With so many bands, venues, and festivals in Austin, music-lovers actually might need a way to narrow things down. For their next night out, there's the new Austin's Music Scene guide, with half of proceeds supporting the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM). The guide is expected to launch nationally in October.

The 222-page guide is compiled by HAAM in partnership with Thunderhouse Media Group, a new company founded in 2025 and led by creative strategist and “recovering journalist" Mitch Baranowski. Though some insider knowledge of the scene was surely helpful, the guide doesn't offer a prescriptive overview. Instead, it was compiled through interviews with the people and organizations in its pages.

Inside, readers will find a mix of photos, blurbs, hand-drawn maps and longer prose detailing where to go, who to see, and what to know about the local history. It can be used for browsing — flipping through easy-to-skim roundups, like a list of festivals with details on how and why to attend — but that's just the surface. It can also be read cover-to-cover for deeper insight into certain venues and artists that are profiled at greater length.

Readers who are trying to get out the door can skim some portions and get to dancin'.Mockup courtesy of HAAM and Thunderhouse Media Group

One of the most interesting elements for history buffs is a series of genre-wide scene explorations, laying out important players in Austin over the years. These take the form of, say, a magazine feature; but for easier skimming, readers can also consult a list of important names and learn through listening.

According to a press release, genres represented include country/americana, rock, blues/soul, hip-hop/R&B, latin/world, jazz, and EDM/experimental.

Some sections track the history of local scenes by genre.Mockup courtesy of HAAM and Thunderhouse Media Group

Finally, thanks to lots of photography, the guide makes for a great coffee table book. There will also be more supplemental content online, including curated playlists featuring local work and songs about Austin.

“Austin’s music scene is unlike anywhere else in the world, and it deserves a guide that matches its depth, breadth, energy and authenticity,” said Baranowski in the release. “Our goal is to create something that both celebrates the iconic artists who’ve shaped this city and introduces readers to the emerging voices who are carrying it forward. This isn’t just a book — it’s an invitation to experience the heartbeat of Austin.”

Artists like Tameca Jones sat down for interviews.Mockup courtesy of HAAM and Thunderhouse Media Group

This year HAAM is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and this month it's gearing up for its annual HAAM Day celebration, taking place across Austin on September 23. There will be more than 250 shows at more than 100 venues to increase health care access for working musicians across Central Texas: traditional musicians, DJs, and music teachers.

A press release by HAAM earlier in September explained that more than 2,200 of the musicians who are part of HAAM are facing a 76 percent average increase in their health insurance premiums. It gives an example: a musician with a family of four, who had been paying $800 a month, could see their rate skyrocket to $3,200. The release attributes the change to "shifting market dynamics," and explains that $200 donated to the organization can become more than $1,400 in services provided by partners.

“As we celebrate HAAM’s 20th anniversary throughout 2025, this partnership represents our commitment to not just supporting Austin musicians with healthcare access, but also celebrating and documenting the incredible artistic community that makes this city so special,” said HAAM CEO Paul Scott. “This field guide will serve as both a love letter to Austin’s music scene and a practical resource for fans wanting to experience the full spectrum of what our city has to offer.”

Knowing where to find musicians at work is the most important part.Mockup courtesy of HAAM and Thunderhouse Media Group

HAAM and Thunderhouse's Austin's Music Scene guide is available for presale ($40) now at thunderhouse.co. The book will ship in October.