You don’t need us to tell you just how extensive New York’s influence on culture has been. In fact, if you’ve moved to New York from elsewhere, then there’s a high chance that your move was inspired, in part, by the portrayal of New York you saw in Friends or Seinfeld.
Given how influential New York has been — and continues to be — there’s no doubt that it’s the most culturally important city in the United States (sorry, L.A.!), and possibly even the world. Not convinced? Just check out the Big Apple’s influence on movies, music, and gaming, which we’ve outlined below.
On the Big Screen
There are a lot of outstanding, iconic movie cities — Los Angeles, London, Paris — yet New York stands above them all. While it’s hard to say exactly how many movies the city has appeared in, it’s certainly more than one thousand. And what’s even more impressive is that among those movies you’ll find some of the best titles to ever grace the cinematic screen — Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Birdman, Dog Day Afternoon, and King Kong all make full use of the city’s iconic landscape.
Games Set In New York
It’s little wonder that game developers use New York so extensively in their games. It’s an instantly recognizable city that can effortlessly create an atmosphere that enhances gameplay. Grand Theft Auto 4 may have taken place in “Liberty City,” but a quick look at the buildings told you it was really New York. The city also inspires game developers to think creatively. This is evidenced in both Tom Clancy’s The Division and Rich Raptors, a dinosaur slot gameavailable at online websites, which both depict a post-apocalyptic (and in the case of Rich Raptors, post-human) Manhattan landscape. Nobody Wants To Die, a cyberpunk game set in 2329 New York, was one of 2024’s best releases, proving that the Big Apple continues to be a major source of inspiration.
Music Inspired By The Big Apple
What can we see about New York and music? To put it simply: the music you’ve listened to has almost certainly been inspired, in some way or another, by New York. In many cases, the city is responsible for entire genres of music. If you’re a fan of jazz or blues (or the musical genres they inspired, likerock n’ roll), folk music, hip hop, or punk, then you should show some respect to New York. Those genres were either born in the five boroughs or it was there that they became popular.
New York’s influence on the arts is not lost on the artists themselves, many of whom have penned songs — in effect love letters — to the great city. The best of the best is probablyEmpire State of Mind by Alicia Keys and Jay-Z, two musicians from the Big Apple, which perfectly encapsulates the “anything can happen” attitude for which New York is famous.
New York On Television
Think of your favorite television show. We’re pretty sure that it’s set, at least in part, in New York City. Why? Because virtually every show that’s set in the city is great. It costs a lot of money to include New York in a television shot, which means the privilege is reserved exclusively for televisions that are worth investing in.
So, what are the greatest television shows that take place in New York? Everyone has their favorites, but we’d argue that Sex & The City, Gossip Girl, andSeinfeld depict the best of the city. Oh, and Sesame Street, of course!
Will The World’s Fascination With New York Ever End?
In short: it’s unlikely! While other cities rise and fall in prominence, New York has been doing its thing on screens for more than one hundred years, and it’s unlikely that that’ll change anytime soon. After all, the city doesn’t just provide viewers/players/listeners with a more immersive experience, but it serves as an inspiration to the artists and developers who create the media in the first place.