{{Short description|1978 single by Ace Frehley}} {{EngvarB|date=October 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} {{More citations needed|date=March 2015}} {{Infobox song | name = New York Groove | cover = | alt = | type = single | artist = Hello | album = Keeps Us Off the Streets | B-side = Little Miss Mystery | released = 1975 | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = Glam rock | length = 3:01 | label = Bell | writer = Russ Ballard | producer = Mike Leander | prev_title = Bend Me, Shape Me | prev_year = 1975 | next_title = Star Studded Sham | next_year = 1976 }}
{{Infobox song | name = New York Groove | cover = New York Groove single.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Ace Frehley/Kiss | album = Ace Frehley | B-side = Snow Blind | released = September 1978 | recorded = | studio = Plaza Sound, New York City | venue = | genre = Glam rock | length = 3:01 | label = Casablanca | writer = Russ Ballard | producer = Eddie Kramer, Ace Frehley | prev_title = Radioactive | prev_title2 = See You in Your Dreams | prev_year = 1978 | title = | title2 = Snow Blind | next_title = Don't You Let Me Down | next_year = 1978 }}
"'''New York Groove'''" is a song written by the English musician and producer Russ Ballard. The song was originally recorded by the glam rock band Hello in 1975 and was later covered by Ace Frehley, lead guitarist of American rock band Kiss for his 1978 solo album. Frehley's version is arguably the best known, especially in the United States.
== Hello version == British glam rock band Hello first recorded the song in 1975, for their debut album, ''Keeps Us Off the Streets''.
The song was a number nine hit in the UK,<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/new%20york%20groove/ |title=Official Charts Company |website=Officialcharts.com |date=18 October 1975 |access-date=6 October 2018 }}</ref> and subsequently reached number seven in Germany. The song is featured on a radio station and played during the end credits of the 2008 video game ''Grand Theft Auto IV''.
== Ace Frehley version == Ace Frehley, best known as the lead guitarist of Kiss, recorded "New York Groove" for his first solo album, ''Ace Frehley'', released in 1978; the album was released concurrently with solo albums from the other three Kiss members: Peter Criss; Gene Simmons; and Paul Stanley. Frehley originally "scoffed" at the idea of the remake, but co-producer Eddie Kramer persisted. It was released as a single and the song made it to No. 13 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100,<ref name="auto1">''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990'' - {{ISBN|0-89820-089-X}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Billboard Chart History for New York Groove |magazine=Billboard |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ace-frehley/chart-history/hsi/ |access-date=2019-12-15 }}</ref> by far the highest-charting single from any of the four solo albums. Frehley once told ''Rolling Stone'' magazine that his unique take on the song was inspired by his experience with hookers in New York City's Times Square in the 1970s.{{fact|date=September 2025}}
"New York Groove" was performed on Kiss's tours of 1979 and 1980, and became a staple of Frehley's shows during his solo tours in the 1980s and 1990s, and again during the Reunion Tour when he rejoined Kiss in 1996.{{fact|date=September 2025}}
A live version of the song can be found on the Japanese CD and American vinyl re-releases of the Kiss album ''You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!!'' (1996), which was originally recorded in Sydney, Australia in 1980. It is one of the few officially released Kiss live recordings to feature drummer Eric Carr.{{fact|date=September 2025}}
=== Personnel on Ace Frehley version === *Ace Frehley – lead vocals, guitars, bass *Anton Fig – drums, percussion *David Lasley, Don Yowell and Susan Collins – backing vocals *Bobby McAdams – power mouth (talk box)
== Chart history ==
===Hello original === {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1975–1976) !Peak<br/>position |- {{single chart|Austria|10|artist=Hello|song=New York Groove|rowheader=true|access-date=October 17, 2023}} |- {{single chart|Germany|7|artist=Hello|song=New York Groove|songid=27607|rowheader=true|access-date=October 17, 2023}} |- {{single chart|UK|9|date=19751109|rowheader=true|access-date=October 17, 2023}} |}
===Ace Frehley cover=== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} ====Weekly charts==== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1978–1979) !Peak<br/>position |- ! scope="row"| Australian Singles (Kent Music Report)<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}</ref> | align="center"| 29 |- {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|25|chartid=0109a|rowheader=true|access-date=October 17, 2023|refname=CAN1}} |- {{single chart|New Zealand|24|artist=Ace Frehley|song=New York Groove|rowheader=true|access-date=October 17, 2023}} |- ! scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(F).html|title=South African Rock Lists Website – SA Charts 1965–1989 Acts (F) |website=Rock.co.za}}</ref> |align="center"|4 |- {{single chart|Billboardhot100|13|artist=Ace Frehley|rowheader=true|access-date=October 17, 2023}} |}
