Highways to Hell: 10 streets named after rock bands

In 2004, Corporation Lane in Melbourne, Australia, was renamed ACDC Lane to honour the biggest and best band from Down Under. 

But they’re not the only outfit to have their own street. Here’s your checklist for the ultimate holiday and rock‘n’roll pilgrimage.

Alt

Flaming Lips Alley, Oklahoma City, OK

The eccentric psych platoon got this honour from their home town in 2006. But it’s said to be a poorly lit alleyway, with rubbish all over the place. Talk about back-handed accolades!


Joey Ramone Place, New York City, NY

In November 2003, part of Manhattan’s East 2nd Street was renamed in honour of the late Ramones frontman. It’s the block where he once lived, and is close to the site of CBGB’s.


Placeta Joe Strummer, Granada

In 2013 the late Clash icon got the honour of having a square named after him. This was in the town where he took refuge in 1984 as The Clash started to fall apart.


Dave Grohl Alley, Warren, OH

In 2009, the Foos mainman received this honour from the town where he was born. He even showed up to the official opening, and played a song. Interestingly, the renaming of the alley was instigated by a local policeman.


Korn Row, Bakersfield, CA

This street was officially opened in 2006, on a day that was marked Korn Day. It’s said to be a quiet locale, but at least the road sign has the band’s trademark backwards ‘R’.

Korn Row street sign

(Image credit: Renjishino via Wikimedia Commons)

Tom Petty Road, Dickson, TN

This runs for 1.57 km, so it isn’t the longest road ever named after a rock muso. And quite why it was Dickson that decided to fete Petty.. well, why not?


Jimi Hendrix Park, Seattle, WA

Well, having a park named after you is a lot nicer than an alley. In 2006, a local park was renamed in honour of the great guitarist. And he also has Jimi Hendrix Way in Bellingham, WA.


Frank Zappa Strasse, Berlin

You’ll find a huge studio complex on this street, which was named in 2007. Up to 160 bands can rehearse simultaneously there. Mind you, Zappa would probably have insisted that the walls were all torn down, and everyone rehearsed together in the open space.


Dio Way, Cortland, NY

Ronnie James Dio grew up in Cortland, and the city decided to express their respect for the former resident by naming a street after him a couple of years ago. And it’s the street where he actually grew up.


Anthrax Street, Fayetteville, NC (retired)

In 1996, surveyor Mike Tate managed to persuade the authorities to name a street in North Carolina after Anthrax. Just because he was a fan. No more was said by anyone until 2001, when there was a scare that terrorists would launch anthrax attacks (nothing to do with the band). Six of the seven residents demanded a name change, and got it – hiss! So, it’s now Allegiance Avenue.

Malcolm Dome

Malcolm Dome had an illustrious and celebrated career which stretched back to working for Record Mirror magazine in the late 70s and Metal Fury in the early 80s before joining Kerrang! at its launch in 1981. His first book, Encyclopedia Metallica, published in 1981, may have been the inspiration for the name of a certain band formed that same year. Dome is also credited with inventing the term "thrash metal" while writing about the Anthrax song Metal Thrashing Mad in 1984. With the launch of Classic Rock magazine in 1998 he became involved with that title, sister magazine Metal Hammer, and was a contributor to Prog magazine since its inception in 2009. He died in 2021