London Calling - A guide to the Music Landmarks of London
"Winding your way down on Baker Street, light in your head and dead on your feet"...
London has always been one of the world’s great music cities. Bands were formed here, classic albums were recorded here, and some of the most famous album covers in history were shot on these streets. As a local music fan, I have spent years walking these London music landmarks, always looking for the stories behind the studios, pubs and corners that appear in songs and on sleeves.
This guide is for anyone looking for music attractions in London or things to do in London for music lovers. We will visit Beatles landmarks, Pink Floyd locations, David Bowie’s London, Led Zeppelin sites and more, with practical details to help you find each place yourself.
Landmarks & Locations
- Soho’s Music History: Tin Pan Alley & Ronnie Scott’s
- David Bowie’s London: Heddon Street & Piccadilly’s Music Icons
- Saville Row for Apple HQ and the Beatles last gig
- Carnaby Street & The Rolling Stones: London’s Swinging Sixties
- Abbey Road & The Beatles: London’s Most Famous Music Landmark
- Pink Floyd’s Battersea Power Station
- Camden & Amy Winehouse
- Brixton’s Music History: Bowie’s Mural & The O2 Academy
- The Royal Albert Hall
- Hammersmith Odeon: Ziggy Stardust’s Farewell & Iconic Concerts
Let’s head over to Soho, and start our musical journey here. This first stop in Soho is a good place to start any London music tour, with historic music venues and recording stories on almost every corner. For each area I’ll share the nearest underground line and tube station to get you to the right place.
Soho’s Music History: Tin Pan Alley & Ronnie Scott’s
Tin Pan Alley, Denmark Street
Home to writers, guitar shops, publishers and designers. Bernie Taupin and Elton John met here. Paul Simon once tried to sell his early songs, only to be told they were too uncommercial. He later returned to record with Art Garfunkel at Regent Sounds Studio at No. 4.
One of the few remaining music shops on London’s Denmark Street
Upstairs at No. 6, Aubrey Powell and Storm Thorgerson built Hipgnosis, creating album covers for Dark Side of the Moon, Animals, Houses of the Holy and many more.
Grey Suited bouncers were often stationed outside the publisher’s doors to restrict the constant interruption of wannabe song writers seeking an audience. You’d have to impress these well dressed bouncers if you were to get upstair,s in what became known as ‘The Old Grey Whistle Test’. You may recognise the name from the BBC’s long running musical show of the same name. Now you know where it came from!
Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club
Sitting on Frith Street since 1969, Ronnie Scott’s has welcomed Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Prince and Charlie Watts. Ronnie Scott himself played the sax line on Lady Madonna for The Beatles at Abbey Road. Ronnie Scott's 47 Frith St, London W1D 4HT
St Anne’s Court and Trident Studios
Trident was the birthplace of Hey Jude, Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust, Carly Simon’s No Secrets, Elton John’s Tumbleweed Connection, and Lou Reed’s Transformer. A blue plaque marks the spot.
The Marquee Club, Wardour Street
Now trendy apartments, the Marquee Club started as a jazz and skiffle club that grew in stature to become a key location for bands on the way up. The Rolling Stones performed their first gig here, many of the emerging blues bands of the sixties would play here including Alexis Korner, Long John Baldry and the Yardbirds. In later years Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits, U2, REM and Guns N’ Roses would grace the stage.
Berwick Street
Still a working market and the album cover location for What’s the Story Morning Glory by Oasis.
Nearest Tube: Tottenham Court Road. Central, Northern, Elizabeth lines.
David Bowie’s London: Heddon Street & Piccadilly’s Music Icons
Piccadilly Circus remains one of London’s most visible landmarks. Pink Floyd were photographed here in 1967. Five minutes walk will get you to the Heddon Street,to find the blue plaque marking the exact spot of the Ziggy Stardust album cover. Look out for the K West Sign that appeared on the album cover. The Starman pub is a good place to stop for a drink and to check out some more Bowie related artwork.
