30 American music landmarks every traveler must see

Hitting the right notes

America’s music heritage runs rich and deep, and pretty much every inch of the US has some connection to a singer, band, or genre. As such, there are more music landmarks than anyone could expect to tick off in one lifetime. So we asked our team of experts to rank their favorites.

Click through this gallery to discover the top American music attractions they feel you absolutely must visit, from the birthplace of jazz to museums and monuments celebrating musical icons... 

31. Luckenbach, Texas

Founded in the 1840s by German farmers, the tiny town of Luckenbach was purchased in the 1970s by John 'Hondo' Crouch and friends, whose sole aim was to make it a hub of country music. They got their wish, with Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett among regular performers.

The charmingly ramshackle area, with original buildings including a saloon and general store, hosts almost constant live music and line-dancing, which visitors can enjoy inside or under the shade of live oak trees.

30. Pilgrim Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois

There’s a lot of history – musical and otherwise – within these walls. Pilgrim Baptist Church, in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, first opened as a synagogue in 1891, with the church founded in 1916.

It’s also credited as being the birthplace of modern gospel: Thomas A Dorsey, a former blues musician from Georgia, moved here as musical director in the early 1930s and pioneered a new kind of music that blended blues, jazz, and spiritual song. The church's interior was damaged by fire in 2006 (pictured) and again in 2020, but restoration plans are in progress, including the creation of a National Museum of Gospel Music on the site.

29. Ball & Chain, Miami, Florida

Ball & Chain was among the first night spots to open on Calle Ocho, now considered the heart of Little Havana. It opened as a saloon in 1935 and, by the 1950s, was a musical hotspot. Artists such as Billie Holiday, Count Basie, and Chet Baker would often stay at nearby Tower Apartments, also owned by the proprietor of the club, Henry Schechtman.

It closed in 1958 and became the Copa Lounge Tavern and then the Futurama Furniture Store. Now restored to its lively roots, Ball & Chain hosts salsa, jazz, and mambo shows.

28. Hank Williams statue, Montgomery, Alabama

Another musical legend gone far too young, country crooner Hiram 'Hank' Williams – whose hits included Cold Cold Heart and Hey Good Lookin’ – was just 29 when he died. This statue is among several sites associated with the singer around Montgomery, where he lived from the age of 13 and where his career began.

Another highlight is the Hank Williams Museum, whose treasures include the singer’s embroidered suits, his Gibson guitar, and the baby blue Cadillac in which he died of heart failure in 1953. Williams is buried nearby in Oakwood Annex Cemetery.

27. The Viper Room, Los Angeles, California

When Johnny Depp launched The Viper Room in 1993 it quickly became one of the most notorious venues on Sunset Strip. It was a notoriety that was baked in. Originally opened as a local grocery store in 1921, the space has been a strip club, a gambling den for gangsters, and a rock club called Filthy McNasty’s.

Depp famously insisted Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performed on the club’s opening night. And although Depp sold his share of the club in 2004, it continues to attract well-established artists and up-and-comers including Queens of The Stone Age, The Strokes, and The Pussycat Dolls.

26. The Paramount Theatre, Austin, Texas

The Paramount is an iconic landmark of downtown Austin. While it’s best-known for film and the performing arts today, it originally opened as part of the Vaudeville Circuit in 1915 and was known for its elaborate, joyful, and rather eclectic musical shows.

Musicians that have performed here include Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Tom Jones, and Dolly Parton.

25. Billie Holiday statue, Baltimore, Maryland

The legendary 'Lady Day' was born in Baltimore in 1915 and grew up in the Fells Point neighborhood, where fans can now follow a whole trail of striking and colorful murals depicting the jazz singer.

This statue, sculpted by James Earl Reid in 1985 and standing on the corner of West Lafayette and Pennsylvania avenues, captures her grace and elegance beautifully while simultaneously suggesting the pain behind her unique, soulful voice.

24. Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, California

With its smooth, sculptural steel curves, the Walt Disney Concert Hall ranks among the world’s most striking buildings, let alone concert venues. The structure, designed by Frank Gehry and completed in 2003, is also considered among the most advanced in both acoustics and visuals.

The downtown Los Angeles landmark is home to the LA Philharmonic orchestra, which puts on soul-soaring and dynamic performances in keeping with the stunning location.

23. Strawberry Fields, New York City, New York

This moving, living memorial pays tribute to the late John Lennon, who lived with Yoko Ono in the adjacent Dakota Apartments, outside which he was murdered in December 1980. Strawberry Fields was created the following year and remains one of Central Park’s most sought-out spaces.

Covering a teardrop-shaped 2.5-acre area and with an 'Imagine' memorial at its heart, it’s an appropriately serene space to pay tribute to the singer.

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22. Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, Bakersfield, California

Buck Owens was a pioneer of the 'Bakersfield Sound,' a subgenre of country music characterized by electric guitars, drums, and the fiddle that earned the Californian city the nickname 'Nashville West.'

