Concerts in New York

There’s nothing small about New York City. More than 8.5 million people live here, and the city draws more international tourists than anywhere else in the world. New York’s options are vast no matter what you’re looking for: the food is great, the Yankees are good again, and the live entertainment has never been better. In particular, New York City has had a major influence on music in the US: genres like classical and jazz have continued to thrive in NYC, and you can trace the origins of punk rock, disco, and salsa to New York as well.

New York is home to some of the most famous venues in the world, and the city attracts the best talent available across all genres of music. New York’s most famous arena—and potentially the world’s most famous arena—is Madison Square Garden. The current Garden is actually the fourth venue to bear that name. The first two were actually located on Madison Square, and the current building—which opened in 1968 and completed substantial renovations in 2013—is located further uptown at 8th Avenue and 50th Street. The Garden has hosted pro-sports championships from the Knicks and Rangers, pro-boxing’s greatest matches, and two Papal visits. A wide range of artists from Elvis to John Lennon to Stevie Wonder to Taylor Swift have played concerts at Madison Square Garden. From January 2014 through July 2015, Billy Joel played a show at MSG every month. His 65 concerts at the Garden are the most by any artist, and he has three upcoming shows at the venue before the end of 2017. Guns N’ Roses also brought their “Not in this Lifetime” tour to the Garden in 2017, and the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience will visit in 2018.

New York has countless other venues for live music as well. The PlayStation Theater (located on Broadway) most frequently books Rock artists, BB King Blues Club (in Times Square) is a great place to hear Blues and Funk music, and Irving Plaza (in Union Square) is a ballroom style venue where a wide variety of artists perform.

What’s the best place to see a concert in New York City?

Madison Square Garden is the most famous arena in the world for a reason. Visiting the Garden should be on anybody’s bucket list.

What concerts can I see in New York this weekend?

Scroll up to the “Events this Weekend” section to see available tickets for concerts happening over the weekend.

Tips

The subway is probably the best way to get to Madison Square Garden. The arena is right above Penn Station. Public transportation is usually the best way to get around the city. Parking is near impossible a lot of the time.

How much will I pay to see a concert in New York City?

New York City is one of the top concert destinations in the country, with a wide variety of venues and performances. Fans of all types are able to find a price point they’re comfortable with. For a look at ticket prices for upcoming concerts, scroll to the top of the page and see events today, this weekend, and this week.

What concert should I see while I’m in New York?

What kind of music do you like? You’ll almost certainly find it in New York City. Look through the listings above to see what concerts will be in the city tonight, this weekend, and further in the future.