Rolling Stone has marked the 40th anniversary of New York's SummerStage, the free outdoor concert series held largely in Central Park, with a curated photo gallery of its most memorable performances. The piece matters as a celebration of a long-running cultural institution that has brought major and emerging artists across many genres to public parks, offering New Yorkers free access to world-class live music since the 1980s.

The selections, chosen with commentary from insiders identified as J.K. and E.E., span four decades and a wide range of styles. Early highlights include Ladysmith Black Mambazo's 1987 US headline debut, at which they called for Nelson Mandela's release, Youssou N'Dour in 1988, and Arrow performing "Hot Hot Hot" with Buster Poindexter. Later standouts feature Buddy Guy, Curtis Mayfield, Lou Reed's 1991 free show for over 5,000 fans, Patti Smith's 1993 return after 12 years away, Joni Mitchell, Mavis Staples, Gil Scott-Heron and Levon Helm. The list also spotlights hip-hop, with Naughty by Nature and a 2016 Public Enemy set in Brooklyn's Betsy Head Park, reflecting the series' reach beyond Central Park.