The Ultimate Bucket List For Music Fans

A magical place with an old railroad trestle is covered with kudzu vines. It would have almost been forgotten had it not graced the cover of R.E.M.'s first album, "Murmur". But as luck would have it, this debut album would mark the start of a long and glorious career for the band. Thus, the trestle ultimately benefited when land developers targeted it for destruction. R.E.M. fans spearheaded a movement t...

A cheerful, bright green building is where traditional soul food is cooked up. Popular among locals, Weaver D's has plenty of tourists who make the pilgrimage to taste his dishes. Dexter Weaver's home-cooked comfort food has always been a hit, but it sure didn't hurt when R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe asked him permission to use "Automatic for the People" as the title for their 1992 album which achieved ...

In Viretta Park the wooden benches serve as an unofficial memorial to Kurt Cobain. Each bench has graffiti and etchings scrawled on it, messages to the tragic musician. Located near his home where he committed suicide, many have petitioned that the park be renamed after him. Parking can be hard to find so you might want to take a rideshare or public transportation. (Photo by Yess C)

Seattle artist Daryl Smith sculpted Jimi in his legendary pose, a look of pure ecstasy on his face. Rock stars and the general population alike have traveled to this piece of art off the beaten path, just to snap a photo of Jimi's likeness on a sidewalk.

Facetiously named, this humble multi-family abode is a far cry from the palatial homes that the members of Metallica live in today. James, Lars, Kirk, and the deceased Cliff rehearsed their material here from 1983 to 1986. The garage where they wrote the songs for the albums "Ride the Lightning" and "Master of Puppets" has since been torn down, but the house still stands. Although the property is private...

The impact of U2s The Joshua Tree album (1988) still lives on today. The actual joshua tree used for the album art? Not so much. Still, die hard fans come from all over to worship at this fallen shrine. There's a plaque nearby and a "U2ube" time capsule where folks can leave messages about their love for the band.

Standing at the Rainbow Bar & Grill is the intimidating, stern-faced statue of the frontman for Motörhead. This was his favorite watering hole in Los Angeles; he lived and died just a couple of blocks away. Not only is the statue a tribute to a hard living bassist who was known to drink a bottle of Jack daily, it is also a testament to the power of the Internet as it was made possible only through donati...

Alas, Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch--formerly his private Mansion, amusement park, and petting zoo--is completely obscured from the public, save for these gates.

Country music's hero, Hank Williams, was memorialized in bronze in 1991. He is frozen in his trademark pose, strumming his guitar while perched slightly forward. The area is lovely too - he is located in the RiverFront district of Montgomery. It was recently moved in 2016 from its original location across from the City Hall where it had stood for almost 25 years.

This rock structure known as Red Rocks Amphitheatre is famous for open air concerts. The Amphitheater is naturally formed and seats up to 9,525 people. It is owned and operated by the city and county of Denver, Colorado and is part of the Denver Mountain Parks system.

Hawaii's legendary entertainer is forever memorialized in bronze in the International Market Place. Even though you can shop at over 100 curated stores and find plenty to do the best festivities occur on August 13 when the outdoor market celebrates Don Ho's birthday with fanfare.

This lifelike bronze statue stands outside the Neal Blaisdell Center (formerly the Honolulu International Center Arena) to commemorate Elvis Presley’s legendary “Aloha From Hawaii” concert in January of 1972. The event, which took place at the arena, was broadcast to over 1.5 billion people worldwide via satellite (the world’s first) and it remains one of the most memorable concert events of the icon’s c...

This spot is where rock 'n' roll legends Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and JP Richardson died when their Bonanza airplane crashed in 1959. The giant farming field is privately owned but the locals and farmers seem to not mind that people want to pay their respects to the musicians who helped to shape rock. To get there drive on Gull Ave. You'll see a giant pair of Buddy Holly-style glasses marking the way ...

Prince's lavish estate perfectly matches his onstage persona. Modern, edgy, fancy, fashionable, and with taste - the mansion and grounds embodies the man who once was referred to simply as "The Artist." You must have a reservation to go and tickets can only be purchased online in advance - no tickets are sold on site. 

The iconic Beastie Boys 2nd album cover, released in 1989, featured a fictional clothing store called Paul's Boutique - the fake clothing store's location was in Manhattan's lower east side at an existing clothing store location (Lee's Sportswear) on the corner of Rivington and Ludlow Streets. The album cover front featured the clothing store but the cover folded out to reveal a panorama of the entire in...

This museum and hall of fame has been recognizing noteworthy musicians since 1983. The building, overlooking Lake Erie, was designed by the iconic I.M. Pei and houses exhibits from the beginning of rock history. Your money won't be wasted here - you could easily spend several hours taking every little bit of information in.

Opened by Sam Phillips in 1950, Sun Studio has witnessed many earth-shattering changes in music. This small building is the birthplace of rock 'n' roll and legendary performers have graced its rooms. Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, BB King, Johnny Cash, and Roy Orbison are some of the most famous singers who got their start at Sun Studio.

No visit to Memphis is complete without a tour to Graceland, Elvis Presley's 13-acre estate. Now located on 200,000 square feet, this entertainment amusement complex features museums, gift shops, and restaurants. Budget for this outing accordingly; tickets for America's second most-visited home after the White House don't run cheap.

Housed in a large, rectangular brick building, the collection includes photos, videos, and memorabilia seamlessly weaved together. Almost 50 years (as well as his youth) are included in the exhibits. Visit the museum and then head to the cafe for a meal and coffee! Next to the museum is the Johnny Cash Kitchen and Saloon serving up lunch, dinner, and drinks - and sometimes live music. The museum is open ...

Everyone knows that Detroit is the birthplace of Motown and Motor City is quite proud of the distinction. The museum is in fact the headquarters of Hitsville, USA - the nickname given to Motown Records for the phenomenal number of songs they produced, many of which have survived the test of time. This museum relives the glory days of Motown greats and anyone who has the chance the visit will feel the upb...

Created by Philadelphia-based artist Clete Shields, this 8-foot tall bronze sculpture shows a smiling Nelson leaning over his guitar.

The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts (a non-profit performing arts center and museum) is located at the site of the 1969 Woodstock festival in Bethel, New York. A parcel of the original Max Yasgur's dairy farm was where the festival took place. The 15,000-capacity outdoor performing arts venue includes a 400-seat event gallery and museum located on Bethel's 2,000-acre campus.