The Crown, Birmingham

{{Short description|Pub in Birmingham, England}}

File:The Crown, Birmingham - geograph.org.uk - 3057900.jpg

The Crown is a former pub on the corner of Station Street and Hill Street, Birmingham. It has been called the "birthplace of heavy metal", and hosted Black Sabbath's first gig.

It was built in 1881, to designs by the architect Thomson Plevins.{{cite web |title=The Victorian Society celebrates the listing of the Market Hotel on Station Street Birmingham |url=https://www.victoriansociety.org.uk/national-news/the-victorian-society-celebrates-the-listing-of-the-market-hotel-on-station-street-birmingham/ |publisher=The Victorian Society |access-date=21 November 2024 |language=en |date=20 November 2024}}

Many bands played there including the Who, Status Quo, UB40, Duran Duran, Thin Lizzy, Marc Bolan, Supertramp, Judas Priest and several of Robert Plant's bands before he co-founded Led Zeppelin.{{cite news |last1=Vinter |first1=Robyn |title=Birmingham ‘birthplace of heavy metal’ the Crown secures listed status |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/mar/15/the-crown-pub-birmingham-grade-ii-listed-black-sabbath-heavy-metal |access-date=15 March 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=15 March 2024}} The bands played upstairs in what was known as Henry's Blueshouse.

The building has been empty since 2014 and was given Grade II listed status, protecting it from unauthorised alteration or demolition, in March 2024 on the advice of Historic England.{{National Heritage List for England|num=1488082|desc=The Crown Hotel, Station Street, Birmingham|access-date=30 March 2024}}