Rock and roll: Culture and Travel Context

Rock music is one of the most popular music genres in the world. Rock and roll has been around since the 1950s, and has since developed into several different genres of music from surf rock to death metal, and has inspired pop music in general.

1 London. A considerable number of world-famous rock bands and artists are from the UK, and many of them from London or the London region (or spent part of their career there). As such there are all kinds of rock-related places to see here, such as the house where the Beatles held their rooftop concert in 1969, or the Cart and Horses pub in Stratford regarded as the birthplace of Iron Maiden. (updated Oct 2018)

2 Liverpool. Liverpool has a rich musical heritage. In particular, the heritage associated with The Beatles, for whom Liverpool was their hometown. Fans can visit the Beatles Story, the Beatles Museum, the Cavern club, take the Magical Mystery Tour to Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields. The National Trust has John Lennon and Paul McCartneys childhood homes open to the public, and you can stay in Hard Days Night hotel. The only permanent exhibition to British popular music moved to Liverpool in 2015, called The British Music Experience. There is also the Royal Philharmonic Hall. (updated Aug 2019)

1 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, 751 Erieside Ave, Cleveland/Downtown (Drive north on East 9th St exit until you reach the Hall of Fame. If you drive into Lake Erie, you've gone too far.), ☏ +1 216 781-ROCK (7625). Located at North Coast Harbor, this distinctive building was designed by noted architect I.M. Pei and houses a massive collection of rock and roll memorabilia. Cleveland was home to the first Rock concert, the term "Rock and Roll" was coined by a Cleveland DJ and many of the music genre's icons used Cleveland as their springboards. As Rock Inductee, Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, has been paraphrased - to become a rock star in the U.S., first, you have to be loved in Cleveland. Admission: Adults: $23.50, Seniors (60+): $21.25, Children (ages 9-12): $13.75, Children (8 & under): Free.

2 Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, 191 Beale St (corner of Third St; on the plaza of FedExForum). Daily 10AM-7PM (last admission 6:15PM). A short video is shown at frequent intervals and then you are given a headset so that you can listen to commentary and numerous songs as you walk through the exhibits. Sponsored by the Smithsonian. The museum used to be housed in the Gibson guitar factory across the street, which puts visitors right on the factory floor. Famous musicians periodically visit to pick up custom guitars or to play a set at the Gibson Lounge, in the west end of the building. Adults $10.

3 Graceland, Memphis. Home of Elvis Presley, "The King of Rock and Roll". It's no surprise that this is the number one tourist attraction in Memphis. Think "tacky tourist" trap but don't miss it – you might be pleasantly surprised. Although it is not advisable to venture in the suburbs surrounding the site, there is lots and lots of Elvis stuff to see here - the house itself (the upper floor, with Elvis' bedroom and Lisa Marie's nursery, is not open to the public), customized private airplanes, an automobile collection, gold records, costumes, and more. Elvis Week ("Death Week" to the locals) in early August, culminating in the candlelight vigil on the anniversary of Elvis' death, is a big deal. It can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your perspective. Check out the bizarre felt-pen scribblings on the fence, some hip-ironic, some of the psycho-lunatic-fan sort. If you happen to be in Memphis during Birth or Death Week – January and August, respectively – sit downtown for a few hours just to watch the Elvis fans. Not just on Halloween, but at any time of year, you may want to dress up like the King (or like Priscilla if you're a girl) and join the party. (updated Oct 2016)

4 Buddy Holly Crash Site (The Day the Music Died) (near Clear Lake (Iowa)). In the early morning of February 3, 1959 a plane carrying rock musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson who were touring the Midwest together, crashed just after takeoff, killing them and the pilot. The accident taking the life of three popular rock musicians has been dubbed "The Day the Music Died" and has been referred to as such in popular culture. There are several memorials at the crash site. (updated Oct 2018)

5 Bethel Woods Center for the Arts (Sullivan County (New York), Hurd Road a half-mile N of NY 17B in the town of Bethel, E of the hamlet of White Lake), toll-free: +1-866-781-2922, [email protected]. In 1969, a big music festival in upstate New York—Woodstock—turned into a generation-defining event. In the mid-2000s local entrepreneur Alan Gerry realized a long-held Sullivan County dream of capitalizing on the Woodstock festival site's potential as a tourist draw. The original site, at the southeast corner of the intersection of Hurd and West Shore roads, has been left undisturbed and accessible. On the hill nearby is a modern amphitheatre that has hosted performances by everyone from acts that appeared at the original festival to symphony orchestras. The nearby museum is also a must-see for anyone wanting to better appreciate the cultural significance of the surrounding acres of what was once Yasgur's Farm. (updated Mar 2015)

6 ABBA the Museum, Djurgårdsvägen 68 (Stockholm/Djurgården). A museum of Swedish popular music opened in 2013.

7 Finnish Music Hall of Fame (Musiikkimuseo Fame), Fredikanterassi 5 A (Helsinki/West; at Mall of Tripla), ☏ +358 10 201 3100, [email protected]. A museum of Finnish popular music opened in 2019.

This cultural overview is an excerpt of a community travel guide. Confirm current access, schedules and prices with the venue before planning a visit.

Source and licence

Text adapted from Rock and roll by Wikivoyage contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. This adapted text is shared under the same licence. Contributor history.