How music became a 'balm' for New York in the aftermath of 9/11

Twenty-five years after 9/11, musicians continue to shape how the attacks are remembered, and the Twin Towers’ destruction changed the meaning of songs written before the tragedy. The article explains how the towers—an enduring part of New York’s visual identity—appeared in films and music imagery, then became a central symbol after 11 September 2001. It draws on an interview with French journalist Jean-Marie Pottier, author of Ground Zero: Une histoire musicale du 11-Septembre, discussing how American artists reframed public grief and urban identity through music.