 There are many reasons why NYC is known as one of the top cities in the US when it comes to music. From iconic places that have become a part of American culture, to excellent jazz schools that help educate tomorrow's stars. Unfortunately, we cannot cover all the reasons why NYC is the music lover's dream. But, what we can do is give you a rundown of the best NYC music festivals.
Our pick of the best NYC music festivals When you try to describe the music scene in NYC you can only come short. After all, there are so many iconic places and venues that you would need multiple books in order to cover them. So, for the sake of giving you a complete picture, we are going to limit this article of the top 5 NYC music festivals that we feel every music lover should attend. Governors Ball Music Festival If you can visit only one music festival in NYC, we suggest that you attend the Governors Ball Music Festival. This awesome festival was launched in 2011 and is held annually in June. Here you can hear some of the best musicians of today, as the festival has become quite a phenomenon. To give you an idea of who performs at this festival we are just going to mention Tool, Wo-Tang Clan, and Kanye West. Mind you we are only giving you a hint of what you can see here as the 2020 lineup has Florence & the Machine, Lil Wayne and Dreamers. So, if you just moved to NYC and you want to try settling down in Hell's Kitchen, consider heading to the Governors Ball Music Festival. Let that piled up moving stress wash away with a great atmosphere and terrific groove. SummerStage Are you the type of person that will only settle for the biggest, most numerous venue in NYC? Then you need to head off to the SummerStage. When it comes to NYC music festivals, this is the biggest one by far. There are usually hundreds of concerts held all around NYC. Usually, people set them up in parks as the number of attendees is increasing year by year. The SummerStage hosts almost every kind of music and music-related performance. From Jazz and Dance venues to more family-oriented concerts and even Opera events. Whatever you feel interests you, you can find it. Whole parks are turned into dynamic, fun places where you can have a great time. So, if you don't know what to do in NYC during the summer, look no further. SummerStage is something that you absolutely need to experience at least once in your life. Electric Zoo Some people think that NYC is only about jazz and hip-hop. But, while those music genres are quite present and you can easily call NYC the jazz capital of the US, we would advise you not to forget about the rest that NYC has to offer. Every electronic music fan worth their salt has heard about Electric Zoo. This three-day festival that starts on Labour Day is all about the best that the electronic scene has to offer. Since 2009, top artists have come here to showcase their skills over multiple stages on Randall's Island. The 2019 lineup included Eric Pryds, Afrojack, Dog Blood, Sullivan King, Subtrocins... All the names that you associate with electronic music were there. So, you can bet that the 2020 lineup is going to be even better. They even have a stage dedicated to showcasing local NYC talent, which makes this an excellent venue for getting to know future artists before they become famous. BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival You can learn about moving to Brooklyn from sites like dynamicmovers.com. But the one thing that those sites won't tell you is what Brooklyn is really like. For that, you will have to attend the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival. This festival was founded in 1979 as an effort to revitalize Prospect Park. Ever since, the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival has become a true staple of the borough, that every New Yorker should attend at least once. Not only will you be able to listen to free shows, but you can also choose to attend beneficiary concerts and give back to the community. BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival is a great way to get to know the current lifestyle in Brooklyn. A lot of people showcase art that gives valuable insight into what Brooklyn is like now. And they give hope to what Brooklyn could be. Our advice is to study the history of Brookly a bit before you come. That way you will have a deeper appreciation for the whole event. Blue Note Jazz Festival You had to know that this was coming. After all, what kind of a list of NYC music festivals would this be if we didn't mention the Blue Note Jazz Festival? There are numerous festivals all over NYC that showcase pop, rap, and even techno. But, there are only a few that represent the true spirit of NYC. And that spirit is best shown in jazz. Throughout June, Blue Note Jazz Club hosts the best NYC jazz musicians. Any true jazz lover in NYC knows that this festival is a must-see for anyone that likes smooth jazz that is as much of an NYC staple as a yellow cab. This festival is truly a must-see, even if you are only visiting NYC for a short while. There is truly something about the NYC jazz scene that helps tell the story of New York. Maybe that is why foreigners love American music so much. We simply cannot help but put our lives and our soul into the music we create. This is why, if you really want to understand NYC, you need to know how to listen to jazz. https://pixabay.com/photos/adult-artists-audience-band-1836322/  New York City is not only one of the world’s largest cities, but also one of its largest artistic and cultural playgrounds. It’s no wonder it has produced some of the most iconic figures in the entire world of art. Of course, there are many musicians from New York we all know and love. The question is: do you know they are from New York? The complete list would go on for miles, but I’ve selected some of the most notable names. So, let’s meet some of the most popular musicians to ever come from the Big Apple.
