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It’s time to listen to music with my New York City Playlists!

Many of us listen to music to have fun, to work, to relax or to disconnect for a moment. New York has inspired a lot of artists, and some of them were born in this city. So, I made different playlists inspired by New York City, with songs that will invite you to travel.

What are the playlists?

I propose 8 different styles in my playlists:
– Classic Rock,
– Hip-Hop,
– Soul / Funk,
– Electronics Lounge,
– Pop Rock,
– Jazz,
– TV & Movies
– Broadway musicals.

How do I choose the songs?

I look for songs that respect these conditions:
– The artist must be from New York,
– The song is about New York.
Concerning the artist, if he’s not from New York, I’ll see if he’s had a career in the city. Most of them became famous in NYC.
For some, the album cover is a picture of New York. You may recognize the cover of one of my favorite bands, Led Zeppelin, and their album Physical Graffiti (Picture taken in East Village).

Can you add a song?

Yes! You will see that my playlists are not complete, and I need suggestions. You can comment this post bellow with:
– the name of the artist,
– name of the song,
– the category of the song,
– and if you have it, the Spotify or Youtube link for the song.

What application do I use for my New York City playlists?

I use Spotify because I think it’s available in every country. That way I can make sure that everyone can listen to the songs on the playlists.
It is a free application that you can download for free on Google Play for Android devices and on the App Store for iOS.

How can you find my New York City playlists?

I am signed up to Spotify as Caro Des Bons Plans, it’s my Facebook profile from which I post on the New York City Travel Tips page.

What are the tracks I already have on the playlists?

Click on the music style to open Spotify and listen to the tracks:

Classic Rock

This is one of my favorite styles. By the way, one of my favorite place in New York City is the Rudy Pensa Guitar Shop!

  See the Classic Rock Playlist

New York State of Mind – Billy Joel
The Only Living Boy in New York – Simon & Garfunkel
New York New York – Ryan Adams
Englishman in New York – Sting
Talkin’ New York – Bob Dylan
The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side – The Magnetic Fields
Bleecker Street – Simon & Garfunkel
New York City – John Lennnon
Chelsea Morning – Leonard Cohen
Chelsea Hotel #2 – Leonard Cohen
Walk on the Wild Side – Lou Reed
The 59th Street Bridge Song – Simon & Garfunkel
Downtown Train – Tom Waits
A Heart in new York – Art Garfunkel
Union Square – Tom Waits
Piazza, New York Catcher – Belle & Sebastian
New York Groove – Ace Frehley
Daddy Don’t Live in That New York City No More – Steely Dan
New York’s in Love – David Bowie
Empire State – Fleetwood Mac
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters – Elton John
Big Apple Dreamin’ – Alice Cooper
53rd & 3rd – Ramones
Safe In New York City – AC/DC
Led Zeppelin – Kashmir
Avenue A – The Dictators
Rockaway Beach – Ramones
Coney Island Winter – Garland Jeffreys
Avenue B – Iggy Pop
The Harlem Shuffle – The Rolling Stones
Brooklyn – Steely Dan
New York City Blues – The Yardbirds
In Brooklyn – Al Stewart
Subway Train – New York Dolls
New York Skyline – Garland Jeffreys
The Girl New York City – The Beach Boys
Statue Of Liberty – XTC
Grand Central Station, March 18,1977 – Steve Forbert
Times Square – Marianne Faithfull
Fairytale of New York – The Pogues, Kirsty MacColl

Listen to the Classic Rock Playlist

Rudys-Music-NYC-NYCTT

Hip-Hop

If you like hip-hop culture, do not miss the Bushwick neighborhood in Brooklyn with its extensive street art.

  See the Hip-Hop Playlist

Empire State of Mind – Jay Z, Alicia Keys
Sabotage – Beastie Boys
Fight For your Right – Beastie Boys
An Open Letter to NUC – Beasty Boys
New York – Ja Rule, Fat Joe, Jadakiss
N.Y. State of Mind – Nas
C.R.E.A.M. – Wu-Tang Clan
Welcome To New York City – Cam’ron, JAY-Z, Juelz Santana
The Message – Nas
If I Ruled the World – Nas, Lauryn Hill
Mo Money Mo Problems – The Notorious B.I.G, Mase, Diddy
Fu-Gee-La – Fugees
Doo Wop – Lauryn Hill
Brooklyn – Queens – 3rd Bass
All Eyez on Me – 2Pac
Ms. Fat Booty – Mos Def
Baby Blue – Action Bronson, Chance the Rapper
Rapper’s Delight – The Sugarhill Gang
Watch Out Now – The Beatnuts
Push It – Salt-N-Peppa
Big Momma Thang – Lil’Kim
Bring The Noise – Public Enemy
Flava in Ya Ear – Craig Mack
Hey Lover – LL Cool J, Boyz II Men
Headsprung – LL Cool J
X Gon’ Give it To Ya – DMX
Hip Hop Hooray – Naughty By Nature
I Know What You Want – Busta Rhymes, Mariah Carey, Flipmode Squad
New York New York – Method Man
Child of the Ghetto – G. Dep
Back & Forth – Aaliyah
Family Affair – Mary J. Blige
What’s Luv – Ja Rule, Fat Joe, Ashanti

