Random Childhood Homes Of Famous Musicians (16 items)

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  (#10) Beyoncé Knowles

  • 37

  Before she was one of the most influential female artists of all time, Beyoncé lived in a French Traditional home in Houston, TX. The Knowles family resided in this home until Beyoncé was 5 years old.

  Beyoncé grew up with her parents, Tina and Mathew Knowles, alongside her younger sister, Solange. Her parents were both actively involved with her musical projects as she rose to fame - her mother designed costumes for Destiny’s Child, and her father was their manager.

  Knowles’ talents were apparent very early in her life, as she began performing by the time she was in elementary school. When she was 7 years old, she won a local talent competition with her rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine," beating competitors who were in their mid-teens.

  The house drew great public interest when it was listed for sale. While the listing mostly describes the amenities and location, it begins with a single exclamation: "BEYONCÉ!"
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  (#5) Kendrick Lamar

  • 31

  Kendrick Lamar’s music is deeply rooted in his hometown of Compton, CA. When he accepted the key to the city in 2016, Lamar said, “Everything that I do is a reflection of how I felt when I was younger.”

  In search of stability and a fresh start, Lamar's parents moved to California from Chicago in 1984. Three years later, Kendrick was born. His emotional connection to Compton is reportedly bittersweet. He has fond memories of riding bikes, house parties, and many close friendships that he still maintains despite his fame. However, he witnessed multiple slayings throughout his childhood, and the LA Riots were some of his first conscious memories.

  The ranch-style three-bedroom home was available for rent in 2016, utilizing its cultural history as a major selling point. Lamar and his family still live in the Los Angeles area.
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  (#6) Paul McCartney

  • 76

  Paul McCartney lived in this home throughout his teenage and young adult years, and this house is often regarded as the birthplace of The Beatles.

  Following the passing of his mother when he was 14 years old, McCartney developed a friendship with future bandmate John Lennon, who also lost his mother at a young age. McCartney taught himself the Spanish guitar, trumpet, and piano while living here, and some early Beatles tracks such as "When I'm Sixty-Four" were written and composed there.

  The house is owned by the National Trust, and has retained or restored its original interiors from McCartney's youth. It is available for tour, alongside John Lennon's childhood home at Mendips.
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  (#12) Bruce Springsteen

  • 69

  Bruce Springsteen’s artistry is the embodiment of the spirit of working-class New Jersey, and his willingness to remain true to his roots is the major appeal of his music. While he asserts he would "never live in Freehold again," he acknowledges how important the town was to his musical career.

  Springsteen spent his earliest years raised by his grandmother, Nana McNicholas. After the traumatic death of her own young daughter, her indulgence of young Springsteen lacked physical and emotional boundaries. After his grandmother passed, he went to live with his parents where he maintained a poor relationship with his father.

  His early interest in guitar and songwriting was a way to cope with his traumatic home life. Springsteen's steadfast dedication to becoming a "rock god" paid off, affording him the opportunity to process his feelings about Freehold and his father to great adoration from a global audience.

  Springsteen's childhood home on Institute Street sold for $255,000 in 2018.
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  (#16) Mick Jagger

  • 75

  Mick Jagger grew up in Dartford, England, a suburb of London. Jagger was the oldest of two boys, and grew up in a comfortable middle class family. A talented student, Jagger was well liked and popular in school. He developed an interest in music at a young age, and was gifted his first guitar when he was 14 years old.

   
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  (#15) Bono

  • 58

  Bono, born Paul David Hewson, is a Dublin native. While Bono’s home has been a popular tourist destination for U2 fans over the course of his career, it became the source of international intrigue when “Cedarwood Road” from Songs of Innocence was forcibly planted on every iPhone in 2014.

  Bono describes the home as a regular three-bedroom house in an "lower middle class" neighborhood. His mother passed when he was young, so Bono grew up with his father and brother in a "macho" environment.

  Bono's long standing issues with his father and the neighborhood were major sources of inspiration for his music, as reflected in the lyrics of “Cedarwood Road”:

  It was a war zone in my teens

  I’m still standing on that street

  Still need an enemy

  The worst ones I can’t see

  You can, you can

  The neighbors were confused by the “war zone” designation. Local native Vera Murphy says, “We’re at the entrance to the estate and we see a lot, but I never saw a war zone, hand on heart.”

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