Time and place, as encapsulated in music, is an intriguing way to trace history. In South Africa, for example, the most hopeful and most dismal moments of apartheid were captured in soul and funk tunes from the nation’s best Black musicians, from Letta Mbulu to Hugh Masekela. The history of New York City, the cultural capital of the world, has its own ups and downs. In 1979, when Frank Sinatra released his cover of “Theme from New York, New York,” the city was experiencing both urban decay and an artistic renaissance. The anthem reflected both: “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.” In the 1990s, as the crack epidemic gripped the city, The Notorious B.I.G. rapped, “Back in the days, our parents used to take care of us. Look at ’em now, they even fuckin’ scared of us.” Marking its centennial, the Museum of the City of New York explores 100 years of Big Apple history through the songs that shaped it. Photographs by artists ranging from Fred W. McDarrah to Janette Beckman fill in the gaps of the story. —Elena Clavarino