Two photo opportunities for Bowie fans on Heddon Street
Saville Row for Apple HQ and the Beatles last gig
A few more minutes walk will get us onto Saville Row, the traditional London home of high end tailors. You may know it as the location of the Kingsman Tailor Shop at number 11 Saville Row - actually the famous Hunstman Tailors. But we’re not here for the movies, we’re here for the Music so we’ll walk down towards Burlington Gardens. You are looking for the White building that is now an office. Now look up!
The blue plaque may give you a clue that this was the home of Apple Corps, the Beatles Record Label. If you were here on a cold January day in 1969 you would have heard a concert performed on the rooftop. Yes this is the location of the Beatles last ever concert.
3 Savile Row, London W1S 3PB
The Hard Rock Café London on Piccadilly Circus is not the original location, that sits at the other end of Piccadilly.
This global burger chain has been forever synonymous with music and their cafe and store at 150 Old Park Lane is where it all began. Pop in for burgers and ask to visit the vault downstairs for a selection of rock history including guitars, props and Beatles contracts.
The original Hard Rock Café 150 Old Park Ln, London W1K 1QZ
Tube Station: Hyde Park Corner
Underground Lines: Piccadilly
Carnaby Street & The Rolling Stones: London’s Swinging Sixties
Now referred to as ‘Carnaby’ to reflect the handful of pedestrian streets that were synonymous with the Swinging Sixties. Home to cutting edge fashion shops in the Sixties, it is now home to RS9 the dedicated Rolling Stones shop, You can’t miss the large tongue in the shop window! At Christmas, this place offers some great light installations if you want some pictures!
The Rolling Stones at RS9
9 Carnaby St, Carnaby, London W1F 9PE
Tube Station: Oxford Circus
Underground Lines: Central , Victoria , Bakerloo.
Let's head further afield to some other music landmarks you may know.
Abbey Road & The Beatles: London’s Most Famous Music Landmark
Possibly the most famous of all London’s Music Landmarks, the Abbey Road Crossing in St John’s Wood featured on the album cover for the Beatles penultimate album. It’s just a few minutes walk from St Johns Wood tube station.
Abbey Road Studios 3 Abbey Rd., London NW8 9AY
Crossing Abbey Road - November 2025
Originally known as EMI studios, it only changed the name after the release and success of the Beatles album. Unless you book a visit or a tour (which happens rarely, you won't get inside but you will see the iconic door, the Beatles graffiti on the wall and you can stop into the Studio shop for some music themes gifts!
The World Famous Abbey Road Studios
Of course you will need. your picture crossing the road but do remember this is a busy road so be careful.
Tube Station: St. John's Wood
Underground Lines: Jubilee Line
Pink Floyd’s Battersea Power Station
After Abbey Road, possibly the most iconic of London music landmarks. Famed for the flying pig on the cover of Pink Floyd’s Animals album this old power station has been reborn as a shopping and entertainment destination. Inside the massive turbine hall are shops, cafes, restaurants and even a cinema. A small plaque at the power station recalls it’s place in music history.
Battersea Power Station Lit in Blue and Red for the Animals Remix Promotion
Battersea Power Station Chimney and Pink Floyd Plaque
Tube Station: Battersea Power Station
Underground Lines: Northern
Circus Rd W, Nine Elms, London SW11 8DD
Camden & Amy Winehouse
Camden has long been a music hotspot. The famous Dublin Castle continues to host live music whilst Amy Winehouse spent many hours at The Hawley Arms, drinking with friends including Pete Doherty. There are still polaroids of Amy on their wall, plus plenty of music associations from other bands. Go around to the back of the pub to see the huge Amy Winehouse mural, or pop across to Camden Market to see her statue.
Tube Station: Camden Market
Underground Lines: Northern
Brixton’s Music History: Bowie’s Mural & The O2 Academy
The Bowie Mural on Brixton Road pays homage to the Starman who grew up in Brixton.