The musician died in 2006, a decade after opening the live music venue Crystal Palace. The destination still attracts some of the biggest names in country music. There’s also a museum stuffed with Owens’ own memorabilia, including a selection of guitars, and a steak restaurant.

21. Fox Theater, Oakland, California

It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful spot to attend a gig. Fox Theater, built in 1928, is a gilded, opulent palace with gleaming statues and a grand stage edged with mosaics.

Sadly, the Art Deco building, which was originally a movie theater and hosted live performances from the likes of Frank Sinatra and Ginger Rogers, stood empty for around 40 years. It reopened in 2009 following a sensitive $75million renovation and is now one of the Bayside city’s best live music venues.

20. Cafe Wha?, New York City, New York

Like many of the best and most interesting venues, Cafe Wha? doesn’t look like anything special from the outside. But this unassuming spot was the humming, happening heart of Greenwich Village in the 1960s. Jimi Hendrix, The Velvet Underground, and Bruce Springsteen are just some of the stellar stars to have launched their careers here. Bob Dylan played his debut New York gig right here in 1961.

Today it’s understandably a popular stop for music lovers thanks to its rich heritage – and it’s still a decent place to catch a gig too.

19. Buddy Holly Center, Lubbock, Texas

Buddy Holly was just 22 years old when he died in a plane crash, along with fellow music stars Ritchie Valens and JP Richardson, yet his influence on rock ’n’ roll continues. This center pays tribute to the Lubbock-born legend’s music, legacy, and style, with the latter celebrated with a giant sculpture of his thick-framed glasses.

The center also has his Fender Stratocaster guitar, recording contracts, and school report cards, while the restored home of Jerry Allison – drummer for Holly’s backing group, The Crickets – is also here.

18. Amoeba Music, San Francisco, California

Amoeba Music is a record store, yes. But it’s also a gig venue, a hangout for music geeks of all kinds, and a veritable labyrinth of vinyl, movies, and independent magazines. In short: this isn’t the place to 'pop in' for a quick browse. Those who do enter should expect to spend at least an hour getting lost among the racks and racks of records.

This venue is in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, the heart of the city’s 'Summer of Love' movement, and there are also stores in Berkeley and Hollywood.

17. Preservation Hall, New Orleans, Louisiana

Some places just feel special, and Preservation Hall is one of those. The revered house band, which usually performs to a hushed audience thrice daily, has been filling the stone-walled space with masterful jazz since 1961.

The tradition began in the 1950s, when the owner of what was then a small gallery invited musicians to rehearse because he didn’t have time to attend concerts. Now it’s an institution and, with flickering candlelight and the strains of saxophone, an oasis just off the bustling party hub that is Bourbon Street.

16. BB King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center, Indianola, Mississippi

The classic cars pictured here – a Rolls Royce and a custom-painted Chevy El Camino – belonged to one Riley B King, the legendary blues singer better known as BB King. The singer’s cars were recently added to this museum dedicated to his life and legacy, which reopened in June 2021 after an expansion.

Other highlights are a collection of guitars and the Memorial Garden, featuring a life-size bronze sculpture of King holding his beloved Lucille guitar and a granite gravestone marking his final resting place.

15. Ground Zero Blues Club, Clarksdale, Mississippi

Surely no true blues fan could pass through Mississippi without seeking out this legendary club, part-owned by actor Morgan Freeman. Visitors can order classic down-home southern dishes, sip on a range of beers, listen to some live music, and – if they’re lucky – meet the man himself.

Writing on the walls is pretty much obligatory, so long as you can find a space that is. Next door is the small yet sweeping Delta Blues Museum, all about this 'land where blues began.'

14. Stax Records, Memphis, Tennessee

From its finger-clicking logo to exhibits and videos that bring world-class soul artists right into the room, this museum is as cool as the recording studio itself. Stax Recording Studios, on the outskirts of Memphis, launched the careers of legends including Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and The Staple Singers.

Exhibits now fill the space, with candid photos, video clips, and listening booths telling the story of the label and demonstrating how music was a powerful unifier during segregation and the Civil Rights Movement.

13. Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum, Owensboro, Kentucky

Kentucky claims to be the birthplace of bluegrass, which was named after Bill Monroe’s 1940s band, The Blue Grass Boys. So it’s fitting that this monument to the musical genre is located here, by the Ohio River, just a few miles from where Monroe lived.

The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum, which opened in 2018, has interactive exhibits, concerts, and jam sessions to immerse visitors in the music and its roots, plus a growing number of inductees. It also hosts an annual ROMP festival at Yellow Creek Park featuring established and up-and-coming acts.

12. Louis Armstrong Park, New Orleans, Louisiana

Even the squares and parks are musical in New Orleans. Louis Armstrong Park, dedicated to the memory of legendary jazz trumpeter 'Satchmo,' has sculptures of celebrated musicians and, often, bands playing live.

The park also incorporates Congo Square, described as the birthplace of jazz. Enslaved people gathered here in the 19th century, creating music that influenced the creation of the sounds the city is best-known for. A plaque marks its location.

