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June plays host to some of our favorite NYC summertime staples, from Pride Month to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade to, yes, New York Music Month, an annual celebration of NYC's vibrant music scene hosted each year by the Mayor's Office of Media & Entertainment (MOME).
Now in its sixth year, the initiative includes in-person and virtual music programming throughout the entire month of June, including live concerts (both free and ticketed), industry talks and workshops, songwriting camps and a celebration of the 50th anniversary of New York hip-hop.
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"This New York Music Month, with a calendar jam-packed with celebrations—like the City's 50th anniversary of hip-hop—the beat of New York City will be heard around the world," said Mayor Eric Adams. "Between the free rehearsal spaces, workshops, master classes, songwriting camps, and more, there is something for everyone sprinkled throughout the five boroughs, which, as music always does, will serve to unite, educate, and entertain us."
Music lovers can take in eight free park performances in partnership with the Parks Department, including Noah Powa at Springfield Park, Rich Tolbert at Baisley Pond Park and Funk Flex and Friends at Soundview Park. And if you play music yourself, take advantage of New York Music Month's free rehearsal space program, which offers up free studio space at locations in all five boroughs: Astoria Soundworks, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music Studios, Fenix Studios on Staten Island, Manhattan's Greenwich House Music School and Lush Studios in the Bronx.
"New York Music Month is not only about celebrating and enjoying the thriving music scene across the City, but also about how to make music into a sustainable career. In my home borough of the Bronx, music is at the core of our community culture. Celebrating music's impacts, uplifting members of the community, and ensuring we can create more pathways to work within the industry is vital to bringing NYC back!" said Council Member Amanda Farías. "MOME offers critical informational sessions during June on a range of topics including marketing, revenue streams, technology, and more. Thank you to MOME for hosting this intentional initiative to promote the music industry and the entertainment sector for current and prospective musicians across our city."
As for that big hip-hop celebration, NYMM is hosting a virtual conversation and performance showcase of hip-hop artists who were shot and left disabled due to gun violence, a screening of the digital series 300 Unplugged, a discussion spotlighting hip-hop's impact on advertising, and more.
Check out the full lineup of New York Music Month programming here.