The Top Buskers in America:
A blog about the most entertaining street performers in the states.
The art of busking is an old tradition that has been around for centuries. Often, it is the only way that a young musician can make enough money to live on. And, although many people think of busking as a “hippie” or “beatnik” thing, it’s actually not as common as you might think. The truth is that there are just as many working musicians who use it as a day job to support their craft.
If you’re a musician looking to get into busking, then this site is for you! The Top Buskers in America will show you where to find work, how to make more money, and what kind of permits you need. We have also compiled a list of the most popular street performers in all 50 states! Click on one of the links below for more information about each state’s top busker, or scroll down for our top 10 list.
The Top Buskers in America
Buskers are musicians and entertainers who perform for tips in public places – on the street, in parks and plazas, in bars, clubs and restaurants. Some are amateurs trying out their craft; some are semi-pros adding to their income; others are seasoned pros who prefer the spontaneity of busking to the routines of a concert hall or nightclub.
Some buskers are content with a few coins from passers-by; others earn hundreds of dollars an hour. This blog is dedicated to profiling the very best in American busking entertainment.
Best Buskers in America:
The best street performers in America are all interviewed here. Learn how they got started, what their influences were, how they’ve made their acts better over the years, and what they enjoy most about busking. You will also find links to each of the best buskers’ websites so you can see where they are performing next. (Hint: keep an eye on New Orleans and Las Vegas!)
Busking is an art form, and street performers are often talented musicians, dancers, and other artists. We have collected the top buskers from around the country, in the hopes of guiding you to a great performance the next time you find yourself downtown.
The first step to becoming a successful busker is acquiring both talent and charisma. You must have something to offer in order to earn some cash! Luckily for us, there are many skilled performers located throughout America’s cities. From New York City’s subways to California’s beaches, there is certainly a wide variety of acts to be found.
We’ve also included a few of our favorite buskers from abroad. The United States is not the only place where people can be found performing on the streets! Buskers can be found all over Europe and Asia as well.
What is busking? Busking is the act of performing in public places for gratuities. The word busking was first noted in the English language around the mid 19th century and is thought to be derived from the Spanish root word buscar, which means to seek. There are many forms of busking; however, street performance is the most common.
In order to become a successful street performer you need to be a jack of all trades. You don’t have to be an expert juggler or magician, but you should be able to hold an audience’s attention for at least 10 minutes (or longer if you want more money). This can include juggling, magic tricks, singing, playing music, sketch comedy and even miming. There are endless possibilities for entertaining people on the streets.
Busking is the art of performing in public places for voluntary donations. These performances are often known as street performers. This is an art form that has been around for hundreds of years. Usually, you will find these performers in pedestrian areas and shopping districts.
Many street performers have become incredibly famous and beloved by the public. Some have even gone on to tour and make millions of dollars doing this. One of the most popular buskers, who plays an instrument called a didgeridoo, makes $75K a year from his performances alone!
The musician who plays the violin while balancing on a large ball is one of the most popular performers in New York. His name is Patrick Sweeney and he has been playing the violin for 20 years now. He began his career as a street performer 9 years ago and since then, he has traveled throughout the United States and Europe performing on the street and in galleries.
Sweeney is famous for his innovative style of playing the violin, which includes combining dancing, acting and gymnastics with his music. Sweeney uses different props to enhance his performance such as a large ball that he balances on while playing the violin. However, Sweeney has also become renowned for his musical compositions, which are often eclectic and include many different musical styles such as classical, rock and folk music.
The music that Sweeney plays is largely improvised and inspired by what he sees around him or by whatever else happens to be going through his mind at the time. This unique approach to improvising music means that each performance offers something new.