New York has played a big part in the history of American music. Many great musicians have come from or moved to New York. Jennifer Lopez, Sean Combs (Puff Daddy or P. Diddy), and Billy Joel were all born here. Bob Dylan and Madonna lived in New York. There have been many songs about the city.

Jazz Years

Jazz is probably the most American music, and so of course the greatest American city is very important in its history. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Cotton Club in Harlem was the best place in town. Great African-American musicians like Duke Ellington played there. But only white people could come to the club to listen.

In later years, New York continued to be the home of the best jazz in the world, with great players like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie in town.

A New Sound

In the late 1960s, bands from the West Coast were singing about love and putting flowers in their hair. New York was different. With help from artist Andy Warhol, a new band—The Velvet Underground—started. Their songs were not very happy and they were often about unusual subjects. The rough sound and style of this and other New York bands was very important for later bands like Britain's The Clash and The Sex Pistols.

Party Nights

In the 1970s, everyone was dancing to the dance music called "disco." Studio 54 was the most famous club for this kind of music. For almost ten years, every night in the club was a wild party.

The Birth of Rap

Most people agree that rap music began on the streets of New York in the 1970s. At first, it was only heard in local clubs in the Bronx. The first famous rap song was by a New York group, The Sugarhill Gang. Many other rap artists came from New York—Run DMC, LL Cool J, Chuck D.

Much rap music was about the hard life of the streets. Sometimes the artists did more than sing about it. They lived it. In the late 1990s, there was trouble between rap singers from New York and singers from the West Coast. New York rap star Biggie Smalls was shot dead.

Music Television

New York is also the home of MTV. If you are lucky, you can watch interviews with pop stars in their Manhattan building. When a famous singer visits MTV, the crowds begin to form at around five o'clock in the morning. If that is too early, you can watch the program live in Times Square.