The editorial team at New York States of Mind is celebrating our OFFICIAL LAUNCH and we’ve created a dance playlist; we encourage you to party with us. Just like the State of New York itself, it’s an eclectic mix of tunes with diverse origins and various points of view that define their significance. What’s common to all is that they keep us inspired, whether working long hours at our NYC headquarters or road-tripping around the state on assignment. Consider this our serenade, and the perfect acoustic ambience for perusing our site.
"Empire State” by Fleetwood Mac
We couldn’t think of a song more appropriate to introduce our playlist than “Empire State.” Fleetwood Mac just about sums it up! Our Assistant Editor constantly jams out to this timeless band.
“Summer of Love” by the Bacon Brothers
Adding the music sector to the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game, it’s clear that this multi-talent enjoys states of mind as both an actor and a musician, in partnership with his brother. We love that people can be many things at once, and their bluegrass/country rock blend is unexpected and fun.
“I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by David Byrne
Our Marketplace Director loves David Byrne for his deep layers of New York-ness: he’s a resident of NYC’s West Village, an urban planner, environmentalist, artist and avid cyclist (he designed the bike racks at Brooklyn Academy of Music!). This cover of the universally recognized Whitney Houston hit gives a very New York twist to a standard favorite.
“Gimme Gimme” by Sutton Foster
Though our COO and Co-Founder is not a native New Yorker, this number (from Broadway hit Thoroughly Modern Millie) reminds her of “the limitless wonder and potential that this city (and state) retains” and always inspires her to rise to the occasion.
“Hot Knife” by Fiona Apple
Apple's music is the preferred soundtrack for our COO’s life in the Big Apple (pun intended). This song is unusually optimistic for Fiona and “captures the energy I feel in the anticipation of each day, of the possibilities I will encounter with every step and the love I might find just around every corner.”
“Adirondack Skies” by Matt Conable
Listen to this sweet melody and you’ll find yourself yearning for the peace of the Adirondacks. (What are you waiting for? Go!)
“Shed a Little Light” by James Taylor
Like our CEO and Co-Founder, Taylor is from North Carolina but is also proud to call New York home. She and Taylor have certainly “Shed a Little Light” on what makes this state so great!
“Ho Hey” by the “Nashville” Cast
This particular rendition (a favorite of our Content Marketing Director) puts a fresh spin on the well-known number by the Lumineers. “Lennon and Maisy Stella harmonize beautifully, and the potential they have as such young women inspires and empowers me.”
“Ain’t No Time” by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Grace Potter is another powerful female leader who continues to inspire us as her sound evolves. She is one of our Content Marketing Director’s favorite artists. "Ain't No Time" is from one of her earliest albums, “and one of the first songs that hooked me. It is clearly sung from the heart, just as we’ve been putting our heart and soul into building the NYSOM Magazine and brand.”
“Facades” by Philip Glass
This song is “New York at its best and most pure” for our COO and Co-Founder, who is a huge fan of the New York City Ballet. “It features prominently in the New York City Ballet repertory piece entitled “Glass Pieces,” named in honor of the composer, Philip Glass. Dance legend — and great New Yorker — Jerome Robbins, choreographed the ballet’s movements. It's the perfect culmination of two performing arts, and is soothing when I work (and when I run along the East River).”
“Unbelievers” by Vampire Weekend
Our Assistant Editor once went on quite a trip to see this Columbia University band perform live. “A bunch of college friends and I piled into a station wagon to travel all the way to Rochester from Clinton. Our tire went flat along the way, but we made it to the concert in time to hear all of our favorite songs from freshman year. This song brings me back to that adventure I had traveling across the State.”
“Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys
Jay-Z, the unofficial Mayor of New York City, gets us revved up every time we hear his ode to New York. He not only takes us through vivid pictures of different neighborhoods, but reminds us (through Alicia Keys’ familiar chorus) that anything is possible here. Our Content Marketing Director once ran into Jay-Z and BK at a pizza shop in Brooklyn; dreams do come true.
“Carry On” by fun.
One of our CEO and Publisher's favorite newer bands, fun. makes beautiful, honest music about their lives in New York with a drumbeat that pushes us all to "carry on." Starting a new enterprise is not easy, but perseverance prevails and is most certainly “fun.”
“Into the Wild” by LP
For our Content Marketing Director, the wild reminds her of “the vastness of New York State and building a brand from scratch.” Many stories have taken us “into the wild,” but have returned us with great memories and incredible stories of learning so much about the state.
“Kind and Generous” by Natalie Merchant
Natalie Merchant, an environmentalist and visual artist born in Johnstown, is our Marketplace Director’s favorite artist. “I just saw her perform with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic.” To quote Merchant, we say THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all of our fans for getting our company off the ground!
“New York State of Mind” by Billy Joel
We had to. Billy’s classic hit puts us in the best state of mind.
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