Listen to the Hip-Hop playlist

Soul / Funk

Many artists on this list were featured at the famous Apollo Theater in Harlem where you can to an “Amateur Night”.

  See the Soul / Funk Playlist

Across 110th Street – Bobby Womack
On Broadway – George Benson
Move on Up – Curtis Mayfield
It’s Your Thing – The Isley Brothers
Think – Aretha Franklin
I heard it Through the Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
Pick Up the Pieces – Average White Band
Native New Yorker – Odyssey
Paris Nights / New York Mornings – Corinne Bailey Rae
Respect – Aretha Franklin
Down And Out In New York City – James Brown
New York City Rhythm – Barry Manilow
Harlem – Bill Withers
Living For The City – Stevie Wonder
New York City – Stanley Clarke
Le Freak – CHIC
Be My Baby – The Ronettes
I’m Doin’ Fine Now – New York City
Make Them Dance – Defunkt
In The Good Times – Defunkt
Spanish Harlem – Aretha Franklin

Listen to the Soul / Funk Playlist

Electronic Lounge

A style of music you can hear in many New York City rooftop bars. I prepared this list with my friend DJ Bassner.

  See the Electronic Lounge Playlist

Only in New York – Demon Ritchie
Porcelain – Moby
New York City – Esmeralda Mar DJ
All of Me – Todd Terry, Tobtok, Richard Judge, Oliver Nelson
Flower – Moby
Funky Brass – Todd Terry
I Get Lifted – Barbara Tucker
What it Feels Like – Quentin Harris, Joi Cardwell
Visions – Eli Escobar
Missing – Todd Terry
Phreeky – Eli Escobar, nomi Ruis, Vanessa Daou
Disco Rocket – Jkriv, The Disco Machine
Seein You – Eli Escobar
Teardrops In The Box – Kiddy Smile
Deep Inside – Hardrive
The House Music Anthem – Frankie Knuckles
Up All Night – Eli Escobar
Beautiful People – Barbara Tucker
Fall For You – Kings of Tomorrow, April, Sandy Rivera
N.Y. So Ho – Eli Escobar
How Do I Let Go – Dennis Ferrer, K.T. Brooks
Follow Me – Aly-Us
Show Me Love – Robin S
Hot Music – Soho, Pal Joey
Let’s Groove – George Morel
La Isla en Concreto – Brooquelyn

Listen to the Electronic Lounge Playlist

Pop Rock

I can imagine myself walking down the streets of New York with these songs on my headphones…

  See the Pop Rock Playlist

New York – Paloma Faith
Angel Of Harlem – U2
Brooklyn Bound – The Black Keys
New York – Ed Sheeran
Coney Island – Death Cab for Cuties
Marching Bands of Manhattan – Death Cab for Cuties
East Harlem – Beirut
New York City – Lenny Kravitz
new York City’s Killing Me – Ray LaMontagne
Moving to New York – The Wombats
City of Blindings Lights – U2
Yeah! New York – Yeah Yeah Yeah
All The Critics Love U in New York – Prince
Ever Since New York – Harry Styles
NYC – Interpol
New York, I Love You but You’re Bringing Me Down – LCD Soundsystem
New York Is Killing Me – Gil Scott Heron
Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus – The Storkes
Born This Way – Lady Gaga
Jenny From the Block – J-Lo
Welcome to New York – Taylor Swift
Bad Girl – Madonna
Whatta Man – Salt-N-Peppa, En Vogue
Bang Bang – Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj
Woman Like Me – Little Mex, Nicki Minaj
New York City – The Chainsmokers
Waves – Kat Deluna
New York City – Norah Jones, The Peter Malick Group
New York – Cat Power
New York – Hugh Coltman
New York to California – Mat Kearney
New York – Melissa Horn
One Day You’ll Dance for me, New York City – Thomas Dybbdahl
Leaving New York – R.E.M
I Love New York – Madonna
New York – The Boxer Rebellion
Barbra Streisand – Duck sauce

Listen to the Pop Rock Playlist

Jazz

If you like this style of music, check out my favorite jazz clubs in New York City. It should be noted that Louis Armstrong had a house in Queens that was turned into a museum and you can visit it.

