Westlake Tops Latest Metro Atlanta Band of the Year Rankings

Jonesboro and Pebblebrook lead the pursuit as tight scores and standout category performances keep the field competitive.

ATLANTA, Ga. (October 26, 2026) — Westlake High School holds the No. 1 spot in the latest Red Lobster Metro Atlanta Band of the Year High School Division rankings, using strong performances across all five scoring categories to establish a 23.5-point lead.

Westlake tops the standings with 358.25 points, followed by Jonesboro with 334.75 and Pebblebrook with 332. Creekside ranks fourth with 326.50 points, while Southwest DeKalb completes the top five with 321.75.

Behind Westlake, the standings leave little separation among the leading contenders. Jonesboro holds a 2.75-point advantage over Pebblebrook, and just 13 points separate second place from fifth.

Westlake’s position reflects its strength throughout the competition. The band leads Picture Drill and Design with 112 points and Auxiliary with 49.25. It also shares first place with Pebblebrook in Musicality at 80 points and Percussion at 59.

In Drum Major scoring, Westlake’s 58 points place it just behind category leader Southwest DeKalb, which earned 59.

Jonesboro remains Westlake’s closest challenger. The Cardinals rank second in Picture Drill and Design with 110 points, third in Musicality with 78 and third in Auxiliary with 44.75. Those results have helped Jonesboro maintain a narrow edge over Pebblebrook, whose shared leads in Musicality and Percussion anchor its third-place position.

The complete standings are:

Several programs outside the overall top five are making a strong impression in individual categories.

Carver, ranked 12th overall, holds second place in Auxiliary with 46 points. McNair ranks fourth in Musicality and shares third place in Percussion, despite sitting 10th in the overall standings. Langston Hughes, which is outside the top 15, ranks fifth in Picture Drill and Design with 106 points.

Percussion features one of the closest category races. Westlake and Pebblebrook share the lead with 59 points, while Arabia Mountain, McNair and New Manchester are tied just one point behind.

The Drum Major standings are similarly tight. Southwest DeKalb leads with 59 points, followed by Westlake with 58. Arabia Mountain and New Manchester share the next position with 57.

Those results underscore the depth of the competition, with programs throughout the standings earning recognition for specific strengths.

The race for a place in the overall top five also remains close. Sixth-place New Manchester has 317.50 points, putting it 4.25 behind Southwest DeKalb. Stephenson follows with 313.75, while South Cobb, Arabia Mountain and McNair are separated by just 1.25 points.

Farther down the standings, only four points separate Tri-Cities, Carver and Morrow.

For Westlake, the challenge is to maintain the consistency that has produced the lead. Jonesboro and Pebblebrook remain its nearest competitors, while Creekside, Southwest DeKalb and New Manchester continue to press for stronger positions.

The latest rankings offer a snapshot of a competitive field in which musical execution, field design, percussion, auxiliary performance and student leadership all contribute to the overall result. Westlake has set the pace, but close margins throughout the standings give bands across Metro Atlanta plenty to pursue.

For rankings and event information, visit BandOfTheYear.com.