Bands & Musicians in Hawaii

Hawaii invented the steel guitar and slack-key guitar and popularized the ukulele, instruments that carried island music to mainland audiences in the early twentieth century. Honolulu's recording scene flourished, and the Hawaiian Renaissance of the 1970s revived traditional chant and language through artists like Gabby Pahinui. Jawaiian reggae and island pop now anchor local radio alongside hula and folk traditions.

Honolulu concentrates the state's live music at Blue Note Hawaii in Waikiki, which books touring jazz and island acts, and The Republik, a mid-size room for rock and hip-hop. Duke's Waikiki hosts beachfront sets, while the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in Kahului and Hilo's Palace Theater serve the neighbor islands.

Israel Kamakawiwoole, whose medley of Over the Rainbow became a global touchstone, Don Ho, slack-key master Gabby Pahinui, and Honolulu-born pop star Bruno Mars all hail from the islands, alongside singer-songwriter Jack Johnson from Oahu's North Shore.

Honolulu holds the bulk of gig work, from Waikiki hotel lounges to clubs in Chinatown, and musicians there juggle multiple nights a week across tourist and local rooms. Maui and the Big Island support smaller resort and bar circuits. Players can connect across the islands on BandMate, which matters given inter-island flight costs.