Inside Homes with Major Label Vibes

While the world turns its attention to the biggest stages in music this month, we’re looking at the quiet rooms where the real magic happens. We often see icons standing under spotlights, but we forget where those icons' journeys started: in the messy, inspired, creative corners of a home, thinking, “Someday, I’ll make it big.” Chart-topping songs have started as demos in a spare bedroom, and legendary bands played their first notes in garages with just enough space for a drum kit. 

To celebrate this season of creative excellence, we’ve scoured Zillow to find homes that remind us of that very fact. Touting everything from professional-grade acoustics to rentals with dedicated listening rooms, here are the nominees for the ultimate creative residency.

High-fidelity recording studios

These homes have space for the creator who leads a music recording lifestyle. Why rent studio time when you can have professional-grade equipment down the hall? 

The all-in-one hit

Where: Murfreesboro, TN

Price: $307,500

Beds: 2

Baths: 2

Size: 1,193 sq. ft.

This single-level home outside of Nashville is all about fresh flow — from the vaulted ceilings and brand-new flooring to the primary suite’s board-and-batten accent wall. But the real "hidden track" here is the heated and cooled garage. Currently configured as a professional-grade recording studio, this space is ready for your next session, podcast, or creative deep dive. 

The creative compound

Where: Burnsville, MN

Price: $675,000

Beds: 6

Baths: 3

Size: 4,935 sq. ft.

If your "someday" involves a major label-worthy setup, this 1979-built home may be your ideal residency. Boasting nearly 5,000 square feet of living space, the real showstopper is the 1,000-square-foot, professionally engineered recording studio. We aren't just talking about a desk and some foam — this is a high-end facility featuring a dedicated vocal booth, a separate control room, and a full live room with professional-grade sound isolation. Whether you're tracking a full band or hosting a multi-generational "touring crew" in the private mother-in-law suite, this home is built for legends.

The world-class campus

Where: Pittsboro, NC

Price: $6,000,000

Beds: 6

Baths: 3

Size: 10,291 sq. ft.

Located on nearly 17 acres of pristine forest, this North Carolina estate is the ultimate home for the creative soul. At its heart is a 5,617-square-foot recording facility designed by one of the music industry's foremost acousticians: Wes Lachot. With a soaring 24-foot live room featuring variable acoustics and massive professional consoles, it’s a space where technical excellence meets artistic clarity. When the session ends, the 4,584-square-foot residence offers a yoga suite and commercial-grade kitchen to help you recharge for the next track.

Eclectic spaces for artistic designs

Art comes in various forms, and these homes are for the artist who prefers a canvas and some paint brushes. 

The curator’s loft

Where: Portland, OR

Price: $250,000

Beds: 1

Baths: 1

Size: 797 sq. ft.

Located in the heart of Portland’s Old Town, this corner-unit loft is an artist’s sanctuary waiting to happen, boasting stained concrete floors, industrial-height ceilings, and walls of windows that flood the space withPacific Northwest light. Its open-concept layout ensures your creativity is never boxed in — whether you’re painting on a massive canvas or curating vintage finds. Plus, with a private balcony and a community rooftop deck, this "someday" studio comes with some sweeping city views for inspiration.

When you’re looking at homes that range from urban lofts to multi-acre estates, it’s important to know your budget before your band hits the road. Zillow’s BuyAbility tool uses information like your income and credit score, and maps it against real-time mortgage rates. Then it gives you a personalized price range so you can shop for homes with confidence.

The artisan’s masterpiece

Where: Franklin, TN

Price: $4,969,400

Beds: 4

Baths: 6

Size: 5,775 sq. ft.

If living in what looks like a Victorian storybook come to life is your jam, this Tennesee home hits all the right notes. While the main house is filled with curated antiques — think 100-year-old mantles, imported front doors, and European stained glass — the real star for the visual artist is "The Chapel." This 251-square-foot detached building has been turned into a light-filled sanctuary for a painter’s studio. Tucked down a winding, tree-lined road, it offers the kind of total privacy and natural serenity that can turn a creative block into a breakthrough.

The gallery residency

Where: East Hampton, NY

Price: $6,995,000

Beds: 7

Baths: 7

Size: 7,000 sq. ft.

Complete with a palette of sea-salt air and gallery-grade lighting, this one-acre Hamptons retreat is the ultimate muse. Recently renovated, the home features walls of glass that frame "living paintings" of the sculpted gardens and Zen retreats outside. While the upper floors are designed for high-style entertaining (complete with a lacquered butler’s pantry), the lower level holds the heart of the creative process: a dedicated artist studio designed for deep focus. When the brushes are put away, the home lends inspiration along meandering pebble paths, in the raised vegetable gardens, or by the heated gunite pool. It’s a home designed for the artist who has reached the pinnacle of their craft.

