4 bumpin’ cities for music lovers

Whether you fancy the sounds of Billie Holiday and Miles Davis or if staying out all night in techno-clubs getting down to the latest house beats is more your thing, these are the most exciting travel destinations for you to enjoy your passion for music—truly citities for music lovers.

Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Located in the southern United States, Tennessee is home to two musical movements that have a loyal fan base and have made (and continue to make) an impactful influence on the world.

Memphis, Tennessee is known as the home of soul, Memphis blues, gospel music, and plenty of notable rock and roll artists. After all, Elvis Presley was known as the King of Rock n’ Roll and he moved to Memphis with his family when he was just 13. To this day you can visit Elvis’ estate in this city. It’s called Graceland and shows off a number of Elvis-related artifacts including his famous Vegas jumpsuits, awards, and his pink Cadillac.

As the home of Blues, you’ll get more musical goodness out of Memphis beyond Elvis. You can explore downtown and check out the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum for a fun afternoon or catch a live blues performance in any number of little dives and bars located in the city. Though much of the downtown area has been revamped and modernized in recent years, you can still expected to be charmed by Memphis, its local’s and the musical history found around every corner.

Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Nashville is often called the 'country music capital of the world' or 'Music City, USA' for short. This has been the city that launched the careers of most famous country music singers--including the internationally famous Taylor Swift. In recent years, the musical makeup of the city has been shifting towards a more diverse crowd. Instead of only being home to country mega-stars, artists like the Kings of Leon, Paramore and Young Buck have settled in the city limits.

While you’re visiting Nashville, be sure to head to the Grand Ole Opry, which hosts weekly country music radio programs and broadcasts live concerts. It holds the title of oldest continuous radio program in the United States. You can also visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Bluebird Café, which is a popular hangout for songwriters, fans of songwriters, and scouts. If you want to catch a bigger act, then choose The Whiskey Jam at Winner’s. It is a popular venue for big name artists and up-and-comers.

Vienna, Austria

Heading way back into history here, Vienna has been the 'Classical Capital of the World,' for centuries now. This beautiful European escape was home to many famous classical composers and performers over time.Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss I, and Johann Strauss II are all natives of the city, while Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, and Anton Bruckner all moved here during their careers. While in Austria, head over to one of the Fine Arts Academies in the city and enjoy the sounds of Mozart and Beethoven performed by classically trained students.

From 1784 to 1787, Mozart resided in an Old Town Vienna building, not far from St. Stephen’s Cathedral. This building is his only surviving Viennese residence and is now a museum. You will not want to miss this fascinating place where Mozart wrote his world-famous opera 'The Marriage of Figaro.' While here, he also wrote three of the six Haydn Quartets.

For Beethoven fans, head to Pasqualatihaus where Beethoven lived from 1804-1815. It was during his time here that he was able to write his opera, Fidelop, as well as Symphonies 5, 6, 7, and 8.

London, UK

London has been well known through-out the last century for its rock scene and its continuing impact on the music industry. London has started the careers for some of the most famous singers and bands in history. England was famous for the British Invasion, which was a phenomenon of the 1960’s where many musical acts based in London became popular around the world. These bands included the world-famous, iconic The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, as well as countless others. Pink Floyd, Queen, and Fleetwood Mac are also some notable London originals. In more recent eras, the Spice Girls, Amy Winehouse, Adele, and One Direction have been part of the second wave of the British Pop Invasion.

All music lovers will enjoy the London Rock Music Tour. As you travel around London, you’ll see rock landmarks in SoHo, the famous Abbey Road, the homes of The Beatles band members, as well as Pink Floyd’s studios. The tour will cover many of the most famous British artists of modern culture.

For those with a more classical taste, head to the Royal Opera House where you can enjoy many of the most famous Operas in the world or sing with the Westminster Abbey choir for some inspirational notes.

Maybe you’ll be bobbing your head to the music or maybe you’ll be getting on stage to sing a few tunes of your own. Regardless of your involvement in music or why you love it so, these 5 destinations will keep you happy on your musical holiday. Count on Cover-More for an added layer of protection as you be-bop your way from one spot to the next.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Roger