Songs of New York
100 Years of Imagining the City Through Music
Opens February 14, 2025
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Playful, kinetic, and full of surprises, Songs of New York is an immersive interactive experience that introduces visitors to a full range of music from and about New York City, from the 1920s to the 2020s, showcasing everything from be-bop to K-pop, across genres, boroughs, and musical movements.
Songs of New York will be installed in a dedicated gallery on the Museum’s second floor in February 2025. Featuring music from 100 artists, programmed with both sound and visuals, Songs of New York reflects on topics like the subway, apartments, nightlife, and neighborhoods, toggling through acts as diverse as Susanne Vega, Tito Puente, Merle Haggard, LCD Soundsystem, Yoko Ono, Lil’ Kim, and many, many others.
The interactive experience will be paired with original photography from the MCNY collection, including works by notable photographers including Allan Tannenbaum, Joe Conzo, Fred W. McDarrah, and Janette Beckman, who captured images of NYC icons such as Blondie, LL Cool J, and the Velvet Underground that celebrate the city’s longstanding role as a place for music making and a source of inspiration for artists across the five boroughs.
Curatorial:
Sarah M. Henry, Robert A. and Elizabeth Rohn Jeffe Chief Curator
Monxo López, Curator of Community Histories
Frances A. Rosenfeld, Curator and Director of Public Programs
Lilly Tuttle, Curator
Naomi Fischer, Centennial Research Fellow
Gabriel Tennen, Research Assistant
Tracy McFarlan, Associate Director of Curatorial Projects
Joanna Lehan, Curatorial Projects Manager
Gabi Senno, Curatorial Department Assistant
Elizabeth Indek, Curatorial Projects Associate
Design, Fabrication, and Installation:
Exhibition Design by Isometric Studio
Todd Ludlam, Director of Exhibitions Installation
Nancy Nicholson, Manager of Exhibition Installation
Julius Erwin Quito, Director of Information Technology
Henry Galindo, Director of Facilities and Chief Engineer
Daniel Curtin, Manager of Facilities
Graphic Design:
Marissa Martonyi, Design Director
Olivia de Salve Villedieu
Carmen Tan
Leila-Anais Delja Pyrczak
Hana Massalski
Helen Niu
Xiaoxiao Guo
Exhibition Font by Dinamo GmbH
Interactive Design by Dome Collective, LLC.
Support for this exhibition is made possible by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council.