For music lovers

These homes aren't just places to live; they are venues for life’s best soundtracks. Whether it’s a neighborhood jam session or a room built for high-fidelity listening, these spots are where the community meets the music.

The high-fidelity flat

Where: San Antonio, TX

Price: $3,500/month

Beds: 2

Baths: 2.5

Size: 1,650 sq. ft.

While the soaring ceilings, concrete floors, and Bosch appliances set a modern stage, this San Antonio rental’s true opening act is the study on the first floor. Currently serving as a dedicated listening room stuffed full of vinyl records, this space is a dream for any collector looking to escape into their favorite albums. Whether you’re spinning soul classics or enjoying downtown views from your private balcony, this home offers a high-fidelity lifestyle in the heart of the city. 

The soundstage

Where: Vicksburg, MS

Price: $335,000

Beds: 8

Baths: 6

Size: 4,003 sq. ft.

In the world of music lovers, there’s nothing quite like a "porch fest,” where local talent takes over the neighborhood and every front yard becomes a stage. This Victorian home is a cornerstone of the Vicksburg Porchfest tradition. With its expansive porch designed for acoustic sets and neighborly encores, it’s the ultimate home for someone who wants to be at the center of the local scene. It’s a home that proves you don’t need a ticket to the front row when you own the front row.

The music video set

Where: Nashville, TN

Price: $899,999

Beds: 3

Baths: 2

Size: 2,066 sq. ft.

Built in 1900, this meticulously preserved historic home in East Nashville is a certified star. While the original coal-burning fireplaces and classic tub offer a warm, authentic "Nashville" soul, the property is famous for its secondary career as a premier film location. This Craftsman has been featured in GQ Magazine and has hosted video shoots for a who’s-who of music icons like Lainey Wilson, Greta Van Fleet, Jelly Roll, and Marshmello. If you want to be “in the room where it happens,” this is a chance to live in a space that’s already proven it’s ready for its close-up.

The legacy residencies

There is a specific kind of inspiration that comes from knowing a chart-topping anthem was (quite possibly) written in your breakfast nook or that an industry pioneer once called your living room their sanctuary. These homes carry a creative pedigree that could help their next owner find their own rhythm by stepping into the (figurative) shoes of those who have already topped the charts. 

These homes seem to have it all, but it's important to focus on your top priorities. A Zillow real estate agent can help you remember what's most important when finding a home in your budget, and they can navigate every piece of paperwork to ensure your deal is a hit.

The Quincy Jones estate

Where: Los Angeles, CA

Price: $55,000,000

Beds: 5

Baths: 17

Size: 24,920 sq. ft.

This 25,000-square-foot estate was created for Quincy Jones in 2002, designed in collaboration with his high school friend, legendary architect Jerry Allison. Perched on a 2.3-acre promontory with 270-degree views from the mountains to the Pacific Ocean, this home is a living archive of music history, featuring a circular central rotunda modeled after an African mud hut and a state-of-the-art recording studio in the west wing where Jones could write and record to his heart’s content. 

The Van Heusen and Sinatra’s headquarters

Where: Los Angeles, CA

Price: $7,500,000

Beds: 6

Baths: 7

Size: 7,400 sq. ft.

This 1929 Spanish Revival is steeped in industry lore. Villa Dorada, as this home is known, was once the home of actor Bela Lugosi before becoming the creative headquarters for Oscar-winning songwriter Jimmy Van Heusen, who wrote hits like "Come Fly With Me" and "All the Way.” Van Heusen also shared the residence with his close friend and singer Frank Sinatra during the height of the crooner's Hollywood years. From the pristine magnesite floors and hand-carved doors to the wood-paneled elevator and the lower-level ballroom that opens to sweeping city-to-ocean views, every inch of this 7,400-square-foot jewel was designed for legendary entertaining.

The Ronnie McDowell home

Where: Portland, TN

Price: $1,625,000

Beds: 4

Baths: 6

Size: 5,702 sq. ft.

Steeped in music history, this 19.5-acre estate was originally built by Ronnie McDowell — the country star famous for hits like "Older Women" and for providing the legendary vocals for multiple Elvis Presley film biographies. Walnut Ridge is a 7,000+ square foot home focused on Southern luxury, featuring a main residence designed for grand entertaining, a two-bedroom guest house, and even a one-bedroom pool house. 

Whether you’re ready to start your permanent residency or looking for a temporary stage to call home, your "someday" doesn't have to wait for the next award season. The tools to find your perfect rhythm are already in your hand. Explore the latest listings on Zillow and Zillow Rentals, because when you find the space that hits all the right notes, your someday starts today.