In the late 1960s, New York bore the deep scars of urban neglect. There were no trendy coffee shops, boutique fitness studios and Citi Bike stations lining the sidewalks. In working-class neighborhoods like the South Bronx and the Lower East Side, it wasn’t uncommon to encounter abandoned buildings reduced to rubble, vacant lots, and boarded-up storefronts. They stood as haunting reminders of a city in crisis.
Then, on November 10, 1969, Sesame Street broadcast a radically different vision of the city to millions of television screens—and it was nothing like the images of urban decay that dominated the headlines.
At a time when children’s programming often whisked viewers away to utopian suburbs and fantasy worlds, Sesame Street placed them in an urban neighborhood. Its brownstone stoops, fire escapes, storefronts and diverse cast reflected the city around them. And the show didn’t just look like New York. It reflected the city’s everyday sounds and experiences, too.
Learning the City Through Song
Take the 1974 segment “The Subway,” where an ordinary train ride is transformed into an exciting adventure driven by a British-beatnik pop melody. Beneath the catchy tune is a crash course in navigating the underground system—from buying a token to watching for closing doors to telling a local train from an express. By demystifying the subway experience, the scene assured children that public transit isn’t so scary.
That same spirit of autonomy comes through in the animated short “I Can Remember (Bread, Milk, Butter).” The segment follows a young girl sent on an errand for her mother—a simple chore for an adult, but a moment of independence for a child. A stripped-down urban streetscape unfolds around her as she makes her way to the corner store, repeating her grocery list like a mantra. Backed by a lively jazz-funk score, the ordinary errand becomes an act of responsibility as she makes her way through the neighborhood on her own.
“Forty Blocks From My Home” similarly uses music to build a child’s confidence. Farley, a homesick boy riding the bus to school, counts the 40 daunting blocks along the way. A soul-infused blues follows him through his apprehension, turning a long, unfamiliar journey into something he can face on his own.
More Than Nursery Rhymes
While most children’s shows stuck to basic nursery rhymes, Sesame Street took a more sophisticated approach to entertainment. Music producers treated their young audience as capable listeners who could appreciate a wide range of musical genres.
The show also gave viewers a front-row seat to performances by both emerging artists and established stars. Among them was Brooklyn native Lena Horne, who performed “Bein’ Green” with Kermit the Frog in 1973. The performance turned the song’s message into a touching lesson of self-acceptance. A decade later, Long Island’s piano man Billy Joel serenaded Oscar the Grouch with “Just the Way You Are,” reinforcing the message of embracing yourself as you are.
That sense of belonging was particularly significant for the city’s Latino children, who had few opportunities to see themselves represented on American television at the time. Sesame Street brought their cultures to 123 Sesame Street through cast members like Maria and performers who shared their music and traditions with the audience.
In 1987, the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz, joined the roster of guest performers, bringing the exuberance of Afro-Latino rhythms. Six years later, Spanish Harlem percussionist Tito Puente brought his electrifying mambo to the neighborhood. Even Oscar the Grouch couldn’t resist crawling out of his garbage can for a dance.
An Introduction to the Greats
One of my core memories is bopping along to Cookie Monster’s signature song, “C Is for Cookie.” My name also starts with C, so naturally, I considered it my song, too. At the time, I had no idea I was listening to jazz music. I just knew I loved it.
Norah Jones had a similar experience. She shared with The New York Times that watching Harlem legend Cab Calloway perform his signature “Hi-De-Ho” with the Muppets was “definitely the first time” she saw a jazz musician. Years later, Jones would become a jazz artist herself, winning five Grammys for her debut album, Come Away With Me, including Album of the Year.
For generations of children, these performances became an introduction to musical genres they might not have encountered otherwise. Today, that magic can happen anytime. Children no longer have to abide by a television schedule; streaming makes Sesame Street available whenever they want, helping its music reach another generation in 150 countries and more than 70 languages.
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