Hampstead and its edges have housed rock stars and songwriters for decades, from the folk clubs of the 1960s to later residents. A guide to the area's musical history.
The Rock Stars and Bands of Hampstead
Hampstead is better known for its poets and painters than its rock stars, but the music history is there if you look. The area, along with neighbouring Camden and Highgate, has housed musicians for decades, drawn by the same things that drew the writers: handsome houses, the Heath, and a village that lets you be famous and left alone at the same time. Here is the musical side of the village.
The folk years
In the 1960s, North London was a centre of the British folk revival, and Hampstead's pubs and clubs had a part in it. The wider scene around Camden, Soho and the north London suburbs gave early stages to a generation of folk and acoustic players. Hampstead's cafe-and-pub culture suited the music, and the village's bohemian streak went back to the writers and artists who had always gathered here. The folk connection is the oldest layer of Hampstead's music story.
A village for residents, not gigs
It is worth being clear about what Hampstead is and is not. It was never a gig town in the way Camden became, with its venues and its grime and noise. Hampstead's musical history is mostly about who lived here rather than who played here. Successful musicians bought houses in and around the village for the same reasons bankers and actors did: it is green, quiet and well-connected, and the Heath is on the doorstep.
Camden next door
Any honest account of North London music has to point down the hill to Camden, which did the heavy lifting. Camden's venues, from the larger halls to the small sweaty rooms, launched and hosted a long list of bands, and its market and pubs were the engine of several scenes. Plenty of musicians who played Camden lived in the calmer streets of Hampstead and Highgate nearby. The two places worked as a pair: noise and nightlife below, recovery and big houses above.
The songwriter's hill
There is something about Hampstead that suits songwriters specifically. The same qualities that made it a writers' village, the walks, the views, the quiet, the literary history, appeal to people whose job is to sit alone and turn feelings into words. Over the years a steady stream of songwriters and producers have lived in the area, valuing the distance from the industry as much as the address.
Where to feel it
You will not find a rock landmark trail in Hampstead the way you might in other cities. What you can do is walk the village and the Heath and understand the appeal. Stand on Parliament Hill with the city laid out below, walk the quiet Georgian streets, sit in an old pub, and it becomes obvious why someone who spent their working life in studios and on stages would want to come home to this. The music history of Hampstead is really a history of escape.
Frequently asked questions
Did famous musicians live in Hampstead?
Yes. Hampstead and the surrounding streets of Highgate and Camden have housed musicians, songwriters and producers for decades, drawn by the handsome houses, the Heath and the quiet. The area is more about where musicians lived than where they performed.
Was Hampstead part of the folk scene?
Hampstead's pubs and cafes had a role in the 1960s North London folk revival, which spread across Camden, Soho and the northern suburbs. The village's bohemian, literary character suited the acoustic music of the time.
Is Hampstead a good place for live music?
Not especially. Hampstead is a residential village rather than a gig town. For venues and live music, neighbouring Camden has always been the centre, with its halls, pubs and market just down the hill.
Why did musicians choose to live in Hampstead?
For the same reasons writers did: green surroundings, the Heath, quiet streets, good transport and a village that lets well-known people live undisturbed. It offered an escape from the industry without leaving London.
