ADVERTISEMENT
Story from Entertainment
ADVERTISEMENT

To The 5 Boroughs! What People Are Listening To In New York

Leila Brillson
October 3, 2012, 9:15 PM
big_apple
Despite the fact that we all huddle under the big, outside-world-ignoring umbrella of New York City, Big Apple residents are fiercely, distinctively borough loyal. And that's okay, because each section of the city has its own particular flavor — and while the stereotypes are sweeping and simplistic, they are often grounded in some sort of, well, truth. And nowhere are generalizations better exemplified than what music each zip code is pumping.
Once, of course, this type of data could only be extracted by sitting on a corner and listening to what was blasting from cruising cars, but thanks to the fact that most of our music is now stored in the cloud, we can check to see what is popular and where. Spotify recently released the top 10 most shared tracks of each borough, seeing if listeners are different, be they in Boerum Hill or Forest Hills. Spoiler alert: They are. (Except for the fact that everyone loves Major Lazer's Get Free. As they should.)
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

Check out the top picks in each borough...


Photo: Courtesy of Spotify

Manhattan
Oh Manhattan, the island of forward-thinking (and listening) residents. Spotify labels these tunes as slightly ahead of the curve, but there is just the right amount of sass in these picks to make us think that Manhattan is the place to party.

1. The Lumineers — "Ho Hey"
2. Frank Ocean — "Thinkin Bout You"

3. Of Monsters And Men — "Little Talks"

4. The xx — "Angels"

5. Major Lazer — "Get Free"

6.
Passion Pit — "Take A Walk"

7.
Carly Rae Jepsen — "Call Me Maybe"

8.
Scissor Sisters — "Let's Have A Kiki"

9.
Owl City — "Good Time"

10.
Alex Clare — "Too Close"

Brooklyn
Guess what? Brooklyn is full of cool kids. But cool kids who love Carly Rae Jepsen. Is it ironic? Maybe. But we love living in a world where Gotye and Purity Ring can coexist peacefully.

1.
Frank Ocean — "Thinkin Bout You"

2.
Carly Rae Jepsen — "Call Me Maybe"

3.
The Lumineers — "Ho Hey"

4.
Gotye — "Somebody That I Used To Know"

5.
Major Lazer — "Get Free"

6.
Purity Ring — "Fineshrine"

7.
Twin Shadow — "Five Seconds"

8.
Major Lazer — "Get Free"

9.
Frank Ocean — "Super Rich Kids"

10.
Kanye West — "Mercy"

Queens
Apparently, Queens is the pop capital of New York City, with Fun. and David Guetta getting major play. (Or, maybe it's such a diverse borough that only super-popular tracks rise to the top? That's our guess...)
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

1.
Carly Rae Jepsen — "Call Me Maybe"

1.
Frank Ocean — "Thinkin Bout You"

3.
Gotye — "Somebody That I Used To Know"

4.
Maroon 5 — "Payphone"

5.
Major Lazer — "Get Free"

6.
Fun. — "Some Nights"

6.
Fun. — "We Are Young" — feat. Janelle Monáe

8.
David Guetta — "Titanium" — feat. Sia

9.
The Lumineers — "Ho Hey"

9.
Jason Mraz — "I Won't Give Up"

Bronx
The Bronx is the only place where queen of the charts Rihanna even appears, which shows the northernmost neighborhood's preference for dance-friendly hip-hop.

1. Rihanna — "Where Have You Been"

2.
Frank Ocean — "Thinkin Bout You"

3.
Chris Brown — "Don't Wake Me Up"

4.
Carly Rae Jepsen — "Call Me Maybe"

5.
Major Lazer — "Get Free"

6.
Gotye — "Somebody That I Used To Know"

7.
Maroon 5 — "Payphone"

8.
Usher — "Lemme See" — feat. Rick Ross

9.
Usher — "Climax"

10.
Flo Rida — "Whistle"

Staten Island
The oft-overlooked borough of Staten Island seems to have no idea what it likes best, oscillating from dance to folk to pop. Clearly, what we've learned here is that there are people in Staten Island (contrary to the belief of non-S.I. residents), and they have an eclectic taste in music.

1. Of Monsters And Men — "Little Talks"

2.
Flo Rida — "Whistle"

3. Deadmau5 — "Ghosts 'n' Stuff" — feat. Rob Swire

4. Cher Lloyd — "Want U Back"

5. Grouplove – "Tongue Tied"

6.
Kavinsky — "Nightcall"

7. Chris Brown — "Don't Wake Me Up"

8. Gotye — "Somebody That I Used To Know"

9. Kelly Clarkson — "Dark Side"

10. Jason Mraz — "I Won't Give Up"

More from Entertainment

R29 Original Series

AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT