There is never a lack of things to do in New York City, and that’s especially true for music lovers. Every night of the week, there’s some buzzworthy band or big-time pop singer or up-and-coming rapper performing in one of the city’s thousand different venues, and the choices about who to check out can become daunting.
Well, to help all you residents of “the city that never sleeps” parse through the hundreds of different artists vying for your hard-earned dollars, we’ve assembled here some of the best and most intriguing concerts coming up in the New York area for the week of January 21.
Wednesday, January 23
Brothers Osborne @ Terminal 5 [Tickets]
The duo is more than just country, as the group incorporates a strong southern rock influence that positions them as a fantastic olive branch for those who don’t describe themselves as country music fans.
King Princess @ Warsaw [Tickets]
If you want a co-sign for King Princess, Harry Styles has one for you: He asked her to open for him at Madison Square Garden last year, but she actually turned him down because she didn’t feel like she was ready.
Mick Jenkins @ Irving Plaza [Tickets]
The last couple months of 2018 featured a bevy of quality hip-hop records, but Jenkins still had one of the best ones, on which he proved he’s one of the most clever lyricists in rap today.
Thursday, January 24
Billy Joel @ Madison Square Garden [Tickets]
Joel has become a quintessential New York City attraction with his monthly MSG shows, so if you’re available, definitely check it out.
Friday, January 25
Kacey Musgraves (with Natalie Prass) @ Beacon Theatre [Tickets]
Musgraves had the biggest country crossover album of the year, and Prass had one of my personal favorite songs of 2018, “Short Court Style,” so this is a pretty packed night.
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks @ Brooklyn Steel [Tickets]
The Pavement founder has been thriving since that band’s heyday in the ‘9os, and last year’s Sparkle Hard was a terrific indie record.
Saturday, January 26
Kacey Musgraves (with Natalie Prass) @ Beacon Theatre [Tickets]
Wu-Tang Clan @ Terminal 5 [Tickets]
If you’re an old-school hip-hop head and you haven’t managed to see Wu-Tang live yet, this is a must. They’ll also be performing on Sunday if you’ve already locked down Saturday plans.
