Synopsis

Joey Ramone's "New York City" becomes a fast-moving tribute to the place that shaped him. Through stop-motion photography, people across the city appear to sing along while moving through recognizable streets and landmarks, creating the sensation of a restless urban journey. The video shifts between everyday New Yorkers, members of the Ramones' extended circle, and familiar public figures. Joey himself appears briefly through previously unseen archival footage, turning the posthumous clip into both a celebration of New York and a warm farewell to its punk hometown hero.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was created from more than 1,600 still photographs taken around New York City and features 115 participants.

• The production used a pixilation technique: participants posed in sequence while matching reference images and lip-syncing to the song. The finished material was presented as an 8-frames-per-second stop-motion film.

• Filming took place in locations including Times Square, Joey Ramone Place in the East Village, and Forest Hills, Queens, where Joey and his Ramones bandmates grew up.

• Roughly half of the participants were recruited from the streets during filming. The mix of passersby, friends, family members, musicians, comedians, and other New York personalities was intended to reflect the city's diversity.

• The cameo list includes Tommy Ramone, Anthony Bourdain, Andrew W.K., Reggie Watts, Matt & Kim, Kristen Schaal, Scott Adsit, Ed Stasium, Mickey Leigh, and photographer Godlis.

• Joey's appearance comes from previously unseen footage filmed by his friend George Seminara, allowing the deceased singer to remain part of the video without using a conventional performance setup.

• A shot at 53rd Street and Third Avenue references "53rd & 3rd," the Ramones song associated with Dee Dee Ramone.