180,000 patrons
- Atlanta Ballet performed 120 shows in 2023, with "Nutcracker" alone at 45 performances/120,000 attendees
Atlanta’s entertainment industry is booming with billions in film and music revenue.
Film & TV
- In 2023, Atlanta's film and television production industry generated over $9.5 billion in direct spending, making it the second-largest production hub outside Hollywood after New York
- Georgia's film tax credit program, centered in Atlanta, reimbursed $1.2 billion to productions in 2022, with 75% of projects filming in metro Atlanta
- Atlanta hosted 1,250 days of principal photography for TV series in 2023, including Marvel's "Thunderbolts" and Netflix's "Stranger Things" spin-offs
- The Atlanta Film Office reported 350+ soundstages operational in 2024, totaling 2.5 million square feet, the largest concentration east of California
- In FY2023, Atlanta's production activity supported 127,000 jobs, with an average wage of $78,000 in film-related roles
- Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta spans 330 acres with 12 soundstages, producing 75% of Perry's content and hosting external shoots like "Black Panther" sequels
- Atlanta's visual effects sector grew 22% in 2023, employing 4,200 VFX artists for projects like "Creed III" and "The Color Purple"
- 68% of all U.S. network TV pilots in 2023 were shot in Atlanta due to incentives, totaling 42 pilots
- Atlanta's grip and electric workforce numbered 12,500 certified professionals in 2023, handling 85% of Georgia's film shoots
- The metro Atlanta area saw $4.1 billion in hotel spending from film crews in 2022, boosting occupancy to 92% during peak seasons
- Triad Studios in Atlanta offers 1.2 million sq ft of production space, hosting 150+ projects annually including "P-Valley" seasons
- Atlanta's post-production facilities processed 1,800 hours of footage in 2023, with companies like Company 3 editing major blockbusters
- 45 streaming originals were entirely produced in Atlanta in 2023, led by Amazon MGM with 18 titles
- Atlanta's film permit applications surged 35% to 2,800 in 2023, covering locations from Downtown to East Point
- The industry trained 2,100 new crew members via Atlanta's Film Alliance programs in 2023, focusing on diverse hires
Film & TV Interpretation
Atlanta is not just playing Hollywood’s understudy; it’s a $9.5 billion blockbuster of an economic engine whose runaway production success is built on soundstages, tax credits, and enough hotel bookings to make any concierge feel like a supporting actor.
Gaming & Tech
- Gaming industry in Atlanta employed 15,000 developers in 2023, with 25 studios producing $2.8B revenue
- Hi-Rez Studios in Atlanta developed "Smite" and "Paladins," peaking at 40 million players combined in 2023
- Atlanta's VR/AR firms grew 28% to 45 companies in 2023, securing $150M in funding for entertainment apps
- The Georgia Game Developers Conference in Atlanta 2023 had 5,000 attendees, 200 exhibitors
- Animators in Atlanta totaled 3,200 in 2023, contributing to 120 animated series/episodes via Adult Swim
- Atlanta-based Kennesaw State University graduated 450 game design students annually, 90% employed locally
- Esports revenue in Atlanta hit $180 million in 2023, with Atlanta Falcons' FaZe Clan investments
- Pixar and Disney outsourced 15% of "Elemental" animation to Atlanta firms in 2023, employing 800 artists
- Atlanta's motion capture studios captured data for 25 game titles in 2023, including NBA 2K series
- The city launched 12 mobile games in 2023 via studios like Bonus Stage, grossing $90M combined
- Atlanta Tech Village hosted 200 gaming startups, raising $75M seed funding in 2023
- Virtual production LED stages in Atlanta numbered 12 in 2023, used in 40 games/TV crossovers
- Atlanta's FoxNext studio (Lightspeed) generated $500M from "Scavengers" IP in 2023
- 2,500 QA testers worked in Atlanta game firms in 2023, testing titles like "Hogwarts Legacy" DLC
Gaming & Tech Interpretation
While Atlanta’s entertainment scene is often seen through Hollywood’s lens, beneath the surface it’s a thriving digital colossus where game studios quietly generate billions, universities feed a homegrown talent pipeline, and even Disney now outsources its magic to local animators.
