Nashville Best Of 2026 · Best Live Music Venue
Ryman Auditorium
Built as a gospel tabernacle in 1892 and home to the Grand Ole Opry for three decades, the Mother Church of Country Music is still the most magical room in Music City. The Ryman is our pick for the best live music venue in Nashville.
The Verdict
Why the Ryman Earns the Title
Nashville is packed with great stages, but none carry the history or the sound of the Ryman. Its original curved wooden pews wrap around a stage where Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, and Dolly Parton all made history, and artists of every genre still call playing here a bucket-list moment. The acoustics are legendary, and the room feels intimate from nearly every seat.
The recognition is unmatched. The Ryman has won Pollstar’s Theatre of the Year award 15 times, is both a National Historic Landmark and a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark, and hosts more than 200 shows a year. From bluegrass and country to rock, comedy, and pop, every genre is welcome, and by day the doors open for tours so you can stand on that famous stage yourself.
1892
Built as the Union Gospel Tabernacle
15x
Pollstar Theatre of the Year
200+
Shows Every Year
31
Years as Home of the Grand Ole Opry
The Experience
Three Ways to Experience the Ryman
See a show, take a tour, or better yet, do both.
See a Show
More than 200 concerts a year across every genre, from country legends to rock bands and comedians. Catching a show from the historic pews is a Nashville rite of passage.
Take a Daytime Tour
Explore at your own pace, watch the immersive Soul of Nashville theater experience, and see the Opry 100 exhibit with artifacts from Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and more.
Go Backstage
Upgrade to an expert-guided backstage tour to see the themed dressing rooms, the artist entrance, and the spaces where the stars gather before the show.
The Story
The Mother Church of Country Music
Nashville businessman Captain Thomas G. Ryman built the hall in 1892 as the Union Gospel Tabernacle, a permanent home for revival meetings. To keep the doors open, pioneering promoter Lula C. Naff began booking lectures, concerts, and even boxing matches, and the building became known as the Carnegie Hall of the South.
From 1943 to 1974, the Ryman was home to the Grand Ole Opry. Bluegrass was born on its stage in 1945, and Johnny Cash met June Carter backstage in 1956. Today it thrives as one of the most beloved concert halls in the world, welcoming artists of every genre, including Nashville Best Of favorites like Old Crow Medicine Show, Béla Fleck, and Jason Isbell, whose fall residency has become a Nashville tradition.
“Like any good mother, she commands respect and makes you feel at home.”
Matthew Ramsey, Old Dominion
Plan Your Visit
Visit the Mother Church
The Ryman sits in the heart of downtown, just a block off Lower Broadway. Book show tickets early, since popular concerts sell out quickly.
Location
116 Rep. John Lewis Way N
(formerly 5th Ave N)
Nashville, TN 37219
One block north of Lower Broadway.
Tours
Daytime tours run year-round, with self-guided, backstage, and private options. Tour times vary with the show schedule, so check the calendar before you go.
Good to Know
Each summer, Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman celebrates the building’s role as the birthplace of bluegrass, with a free pre-show on the plaza. Kids 3 and under tour free with an adult. Want more bluegrass? Head to The Station Inn, our Best Bluegrass Venue.
Your Seat in the Pews Awaits
Grab tickets to an upcoming show, or book a daytime tour and stand on the stage where country music history was made.