Music to your ears
AMERICA’S influence on the global music industry cannot be understated.
Whether it’s Graceland in Memphis or the hip-hop beats of the South Bronx, the USA has brought us many of the genres of music we know and love today.
The deep south of America is an eclectic infusion of jazz, rock ’n’ roll, blues and country.
Whether you visit Tennessee, Nashville or Memphis, you’ll spot the imprint of these genres around every corner.
Visit the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, and the jazz clubs of New Orleans for a wellversed tour of the Deep South’s musical history.
Up in the northern regions of the country, music is woven into the fabric of society as much as it is in the south. In Detroit you’ll discover the rich history of Motown, where the genre’s legacy is kept alive at Hitsville, USA.
Detroit is also widely considered the birthplace of techno and celebrates this in late May with a three-day Movement Electronic Music Festival.
In New York City, wander around Times Square and discover the very best that Broadway has to offer.
Then head north to the birthplace of hip-hop: the Bronx. Organised tours allow you to stop by some of the key places that helped transform this genre from its roots on the streets of NYC to the world-wide phenomenon it is today.
Not long after the birth of hip-hop in New York, a distinctly different take on the genre emerged from California.
One of the best places to visit is VIP Records in Long Beach, the record store that launched the careers of some of the biggest names in music.
Further up the coast, there is the incredible city of Seattle, which launched the careers of Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Fleet Foxes and Macklemore – and there’s no shortage of attractions paying homage to their success.
The Museum of Pop Culture is the first pit stop for any fan but there are many hidden vinyl stores and indie bars that are well-worth keeping an eye out for.
We recommend Easy Street Records, which has a reputation for collecting hard-to-find albums.
To discover your perfect musical break to the USA, call Barrhead Travel’s Worldwide Travel Team on 0141 242 1300.