Street Flavor Records, SPNDAT launch plan for a new music city

By AI, Created 4:44 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – Street Flavor Records and SPNDAT Entertainment have formed a joint venture with undisclosed music industry insiders to find and develop a sustainable new music hub for artists priced out of traditional markets. The project targets rising living costs and weak streaming revenue, with five candidate cities now under review.

Why it matters: - Rising rents and weaker streaming payouts are making it harder for artists and music workers to stay in established hubs like Nashville, Atlanta, Austin and Memphis. - The joint venture is trying to build a cheaper, more sustainable home base for creative talent before more artists leave the industry or move away. - A successful new music city could shift where artists live, work and collaborate in the U.S.

What happened: - Street Flavor Records and SPNDAT Entertainment announced a joint venture on May 13, 2026. - The project includes a consortium of undisclosed music industry insiders. - The group plans to identify and develop a new sustainable music city. - Sonny Paradise, a veteran producer and industry connector, is leading the site selection committee. - The venture is weighing five candidate cities: Asheville, North Carolina; Athens, Georgia; Hendersonville, North Carolina; Lewisburg, West Virginia; and Venice, Florida.

The details: - The joint venture says it is looking for a partner city with cultural infrastructure, quality of life and a forward-thinking municipal vision. - The goal is to create a “music oasis” where artists, writers, producers and technicians can live, create and collaborate in an affordable setting. - The selection committee has narrowed the field to the five-city shortlist. - Private consultations with leaders in each candidate city will continue over the coming months before a final decision. - Paradise said the effort is a response to a music business that is being squeezed by high living costs and low streaming payouts.

Between the lines: - The project is as much about economic development as it is about music culture. - By seeking a city that wants to invest in creative infrastructure, the venture is positioning music as a local growth engine, not just an arts initiative. - The undisclosed investor group suggests the effort is still in an early, exploratory phase rather than a finished relocation plan.

What’s next: - The joint venture will hold private consultations with officials and local leaders in the five finalist cities. - The group will then choose a final location for the new music city. - If a city is selected, the venture plans to move toward building the broader creative ecosystem.

The bottom line: - Street Flavor Records and SPNDAT are betting that the next major music hub can be built where artists can actually afford to stay.