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From a New Jersey high school to the California party scene, some of the most recognizable names in music history trace their origins to these towns.

1. Sunapee, New Hampshire
Aerosmith

In 1970, Steven Tallarico formed a band in Sunapee, New Hampshire after meeting Joe Perry at the Anchorage. Aerosmith, as the band would be called, played its first public performance later that same year at a Massachusetts high school. Two years after that, its founder would be known as Steven Tyler, not Tallarico. Fast forward another thirty-plus years, and you have a band that has contributed "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)," "Sweet Emotion," "Walk This Way" and "Love in an Elevator" to the annals of music history.

2. Canton, Ohio
The O'Jays

The O'Jays also met at school, but they started a little younger than The Commodores. (Interestingly enough, The Commodores were first called The Jays, but changed their name to avoid being confused with the soul pioneers.) Taking their name from an Ohio-based disc jockey called Eddie O'Jay, in 1958 The O'Jays formed their band at their Canton high school. The group would eventually move to Philadelphia and produce the hits "Livin' for the Weekend," "Back Stabbers" and "Love Train."

3. Pasadena, California
Van Halen

Trying to follow the progress of Van Halen, from lead singer to lead singer and reunion to reunion, can be overwhelming, to say the least. (Whether you're a David Lee Roth fan or Sammy Hagar devotee, odds are good you enjoy "Why Can't This be Love" and "Runnin' With the Devil" either way.) Fortunately, pinpointing the band's origin is not nearly as difficult. In 1972, brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen formed Mammoth, the band that would evolve into Van Halen, with Mark Stone in good old Pasadena, California.

4. Jacksonville, Florida
Lynyrd Skynyrd

As the official website for Lynyrd Skynyrd details, Robbie Van Zant hit Bob Burns in the head with a baseball in 1964, and the rest is history. Lynyrd Skynyrd began on the grounds of Robert E. Lee High School in Florida, and the name of the band comes from school employee and long-haired, hippie-people enemy, Coach Leonard Skinner. For a real glimpse at the birthplace of the genius behind "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird," consider signing up for the tour to Jacksonville this October that commemorates the 30th anniversary of the death of Lynyrd Skynyrd (Here, "death" is equivalent to "the demise of Skynyrd's classic line-up in.") The tour features the last chance to see Hell House, a regular rehearsal locale for the band in the '70s, before its demise.

5. Houston, Texas
ZZ Top

Even without the distinctive sound that fuels "Give Me All Your Lovin'" and "Sharp Dressed Man," you'd be sure to recognize ZZ Top by their signature style of long beards and sunglasses. After being part of a few less successful bands, Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard and Dusty Hill joined forces in 1969. They gained their fame largely due to their willingness to promote the band and its music with a rigorous touring schedule. And, little of that has changed today, as ZZ Top is one of the bands here you're still most likely to find at a venue near you.

6. Tuskegee, Alabama
The Commodores

The band responsible for bringing "Brick House" to life originally formed on the campus of Tuskegee University. Lionel Richie, a student on scholarship for tennis, met his future band mates in 1968. Three years later, after gaining national attention opening for the Jackson Five on tour, The Commodores signed a deal with Motown Records. The funk favorites would go on to make their name in music with the soft rock classics "Just to Be Close to You," "Easy" and "Three Times a Lady."

7. Passaic, New Jersey
The Shirelles

Long before the Supremes and Destiny's Child, there was the first ever girl group and that group was the Shirelles. And, long before there was The Shirelles, there were four friends who wanted to enter their high school talent contest. From these humble beginning in 1958, the Shirelles went on to record such standards as "Mama Said," "Dedicated to the One I Love" and "Will You Still Love me Tomorrow."

8. Honorable Mentions Many cities didn't give the world of music just one great talent. Here's an abbreviated list of some other notable spots on the map for music history:

Homegrown Talent
New York: Blondie, The Ronettes, The Velvet Underground, Ramones, Talking Heads, Steely Dan, Kiss
Chicago: The Staple Singers, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Dells
San Francisco: The Grateful Dead, The Mamas and the Papas, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Lovin' Spoonful, Jefferson Airplane, Sly and the Family Stone
Los Angeles: The Doors, The Eagles, The Byrds

The British Invasion
London: The Police, The Clash, The Pretenders, Sex Pistols, Queen, Cream, The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac
Birmingham: Black Sabbath
Liverpool: The Beatles
Cambridge: Pink Floyd