19 places around the world named after famous musicians and bands

Multi-million-selling rap group The Beastie Boys have been honoured in their home city of New York with a square named after the band.

The members of the group were all born and raised in different parts of the Big Apple, with Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz from Park Avenue, Manhattan; Mike Michael “Mike D” Diamond from the Upper West Side; and the late Adam “MCA” Yauch hailing from Brooklyn.

Horovitz and Diamond were on hand for the naming ceremony of the square, which is located on the Lower East Side. The sign, placed on the corner of Ludlow and Rivington, comes more than 30 years since the same intersection appeared on the cover of their acclaimed 1989 LP Paul’s Boutique.

Diamond, 57, told the crowd that the naming had been a “multiyear battle”, but hailed the neighbourhood as a “cool place that we wanted to go and hang out”.

According to Rolling Stone, a previous attempt to name the area Beastie Boys Square was vetoed in a 24-to-1 vote in 2014, before being approved by the New York City Council last year.

The group, which formed in 1981, have released seven platinum albums, sold more than 20 million albums and are best known for hits such as (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!), No Sleep till Brooklyn and Sabotage.

But they aren't the only musicians to have squares, streets and other destinations named after them around the world.

Here are 18 more.

1. Joey Ramone Place, New York City, US

In homage to the frontman of influential 1970s punk rock band Ramones, part of Manhattan’s East 2nd Street was renamed Joey Ramone Place in November 2003.

The location is close to the infamous music club CBGB where The Ramones played many of their early gigs and is also the block where Ramone (real name Jeffrey Hyman) once lived.

2. Dave Grohl Alley, Warren, US

The former Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman was honoured with an alley named after him in the Ohio town where he grew up.

Grohl turned up to the official opening on August 1, 2009 and played Foo Fighters hit My Hero, dedicating it to Joe O’Grady, the local policeman who had spearheaded the campaign.

The alley is also home to the the world’s largest drumsticks.

3. Placeta Joe Strummer, Granada, Spain

The late Clash frontman had a square named after him in 2013 in southern Andalusia.

According to friends, Strummer fell in love with and often visited the region, mentioning Granada in his 1979 song Spanish Bombs.

4. Korn Row, Bakersfield, California, US

Paying homage to American nu metal band Korn, whose members grew up in Bakersfield, Korn Row was unveiled on February 24, 2006, with the day dubbed Korn Day.

The sign even features the band’s signature backwards ‘R’.

5. Tom Petty Road, Dickson, Tennessee, US

Although the I Won’t Back Down singer has no connection to Tennessee – he was born and raised in Florida - the 1.57km stretch in Dickson was named for the Grammy winner.

6. Allah-Rakha Rahman St, Ontario, Canada

Indian composer and musician A R Rahman had the honour of a street being named after him in Markham, Ontario, last year.

At the unveiling, Rahman said: “I feel like this gives me immense responsibility to do much more and be inspiring, not get so tired and not to retire yet.”

7. Jimi Hendrix Park, Seattle, US

Hendrix’s hometown of Seattle honoured their world-famous son with a 2.3-acre park named after him. The guitarist’s signature can be found at the grand entrance and stairway.

8. Frank-Zappa-Strasse, Berlin, Germany

The experimental American musician enjoyed the post-humous honour of having what was formerly Street 13 in Berlin named after him in 2007.

The street is home to Orwo Haus Studios where many local bands practice and record.

9. Duke Ellington Boulevard, Manhattan, US

Back in 1977, a stretch of 106th Street in New York was renamed for jazz great Ellington.

Born in Washington, the pianist called New York home from the 1920s onward, going on to become a pivotal figure in the history of jazz.

10. Various locations, Liverpool, England

The Beatles' hometown in northern England paid homage to the Fab Four with streets named after each of them. These are: John Lennon Drive, Paul McCartney Way, Ringo Starr Drive and George Harrison Close.

11. Run DMC JMJ Way, New York, US

Influential hip hop group Run-DMC, consisting of New York natives Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and DJ Jason Mizell aka Jam Master Jay, have a street named for them in Hollis, Queens.

The group disbanded in 2002 after Mizell was shot and killed, aged 37, at a recording studio in Jamaica, Queens.

12. Sangeet Samrat Naushad Ali Road, Mumbai, India

One of India’s most celebrated sons, Naushad Ali, was honoured with a street in his name.

The composer spent decades in the film industry as a music director, leading Mumbai’s Carter Road to be renamed in 2008.

13. Frank Sinatra Drive, New Jersey, US

He might be more famously associated with the Big Apple thanks to that song, or even Las Vegas where he would hang with the Rat Pack, but the Chairman of the Board has a street named after him in Hoboken, New Jersey, where he was born.

14. Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter Road, Kwara State, Nigeria

Back in 2006, 99 Problems rapper Jay-Z had a street named after him in Nigeria, following a visit to Kwara State. During his trip, Carter was conferred with the chieftaincy title ‘Serikin Waka’ of Ilorin by the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Gambari.

15. Sam Cooke Way, Chicago, US

The soul singer, who was born in Mississippi but raised in Chicago, was honoured in the Windy City with a street named after him.

The street is near the Bronzeville neighbourhood, where the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer once lived.

16. Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, US

Tennessee’s Highway 51 South was changed to Elvis Presley Boulevard on June 29, 1971, and is the road his famous home Graceland sits on.

Presley would later release an album in 1976 titled From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee.

17. AC/DC Lane, Melbourne, Australia

The Australian rock band might have been formed in Sydney, but the street named after them is in Melbourne.

When the street was renamed, the band’s signature lightning bolt between AC and DC contravened the naming policy of the Office of the Registrar of Geographic Names, but a month after the sign was erected a street artist added the bolt.

18. Bob Dylan Way, Minnesota, US

The song-writing legend was born in Duluth, Minnesota, which is where the street named after him is. The city continues to honour their famous son, by hosting Duluth Dylan Fest each year in May.