No street has been as central to British music as Tin Pan Alley, but how much do you know about this iconic London thoroughfare? As before the correct answer will turn green when it’s clicked upon and expanded to give more information. The incorrect answers will turn red giving the correct explanation.
1. What is Tin Pan Alley’s official name?
Holland Avenue
WRONG Denmark Street was developed in the late 17th century and named after Prince George of Denmark, the husband of Princess Anne, who would reign as Queen of England from 1702-1707.
Denmark Street
CORRECT Denmark Street was developed in the late 17th century and named after Prince George of Denmark, the husband of Princess Anne, who would reign as Queen of England from 1702-1707.
Sweden Alley
WRONG Denmark Street was developed in the late 17th century and named after Prince George of Denmark, the husband of Princess Anne, who would reign as Queen of England from 1702-1707.
2. Do you know the length of this street?
354 yards
WRONG This powerhouse of modern music is only 354 feet long, making it one of the shortest streets in London.
354 feet
CORRECT This powerhouse of modern music is only 354 feet long, making it one of the shortest streets in London.
3,540 meters
WRONG This powerhouse of modern music is only 354 feet long, making it one of the shortest streets in London.
3. In what area is Tin Pan Alley located?
St Giles
CORRECT Separated by Charing Cross Road from the eastern fringe of Soho, Denmark Street’s location places it near what was the ‘rookery’ of St Giles, a warren of tenements notorious for wretched poverty and every kind of vice, commemorated in William Hogarth’s series of coruscating engravings, Beer Street and Gin Lane.
Soho
WRONG Separated by Charing Cross Road from the eastern fringe of Soho, Denmark Street’s location places it near what was the ‘rookery’ of St Giles, a warren of tenements notorious for wretched poverty and every kind of vice, commemorated in William Hogarth’s series of coruscating engravings, Beer Street and Gin Lane.
Bloomsbury
WRONG Separated by Charing Cross Road from the eastern fringe of Soho, Denmark Street’s location places it near what was the ‘rookery’ of St Giles, a warren of tenements notorious for wretched poverty and every kind of vice, commemorated in William Hogarth’s series of coruscating engravings, Beer Street and Gin Lane.
4. What famous coffee bar, a favourite haunt of musicians, was located on this street?
Gioconda Coffee Bar
CORRECT The Gioconda Coffee Bar at No 9 was a favourite meeting place for young musicians.
2i’s Coffee Bar
WRONG The Gioconda Coffee Bar at No 9 was a favourite meeting place for young musicians.
Bar Italia
WRONG The Gioconda Coffee Bar at No 9 was a favourite meeting place for young musicians.
5. Which fictional private detective had his offices above the famous 12 Bar Club in Tin Pan Alley?
Cormoran Strike
CORRECT The TV adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Cormoran Strike crime novel is filmed outside number 6 instead of number 26.
Cordelia Gray
WRONG The TV adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Cormoran Strike crime novel is filmed outside number 6 instead of number 26.
Sherlock Holmes
WRONG The TV adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Cormoran Strike crime novel is filmed outside number 6 instead of number 26.
6. Architecturally why is this street unique in London?
It has retained more of its original front doors than any other street
WRONG Of the original 20 houses, completed by 1691, eight remain, apparently making it the only street in London to retain 17th-century facades on both sides.
The only street to retain 17th-century facades on both sides of the street
CORRECT Of the original 20 houses, completed by 1691, eight remain, apparently making it the only street in London to retain 17th-century facades on both sides.
The street has the largest basements in London
WRONG Of the original 20 houses, completed by 1691, eight remain, apparently making it the only street in London to retain 17th-century facades on both sides.
7. What stood on the site before the road was developed?
The slums of the rookery
WRONG Tin Pan Alley was laid out in the 1700s as a residential street for the parish of St Giles that once housed a leper hospital.
