LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

Welcome to Denmark Street Radio's tour of London's Legendary Street of Sound. Tour time approx. 40 minutes.

Join us on a friendly journey through the vibrant streets of Tin Pan Alley. The street was home to various notable residents over the centuries, including physicians, clergymen, and artists. In the 19th century, the street transitioned to commercial use, with ground floors becoming shops and upper floors used as workshops, particularly for metalwork, making it a real world sense, Tin Pan Alley. Since the 1950s, Denmark Street has been associated with British popular music, earning it the nickname The UK's "Tin Pan Alley".

We'll go beyond the facades and the gleaming rows of guitars displayed in windows to delve deeper into the music industry. We're set to explore not just the landmarks, but also the the influential figures who shaped pop culture from behind the scenes at publishers and record label executives' desks.

On this tour, you're going to discover where The Sex Pistols lived and rehearsed, and where The Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath recorded their groundbreaking debut and iconic albums. We'll visit the spots where David Bowie met Marc Bolan, and where Elton John first crossed paths with Bernie Taupin. Discover where Lionel Bart composed the classic musical Oliver!, and where the creative studio Hipgnosis designed iconic album sleeves for Pink Floyd, Wings, and many others.

This street is also the home of Donovan, Orange Amps, and the birthplace of influential music publications like NME and Melody Maker. Plus, you'll learn about Paul Simon's surprising experiences here, where his famous tracks "Sound of Silence" and "Homeward Bound" were initially turned down.

The tour sheds light on the constantly evolving social landscape of a central London street that holds a unique position in global entertainment. We'll share stories that are not only fascinating but also worth preserving. Welcome to Tin Pan Alley – the pulsating heart of the British music trade. Immerse yourself in the stories and landmarks that celebrate this unique place in global entertainment.

Denmark Street was established in 1687, named in honour of Prince George of Denmark after his marriage to Queen Anne four years prior. Originally part of the St Giles area, the street was a prominent centre for the printing and distribution of ballad sheets and sheet music.

As the 20th century began, music publishers started to gravitate towards Denmark Street, earning it the name "London's Tin Pan Alley." Notable publishers such as Lawrence Wright and Campbell Connelly established their businesses here, drawn by the street's close proximity to the theatre districts of Soho and Covent Garden.

By the 1940s, Denmark Street had become the heart of London's music publishing, with most publishers based here. The area flourished as a vital hub for the music industry, frequented by professional singers and songwriters who visited the publishers' offices as well as the local cafes and pubs to network and exchange new material.