The Bowie Mural on Brixton Road
Whilst you ‘re in the neighbourhood you should rock down to Electric Avenue, the first market street in London to receive electric street lighting. The Eighties song from Eddie Grant references the Brixton Riots of the early Eighties, but now it’s a trendy place with cool bars and eateries. Eddie left London to settle in Barbados, building the Blue Wave studios which welcomed over the years acts including Sting and the Rolling Stones.
Electric Ave, London SW9 8JX
The Brixton Academy (now known as the 02 Academy Brixton) has been a concert hall since 1983. Its unique interior hosts a gently sloping floor that makes it like a shallow amphitheatre making it a great place for intimate gigs. It is here that the Smiths played their final ever live performance.
Brixton Academy 211 Stockwell Rd, London SW9 9SL
The Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall - Autumn 2024
For a grander concert experience we look to the Royal Albert Hall. An iconic entertainment venue that recently played host to a sell out week from David Gilmour. This beautiful building first opened in 1871 and has remained a popular venue ever since. Eric Clapton is the artist with the most concerts at this one location, headlining over 180 concerts across his career.
Royal Albert Hall Kensington Gore, South Kensington, London SW7 2AP
Hammersmith Odeon: Ziggy Stardust’s Farewell & Iconic Concerts
The Hammersmith Odeon (now the Eventim Apollo) is a larger concert venue that has played host to many legendary gigs including the last ever Ziggy Stardust performance, captured on film for posterity. It was here in 2014 that Kate Bush performed ‘After the Dawn’ for 22 nights running, her first live performance in over two decades (and I was there!)
A sold out series of concerts at the Hammersmith Apollo
It was also the place I saw Marillion, my first ever concert.
Hammersmith Apollo 45 Queen Caroline St, London W6 9QH
The building itself is beautiful, and features in the sleeves photographs for the Quadrophenia album. The marquee (lettering) around the building is also iconic.
Tube Station: Hammersmith
Underground Lines: Piccadilly, Circle , Hammersmith & City
London has been, and remains so rich in both music history and folklore that I can't fit it all into one post. If you seek more inspiration then check out the original Troubador club, small music venue has been hosting live acts since 1954. It was part of the ‘scene’ back in the Sixties with performances from ‘folkies’ like John Martyn, Joni Mitchell and rockers including Led Zeppelin. If you were here in 1962 to watch a performance from ‘Blind Boy Grunt’ you’d be watching a young Bob Dylan!
Troubador 265-267 Old Brompton Rd, London SW5 9JA
A visitor from LA was so impressed by the club that he took the name home to set up his own club. Doug Weston’s Troubadour is one of LA's Rock n Roll Landmarks.
What about some lyrics? Remember the Werewolf in London? He had a Chinese menu in his hand from Lee Ho Fook, a former restaurant in London's Chinatown, now Dumplings Legend (across from the original Ronnie Scott’s club.)
The original location of Lee Ho Fook, and the plaque for Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club
He was also spotted sipping a piña colada at Trader Vic’s which used to be in the basement of the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane. His hair was perfect.
Hilton Hotel Hyde Park 129 Bayswater Rd, London W2 4RJ
And if you still need some inspiration, then wait til the sun starts to fade and walk out across Waterloo Bridge. If you time it right you can gaze on Waterloo Sunset and maybe, just maybe you’ll be in Paradise.
Waterloo Bridge London WC2R 2PP
The Beatles’ London Landmarks
Abbey Road Studios & Crossing
Still the most famous recording studio in the world, Abbey Road is where the Beatles made Sgt. Pepper’s, Abbey Road, and so many more. Fans still queue to recreate the album cover just outside.
Marylebone Registry Office
John married Yoko here in March 1969, followed later by Paul and Linda, and Ringo and Barbara Bach. Its elegant façade remains one of the band’s most quietly iconic sites.
3 Savile Row (Apple Corps HQ)
Home to Apple Corps and the location of the Beatles’ final live performance — the rooftop concert of January 1969.
