Tin Pan Alley: NoMad’s iconic birthplace of the American songbook

This is the story of Tin Pan Alley, NoMad’s iconic street and birthplace of the American Songbook.

Embedded in the sidewalk near the corner of 28th and Broadway is a humble bronze plaque reading, in part, “Tin Pan Alley . . . where the business of the American popular song flourished during the first decades of the 20th century.”

As with any number of historical markers around Manhattan, this one is likely overlooked by pedestrians hurrying to their next destination as they navigate crowded streets and sidewalks. But if you were able to stand on this corner for a moment, eyes closed, and picture the rich and vibrant history of this spot — which was, in fact, an anchor for the creation of popular music — you might, if you are lucky, hear a soft tinkling of piano keys or the echoing riff of a saxophone as the area is still host to a vibrant and colorful music scene.

One of the most notable chapters in the history of New York City is the rise of Tin Pan Alley, the birthplace of countless classic American songs. During its glory days, Tin Pan Alley — right here in the heart of NoMad — was an enclave of composers, lyricists, musicians, and publishers of popular music.

Name that tune

Think you don’t know the music of Tin Pan Alley? Think again. If you’ve ever stood in a stadium to sing “God Bless America” or “Take Me Out To The Ballgame,” or hummed along to “White Christmas,” or snickered at Homer Simpson’s barbershop quartet performing “Hello, My Baby” at Moe’s, then you’ve been entertained by the songwriters of Tin Pan Alley.

Over the last 100-plus years, pop stars and screen idols have consistently sung and recorded the hits from Tin Pan Alley’s Great American Songbook. These songs have been performed by icons as individual and diverse as Judy Garland, Little Richard, Marilyn Monroe, and The Muppets. Legends like Sinead O’Connor, Carly Simon, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, and Snoop Dogg have all elevated the music of Tin Pan Alley, which beats and hums through all walks of life and every decade of the last century through today.

The rise of Tin Pan Alley

There was a time when music publishing was scattered around the country, but with advances in printing technology and a population that was hungry for entertainment, sheet music was in high demand during the early part of the 20th century. This created an opportunity and before long New York City emerged as the center of the music publishing industry. All of this coincided with the growth of vaudeville and Broadway, and with such high demand for new songs, composers and lyricists worked diligently to fill the void.

The economy, too, played a significant role in the rise of Tin Pan Alley. The expanding middle class had disposable income to spend on sheet music for entertainment. Home pianos proliferated and new technologies, like player pianos and phonographs, further accelerated the distribution of and the need for sheet music of all kinds.

From the 1880s to the 1930s, 28th Street between Broadway and Sixth Avenue was transformed into a melting pot for musicians; that same melting pot led to the rise of one hit after another, and soon releasing a “hit song” became the end goal, one that brought its share of rewards and recognition. While 28th Street remained the Alley’s hallmark, 29th Street and other neighboring blocks pulsed with the same creative energy — all of which led to further growth and influence.

In fact, as word spread, area pioneers like Charles K. Harris, known for the ballad “After the Ball,” and Edward B. Marks and Joe Stern, known for their song “The Little Lost Child,” inspired other publishers and songwriters to set up shop in the area. Irving Berlin, of “White Christmas” (music and lyrics) fame, was one of the most famous songwriters of the era. Berlin got his start here, initially working as a singing waiter in the Bowery, but quickly rising to prominence with his first major hit, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” published in 1911.

George Gershwin, another songwriting master, crafted timeless melodies on this soon-to-be-legendary street. George M. Cohan, Scott Joplin, Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields, and Cole Porter, as well as countless others, including notably Jewish immigrant and Black songwriters, practiced and honed their craft in Tin Pan Alley.

Naming the Alley

The prevalent theory for how Tin Pan Alley got its name is that the cacophony of pianos echoing from the various publishing houses were reminiscent of the clash of tin pans. A second theory refers to “Tin Pan” as a slang term for a decrepit piano. And a third theory involves the journalist Monroe H. Rosenfeld and what he witnessed on a visit to the office of a composer. To appease the noise complaints from the building’s other tenants, the composer muffled his piano’s strings with newspapers, which gave the instrument a unique timbre. Rosenfeld quipped it sounded like a “tin pan.” This led him to write about the Alley’s tin pan sound.

Whichever theory or theories one might subscribe to, the moniker Tin Pan Alley was soon cemented for the entire musical district and beyond. “The name Tin Pan Alley became synonymous with songwriting and music publishing the way Hollywood became synonymous with filmmaking,” explained George Calderaro, founding director of the Tin Pan Alley American Popular Music Project (www.tinpanalley.nyc), an organization created to commemorate and continue the legacy of the birthplace of American Popular Music.

The enduring legacy

Though the rise of radio and the economic strain of the Great Depression signaled the decline of Tin Pan Alley, its indelible mark on American music persists to this day. Modern artists, perhaps unknowingly, still dance to its tune, as the songwriting foundations established then continue to influence music today.

NoMad residents, including Calderaro and preservationists who formed the Tin Pan Alley American Popular Music Project, worked with the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to preserve Tin Pan Alley’s rich history. On December 10, 2019, five mid-19th century buildings — numbers 47, 49, 51, 53, and 55 on West 28th Street — were designated as landmarks, commemorating the legacy of Tin Pan Alley for future generations. In 2022, West 28th Street between Broadway and Sixth Avenue was officially named Tin Pan Alley and is marked with a street sign that bears its name.

Today, NoMad honors the history of Tin Pan Alley by playing host to an evolving mix of live music performances. You can hear music on summer evenings during The NoMad Alliance’s Jazz on the Piazza outdoor concerts, or you can drop by the plaza of The Ritz-Carlton NoMad on 28th Street, or stop in for Live Jazz at the Everdene (Tuesday and Thursday 6-9pm) at the Virgin Hotel. You can also enjoy the talents of The Jazz Gallery and The Flatiron Room, NoMad’s premier jazz venues, where you’re bound to hear hits from the Great American Songbook. In fact, many of these musical events feature some of the greatest young talent in New York City, and all are almost sure to highlight a tune or two from the glory days of Tin Pan Alley publishing. (Check out NOMAD Magazine for more neighborhood music happenings).

As the melodies of this iconic area reverberate through NoMad, the story of Tin Pan Alley, NoMad’s iconic street and birthplace of the American Songbook, stands as a vivid reminder of a time when each note held the promise of becoming the next big sensation.

Some of Tin Pan Alley’s most famous and lasting hits include:

• “Give My Regards to Broadway” by George M. Cohan
• “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” by Albert Von Tilzer
• “God Bless America” by Irving Berlin
• “Carolina in the Morning” by Gus Kahn and Walter Donaldson
• “Baby Face” by Benny Davis and Harry Akst
• “Swanee” AND “RHAPSODY IN BLUE” by George Gershwin
• “Sweet Georgia Brown” by Maceo Pinkard
• “Happy Days Are Here Again” by Jack Yellen and Milton Ager