NYC music scene is vibrant and diverse The music of New York is a major part of the American music industry as well as the global music scene. Genres such as jazz, rock, soul, R&B, funk, disco, blues, folk, classical and art music thrive and evolve in this metropolis. NY is the birthplace of genres such as salsa, hip hop, New York punk rock, and US new wave. If you are an aspiring musician who wants to kickstart his/her career, you can move to NYC with ease and try to land your big break. New York City is not only one of the world’s largest cities, but also one of its largest artistic and cultural playgrounds. It’s no wonder it has produced some of the most iconic figures in the entire world of art. Of course, there are many musicians from New York we all know and love. The question is: do you know they are from New York? The complete list would go on for miles, but I’ve selected some of the most notable names. So, let’s meet some of the most popular musicians to ever come from the Big Apple. NYC music scene is vibrant and diverse The music of New York is a major part of the American music industry as well as the global music scene. Genres such as jazz, rock, soul, R&B, funk, disco, blues, folk, classical and art music thrive and evolve in this metropolis. NY is the birthplace of genres such as salsa, hip hop, New York punk rock, and US new wave. If you are an aspiring musician who wants to kickstart his/her career, you can move to NYC with ease and try to land your big break. Famous musicians from New York you all know and love Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed, the founder, lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of Velvet Underground, is one of NY’s music legends. He also had a five-decade long solo career, releasing 20 solo studio albums. Although his band was not commercially successful back in the day, it is now considered one of the most significant bands in the history of underground and alternative rock music and Reed one of rock music’s greatest poets. Reed was born in a Jewish family in Brooklyn and grew up in Road Island. Even though his parents were Jewish, he claimed his real god was rock’n’roll. Gene Simmons The name Chaim Witz probably doesn’t sound familiar unless you are a Kiss fan. But if I say Gene Simmons, it starts to ring a bell. And when you see his photo, you must recognize the man. He is the one with a freakishly long tongue who spits blood. And, yeah, he plays the bass guitar. All joking aside, Gene Simmons, a.k.a. The Demon, is best known as the bassist of Kiss, one of the most iconic bands from NYC. He is also a singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, record producer, actor, author, and reality star. He came to the US from Israel when he was a little boy became one of the most famous musicians from New York that ever lived. Patti Smith Patricia Lee Smith (also known as the “godmother of punk” and the "punk poet laureate") is a singer-songwriter who became an important part of the NYC punk rock scene in the 1970s. Similar to Lou Reed, she fused rock music and poetry. Her song "Because the Night", co-written by Bruce Springsteen, is one of her biggest hits. Back in 2005, Patti Smith was named a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. Smith got her place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame two years later. Billy Joe lWilliam Martin Joel, nicknamed the "Piano Man" after his hit song, was born in The Bronx and grew up on Long Island. His father was a German immigrant, a classical pianist and a successful businessman and his mother is of British descent. His mother insisted that Joel take up piano lessons when he was a child, and man did it pay off. Today, he is a singer, songwriter, composer and pianist. We can thank Billy Joel for writing some of the most popular songs of the 1970s and making piano bars popular again. Jennifer Lopez Jennifer López is another well-known name in the music industry. She is a successful actress, singer, dancer, and producer. This multitalented artist started her rise to fame as a Fly Girl dancer on In Living Color in the early 90s. Her music can affect exercise motivation and liven up any party thanks to its mix of popular genres such as dance, hip-hop, RnB and latin. She landed her first lead role in the 1997 Selena biopic for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. She also became the first Latin actress to ever earn over 1 million dollars for a movie. Today, Lopez is one of the few musicians from New York with an equally successful film and music career. Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, known professionally as Lady Gaga, was born in Manhattan, New York City to a Catholic family. By the tender age of 14, she was already performing at open mike nights in clubs and bars. While today, in her early thirties, she performs in some of the best music venues in NYC and around the world. Gaga came to mainstream attention with her hit “Just Dance” in 2009. Today, Gaga is a famous singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer, known for her unconventional, provocative work, and visual experimentation. She is the proud owner of 9 Grammys, a BAFTA Award, 3 Brit Awards, 2 Golden Globes, 13 MTV Video Music Awards, an Oscar, as well as several Guinness World Records. Jay Z Shawn Corey Carter, better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is a famous rapper, songwriter, producer, entrepreneur, and record executive from Brooklyn. In 1995, Jay Z founded the record label Roc-A-Fella Records. A year later, he released his first studio album “Reasonable Doubt” that exploded him onto the music scene. He is not only one of the most famous musicians from New York, but also one of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed musicians of all time. Jay Z and his equally talented wife Beyoncé make one of the richest and most powerful couples in the music world. As I mentioned, this list is practically never-ending. And the majority of popular NY musicians who are still with us have not forgotten their hometown – they still like to perform in NY, even those who don’t live here anymore. So, if you are a music fan or want your name to be on some future list, call DA Moving NYC and become a New Yorker. Remember that most names form our list were discovered right here in NY. |
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