New York State of Mind

"New York State of Mind" is a song by Billy Joel from his fourth studio album, Turnstiles (1976). Although never released as a single, it is both critically-acclaimed and amongst the most covered of Joel's songs. Joel plays it fairly regularly in concert. In October 2001, he performed it at the Concert for New York City, the benefit concert for members of the New York City Fire and Police Departments, as well as the loved ones and families of first responders killed during the September 11 attacks. He reprised the song and theme, playing it during his set at 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 12, 2012, when he changed lyrics to include "Breezy Point" and "Oceanside".

An early version of the song appeared on the double LP Live at the Great American Music Hall, 1975 (recorded at the Great American Music Hall, San Francisco in June 1975). This was released first in November 2021 as part of the box set Billy Joel: The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1, then in its own right on April 22, 2023 (for that year's Record Store Day). Ean Evans commented that some of the emphasis from his guitar playing on this recording was later copied by Joel on the piano.

The Turnstiles version received some initial airplay on FM and New York pop radio stations, and a cover of "New York State of Mind" led a two-song medley on the 1976 album To The Heart, by jazz-influenced English pop group Mark-Almond. However, the song only began to attract significant attention after it was recorded by Barbra Streisand for her hit album Superman (1977).