Empire State of Mind

The harmony of 'Empire State of Mind' is deceptively simple — a single four-chord loop drives the entire track. Its power comes from the bVII (E major), borrowed from the mixolydian mode, which lends the progression an anthemic, stadium-rock quality unusual in hip-hop. Combined with Alicia Keys' octave-spanning piano voicings and the sampled soul foundation from 'Love on a Two-Way Street,' this straightforward progression achieves emotional grandeur that made it one of the most recognizable harmonic hooks of the 2000s.

The song was originally written by Brooklyn-native singer-songwriter Angela Hunte and her writing partner Janet 'Jnay' Sewell-Ulepic as a heartfelt tribute to their hometown, New York City. After initially submitting the track to Roc Nation and receiving discouraging feedback, an EMI Music Publishing associate encouraged them to resubmit it directly to Jay-Z. He kept the 'New York' singing hook but rewrote the verses, transforming it into a panoramic portrait of the city.

Built on crashing piano chords and a soaring vocal hook by Alicia Keys, 'Empire State of Mind' transforms Jay-Z's street-level storytelling into an orchestral rap ballad celebrating New York's grit and grandeur. The 2009 single topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks, won two Grammy Awards, and cemented itself as one of the most iconic city anthems ever recorded.