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Minneapolis rooftop featured on The Replacements' album
A house's roof in Minneapolis is famous for being on the cover for the band The Replacements' album, "Let it Be." FOX 9's Maury Glover has the story.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis house once used for a legendary album cover continues to attract fans and music history buffs from around the world.
A Minneapolis house becomes a rock landmark
What we know:
The Queen Anne style triplex at 2215 Bryant Avenue South in the Lowry Hill East neighborhood is the site of the famous rooftop photo on The Replacements’ "Let It Be" album cover. The house looks like many others in the area, but fans of the band recognize it instantly.
Michael Woell, who bought the property 20 years ago, said, "I think a lot of people don't know about it unless you are a Replacements fan." He added, "They come all the time, and they get their cameras out, and they hold up an album, and they put their face with the album in front of the house, and they take photos, and they post it I'm sure."
The house has become a destination for fans, with nods to its music history visible for those who know where to look.
The story behind the iconic album cover
What they're saying:
Daniel Corrigan, the photographer behind the "Let It Be" cover, said, "I did not see that coming." He added, "It definitely is a feather in my cap and probably the nicest feather in the cap."
Corrigan was hired by Twin Tone Records to shoot an album cover for the then up-and-coming punk band. He said, "I was familiar with them. I would not say that I was particularly a fan of them. My first wife was a big fan, so I listened to them a real lot. But I was more probably in the Husker Du camp, which was a little rockier."
Originally, Corrigan thought a different photo would be used, but after a reshoot at the Stinsons’ childhood home, the band climbed onto the porch roof for a few quick shots. Corrigan said, "There isn't much room for artifice, like every emotion is like real when you're in the area you know, and you're just focused on I don't know. That's where it came from. I think you're a little more honest when you are feeling scared."
He captured the four original members— Paul Westerberg, brothers Bob and Tommy Stinson, and Chris Mars—in a photo that became the band’s defining image. Corrigan said, "I think it's super cool, you know. I guess I'm proud to be part of it."
The legacy of 'Let It Be' and its cover
Why you should care:
With songs like "I Will Dare," "Androgynous," and "Unsatisfied," "Let It Be" marked a turning point for The Replacements, showing growth in their songwriting and sound. The album cover has been recreated by thousands of fans, including the cast of "It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia."
"The album cover is so iconic is because of the music that's inside and how it's lasted through all these years. We put it out in October of 1984 and here it is 2026 and, you know, news stations are doing stories on it. I mean that's, you know, who'd have thunk," said the band's former manager Peter Jesperson.
Corrigan also shot the cover for "Pleased to Meet Me," but said his rooftop photo stands out in pop culture. "I'm glad I was there. You know, that's probably the biggest thing, and I'm super lucky that I was there," said Corrigan.
The house’s current owner, Woell, has embraced its place in music history. He recreated the album cover in stained glass on the second floor and painted the album title on the front steps. Woell said, "I think its great. I'm happy to preserve it and honor the band, not do anything crazy. Not sell it or bulldoze it, but we're just going to keep it as it is." He added, "We're going to let it be."
A biopic about The Replacements is currently being developed by a star from "Stranger Things," bringing renewed attention to the band’s legacy.