No matter the decade, countless bands and scenes have emerged from the boroughs of New York City. From CBGB and Max’s Kansas City in the ’70s and ’80s NYHC to the garage-rock revival that dominated the 2000s and the current Dimes Square scene, there has been no shortage of originality and reinvention coming from its gritty streets. However, which groups are the cream of the crop? With the topic on our minds, we turned to our readers and asked them to name the best bands from New York City. Their answers were broad, and you can find the top fan picks ranked below.
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5. The Strokes
The Strokes are a quintessential NYC band, so of course they were going to make this list. They spearheaded the early 2000s garage-rock revival alongside the White Stripes, Interpol, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, offering an alternative to the glossy radio pop and nü-metal songs that were popular at the time. Their 2001 debut album, Is This It, changed the culture, bringing a rawer, nostalgic sound back to the forefront and inspiring everyone around them to pick up a guitar. To this day, they remain kings of NYC, whether they’re selling out Madison Square Garden or playing a New Year’s Eve show at Barclays Center.
4. Bad Static
Forming in 2021, Bad Static are a punk group whose raucous sound is rooted in ’90s riot grrrl, tearing up local venues like TV Eye and Bowery Electric. Their fans flooded this poll, latching onto the band for their hard-hitting songs that are unafraid to confront double standards, get real about mental health, and amplify their feminist message — most recently on their April single “Not Yr Doll.” Of their hometown, bassist Kelsie Williams said, “You can learn so much in Brooklyn. It’s a community of many cultures that, unfortunately, is becoming more and more gentrified and pushing that out.” Singer/guitarist Nicol Maciejewska added, “For me, it’s a place of acceptance.”
3. Abbie Roper
Abbie Roper has been grinding in NYC for years, with a sound that lands somewhere between indie, alt-rock, and punk. As she said in a 2024 interview, “My music can be very sweet and also angry. I have laid-back stripped/acoustic vibes, and I also have full-band, loud songs.” It’s this duality that drives her music, offering up a contrast that’s just as satisfying in-person as it is listening from your bedroom. For a taste of her live show, tune into this performance of Roper playing in Arlene’s Grocery, a long-running club for up-and-coming artists on the Lower East Side.
2. Um, Jennifer?
At the top of the year, we named Um, Jennifer? — the indie-punk duo of Fig Regan and Eli Scarpati — as a band to watch, and for good reason. They’ve been laying down playful, sardonic punk songs since forming in 2023, when Scarpati wanted to hook up with Regan’s friend but ended up in a band together instead. Though they make music “for nobody except the vengeful god, Jennifer,” there’s a message of queerness, survival, and unabashed confidence behind it all — while being extremely fun to listen to. Their February single, “Comedy 42,” paints a proper picture of what they’re about, offering up wit, reality, and tunefulness.
1. Daisy Grenade
Daisy Grenade fans absolutely showed up for this poll, shooting the pop-rock duo to the top of this list. The band, made up of Dani Nigro and Keaton Whittaker, bring a bright, infectious energy to the NYC scene, meeting during an “ill-fated” production of American Idiot on Long Island. “We had never met before that day and didn’t see each other again in person until months into the pandemic, but we became virtual friends and started chatting about music…” Nigro told AP in 2022. “Then our friendship grew, and we were allowed to actually hang out, and here we are. So, we never got to do the show, but we did get Daisy Grenade out of it, which feels like a great trade-off to me!”
