The Most Popular Music Genre and Artist in Every New York City Neighborhood

Few cities have histories as rich in live music as New York City. 

For more than 200 years, New Yorkers have displayed a love of concerts. Whether classical music at the New York Philharmonic and Carnegie Hall in the late 19th century or gala stage shows Radio City Music Hall in the 1930s to the rise of jazz, disco, salsa and rap concerts in the subsequent decades, live music has been—and remains—celebrated in the Big Apple like few other places.

But the city's tastes in live music are as eclectic as its population. One neighborhood loves Billy Joel. But across the street? Beyoncé reigns supreme in popularity. Perhaps that's what makes New York such an ample home for live music: There are fans of all types of music and various musicians scattered across the five boroughs.

Through the lens of concert ticket sales, Vivid Seats examines the most popular music genre and individual live performer in each zip code throughout New York City. Use our interactive map below to see how New York's music tastes differ zip code-by-zip code, based on concert sales data dating back to Jan. 1, 2017.

No artist is most popular in more areas of New York than Billy Joel.

It makes sense, since the Long Island native is beloved in the Big Apple and loves performing in front of a packed house at Madison Square Garden. While other artists might've established a Las Vegas residency, Joel opted to stay in Manhattan. 

“The audiences are great. The venue is great... I couldn’t think of a better way of peaking in my life other than this,” Joel said. "To have a residency here is a dream already."

Joel hasn't released a new pop album since 1993, but his popularity in New York remains pervasive. 

There's no shortage New York City neighborhoods that adore the more popular genres of music: pop, rap/hip hop and rock.

However, in one singular zip code in New York City, adult contemporary is the top ticket.

Zip code 10020, comprised of Manhattan residents living between 48th Street and 51st Street, between 5th and 7th Avenues, prefer the likes of Elton John, Paul McCartney and Neil Diamond to any of today's more contemporary music genres.

In the shadows of Radio City Music Hall, a venue that's played a critical role in the city's history, some of the world's most seasoned live performers remain most popular. 

Perhaps no live music act has made a bigger impact on the American music scene in a shorter amount of time than BTS, the Korean boy band that has ushered in K-Pop to an American audience over the last two years.

Nowhere is this more true than in the borough of Queens, where BTS emerged as the most popular live act in six different zip codes. 

New York City plays home to the second largest population of ethnic Koreans outside of Korea, with major Korean populations in several different neighborhoods in Queens. Helping the band's popularity also was its performance at Citi Field, located in Flushing, marking the first-ever K-pop concert at a major U.S. stadium.

The smallest of the five NYC boroughs based on population, Staten Island is also one of the most consistent with its music preferences.

Across the island, Staten Island residents love rock concerts; the genre dominates the music preferences in nearly all zip codes. Pop and rap/hip hop (hello, Wu-Tang Clan) make an appearance on the northwest side of the island, but for the most part, a love of rock is ubiquitous.

At 96th St., the Upper East Side ends and Harlem begins.

And music preferences shift dramatically.

Rock dominates the Upper East Side—from 59th Street to 96th Street—emerging as the most popular music in each zip code. But the north side of 96th Street begins a more diverse palate.

Pop music is the most popular music genre in the lower parts of East Harlem before giving way to rap/hip hop, which rules most of the northern parts of Manhattan.

The fact that pop separates the rock music lovers of the Upper East Side with the rap/hip hop fans of Harlem could point to the continued blending of neighborhoods. 

SEE ALSO: The Top 10 Music Venues in New York