Virgin hunting land
WRONG Tin Pan Alley was laid out in the 1700s as a residential street for the parish of St Giles that once housed a leper hospital.
A leper hospital
CORRECT Tin Pan Alley was laid out in the 1700s as a residential street for the parish of St Giles that once housed a leper hospital.
8. From where did the street gain its nickname?
New Orleans
WRONG It helped that Denmark Street was a shortcut between the theatre districts of Soho and Covent Garden. The term originated in London in the 1920s, and was taken from 5th and 6th Avenue in Manhattan-New York City – a derogatory ‘slang’ term deriving from around 1910 – that was used to describe the sound from the old cheap upright pianos that could be heard drifting from the open windows of these Manhattan ‘music factories’ – where the sound was liked to a load of old tin pans being banged together.
Newark
WRONG It helped that Denmark Street was a shortcut between the theatre districts of Soho and Covent Garden. The term originated in London in the 1920s, and was taken from 5th and 6th Avenue in Manhattan-New York City – a derogatory ‘slang’ term deriving from around 1910 – that was used to describe the sound from the old cheap upright pianos that could be heard drifting from the open windows of these Manhattan ‘music factories’ – where the sound was liked to a load of old tin pans being banged together.
New York
CORRECT It helped that Denmark Street was a shortcut between the theatre districts of Soho and Covent Garden. The term originated in London in the 1920s, and was taken from 5th and 6th Avenue in Manhattan-New York City – a derogatory ‘slang’ term deriving from around 1910 – that was used to describe the sound from the old cheap upright pianos that could be heard drifting from the open windows of these Manhattan ‘music factories’ – where the sound was liked to a load of old tin pans being banged together.
9. What music innovation was Cerberus?
An early record sales chart compilation program
WRONG Cerberus was a pioneering internet-streaming music site that was located at No 21 Denmark Street in 1994, years ahead of its time.
Internet music streaming site
CORRECT Cerberus was a pioneering internet-streaming music site that was located at No 21 Denmark Street in 1994, years ahead of its time.
A synthesiser
WRONG Cerberus was a pioneering internet-streaming music site that was located at No 21 Denmark Street in 1994, years ahead of its time.
10. What newspapers originated in Tin Pan Alley?
New Musical Express
CORRECT Incredibly two music newspapers originated from Tin Pan Alley. In 1926 Melody Maker was founded and run from 8 Denmark Street, and in 1952 New Musical Express set up business and operated from 5 Denmark Street.
Melody Maker
CORRECT Incredibly two music newspapers originated from Tin Pan Alley. In 1926 Melody Maker was founded and run from 8 Denmark Street, and in 1952 New Musical Express set up business and operated from 5 Denmark Street.
Rolling Stone
WRONG Incredibly two music newspapers originated from Tin Pan Alley. In 1926 Melody Maker was founded and run from 8 Denmark Street, and in 1952 New Musical Express set up business and operated from 5 Denmark Street.
CabbieBlog 
I did not hazard any guesses, but read with interest what others guessed. It is amazing to learn how much I don’t know. Cheers.
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I’m thinking of posting another 10 next month, give it a go. Thanks for the comment.
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What does this mean: review this post in your web browser. I’ve cut and pasted the https and it just brings me back to gmail. Help please!
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2 wrong. (I clicked Soho but should know better, and thought the street had big basements)
2 guesses. (Length of the street, and Cerberus)
The rest I knew.
Cheers, Pete.
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I’ll have to try harder to lower your success rate.
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My dad worked in the record business from 1959-1980. I also dabbled briefly in my youth, first as a Rep for Saga records, then as a retail record shop manager in two London locations. TPA was always discussed back then.
Then I moved to Camden in 2000, and used to walk past it to get to work. 🙂
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Blimey, working for the LAS might have robbed us of another rock star.
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I had no musical talent, purely a salesman. 🙂
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Lack of talent hasn’t stopped a lot of ‘music’ stars
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