Music

Knicks Win, ‘Empire State of Mind’ Streams Skyrocket

Following the Knicks' improbable Game 4 victory, New Yorkers celebrated by streaming Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' 2009 hit song, "Empire State of Mind," in record numbers.

Rolling Stone·Jun 12, 2026·via Rolling Stone

Knicks Win, ‘Empire State of Mind’ Streams Skyrocket

Concrete Jungle

Knicks’ Comeback Win Sparks Huge Spike in ‘Empire State of Mind’ Streaming

Improbable Game 4 win had New Yorkers celebrating with Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' 2009 single

By Daniel Kreps

Daniel Kreps

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June 12, 2026

The Knicks’ historic comeback victory Wednesday had New Yorkers flocking to their streaming services to celebrate with Big Apple-centric songs.

According to Spotify , Knicks fans’ go-to anthem after the improbable Game 4 win was Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind,” with the 2009 single experiencing a 1,245 percent bump in streaming among New York City users following the Knicks’ victory.

The most popular song among Spotify-using Knicks fans remains, appropriately, the extremely regional Nineties classic “Go NY Go” by Jesse Itzler, which has jumped 2,700 percent since the start of the Knicks’ Finals run. Ja Rule, Fat Joe, and Jadakiss’ “New York” and Frank Sinatra’s “Theme From New York, New York” have also witnessed streaming bumps on the Knicks’ path to their first title since 1973.