Live Events
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosted 45 concerts in 2023, grossing $250 million, highest for NFL venues
- State Farm Arena saw 220 events in 2023, including 120 concerts with 1.5 million attendees
- Atlanta's concert ticket sales reached $450 million in 2023, up 18% YoY, per Pollstar rankings #5 U.S. city
- The Fox Theatre hosted 175 performances in 2023, drawing 450,000 visitors for Broadway and comedy
- Music Midtown festival in Atlanta 2023 had 60+ acts, 150,000 attendees over 2 days, $30M economic boost
- Atlanta's esports events at Gas South Arena drew 200,000 fans in 2023 for OWL and LCS matches
- 1,050 comedy shows occurred in Atlanta venues in 2023, with Netflix specials from local clubs
- Dragon Con convention attracted 85,000 attendees in 2023, generating $75 million in hotel/tourism revenue
- Atlanta's sports-entertainment hybrid events like WWE at State Farm sold 1.2 million tickets in 2023
- The Tabernacle venue hosted 140 concerts in 2023, averaging 2,500 capacity with 85% sellouts
- SweetWater 420 Fest in Atlanta 2023 featured 40 bands, 50,000 attendees, $12M local spend
- Atlanta's improv festivals like Out of Hand drew 15,000 participants/spectators in 2023
- Center Stage venue programmed 300+ nights of music/theater in 2023, 92% occupancy
- Atlanta Jazz Festival 2023 had 60 performances, 300,000 free attendees over 3 days
- Terminal West hosted 250 indie shows in 2023, capacity 400, grossing $5M in tickets/merch
- Atlanta's wedding/event industry for live entertainment booked 12,500 events in 2023, $800M revenue
Live Events Interpretation
While Atlanta may not always have a starring role in Hollywood productions, its vibrant stages and venues are booming with live entertainment, proving the city thrives not just as a film backdrop but as a premier destination for the electrifying energy of concerts, comedy, and cultural gatherings that fill its coffers and captivate millions.
Music
- Atlanta's music industry generated $6.2 billion in economic impact in 2022, supporting 62,000 jobs across recording, touring, and live music
- Atlanta released 1,450 albums and 45,000 singles in hip-hop/R&B genres in 2023, topping U.S. cities for urban music output
- Trap music originated in Atlanta with 72% of global trap tracks produced there since 2010, featuring artists like Future and 21 Savage
- Atlanta's recording studios numbered 450 in 2023, with Quality Control Studios producing 120 platinum-certified tracks
- The city hosted 1,200 music events in 2023, drawing 5.2 million attendees and $1.8 billion in spending
- Atlanta rappers topped Billboard Hot 100 for 28 weeks in 2023, led by Cardi B and Lil Baby with 12 weeks combined
- Black-owned labels in Atlanta control 65% of the city's $2.1 billion music publishing revenue in 2023
- Atlanta's A3C Festival in 2023 featured 500 artists, 150 showcases, and generated $15 million locally
- The Atlanta Music Accelerator program supported 75 emerging artists in 2023, leading to 40 major label deals
- Atlanta's vinyl pressing plants produced 3.2 million units in 2023, 40% of U.S. total, via United Record Pressing
- Live Nation Atlanta venues hosted 850 concerts in 2023, selling 2.1 million tickets averaging $85 each
- Atlanta's songwriters earned $450 million in royalties in 2022, ranking 4th nationally per ASCAP/BMI data
- 82% of Atlanta's top 100 streaming artists in 2023 were independent or via local labels like 300 Entertainment
- The city's music tech startups raised $120 million in VC funding in 2023, focusing on AI mastering tools
- Atlanta Symphony Orchestra recordings streamed 50 million times globally in 2023 via Decca Classics
Music Interpretation
Atlanta isn't just making music; it's running a full-scale, multi-billion dollar economic engine that proves the sound of trap is also the sound of commerce, culture, and a city relentlessly writing the soundtrack of modern America.
Theater & Performing Arts
- Fox Theatre Atlanta staged 12 weeks of Broadway shows in 2023-24 season, selling 250,000 tickets
- Alliance Theatre in Atlanta premiered 8 new plays in 2023, drawing 180,000 patrons
- Atlanta Ballet performed 120 shows in 2023, with "Nutcracker" alone at 45 performances/120,000 attendees
- True Colors Theatre Company produced 6 world premieres in 2023, focusing on Black stories, 95% capacity
- Actor's Express theatre hosted 150 performances of 5 mainstage shows in 2023, $2.5M box office
- Atlanta Opera staged 25 performances in 2023, including "Porgy and Bess" with 22,000 tickets sold
- Synchronicity Theatre's youth programs engaged 12,000 kids in 2023 via 40 workshops/performances
- Georgia Shakespeare (now Shakespeare Tavern) ran 18 productions in 2023, 85% sellouts
- Atlanta's fringe festivals like Atlanta Fringe featured 200+ shows by 100 companies in 2023
- Broadway in Atlanta series grossed $45 million from 9 shows in 2023-24, 98% occupancy
- Horizon Theatre Company debuted 4 new works in 2023, earning 15 Suzi Bass Awards nominations
- Atlanta Dance Theatre trained 1,200 students, performing in 20 public shows in 2023
- Theatrical Outfit produced "Nat King Cole" revival in 2023, 120% capacity over 8 weeks
- Plowright Theatre's improv nights drew 50,000 laughs/audiences across 200 shows in 2023
- Atlanta's theater workforce of 8,500 saw 12% wage increase to avg $52,000 in 2023
Theater & Performing Arts Interpretation
Atlanta's stages aren't just hosting performances, they are driving an economic and cultural renaissance, with packed houses, bold new stories, and a thriving professional workforce proving the city's artistic ambition is fully backed by its audience's enthusiasm.
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