An Overview of the Music Scene in Brooklyn

New York City is renowned for its influential music scene, with many well-known bands and singer-songwriters starting their legacy from the Big Apple and taking the world by storm. Of course, New York City itself is a hub for culture, seeing many tourists coming from all corners of the world to experience what this wonderful city has to offer (sports, art, fashion), but for musicians or those who love music, New York City and Brooklyn has created a music scene like no other.

Many great bands and singers have emerged from Brooklyn, but that’s not all Brooklyn is known for. You can find great record shops, live music venues, and creativity bursting at every corner. There is a thriving art community within Brooklyn as it is fast becoming a popular place for creatives to settle and flourish. Whether you are a musician, fashion icon, influencer, or someone with a typical office job but who enjoys an indie and artistic environment, this is the New York City borough for you. 

What’s Brooklyn’s history, though? And if you are an aspiring or well-known musician, how could Brooklyn help you start or continue your musical journey?

Numerous Music Venues

No matter what your preferred environment is when it comes to catching live music, Brooklyn has a music venue that suits your tastes and wants. While New York City offers music venues on a larger scale, this can reduce the excitement many people feel when seeing their favorite bands on a smaller and more intimate stage within a cozier venue. If you prefer the latter, then Brooklyn may be the perfect choice for you – especially if you enjoy watching indie bands.

Some of the most popular places to watch live music in Brooklyn are:

1. Music Hall of Williamsburg – A common place for indie bands looking to perform at intimate venues. This venue is relaxed and laid back. 
2. Baby’s All Right – An eatery, bar, and stage all in one, this is a well-known live music venue that offers a large selection of live music, from experimental to alt-rock.
3. Brooklyn Steel – A large space with numerous additional features such as a “green roof” for you to unwind on. 
4. Brooklyn Bowl – Why not combine live music with bowling? Make a night of it by embracing live music acts while also bowling with friends or family. You can also eat and drink here, making it a great night out. Its décor is also extremely interesting with its freak show-inspired posters and Coney Island-themed interior design. 

The DIY Music Scene

We all know what DIY stands for (but if you don’t, it means ‘do it yourself’), and when it comes to the music scene, its meaning doesn’t change. A DIY band is a band that does everything themselves, from the writing, recording, and even the promotion of their own music. However, it is also about aesthetics.

Brooklyn is renowned for having a DIY music scene, with the inclusion of Rough Trade NYC being a well-received record store for independent bands looking to promote their music. Whether you are punk, indie, alt-rock, electronic, or hip-hop, Brooklyn accepts your musical prowess.

Recording Your Own Music

Brooklyn is an inspiring borough of New York City and has been the birthplace of many influential musicians from an array of music genres. You can find popular rappers, hip-hop artists, and rock stars within Brooklyn, making this a musically diverse melting pot.  

Popular musicians from Brooklyn include Lil’ Kim, Mos Def, and Jay Z (amongst many others). Therefore, if you want to follow in the footsteps of these famous Brooklynites and are from Brooklyn – or looking to move there either short or long-term – you may want to find a reputable Brooklyn recording studio so that you can create your heavily anticipated album. 

Pirate.com offers recording studios in Brooklyn that are perfect for aspiring and renowned recording artists. Their music studios are open 24-hours, seven days a week, and are bookable online. You can either book the studio for an hour or for a whole day, offering you impressive flexibility. Such an environment is ideal for musicians to create and formulate a track that will speak to their fans or record a full-length album that could be their debut album or the next one in the long line of successful releases.

Brooklyn is a wonderfully colorful and exciting location within New York City, and if you love the music scene (especially one that is heavily independent and unique), then this could be the borough for you to live in or visit. Even the likes of Selena Gomez have arrived in Brooklyn and performed at a low-key live venue, boosting Brooklyn’s music legacy. Therefore, if you enjoy listening to rap, hip-hop, indie, or commercial chart music, this is an environment that will feel like home and can help stir your own creativity. 

Featured Photo by 鏡飛 匙 on Unsplash