City Parks and Recreation

Top Most Memorable Concerts in Central Park, New York City

Diana Ross – Live in Central Park (July 1983)

Artist:
Diana Ross

Month & Year:
July 1983

Notable Songs Performed:

  • Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
  • Endless Love
  • Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)
  • Upside Down
  • I’m Coming Out

Why It Was Famous:

A dramatic rainstorm hit during the first night, with Diana Ross performing through heavy wind and rain before the event was postponed and repeated the next day. The combined attendance reached over 400,000 people, making it one of the largest Central Park concerts ever.

Simon & Garfunkel – The Concert in Central Park (September 1981)

Artist:
Simon & Garfunkel

Month & Year:
September 1981

Notable Songs Performed:

  • The Sound of Silence
  • Bridge Over Troubled Water
  • Mrs. Robinson
  • Scarborough Fair
  • The Boxer

Why It Was Famous:

A historic reunion drawing nearly half a million people. The concert raised funds for Central Park’s restoration and became a best-selling live album and TV special.

Garth Brooks – Garth: Live from Central Park (August 1997)

Artist:
Garth Brooks

Month & Year:
August 1997

Notable Songs Performed:

  • Friends in Low Places
  • The Thunder Rolls
  • The Dance
  • Callin’ Baton Rouge
  • With Billy Joel: New York State of Mind, You May Be Right

Why It Was Famous:

Nicknamed “Garthstock,” this show attracted around 750,000 fans—one of the largest concert crowds in U.S. history. Broadcast live on HBO, it marked a huge cultural crossover moment for country music.

Elton John – Live in Central Park (September 1980)

Artist:
Elton John

Month & Year:
September 1980

Notable Songs Performed:

  • Your Song
  • Bennie and the Jets
  • Tiny Dancer
  • Crocodile Rock
  • Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
  • Encore: Rock and Roll Is Alive (And It Lives in New York), Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting

Why It Was Famous:

One of the most colorful Central Park concerts ever. Elton John’s appearance in a full Donald Duck costume became an iconic pop-culture moment, with over 400,000 attendees.

Dave Matthews Band – The Central Park Concert (September 2003)

Artist:
Dave Matthews Band

Month & Year:
September 2003

Notable Songs Performed:

  • Don’t Drink the Water
  • Grey Street
  • Two Step
  • Crush
  • All Along the Watchtower (with Warren Haynes)

Why It Was Famous:

A massive benefit concert supporting NYC public schools with around 120,000 people attending. The live album released afterward became one of DMB’s most celebrated recordings.

Top Memorable Concerts in London Parks

Queen – “A Day at the Races / Hyde Park Concert” (September 1976)

Artist:
Queen

Park:
Hyde Park

Month & Year:
September 1976

Notable Songs Performed:

  • "Bohemian Rhapsody"
  • "Somebody to Love"
  • "You’re My Best Friend"
  • "Tie Your Mother Down"
  • "God Save the Queen" (tape finale)

Why It Was Famous:

  • A free concert reportedly drawing 150,000–200,000 people, making it one of the largest in Hyde Park history.
  • Considered one of **Queen’s most legendary early performances**, filmed and heavily traded as a fan-favorite bootleg.
  • Occurred during the band’s rise to global superstardom, showcasing their theatrical live presence.

The Rolling Stones – Hyde Park Free Concert (July 1969)

Artist:
The Rolling Stones

Park:
Hyde Park

Month & Year:
July 1969

Notable Songs Performed:

  • "Jumpin’ Jack Flash"
  • "Honky Tonk Women"
  • "Midnight Rambler"
  • "Sympathy for the Devil"
  • "Love in Vain"

Why It Was Famous:

  • A historic free concert held just days after the death of bandmate **Brian Jones** — the band dedicated the performance to him.
  • Introduced new guitarist Mick Taylor.
  • Estimated crowd: 250,000–300,000 people.
  • Culturally significant moment in the 1960s counterculture scene.

Live 8 London – Hyde Park (July 2005)

Artist:
Live 8 London (Multi-artist event)

Park:
Hyde Park

Month & Year:
July 2005

Notable Songs Covered (selected):

  • Paul McCartney & U2 – "Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band"
  • Coldplay – "Fix You"
  • Pink Floyd (classic lineup reunion) – "Comfortably Numb", "Money", "Wish You Were Here"
  • Madonna – "Like a Prayer"

Why It Was Famous:

  • Part of a **simultaneous global broadcast event** aimed at influencing G8 leaders on poverty and debt relief.
  • Featured the first **Pink Floyd reunion with Roger Waters** since 1981, one of the biggest musical moments of the decade.
  • Watched by hundreds of millions worldwide.

The Proms in the Park – (multiple years, highlight: Elton John 1999)

Artist:
Elton John (1999 Headliner)

Park:
Hyde Park

Month & Year:
September 1999

Notable Songs Performed:

  • "Rocket Man"
  • "Circle of Life"
  • "Your Song"
  • "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"

Why It Was Famous:

  • Part of BBC’s Last Night of the Proms, this outdoor concert attracts huge annual crowds.
  • **Elton’s performance** stands out as one of the most celebrated modern Proms in the Park editions.
  • A unique mix of classical orchestra and pop legend, creating a cross-genre spectacle.

BTS – “Love Yourself: Speak Yourself” (Battersea Park Fan Celebration)

Artist:
BTS

Park:
Battersea Park

Month & Year:
June 2019

Notable Songs Covered (part of the fan celebration lineup & stage appearances):

  • "Boy With Luv"
  • "IDOL"
  • "Mic Drop"
  • "Fake Love"

Why It Was Famous:

  • Coincided with their sold-out Wembley concerts, with a massive **fan festival event held in Battersea Park** drawing huge global attention.
  • Marked the first time a K-pop act took over multiple major London public spaces during a tour.
  • Giant screens, fan zones, merch exhibitions, and dance stages made it a landmark cultural event in London.