California | New York | Southern United States
Typically around New York City and its surrounding area, unless otherwise indicated.
- 3rd Bass
- 50 Cent
- 10,000 Maniacs (Jamestown, in western New York)
- 1987 - In My Tribe
- Aaliyah (Born in Brooklyn, later moved to Detroit)
- Aesop Rock
- AJR
- Al B. Sure!
- Anamanaguchi
- Marc Anthony
- Anthrax
- 1987 - Among the Living
- The Antlers
- 2009 - Hospice
- ANOHNI and the Johnsons
- Fiona Apple
- A$AP Rocky
- Ashanti
- Fred Astaire
- Attila: the early 1970s psychedelic rock band.
- 1970 - Attila
- Augustines
- Burt Bacharach
- Joan Baez
- Baio
- Josephine Baker
- Afrika Bambaataa
- The Band (Four Canadian members, one American; based in Woodstock)
- 1969 - The Band (Album)
- 1974 - Planet Waves (with Bob Dylan)
- 1975 - The Basement Tapes (with Bob Dylan)
- Azealia Banks
- Paul Banks
- Battles
- Beastie Boys
- 1986 - Licensed to Ill
- 1989 - Paul's Boutique
- Harry Belafonte
- Pat Benatar
- Tony Bennett
- Irving Berlin
- Matt Berninger
- Elmer Bernstein
- Big Data
- Big L
- Big Pun
- Biz Markie
- 1989 - "Just a Friend"
- Mary J. Blige
- Blonde Redhead
- Blondie
- 1978 - Parallel Lines
- Kurtis Blow
- Blue Man Group
- Blue Öyster Cult
- 1972 - Blue Öyster Cult
- 1974 - Tyranny and Mutation
- 1974 - Secret Treaties
- 1976 - Agents of Fortune
- 1977 - Spectres
- 1979 - Mirrors
- 1980 - Cultösaurus Erectus
- 1981 - Fire of Unknown Origin
- 1983 - The Revölution by Night
- 1986 - Club Ninja
- 1988 - Imaginos
- Bomb the Music Industry!
- Joe Bonamassa
- 2014 - Live in Amsterdam (with Beth Hart)
- A Boogie wit da Hoodie
- Albert Bouchard
- Brand New
- 2001 - Your Favorite Weapon
- 2003 - Deja Entendu
- 2006 - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
- 2009 - Daisy
- 2017 - Science Fiction
- Laura Branigan
- The Bravery
- Broken Hope
- Busta Rhymes
- Cameo
- Candiria
- Cannibal Corpse (Buffalo)
- Irene Cara
- Cardi B
- 2020 - "WAP"
- Mariah Carey
- 1995 - Daydream
- 1997 - Butterfly
- 2005 - The Emancipation of Mimi
- Julian Casablancas
- David Cassidy
- Celldweller
- The Chainsmokers
- 2017 - Memories...Do Not Open
- 2022 - So Far So Good
- Harry Chapin
- Chic
- Choking Victim
- Cibo Matto
- CJ
- Cobra Starship
- Coheed and Cambria
- Aaron Copland
- Imani Coppola
- The Cramps
- Cults
- Danger Danger
- Bobby Darin
- Das Racist
- Sammy Davis Jr.
- Kimya Dawson
- Day26
- Peter "Snake Hips" Dean (born in Philadelphia, initially worked in New York City in another career for branching out)
- Blossom Dearie (originally from East Durham in the north of the state, later moved to Manhattan)
- Gavin DeGraw
- De La Soul
- Lana Del Rey
- 2012 - Born to Die
- 2014 - Ultraviolence
- 2019 - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
- Demolition Hammer
- Neil Diamond
- Ani DiFranco (Buffalo)
- Digable Planets
- Ronnie James Dio (Cortland)
- 2000 - Magica
- DMX
- Dope
- The Drifters
- The Drums
- Duck Sauce
- El-P
- Run the Jewels (with Atlanta-based Killer Mike)
- Ansel Elgort
- Emigrate
- EPMD
- Eric B. & Rakim
- 1987 - Paid in Full
- Escort
- James Ferraro (Rochester)
- Brad Fiedel
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Foreigner (founded by a mix of American and British musicians)
- The Foxy Bard
- The Free Design (from Delevan in western New York)
- Freelance Whales
- The Fugs
- 1965 - The Fugs First Album
- 1966 - The Fugs Second Album
- 1968 - It Crawled Into My Hand, Honest
- fun.
