The story of music in New York is the story of the greatest music ever made. From the best in rap and hip-hop to the CBGB scene, here are the 100 best albums to come out of the unofficial capital of the world.
Criteria for “New York album”:
- Artist raised in New York or
- Artist lived in New York at time of recording
The criteria is not an exact science. Many artists record in New York but are more associated with other cities. Some artists I did include like Harry Nilsson and Steely Dan are associated with the “LA sound,” but they did live in New York for a while.
100. A$AP Rocky – Live. Love. A$AP
99. Cannibal Ox – The Cold Vein
98. Arthur Russell – Calling Out of Context
97. The Roches – The Roches
96. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
95. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
94. Gang Starr – Step in the Arena
93. Mos Def – Black on Both Sides
92. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
91. LCD Soundystem – LCD Soundsystem
90. Andrew W.K. – I Get Wet
89. Jay-Z – The Black Album
88. Sonic Youth – Evol
87. Luther Vandross – The Night I Fell in Love
86. Madonna – Madonna
85. Black Dice – Beaches & Canyons
84. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth – Mecca and the Soul Brother
83. Cam’ron – Purple Haze
82. Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water
81. L.L. Cool J – Radio
80. Steely Dan – Pretzel Logic
79. Big Daddy Kane – Long Live the Kane
78. Harry Nilsson – Nilsson Schmilsson
77. Fiona Apple – When the Pawn…
76. Ramones – Rocket to Russia
75. Swans – The Seer
74. Mary J. Blige – My Life
73. Liars – Drum’s Not Dead
72. Thelonious Monk – Solo Monk
71. The Hold Steady – Separation Sunday
70. Antony and the Johnsons – I Am a Bird Now
69. Weather Report – Heavy Weather
68. Talking Heads – More Songs About Buildings and Food
67. Jungle Brothers – Done By the Forces of Nature
66. ESG – Come Away with ESG
65. TV on the Radio – Return to Cookie Mountain
64. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five – The Message
63. Simon & Garfunkel – Bookends
62. Silver Apples – Silver Apples
61. Cyndi Lauper – She’s So Unusual
60. EPMD – Strictly Business
59. Aaliyah – Aaliyah
58. Laura Nyro – New York Tendaberry
57. Beastie Boys – Licensed to Ill
56. Eric B. & Rakim – Follow the Leader
55. Boogie Down Productions – Criminal Minded
54. LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening
53. The Ronettes – Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica
52. A Tribe Called Quest – People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
51. Jay-Z – Reasonable Doubt
50. Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force – Planet Rock
49. The Shangri-Las – Leader of the Pack
48. Thelonious Monk – Brilliant Corners
47. Nico – Chelsea Girl
46. Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights
45. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
44. Talking Heads – Fear of Music
43. Bud Powell – The Amazing Bud Powell
42. Sonic Youth – Sister
41. The Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death
40. Mobb Deep – The Infamous
39. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever to Tell
38. Ella Fitzgerald – Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook
37. GZA – Liquid Swords
36. Sonny Rollins – Saxophone Colossus
35. The Velvet Underground – White Light / White Heat
34. A Tribe Called Quest – Midnight Marauders
33. Lou Reed – Transformer
32. De La Soul – De La Soul is Dead
31. CHIC – Risque
30. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel…
29. The Last Poets – The Last Poets
28. William Basinski – The Disintegration Loops
27. Gil Scott-Heron – Pieces of a Man
26. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City
25. The Velvet Underground – Loaded
24. Steely Dan – Aja
23. Ramones – Ramones
22. Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Planet
21. Suicide – Suicide
20. Steve Reich – Music for 18 Musicians
19. Blondie – Parallel Lines
18. De La Soul – 3 Feet High and Rising
17. Eric B. & Rakim – Paid in Full
16. The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die
15. Ghostface Killah – Supreme Clientele
14. LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
13. The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground
12. Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation
11. Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
10. Patti Smith – Horses
9. Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
8. A Tribe Called Quest – The Low End Theory
7. Talking Heads – Remain in Light
6. Nas – Illmatic
5. The Strokes – Is This It
4. Jay-Z – The Blueprint
3. Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the Wu-Tang Clan (36 Chambers)
2. Television – Marquee Moon
1. The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico
Bitter Melodies 