11. The Fillmore, San Francisco, California

First opened in 1912 as the Majestic Hall, this historic theater became The Fillmore in the 1950s and has had a huge influence on the music scene ever since. The venue became famous for launching up-and-coming acts into the stratosphere, with past performances from Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, James Brown, The Who, and The Grateful Dead.

It’s still considered one of the best places around to catch some live music, and perhaps spot the stars of tomorrow.

10. Paisley Park, Chanhassen, Minnesota

Prince’s purple palace was the artist’s home for three decades, and now it serves as a museum, recording studio, and concert venue that pays homage to his seemingly limitless creativity and influence on music. For many, Paisley Park has become a pilgrimage site to remember the artist, who died in 2016.

The complex covers 65,000 square feet and visitors can tour the studios, rooms, and rehearsal spaces, and see artifacts including musical instruments and Prince's incredible collection of custom-made shoes.

9. Fame Recording Studios, Muscle Shoals, Alabama

Quite a lot has happened at Fame Recording Studios, home of the famous Muscle Shoals sound (as immortalized in the Lynyrd Skynyrd song, Sweet Home Alabama). Aretha Franklin, Etta James, and Wilson Pickett all recorded here, backed by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section responsible for the trademark bluesy beats mixed with melodies.

The studios were founded in 1959 and moved into its current location on East Avalon Avenue two years later. It still operates as a working studio, as well as offering behind-the-scenes tours.

8. National Museum of African American Music, Nashville, Tennessee

Opened in January 2021, the much-anticipated National Museum of African American Music is the first major museum dedicated to celebrating the far-reaching musical contributions of African Americans.

Visits begin in Roots Theater, where an immersive introductory film chronicles the history and musical traditions from the era of slavery to the Harlem Renaissance. Then a series of galleries traces the heritage of genres including jazz and hip hop, paying homage to pioneers from gospel singers to musical superstars.

7. Red Rocks Amphitheater, Colorado

Music fans may recognize Red Rocks, just outside Denver, from an iconic album cover: U2 filmed their 1983 live album, Under a Blood Red Sky here.

The Irish band is just one of a roster of famous performers to have played in this dramatically beautiful, open-air concert space that sits tucked between two sandstone monoliths with views of alpine valleys. The Beatles, Coldplay, and Jimi Hendrix are among others to have played in this naturally occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater.

6. Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville, Tennessee

If Nashville is a mecca for country music fans then getting tickets to the Grand Ole Opry must be the Holy Grail. For nearly a century, this has been a showcase for country music and bluegrass, first broadcast as a barn dance in the National Life Building in 1925 and moving to its current home, the Opry House, in 1974.

There are also behind-the-scenes tours including an immersive theater show and the chance to stand in the famous circle, while hearing stories of past performers including Hank Williams, Dolly Parton, and Garth Brooks.

5. Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, Dyess, Arkansas

Johnny Cash’s Boyhood Home invites fans in for tours to see where the 'Man in Black' came from. The white, clapboard house stands surrounded by cotton fields and farmland. It forms part of the Historic Dyess Colony, with the land and house given to Cash’s family as part of the Works Progress Administration program during the Great Depression.

The house had fallen into disrepair by the time opening scenes of 2005 biopic, Walk the Line, were filmed here, and has since been restored by Arkansas State University.

4. Apollo Theater, New York City, New York

This Harlem landmark is a living, breathing, and – most gloriously – singing monument to talent and achievement, with Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and James Brown among the stars to have performed here.

The Neoclassical building originally hosted burlesque shows, relaunching in the 1930s with a focus on the neighborhood’s African-American community. It’s still a vibrant destination for shows, from comedy to gospel concerts. The associated Apollo's Victoria Theater nearby focuses on nurturing new talent.

3. Motown Museum, Detroit, Michigan

One of the world’s most famous record companies, Motown Records, produced some of the world’s catchiest tunes in its original recording studios on Detroit's West Grand Boulevard.

Now a homage to Berry Gordy’s influential label, the Motown Museum has exhibits that trace the story of 'Hitsville USA' from its founding in 1959 to its heyday as a hit machine and career rocket-launcher for the likes of Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, and Stevie Wonder.

2. Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee

Elvis Presley’s mansion is a must for rock ’n’ roll fans, of course, though even people with little more than a passing interest in music will be fascinated by the glimpse a visit gives into The King’s life and lifestyle.

An interactive iPad tour brings the different areas to life, from the opulence of The Jungle Room and kitchen equipped with all the Seventies' mod-cons to Elvis’ grave, where fans pay their respects.

1. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, Ohio

Nothing says 'you’ve made it' like being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, whose exhibits celebrate the genre and those who’ve had an important impact on how it has developed through the decades.

Our number one choice celebrates not just one but hundreds of artists, from rock ’n’ roll legends like Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Joan Baez, and Alice Cooper to a special roster of 'early influencers' that includes Mahalia Jackson, Billie Holiday, and Robert Johnson.

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