- 2012 - Some Nights
- Fun Lovin' Criminals
- Gang Starrnote
- Geese
- Genghis Tron
- George Gershwin
- 1934-1935 - Porgy and Bess
- Debbie Gibson
- Glassjaw
- Gogol Bordello
- Goo Goo Dolls (Buffalo)
- Lesley Gore
- Leslie Grace
- Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
- 1982 - The Message
- Gravediggaz
- A Great Big World
- Green Jellÿ (Buffalo)
- The Gregory Brothers
- Grizzly Bear
- Arlo Guthrie
- 1967 - Alice's Restaurant
- Guy
- Gym Class Heroes
- Marvin Hamlisch
- Hanzel und Gretyl
- Helmet
- Bernard Herrmann
- The Hold Steady
- Billie Holiday
- 1958 - Lady in Satin
- Immolation
- Immortal Technique (born in Peru)
- Indeep
- The Ink Spots
- Interpol
- 2002 - Turn on the Bright Lights
- 2004 - Antics
- Mark Isham
- Millie Jackson
- 1974 - Caught Up
- JakProgresso
- Rick James (Buffalo)
- Jawbreaker
- Jay-Z
- Jhariah
- Billy Joel
- 1977 - The Stranger (Album)
- 1978 - 52nd Street
- 1980 - Glass Houses
- 1983 - An Innocent Man
- 1989 - Storm Front
- Joywave (Rochester)
- Michael Kamen
- Kelis
- Alicia Keys
- Khanate
- Kid Creole and the Coconuts
- Kid 'N Play
- Carole King
- 1971 - Tapestry
- King Missile
- Kilo Kish
- KISS
- 1974 - KISS
- 1974 - Hotter Than Hell
- 1975 - Dressed to Kill
- 1976 - Destroyer
- 1976 - Rock and Roll Over
- 1977 - Love Gun
- 1977 - Alive II
- 1978 - KISS Solo Albums
- 1979 - Dynasty
- 1980 - Unmasked
- 1981 - Music from "The Elder"
- 1982 - Creatures of the Night
- 1983 - Lick It Up
- 1984 - Animalize
- 1985 - Asylum
- 1987 - Crazy Nights
- 1989 - Hot in the Shade
- 1992 - Revenge
- 1997 - Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions
- 1998 - Psycho Circus
- 2009 - Sonic Boom
- 2012 - Monster
- Eartha Kitt
- Komar and Melamid
- 1997 - The People's Choice Music
- Kool G Rap
- Kool Keith
- Kool Moe Dee
- Krallice
- KRS-One
- Lady Gaga
- 2009 - "Bad Romance"
- 2010 - "Telephone"
- Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
- Cyndi Lauper
- LCD Soundsystem
- 2007 - Sound of Silver
- 2010 - This Is Happening
- Leftöver Crack
- Tom Lehrer
- 1953 - Songs by Tom Lehrer
- 1959 - An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer
- 1965 - That Was the Year That Was
- Hamilton Leithauser
- The Lemon Twigs
- Lil' Kim
- Lil Peep
- Liquid Tension Experiment
- Liturgy
- Living Colour
- LL Cool J
- Dr. Luke
- Jennifer Lopez
- Robert Lopez
- The Lovin' Spoonful
- Luscious Jackson
- Machine Girl
- Craig Mack
- Madonna (migrated east from Bay City, Michigan)
- 1983 - Madonna
- 1984 - Like a Virgin
- 1986 - True Blue
- 1989 - Like a Prayer
- 1990 - I'm Breathless
- 1990 - The Immaculate Collection
- 1992 - Erotica
- 1994 - Bedtime Stories
- 1998 - Ray of Light
- 2000 - Music
- 2003 - American Life
- 2005 - Confessions on a Dance Floor
- 2019 - Madame X
- Malignancy
- Barry Manilow
- Manowar (Auburn)
- Melanie Martinez
- Jesse McCartney
- Bobby McFerrin
- Nellie McKay (born in Britain, American raised)
- Don McLean
- 1971 - American Pie
- Alan Menken
- Mercury Rev (Buffalo)
- MF DOOM
- 2004 - Madvillainy [As Madvillain, with Madlib]
- 2009 - BORN LIKE THIS
- Ingrid Michaelson
- Lea Michele
- Nicki Minaj (originally from Trinidad and Tobago)
- Mindless Self Indulgence
- Lin-Manuel Miranda
- 2024 - Warriors
- Mitski
- Mobb Deep
- Moby
- 1999 - Play
- Thelonious Monk
- 1957 - Brilliant Corners
- French Montana
- Mos Def
- Mother Feather
- Mountain
- Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire
- MS MR
- My Brightest Diamond
- Nada Surf
- Napoleon XIV
- Nas
- 1994 - Illmatic
- 1996 - It Was Written
- The National
- 2010 - High Violet
- 2013 - Trouble Will Find Me
- 2017 - Sleep Well Beast
- 2019 - I Am Easy to Find
- Necro
- New Kingdom
- New York Dolls
- Ninja Sex Party
- The Notorious B.I.G.
