Washington, D.C. has a rich and diverse music scene, known for its significant contributions to various genres. The city is particularly recognized for its vibrant jazz, rhythm & blues, and bluegrass traditions. It is also the birthplace of distinct subgenres like hardcore punk and emo, and the unique local funk sound known as go-go¹. The music ecosystem in the DC area is largely comprised of individual music creatives, making up 79% of the sector². While the wider metropolitan area boasts a population of over six million, the city proper has approximately 700,000 residents.