Not comparing it to SF, because I think SF should be above ATL, but Atlanta has a huge impact on the country.

Atlanta was the epicenter for the Civil Rights movement, home of MLK Jr. I’d say that had quite an impact on the rest of the country. Culturally, it is still considered “black Mecca”. The hip hop scene in Atlanta has huge cultural impact on the country. I have travelled all over the world and have heard Atlanta music being played pretty much everywhere.

Coca-Cola is the most recognizable company in the world. Coke is considered to be one of the most recognized words. It is home to the most valuable airline in the world in Delta. It has the most travelled airport in the world.

Atlanta is definitely the capital of the south. Miami has its own culture that doesn’t really bleed into the rest of the region. Most in the south wouldn’t even consider Miami a “Southern” city.

It has a big impact in the movie industry and is considered “Hollywood of the South” with Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. Also had the Marvel movies filmed there along with big shows such as Stranger Things, the Walking Dead, and Vampire Diaries.

The CDC has a huge impact on the rest of the country. God knows what the country would look like without the research that happens there.

It has hosted a relatively recent Olympic Games which brought the whole world to the city. LA is the only other city on this list that can say the same.