- 1994 - Ready to Die
- 1997 - Life After Death
- Nuclear Assault
- Julia Nunes (Fairport)
- Laura Nyro
- Phil Ochs
- Colby O'Donis
- The Ones
- Yoko Ono (born in Japan)
- A Pale Horse Named Death
- Roger Payne
- 1970 - Songs of the Humpback Whale
- Peter, Paul and Mary
- 1963 - "Puff the Magic Dragon"
- A Place to Bury Strangers
- The Plasmatics
- The Plastic E-Gulls
- Poe
- Caroline Polachek
- Postmodern Jukebox
- Public Enemy
- Tito Puente
- 1958 - Dance Mania, Vol. 1
- Pusha T
- Pyrrhon
- Q Lazzarus
- Ra Ra Riot
- Joey Ramone
- 2002 - Don't Worry About Me
- Ramones
- 1976 - Ramones
- 1977 - Leave Home
- 1977 - Rocket to Russia
- 1978 - Road to Ruin
- 1980 - End of the Century
- The Rapture
- Rasputina
- Red Vox
- Lou Reed
- 1972 - Transformer
- 1973 - Berlin
- 1975 - Metal Machine Music
- 1989 - New York (1989)
- Malinda Kathleen Reese
- The Reign of Kindo (Buffalo)
- Bebe Rexha
- Rodgers and Hammerstein
- 1943 - "To Keep My Love Alive"
- Jeff Rosenstock
- Rostam (born in Washington D. C.)
- David Rovics
- Rick Rubin
- Jordan Rudess
- Ja Rule
- Run–D.M.C.
- 1984 - Run–D.M.C. (Album)
- 1985 - King of Rock
- 1986 - Raising Hell
- Salt-N-Pepa
- Roger Sanchez
- Joe Satriani
- Lalo Schifrin (born and raised in Argentina)
- Scissor Sisters
- Gil Scott-Heron
- 1974 - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
- 1974 - Winter in America
- Stephen Schwartz
- Neil Sedaka
- Shaggy
- Sha Na Na
- Sonny Sharrock
- 1986 - Guitar
- 1991 - Ask the Ages
- Silver Jews
- Alan Silvestri
- Diggy Simmons
- Carly Simon
- Paul Simon
- 1986 - Graceland
- Simon & Garfunkel
- 1970 - Bridge Over Troubled Water
- Skinless (Glens Falls)
- Sleigh Bells
- Slick Rick (born in London)
- Sly Fox
- sombr
- Sonic Youth
- 1987 - Sister
- 1988 - Daydream Nation
- Stephen Sondheim
- Soul Coughing
- Ronnie Spector
- Regina Spektor (born in Russia, grew up in the USA)
- 2004 - Soviet Kitsch
- Spin Doctors
- The Spin Room
- Steely Dan
- 1973 - Countdown to Ecstasy
- 1977 - Aja
- Jim Steinman
- Stormtroopers of Death
- Stray Cats
- Barbra Streisand
- The Strokes
- 2001 - Is This It
- 2003 - Room on Fire
- 2020 - The New Abnormal
- Suicide
- Swans
- 1996 - Soundtracks for the Blind
- 2012 - The Seer
- 2014 - To Be Kind
- Taking Back Sunday
- Talking Heads
- 1977 - Talking Heads: 77
- 1978 - More Songs About Buildings and Food
- 1979 - Fear of Music
- 1980 - Remain in Light
- 1981 - "Once in a Lifetime"
- 1983 - Speaking in Tongues (Album)
- 1984 - Stop Making Sense
- 1985 - Little Creatures
- 1986 - True Stories
- 1988 - Naked
- Television
- 1977 - Marquee Moon
- They Might Be Giants (both principal members first met as classmates in Massachusetts)
- 1986 - They Might Be Giants (Album)
- 1988 - Lincoln
- 1990 - Flood
- 1992 - Apollo 18
- 1994 - John Henry
- 1996 - Factory Showroom
- 1999 - Long Tall Weekend
- 2001 - Mink Car
- 2004 - The Spine
- 2007 - The Else
- 2011 - Join Us
- 2013 - Nanobots
- 2018 - I Like Fun
- Tengger Cavalry - Founder Nature Ganganbaigal grew up in Beijing, China, but expanded it to a full band in NYC.
- Tiny Tim
- Tom Tom Club
- Torae
- Transatlantic*
- A Tribe Called Quest
- 1991 - The Low End Theory
- 1996 - Beats, Rhymes and Life
- TV on the Radio
- 2006 - Return to Cookie Mountain
- Type O Negative
- 1993 - Bloody Kisses
- 1996 - October Rust
- 1999 - World Coming Down
- 2003 - "Life Is Killing Me''
- 2007 - Dead Again
- Unlocking the Truth
- Steve Vai
- Vampire Weekend
- 2013 - Modern Vampires of the City
- Luther Vandross
- Suzanne Vega
- The Velvet Underground (One member being Welsh)
- 1967 - The Velvet Underground & Nico note
- 1968 - White Light/White Heat
- 1969 - The Velvet Underground
- 1970 - Loaded
- 1973 - Squeeze
- Maïa Vidal (Ithica)
- Village People
- The Voidz
- The Walkmen
- Fats Waller
- We Are Scientists
- We Are The In Crowd
- Weather Report
- Wheatus
- Vanessa Williams
- Winger
- T-Bone Wolk
- The World/Inferno Friendship Society
- Wu-Tang Clan
- bill wurtz
- X Ambassadors
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Yeasayer
- Zeal & Ardor (started there before moving to Switzerland)
- John Zorn
- 1987 - Spillane
- 1993 - Radio
- 1998 - Music for Children