The London Palladium
Where “Beatlemania” was born. Their 1963 appearance on Sunday Night at the London Palladium made the term a national headline.
34 Montagu Square, Marylebone
John and Yoko’s home during 1968, marked today by a blue plaque. Paul once lived here too, and Ringo owned the lease.
Pink Floyd London Landmarks
Regent Street Polytechnic (now University of Westminster)
Where Roger Waters, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright studied between 1962 and 1966 — and where Pink Floyd was formed. Marked by a black plaque on the wall.
Battersea Power Station
Immortalised on the cover of Animals, this South London landmark remains the most recognisable piece of Pink Floyd iconography.
Abbey Road Studios
The birthplace of The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here. The studio remains a place of pilgrimage for Floyd fans.
Denmark Street (Tin Pan Alley)
Home to London’s music publishing scene, this was where the band’s early collaborators, Hipgnosis, set up their design studio.
Britannia Row Studios, Islington
Floyd’s own recording base, built after Wish You Were Here. Animals and The Wall were created here.
Led Zeppelin’s London Landmarks
Windmill Street, Fitzrovia
Site of the band’s first official photoshoot in 1968, taken outside the offices of the Impact Agency. The image became one of Zeppelin’s most recognisable early portraits.
Marquee Club (Wardour Street)
One of their earliest London gigs, where the band appeared soon after changing their name from the New Yardbirds.
Roundhouse, Chalk Farm
A classic late-sixties venue where Zeppelin performed during their rapid rise through London’s live circuit.
Royal Albert Hall
The site of their legendary 1970 concert — filmed in colour and still one of the band’s most celebrated performances.
Swan Song Offices, 484 King’s Road
From 1974 this became the band’s London base, home to their own record label and a symbol of their dominance.
David Bowie’s London Landmarks
Trident Studios, Soho
Where Bowie recorded Space Oddity, Hunky Dory, and Ziggy Stardust — and where Rick Wakeman’s piano work on Life on Mars? was captured.
Hammersmith Odeon (now Eventim Apollo)
The venue for Ziggy Stardust’s farewell concert in July 1973 — “not only the last show of the tour, but the last show that we’ll ever do.”
Heddon Street, Mayfair
The small backstreet immortalised on The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars album cover. A plaque marks the spot today.
Brixton Mural, Tunstall Road
Painted opposite his childhood home, the mural became a spontaneous memorial after his death in 2016.
V&A Storehouse, East London
The new home of the David Bowie Centre for the Study of Performing Arts, preserving his archive and creative legacy for future generations.
The Who’s London Landmarks
Marquee Club (Wardour Street)
The Who’s early stomping ground and where they honed their explosive live act in the mid-60s Mod era.
Hammersmith Odeon
Appears on the Quadrophenia album artwork and remains one of the city’s great rock stages.
Thames Foot Tunnel (Greenwich)
Used for Quadrophenia promotional photography, linking the band forever with London’s industrial riverfront.
12 Curzon Place, Mayfair
The flat where Keith Moon died in 1978 — the same address where Mama Cass Elliott had died four years earlier.
Goldhawk Club, Shepherd’s Bush
The band’s original home turf and one of their first live venues, marked today by a plaque honouring their roots.
The Rolling Stones’ London Landmarks
RS No.9 Carnaby
The band’s official retail and exhibition space on Carnaby Street — a modern tribute to their style and swagger.
Marquee Club (Wardour Street)
The Stones’ first London residency, where they built their following in 1962.
100 Club, Oxford Street
A cornerstone of the London music scene; the Stones played here during their early blues years.
Olympic Studios, Barnes
Where the band recorded Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, and Sticky Fingers. Today it’s a cinema and café with a strong sense of its past.
102 Edith Grove, Chelsea
The infamous shared flat of Mick, Keith, and Brian in the early 1960s — recreated for the Exhibitionism show as the perfect picture of pre-fame squalor.