Tempe Playlist

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Tempe Playlist fosters the professional development of musicians and shares their work with the community. Local artists were selected for the 2025-27 playlist after an application process by a panel of Tempe residents and music professionals. The panel recommended these musicians because of their demonstrated professionalism, innovative approaches and range of styles. Since its inception, Tempe Playlist has generated new bookings for bands and serves as the primary booking list for city-hosted events.

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Tempe Playlist 2025-2027

The current Tempe Playlist celebrates 51 shining stars from Tempe and valley-wide musicians who are currently making and performing music, redefining old orbits and charting bold, original sounds. It features both established headliners and rising stars, spanning a wide universe of styles and venues.

Listen to Tempe Playlist 2025-2027 on Spotify.

Interested in booking a band or musician?

The accompanying 2025-2027 Musician Booking List serves to connect musicians to event organizers, local businesses and others searching for out-of-this-world performances. The publication provides the bio, photo, website, social media and contact information for each artist. Selected artists also received a professional photoshoot for their contribution to the playlist.

Learn more about the 2025-2027 Tempe Playlist musicians.

History

Tempe Playlist 2023-2025

In 2023, the Tempe Playlist Program became fully funded by the City of Tempe and was extended to include musicians throughout the Phoenix Metro area. The 44 selected musicians received an honorarium and a professional photoshoot. This playlist also became the primary booking list for musicians to perform at various Tempe Community Arts events, such as Arts in the Parks and Tempe Jam.

Learn more about the 2023-2025 Tempe Playlist Musicians.

Tempe Playlist 2021-2023

In 2020, Tempe Playlist received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Tempe Community Arts partnered with C. Samuel Pena and TopKat Studios for a two-year project, which widened its call for music to musicians who live, work, or play anywhere in Tempe (not just the south). Each selected musician/band was paid to have one song placed on the 'Tempe Playlist' on Spotify. In addition to this, selected musicians received professional development opportunities such as professional recording sessions and photoshoot.

Learn more about the 2021-2023 Tempe Playlist Musicians.

Saturn Sessions: 2017-2019

Tempe Playlist on the Orbit Bus

Tempe Playlist was originally supported through the Arizona Creative Communities Institute (AZ CCI), funded by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, and ASU Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts. In 2017, Tempe was selected for AZ CCI and Tempe's free neighborhood circulator Orbit began operating its first route in south Tempe called Orbit Saturn. A partnership between the arts and public transit teams was created and as a result, Tempe Playlist: Saturn Sessions was born. This first playlist included both music and poetry from those who live, work and/or study in south Tempe. The Tempe team worked with KJZZ’s Spot 127 Youth Media Center to produce the playlist. QR codes with a link to the sessions were available on the Orbit Saturn buses.

Learn more about the original Tempe Playlist project.

Tempe Jam