The Big Apple is a fascinating city to explore and even people who've been living there for years constantly discover new aspects to the city. When you visit, you'll want to see the famous sights but you can make your stay even more interesting by, for instance, trying to spot locations from the many movies and television shows filmed here. However, you'll need some tunes too and there is nothing better than a playlist of music inspired by NYC.
Through the years, New York has been home to a vast variety of musicians. Some were born here, including Christina Aguilera, Neil Diamond and opera diva Maria Callas. Many more moved here later in life to try and find fame and fortune. Madonna famously arrived in New York with only thirty-five dollars to try and become a dancer.
The lives of those musicians trying to make it big have been the subject of several movies, including 'New York, New York'. The movie's theme song was a hit for Liza Minnelli but became even bigger when Frank Sinatra made it one of his signature songs. In contrast to the optimistic mood of this song is 'The Boxer' by folk duo Simon and Garfunkel, which is about someone whose NYC dreams didn't quite work out as planned.
Simon and Garfunkel were one of the folk acts that first found a loyal following among the inhabitants of the Lower East Side back in the Sixties. This area was a hotbed for the genre and legends such as Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell used to earn their keep by performing in folk clubs. Many songwriters of the time wrote about the places they frequented, including the famous Chelsea Hotel that Leonard Cohen sang about. A later folk singer who sang about places such as a famous diner called Tom's Restaurant is Suzanne Vega.
Later musicians continued the trend of singing about the city and you'll find songs in every genre, from hip hop to the gypsy punk of Gogol Bordello. There is one classic song that really stands out as a love anthem for New York and will make you want to go back every time you hear it. It's Billy Joel's 'New York State of Mind', which doesn't talk about locations but instead describes the local lifestyle.
Countless singers and dancers have dreamed of the bright lights of Broadway and starring in a musical here. Some musicals are even about this, including 'A Chorus Line' and the great hippie musical 'Hair'. For a look at the seedy side of being a struggling East Village artist, you can't go wrong with 'Rent'. However, the one musical that will forever be associated with the streets of New York is the Romeo and Juliet tale of 'West Side Story'.
Not all music inspired by New York has lyrics. There are many orchestral numbers too. George Gershwin, who composed 'Rhapsody in Blue', was a New Yorker, as was jazz legend Duke Ellington, who composed 'A Tone Parallel to Harlem'. Among the classical pieces you may want to listen to are 'Quiet City' by Aaron Copland and 'Central Park in the Dark' by Charles Ives.
It's easy to find New York-inspired music online or at any good record store. Compile yourself a playlist of numbers in your favorite genres. Then find a map online that shows you the locations of places mentioned in song and go exploring with the perfect soundtrack.
Through the years, New York has been home to a vast variety of musicians. Some were born here, including Christina Aguilera, Neil Diamond and opera diva Maria Callas. Many more moved here later in life to try and find fame and fortune. Madonna famously arrived in New York with only thirty-five dollars to try and become a dancer.
The lives of those musicians trying to make it big have been the subject of several movies, including 'New York, New York'. The movie's theme song was a hit for Liza Minnelli but became even bigger when Frank Sinatra made it one of his signature songs. In contrast to the optimistic mood of this song is 'The Boxer' by folk duo Simon and Garfunkel, which is about someone whose NYC dreams didn't quite work out as planned.
Simon and Garfunkel were one of the folk acts that first found a loyal following among the inhabitants of the Lower East Side back in the Sixties. This area was a hotbed for the genre and legends such as Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell used to earn their keep by performing in folk clubs. Many songwriters of the time wrote about the places they frequented, including the famous Chelsea Hotel that Leonard Cohen sang about. A later folk singer who sang about places such as a famous diner called Tom's Restaurant is Suzanne Vega.
Later musicians continued the trend of singing about the city and you'll find songs in every genre, from hip hop to the gypsy punk of Gogol Bordello. There is one classic song that really stands out as a love anthem for New York and will make you want to go back every time you hear it. It's Billy Joel's 'New York State of Mind', which doesn't talk about locations but instead describes the local lifestyle.
Countless singers and dancers have dreamed of the bright lights of Broadway and starring in a musical here. Some musicals are even about this, including 'A Chorus Line' and the great hippie musical 'Hair'. For a look at the seedy side of being a struggling East Village artist, you can't go wrong with 'Rent'. However, the one musical that will forever be associated with the streets of New York is the Romeo and Juliet tale of 'West Side Story'.
Not all music inspired by New York has lyrics. There are many orchestral numbers too. George Gershwin, who composed 'Rhapsody in Blue', was a New Yorker, as was jazz legend Duke Ellington, who composed 'A Tone Parallel to Harlem'. Among the classical pieces you may want to listen to are 'Quiet City' by Aaron Copland and 'Central Park in the Dark' by Charles Ives.
It's easy to find New York-inspired music online or at any good record store. Compile yourself a playlist of numbers in your favorite genres. Then find a map online that shows you the locations of places mentioned in song and go exploring with the perfect soundtrack.
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