Rocking the House
Musicians often have humble beginnings to their careers, sometimes playing on a subway platform or performing on the street for spare change. For the lucky ones who attain super stardom, they can afford previously unheard-of luxuries. And some of them buy star-worthy homes.
This collection features the habitations of performers from rock to pop and beyond. We’ve got two glamorous homes associated with "American Idol," and two not-to-be-believed properties in New York. Let’s begin this tour with homes of two stars from the same mitten-shaped Midwestern state. Most of the listings for these homes were provided by the real estate websites Realtor.com and Trulia.
By Colleen KanePosted 28 March 2012
Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz / Lenny Kravitz (former)
Location: New York
Price: $17.95 million
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 4 full, 4 partial
Square footage: 6,167 plus terraces
This SoHo triplex penthouse (also pictured on the cover slide) last belonged to Lenny Kravitz, but has more recently been the love nest of Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz. Their master bedroom suite with spa is accessed via a floating glass staircase, and it has a private terrace.
Other rock star-worthy, unheard-of-in-Manhattan features include keyed elevator entry, a walk-in butler’s pantry, a glass-encased formal dining room overlooking the East River, plus another 3,000 square feet of terrace space.
Madonna
Location: New York
Price: $32 million
Bedrooms: 10
Bathrooms: 13
Square footage: 13,847 (not including cellar)
Maybe her music is not synonymous with rock 'n' roll, but there’s no doubt Madonna rocks as the embodiment of a star. In fact, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted her in 2008.
Madonna’s real estate comings and goings of recent years have included properties far from her native Michigan — in London, the English countryside of Wiltshire, and of course New York. The New York Post reported that her Upper East Side mansion (pictured here), which was completed last year, would have a hair salon, an elevator, two master bedrooms, a wine cellar, a playroom, a two-car garage, and a closet just for storing luggage.
UPDATE: The Real Estalker reported that Madonna has quietly put her Beverly Hills estate on the market for $28 million.
Kid Rock
Location: Detroit
Price: approx. $459,000
Bedrooms: 6
Bathrooms: 6
Square footage: 6,000
Another star hailing from Michigan is holding true to his home state. Kid Rock recently picked up this colonial on Detroit’s Gold Coast overlooking the Detroit River between Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair.
Although it's unclear the exact price Kid Rock paid, the real estate blog Curbed.com reported that it ranged from $459,000 to $465,000.
Chris Daughtry
Location: Oak Ridge, N.C.
Price: $639,900
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 4
Square footage: approx. 3,500
Chris Daughtry may have only come in fourth place in the fifth season of "American Idol," but since then, his album with his band Daughtry became one of the fastest-selling debuts in rock history. The house he bought right after his stint on "Idol" is now on the market.
The gated brick home on 2.38 acres is rather flavorless except for the salt in its saltwater pool and hot tub. It also has a double-height entrance hall, a putting green, walnut floors, a wood hood in the kitchen and a workshop in the garage.
Pink
Location: Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Price: $4 million
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 5
Square footage: 4,435
This Spanish-style house is owned by singer Pink and motocross-racing husband Carey Heart. They had it on the market last year for $4 million, twice the price Pink paid for it in 2002, according to public records.
The gated home was built in 1946 on a 0.69 acre lot with hill views, and features au courant updates like an outdoor kitchen, a hot tub and waterfall grotto, a wine cellar and a gym.
Steven Tyler
Location: Kihei, Hawaii
Price: $4.8 million
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 3 full, 1 partial
Square footage: 3,000
Aerosmith front man and “American Idol” judge Steven Tyler picked up this getaway for himself and his fiancée, Erin Brady. The Wall Street Journal reported that although the home was listed for $6.5 million, Tyler snagged it for $4.8 million.
The bay-front property is in a Maui nature preserve and has an infinity edge saltwater pool and plenty of deck space to take in the view. The home blends indoor and outdoor space beautifully. If you must focus on the indoors, the most unusual feature is the aquarium tower (pictured at lower left), reminiscent of the much larger one at the aquarium in Aerosmith’s hometown, Boston.
Brandon Boyd
Location: Venice, Calif.
Price: $2,705,454
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 3
Square footage: 3,500
This converted space was built in 1905 and was formerly a hotel into the 1940s. Until last month when it sold, it was the industrial-chic residence belonging to Incubus singer Brandon Boyd. The property sold for a significant reduction from the former asking price of $3,495,000. The Curbed blog reported that Boyd bought the home from “Prime Suspect” actress Maria Bello.
Under Boyd’s ownership, it was made fit for musicians with its 640-square-foot soundproofed studio-guest quarters with kitchenette. The house has other luxe details, such as exposed brick, 12-foot-high pressed tin ceilings, concrete and cork floors, a chef’s kitchen and a rooftop deck plumbed for a spa.
k.d. lang
Location: Los Angeles
Price: $1.975 million
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Square footage: 2,968
Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter k.d. lang put her Craftsman-style home up for sale late last year, and has since taken it off the market.
Built in 1940 and shaded with mature trees, this lovely home features plenty of rustic detail like exposed beams, stacked-stone fireplaces, wood paneling and built-ins like shelving and benches.