Beijing, Berlin among music hot spots in 2007

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Sick of the music scene in New York or London? It may be time to savor the delights of five unlikely cities spawning exciting new sounds.

BEIJING

Population: 14 million

Main Language: Mandarin Chinese

Shanghai may have become China's business heart, but Beijing remains its political and cultural capital -- and home to a burgeoning modern music scene eager to reach audiences outside the People's Republic.

In the past, domestically successful rock bands like Tang Dynasty, Spring Autumn and AK-47 have emerged from Beijing, as did the "godfather" of Chinese rock, Cui Jian. Now a new generation of alternative acts is appearing.

"Beijing has solidified its place as the locus of modern music on the mainland," says Shen Lihui, CEO of leading Beijing independent label Modern Sky.

The healthy live scene is also starting to attract international acts such as U.S.-based banjo star Bela Fleck and U.K. alt-rockers Maximo Park.

"At the moment it's uncharted territory," says Maximo Park manager Colin Schaverien. "But in five years it will be a natural routing point stop-off on the way to, or back from, Japan."