The Capital of House
Image Courtesy of SoundcheckSF
It’s nine pm on a Friday night in Tallahassee, and the streets are already lined with flocks of people going out in the city. The air is filled with an electric pulse, and the steady thrum of house music can be heard from every location on campus. People stand on their balconies to take pictures; music spills out of apartment doors, coalescing with the cars driving down Tennessee Street blasting Cloonee.
While this may paint the picture of a typical weekend in Tallahassee, house music has become a staple in the capital's community far beyond simply the going-out scene. House music has transformed from a novelty of sorts to a popular genre of its own right. Within the freshman dorms at any given time, you can almost guarantee that there will be someone blasting house music while cooking dinner with their friends. It has become a Tallahassee rite of passage for new students to start listening to house music their freshman year, and rightfully so. The effortless, yet vivacious vibe that house music brings to the table is unmatched and it helps curate an energy that is uniquely college.
While house music may have been picking up traction nationwide, Tallahassee has been at the forefront, infusing energetic beats into the culture of this city. Many of the biggest names in House and EDM have made pit stops at Florida State, including but not limited to the DJs/producers Chris Lake, Cloonee, Omar+, and Max Dean. Even Snow Strippers, a more niche band that lives on the edge between electropop and EDM recently stopped by Tallahassee while making their way across Florida on their 2026 tour.
Image Courtesy of SoundchecksSF
The audience for this genre of music has grown so much in the past few years, largely due to both its accessibility and versatility. House is one of the easiest genres to break into and make an impact on the local scene. Anyone who has access to a DJ booth, or even a more simplified technology like GarageBand, can start creating their own remixes or songs. In addition, Tallahassee has so much opportunity for new DJs, as there is always an event or facility looking for good talent and music.
Photo Courtesy of Secret Chicago
In terms of versatility, house is unique because it can be blended into almost any song or genre, and it’ll still be considered under the umbrella of house music. It can create a beat that makes it impossible not to dance to, or simply add a little extra kick to a song with a more chill vibe. It can also give a new, fresh feel to the popular songs that everyone knows and loves that may have been getting a little bit tired.
All things considered, it is no surprise that house music has made such an impact on Tallahassee. Both the house artists creating from within Tallahassee and those who travel to showcase their music in Florida’s capital contribute so much to the community, and they are part of why house music is only going to evolve from here.
Strike Out,
Writer: Chloe Herd
Editor: Samantha Goldberg
Graphic Designer: Rebecca DeCamp
Tallahassee