Music Row Neighborhood

Nashville’s Music Row—it is arguably the most concentrated creative center in the world. This less-than-two-square mile area houses all of the major components of the music industry. The area is also historic—once part of the sprawling early nineteenth century estate of Judge Oliver Hayes. It was his daughter—you guessed it—Adelicia Acklen who would build the Belmont Mansion in 1853. After her death, the estate was sub-divided and sold as plots for houses in the late 1800s. Many of the remaining historic homes you see here on Music Row’s southern end were built during this era.

There are two other music connections between Belmont and Music Row. The first radio station was on the Ward-Belmont campus in 1922. The explosion of the record and radio industry would drive the development of Music Row with its many recording studios. Also, several historic music studios are now part of the Belmont University family, based in large part on the active role of music executive and philanthropist Mike Curb. These studios include Oceanway, Columbia Studio A, and Quonset Hut. 

So what is Music Row? There are the physical boundaries from Music Square East to Music Square West and from Demonbreun Street to Wedgewood Avenue. Music Row is also shorthand for the music business. First called “Record Row”—the name shifted to “Music Row” in the mid-1960s as the music industry scene exploded in Nashville. From Waylon Jennings to Dolly Parton to Elvis Presley to Reba McEntire to Taylor Swift—Music Row offers something for all music fans. We hope you will take one of two walking tours offered by Nashville Sites to further explore this hallowed musical ground. There is the Music Row Neighborhood tour and also a shorter tour called Historic Music Row that focuses on music studios and personalities. 

Congratulations! You have completed the Belmont-Hillsboro-Vanderbilt tour on Nashville Sites. We hope you have enjoyed learning more about this vibrant area. On this tour we’ve taken a trip through time—and explored the history of four different schools, a world-renowned research hospital and medical center, two neighborhoods, an early suburban shopping and eating district, and of course the Belmont Mansion and estate. Be sure to post pictures and comments on social media and tag us @NashvilleSites. We hope you’ll take our Athens of the South driving tour, and visit one of our other 20+ walking tours. Until we meet again, thank you for supporting Nashville Sites. Signing off, this is Sarah Lawson.

To get back to the Belmont University campus, walk up 17th Avenue for approximately 1/4 mile until you reach Wedgewood Avenue. You will now be across the street from Belmont University. Cross Wedgewood then turn LEFT to reach the sidewalk on the far side of 16th Avenue where it becomes Magnolia Blvd. Be sure to follow the pedestrian crossing signs because this is a busy intersection. 

Turn RIGHT and walk up Magnolia for 1 block until you reach the next intersection. You will see signs that direct you toward the Belmont Mansion at 18th Avenue. Following the signs, turn LEFT, and you are back at your starting point!