An aerial shot of downtown Manhattan circa 1970. Photograph by Neal Boenzi for the New York Times/@NYTarchives.
The streets of New York are filled with music. Buskers on Subway platforms, performers in Washington Square Park, live bands at a local bar. Wherever you go, there is rhythm. The city has helped kick-start the careers of countless musicians — Blondie, The Strokes, Billie Holiday — and inspired songs spanning genres and decades. It is a place of unmatched creativity and opportunity. To start off our 101 Reasons to Love New York series, we created a playlist of 38 songs that evoke the energy and dynamism of New York City.
