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Dec 9, 2021 · Take a look at our favorite New York songs, ranging from Run-DMC to Simon and Garfunkel. Like movies and books centered around the Big Apple, the best New York songs are by artists who...
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- “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra
- “Autumn in New York” by Billie Holiday
- “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z Featuring Alicia Keys
- “New York State of Mind” by Billy Joel
- “Talkin’ New York” by Bob Dylan
- “First We Take Manhattan” by Leonard Cohen
- “Englishman in New York” by Sting
- “Welcome to New York” by Taylor Swift
- “Chelsea Morning” by Joni Mitchell
- “New York Serenade” by Bruce Springsteen
First up in this collection of songs about New York has to be the famous “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra. While plenty of other recordings of this song exist, Sinatra’s version is the most renowned. It captures the unique energy of New York City. Liza Minnelli recorded the original version of this tune as part of the Martin Scorsese film New ...
If you live in New York and are looking for a song to warm you up during the chilly months of autumn, consider sitting next to a fire and listening to this classic Billie Holidayrecording of the jazz standard “Autumn in New York.” The song, written by the songwriter Vernon Duke in 1934, has been covered by many top artists such as Frank Sinatra, Bi...
A part of the JAY-Z‘s 2009 album The Blueprint 3, “Empire State Of Mind” is an iconic song that rivals “New York, New York.” This track is a tribute to the great city of New York, and its title shadows that of the famous Billy Joel song “New York State Of Mind.” New York State has the nickname of the Empire Statesince the Empire State Building is o...
Up next is another song and artist that likely needs no introduction. Billy Joel released “New York State Of Mind” in 1976 on the album Turnstiles, and the track has become one of his most famous. With the brilliant piano playing and belting vocals you expect from Joel, the lyrics express an appreciation for the simple beauty of New York State and ...
“Talkin’ New York,” released in 1962 on Bob Dylan‘s first album, is a folk song that expresses the feeling of arriving in New York City for the first time. Especially in contrast to the culture and life in Minnesota, where he came from, he describes many of New York’s bad aspects, such as the freezing winters and the crime. Overall, the song has th...
Released on Leonard Cohen’s 1987 album Famous Blue Raincoat, the song “First We Take Manhattan” has disturbing lyrics about terrorism and world-ending revolutions. But the apocalyptic suggestions of the lyrics seem to match the tone of the music, which has dark harmony and instrumentation that mimics a horror movie. There is both a synth-pop versio...
Frontman of rock band Police, Sting released the song “Englishman In New York” as part of his 1987 album Nothing Like the Sun. The lyrics tell a story of a foreigner (Englishman) living in New York City, and the song is more specifically about the English humorist Quentin Crisp, who inspired Sting to write it. Branford Marsalis—brother of famed tru...
Next in this collection is Taylor Swift’s “Welcome To New York,” released on her 2014 album 1989. Considering that Swift moved to New York City earlier in 2014, it is safe to assume that these lyrics are personal in nature—her new experiences in the city inspired her to write this energetic track. The song—and the album more generally—is a shift in...
Moving back a few decades, the next track is Joni Mitchell’s “Chelsea Morning.” Released on her 1969 album Clouds, the song is all about New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood, where Mitchell lived. The music, characteristic of Mitchell, features just her acoustic guitar playing and beautifully clean singing voice. And her lyrics are expressive and a...
If you are only slightly familiar with Bruce Springsteen’s music, you might be surprised to hear just how much jazz influence his song “New York Serenade” contains. Released on his second album in 1973, the track opens with an impressive piano solo before settling into a groove. The lyrics tell the story of someone named Billy and his life as a str...
Mar 22, 2019 · From the city that never sleeps to the concrete jungle where dreams are made of, New York City has long been the source of music and lyrical inspiration. I curated this playlist of New York Songs as a list of obvious and not so obvious musical references to the Big Apple.
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- “New York State of Mind” by Billy Joel. Prepare for a ton of Billy Joel tunes on this list of the best songs about New York City. However, the aptly named, “New York State of Mind” is extra special since it’s filled with ab-libs and free-form solos that make it feel very spontaneous.
- “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra. Easily one of the most famous songs about NYC on this list, this immortal ballad from the one and only Frank Sinatra was originally written in 1977 by Fred Ebb, composed by John Kandler, and sung by Liza Minnelli for the Martin Scorsese film, “New York, New York”.
- “No Sleep til Brooklyn” by the Beastie Boys. Easily one of my all-time favorite songs about New York City, this classic party anthem pays tribute to one of my favorite boroughs.
- “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. Easily one of the most recognizable and best songs about New York City on this list, this iconic tune has become a veritable NYC anthem since it features a great beat that is coupled with catchy lyrics – words that perfectly describe what it’s like to live in the Big Apple.
- LCD Soundsystem: “New York, I Love You, but You’re Bringing Me Down” As the last song performed during its last show at Madison Square Garden (before returning to the spotlight in 2017), to the surprise of no one, LCD Soundsystem busted out “New York, I Love You but You’re Bringing Me Down,” the perfect way to conclude such a perfect night.
- Beastie Boys: “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” Few bands evoke The City That Never Sleeps quite like the Beastie Boys, whose standout Licensed to Ill track is a rightful fixture on lists like this one.
- The Strokes: “New York City Cops” “New York City Cops” is one of modern rock’s most mythical songs. Everyone knows any time you ban something, that makes it much more desirable, but even if “New York City Cops” wasn’t removed from the U.S. version of The Strokes’ debut album, it would still be just as good (Funnily enough, even the album cover was banned in America).
- St. Vincent: “New York” Few lyrics have resonated more this decade than “You’re the only motherfucker in the city who can handle me.” But “New York’s” strength doesn’t necessarily come from its refrain as much as its hyper-specific ode to Manhattan crossed with a breakup song.
The best New York songs are written by artists who understand what makes NYC great and horrifying. From Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' anthem "Empire State of Mind" to Taylor Swift's "Welcome to New York" song, over the years, there has been a lot of music showcasing New York.
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May 13, 2023 · Check out this ultimate playlist of songs about New York City, from the classic anthems to more modern hip-hop and rock offerings. Get ready to swing your way around NYC!
