SONGS OF NEW YORK: 100 YEARS OF IMAGINING THE CITY THROUGH MUSIC

Step into a city alive with rhythm and soul. Songs of New York, now on view at the Museum of the City of New York, is more than an exhibition—it’s an immersive sonic journey that captures the eclectic heartbeat of a city in constant motion. Playful, kinetic, and full of surprises, this interactive installation invites visitors to lose themselves in the music of New York City, spanning a full century of sound—from smoky jazz clubs of the 1920s to the vibrant energy of K-pop in the 2020s.

Curated like a living mixtape, the experience features over 100 artists across boroughs, backgrounds, and genres. The playlist is a love letter to the city’s diversity, shuffling between acts as stylistically distinct as Susanne Vega, Tito Puente, Merle Haggard, LCD Soundsystem, Yoko Ono, Lil’ Kim, and more. Each track is carefully woven into thematic vignettes centered around quintessential New York moments: riding the subway, living in cramped apartments, dancing the night away, and navigating the kaleidoscope of neighborhoods that define the city.

But Songs of New York doesn’t stop at sound. The exhibit is paired with arresting visuals from the Museum’s rich photography collection, spotlighting work by renowned photographers including Allan Tannenbaum, Joe Conzo, Fred W. McDarrah, and Janette Beckman. Their iconic images—Blondie in punk-era rebellion, LL Cool J in streetwear swagger, the Velvet Underground in moody monochrome—serve as a visual chorus, echoing the energy and raw emotion of the accompanying music.

Designed to be explored, touched, and heard, the exhibition encourages visitors to interact with the city’s soundscape. Whether you’re a lifelong New Yorker or a first-time visitor, there’s something intensely personal and surprisingly communal about the experience. As you navigate through curated tracks and archival images, you’ll find yourself transported into the many lives of New York—its dreams, its grit, its glam, and its grind.

Ultimately, Songs of New York reminds us that music is memory, and New York is one endless remix. Don’t miss this unforgettable ode to the melodies, movements, and moments that make NYC sing.