{{col-2}} ====Year-end charts==== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1979) !Peak<br/>position |- {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|175|chartid=6855b|rowheader=true|access-date=October 17, 2023|refname=CAN2}} |- ! scope="row"|US Top Pop Singles (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine |date=22 December 1979 |title=1979 Talent in Action – Year End Charts: Pop Singles |page=TIA-10 |magazine=Billboard |volume=91 |issue=51 }}</ref> |align="center"|60 |} {{col-end}}
== Other versions == "New York Groove" is the opening track on the 2012 Andy Scott's Sweet album ''New York Connection''. This version fuses Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' song "Empire State of Mind" (another ode to New York city), into the chorus.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sweet Return With New Album 'New York Connection' |url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/sweet-return-with-new-album-new-york-connection/|website=Ultimateclassicrock.com|access-date=7 February 2015|date=5 February 2012}}</ref>
== Soundtrack appearances == {{unreferenced section|date=January 2018}}
The Ace Frehley recording appears in the following films:
* ''Idle Hands'' (1999) * ''Los Enchiladas!'' (1999) * ''A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints'' (2006) * The documentary ''Inside Job'' (2010) * ''Top Cat: The Movie'' (2011) * ''Blood Ties'' (2013) * ''Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop'' (2015) * ''Weiner'' (2016) * ''American Animals'' (2018)
"New York Groove" has also been used on television:
* It was played at the end of the 10th episode of season 4 of the TV show ''Entourage''. * The Ace Frehley recording was played in the 12th episode of season 3 of the TV show ''Californication''. * It was the opening theme for the first two seasons of the American cable television reality series ''NY Ink''. * It has been played on USA Network in a promo for the series ''White Collar''. * It was played in the 8th episode of season 5 of the HBO TV show ''Girls'' as Hannah Horvath and her boyfriend Fran leave New York in an RV. * It was the opening theme for NBC's ''The Blacklist'' Season 5, Episode 1. * It was used during WWE's Wrestlemania 34 as the official promotional theme for the upcoming Wrestlemania 35. * It was played in the first episode of Mike Flanagan's eight part horror series The Fall of the House of Usher for Netflix. * ''It was played during the closing credits of the last episode of The Continental: From the World of John Wick (2023).'' * It was played in the trailers for the 2025 series ''Dexter: Resurrection''. * It featured in the 2025 cold open of Season 2 of The Walking Dead: Dead City.
AT&T also used the Hello version of "New York Groove" in a 2012 commercial.
The Hello version of "New York Groove" was also used in commercials promoting New York state's economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-header/ny-news/back-in-the-ny-groove-new-ad-campaign-launched-to-support-states-economic-recovery/ | title='Back in the NY Groove': New ad campaign launched to support state's economic recovery |publisher=WETM-TV|last=Siegal|first=Chelsea|date=12 May 2021}}</ref>
The original version by Hello is featured in the video game ''Grand Theft Auto IV'' on the in-game radio station Liberty Rock Radio, as well as being one of four songs to play during the end credits after the games theme played.
The Ace Frehley version was among songs proposed by James Gunn for use with the ''Guardians of the Galaxy'' in ''Avengers: Infinity War''. In a deleted scene, Star-Lord and Drax argue about the song.
== Other usages == {{Unreferenced section|date=January 2018}}
The New York Mets play "New York Groove" immediately following a victory at Citi Field.
The New York Giants use "New York Groove" at home games after scoring a touchdown as well as Super Bowl XXXV, Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLVI. The New York Boulders use this song as their victory song as well.
A sample of the song's main riff and rhythm (1975 Hello version) was used by the Argentine rock band Soda Stereo for their song "Zoom" from the album ''Sueño Stereo'' in 1995. The lyrics for "Zoom" were written by Gustavo Cerati.
The Iona Gaels (since 2005) and New York City Football Club (since 2016) use "New York Groove" after winning home games.
The song has been used as the background promotional music for the 2014 and 2015 TCS New York City Marathons.
Stephen King uses the song as the title to a chapter in ''Wolves of the Calla'', book V of his dark fantasy ''The Dark Tower'' series, where the characters Jake Chambers and Eddie Dean briefly return to New York City by means of magical muffinballs, and the characters also allude to the song in free indirect speech. As Jake was "drawn" into the world of the ''Dark Tower'' from the NYC of 1977, he is most likely referring to the Hello version.
The film ''Golden Exits'' (2017) begins with a character singing the song.
Ace Frehley performed the song live at the beginning of the 2018 NHL Winter Classic between the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers at Citi Field in New York City. The song was played as the Sabres and Rangers took the ice.
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Ace Frehley}} {{Kiss singles}} {{authority control}}
Category:Kiss (band) songs Category:1975 singles Category:1978 singles Category:Songs written by Russ Ballard Category:Songs about New York City Category:Casablanca Records singles Category:1975 songs