Busking has an immense global history – it doesn’t just take place in New York City, but all over the world. New York City buskers aren’t just performers, they’re artists, revolutionaries, and advocates. In 1936, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia outlawed busking. He decided that it was public disorder, and started treating buskering as a misdemeanor. Nevertheless, Buskers continued to pursue their passions on the streets, gaining support from the people of New York. From musicians to small circus acts, busking was a way for people to express themselves and gain support from their fellows. In 1970, the law was repealed and busking was once again legalized in NYC, and people felt more comfortable coming out to showcase their artforms. In 1985, it was declared unconstitutional to place laws against or ban street performances, as it violates the first amendment. This case, People v. Manning (Docket #5N038025V) opened the door to more opportunities. In 1987, the MTA created a program that’s still around today. The program for buskers called “Music Under New York” or MUNY, was a way for musicians to get inside subway stations and play their music without interference. They have official signs and time slots at specific stations given by the MTA to perform.
Now in 2026, we still see buskers everyday whether it be on our commute or just walking past them on the street. The unfortunate part of busking is that it’s no longer something that people can make income from. New York City used to be more of a hub for arts and music, especially in the late 1900s. People could make money to live and thrive everyday just from performing on the street. Nowadays however, it’s incredibly hard to make much cash in a day. Most buskers now perform for fun as a side hustle, even ones who have been busking for decades. Due to inflation and other factors, such as lack of cash holders and digitalized content being consumed, buskers don’t get the attention they used to anymore. An artform that was once a revolution, is now a pastime for people to experience on the side of their jobs.