  See the Jazz Playlist

New York New York – Frank Sinatra
Manhattan – Ella Fitzgerald
Harlem Blues – Nat King Cole
Fly Me to the Moon – Frank Sinatra, Count Basie
Autumn in New York – Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong
Dream a Little Dream of Me – Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong
Cheek to Cheek – Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong
Beyond the Sea – Bobby Darin
All of Me – Billie Holiday, Eddie Heywood
A Kiss to Build a Dream On – Louis Armstrong
I’ll Be Seeing You – Billie Holiday
(I Left my Heart) In San Francisco – Tony Bennett
Moon River (From “Breakfast at Tiffany’s) – Andy Williams
Streets of New York (City Life) – Alicia Keys
At Last – Etta James
New York Blues – Bobby Hackett
Teach me Tonight – Liza Minnelli
Autumn Leaves – Bobby Timmons Trio
I’ll Take Manhattan / Put your Dreams Away – Bobby Hackett Quartet, Mundell Love
Central Park Blues – Nina Simone
Manhattan Avenue – Nellie McKay
Back to Manhattan – Norah Jones
Harlem – Claude Nougaro

Listen to the Jazz Playlist

TV & Movies

You could put up this playlist and try to recognize the movies or series! Music Quiz game on!

  See the TV & Movie Playlist

All Dressed in Love – Jennifer Hudson
I’ll be There for You – The Rembrants
Who Are You – The Who
I’m Every Woman – The Rubix Cube’s
I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – MacLaren’s Bar House Band
Hey Beautiful – MacLaren’s Bar House Band
Ghostbusters – Ray Parker Jr
Theme From Shaft – Isaac Hayes
I Still Can’t Sleep / The Cannot Touch Her – Bernard Herrmann, James P. Nichols
Moon River (From “Breakfast at Tiffany’s) – Andy Williams
When I Fall In Love – Céline Dion, Clive Griffin
A Wink and a Smile – Harry Connick Jr
Brooklyn Nine Nine – Trap Remix Guys
The Nanny – Geek Music
Men In Black – Men In Black
Standing in the Rain – Action Bronson, Mark Ronson, Dan Auerbach
The Diva Dance – Eric Serra
Sex and the City Theme – TV Soundtrack Orchestra
The Batman Theme – Danny Elfman
The Avengers -Alan Silvestri
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Theme – Ninja Turtles
Moonglow – Artie Shaw

Listen to the TV & Movie Playlist

Broadway Musicals

You can’t completely discover New York City without visiting the theater district! Here are my recommendations if you want to attend a musical on Broadway. And if you’re a musicals enthusiast, you need to go to Ellen’s Stardust, the iconic restaurant in Times Square.

  See the Broadway Musicals Playlist

Defying Gravity – Wicked
On My Own – Les Misérables
Honey, Honey – Mamma Mía!
Popular – Wicked
Let it Go – Frozen
Bad Idea – Waitress
Journey to the Past – Anastacia
Pulled – The Addams Family
Opening Up – Waitress
Brooklyn’s Here – Newsies
You’re in the Band – School of Rock
Oh, The Thinks You Can Think – Seussical
West Side Story – West Side Story
All That Jazz – Chicago the Musical
The Phantom of the Opera – The Phantom of the Opera
Hakuna Matata – The Lion King
One Jum Ahead – Aladdin
Memory – Cats

Listen to the Broadway Musicals Playlit

As you can see, I could add a lot of artists and songs. Therefore I am counting on your suggestions to complete the New York City playlists.

Bonus

As indicated above, I prepared the “Electro Lounge” playlist with my friend DJ Bassner. He is French and has already participated in many events such as the famous Tomorrow Land Winter. He is not only good at mixing music, he creates his own songs too.
I invite you to discover him:
– through his official website: www.bassner.fr
– through his Facebook page: www.facebook.com/bassnerofficial
I would like to thank DJ Bassner for his help in preparing this article 😊

Conclusion

If you love music as much as I do, enjoy these New York City playlists. Pick your style and have a good time, that is what this is all about. It brings back good memories of my walks in New York City. And do not forget to help me by suggesting more songs!
And remember that I have a calendar of events on my blog that you can check to know more about upcoming concerts in NYC.

Memo

My fist trip to New York was in 2007 when I was working for an airline company. I was born in the US, I lived in Mexico, in Europe in between Belgium, Spain and France… Well, let’s say I know about travelling! I bring my experience of NYC to the blog, to provide the best travel tips you could imagine!

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It's time to listen to music with my New York City Playlists!

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