In May 2010, former Gossip Girl actress turned rock-chick Taylor Momsen and her band, The Pretty Reckless shot their music video for "Make Me Wanna Die", known as the "viral version" at the Hotel Chelsea in New York City. The video was directed by Patrick Dwyer.

"Make Me Wanna Die" plays during the end credits of the 2010 film Kick-Ass, and is also included on its soundtrack. In August 2010, the song was used in a trailer for the second season of The Vampire Diaries. "Make Me Wanna Die" was featured in the ninth episode of the fourth season of Gossip Girl, "The Witches of Bushwick", which aired on November 5, 2010. It was playing when Jenny (Momsen's character) as Serena pulls the curtain down to reveal Blair and Chuck talking together. The track was also used during the opening segment of the 2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

The Hotel Chelsea, also called the Chelsea Hotel, or simply the Chelsea is a historic New York City hotel and landmark built between 1883 and 1885, known primarily for the notability of its residents over the years. Located at 222 West 23rd Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, in the Manhattan neighborhood of Chelsea, the 250-unit hotel has been the home of numerous writers, musicians, artists and actors, including Bob Dylan, Virgil Thomson, Brigid Berlin, Charles Bukowski, Janis Joplin, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, Viva, Gaby Hoffmann, Jobriath, and Larry Rivers. Though the Chelsea no longer accepts new long-term residencies, the building is still home to many who lived there before the change in policy. As of August 1, 2011, the hotel is closed for renovations.

Arthur C. Clarke wrote 2001: A Space Odyssey while staying at the Chelsea, and poets Allen Ginsberg, and Gregory Corso chose it as a place for philosophical and artistic exchange. It is also known as the place where the writer Dylan Thomas was staying when he died of pneumonia on November 9, 1953, and where Nancy Spungen, girlfriend of Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols, was found stabbed to death on October 12, 1978. Arthur Miller has written a short piece, "The Chelsea Affect", describing life at The Chelsea in the early 1960s. The building has been a designated New York City landmark since 1966, and on the National Register of Historic Places since 1977.

Much of Hotel Chelsea's history has been colored by the musicians who have resided or visited there. Some of the most prominent names include Grateful Dead, Tom Waits, Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, Bobby "Werner" Strete, Mod Fun, Virgil Thomson, Chick Corea, Alexander Frey, Jeff Beck, Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Thunders, Mink DeVille, Phil Lynott, Paul Jones, Henri Chopin, John Cale, Édith Piaf, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Alice Cooper, Alejandro Escovedo, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Peter Walker, Canned Heat, Sid Vicious, J.D. Stooks, Vivian Stanshall, Richard Hell, Jobriath Boone, Little Annie, Lotti Golden, Rufus Wainwright, Lance Loud, Abdullah Ibrahim/Sathima Bea Benjamin/Jean Grae, Vasant Rai, Jacques Labouchere, and Leonard Cohen. Madonna lived at the Chelsea in the early eighties, returning in 1992 to shoot photographs for her book, Sex, in room 822. Falco, Ryan Adams, The Libertines, The Fuse (UK), Michael McDermott, Melissa Auf der Maur, Tim Freedman, and Anthony Kiedis have spent time at The Chelsea. British pop band La Roux shot the second version of the music video for their song "In for the Kill" at the Chelsea. The video for Dave Gahan's solo single "Saw Something" was filmed in the hotel.

Taylor Momsen's band did a photo shoot in room 822 of the Chelsea.

The hotel has been a home to actors and film directors such as Stanley Kubrick, Jonas Mekas (was long-time resident from 1967 to 1974), Shirley Clarke, Hal Miller, Mitch Hedberg, Dave Hill, Miloš Forman, Lillie Langtry, Ethan Hawke, Dennis Hopper, Vincent Gallo, Patricia Chica, Maria Beatty, Eddie Izzard, Uma Thurman, Elliott Gould, Elaine Stritch, Michael Imperioli, Jane Fonda, Russell Brand, Abel Ferrara's Driller Killer film star Baybi Day, Gaby Hoffmann and her mother, the Warhol film star Viva, and Edie Sedgwick.

Films such as Nine 1/2 Weeks (1986), Sid & Nancy (1986) and Léon: The Professional (1994) have featured the hotel.

Taylor Momsen

Taylor Michel Momsen was born July 26, 1993, and is an American actress, musician, and model, who portrayed the character of Jenny Humphrey on the CW television series Gossip Girl and Cindy Lou Who in Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas. She fronts the rock band The Pretty Reckless.

Beginning in 2007, Taylor played the character of Jenny Humphrey in The CW television series Gossip Girl, which is based on the book series by Cecily von Ziegesar. Momsen's appearances on the series became increasingly sporadic, and by the end of the first half of the fourth season, she had only appeared in four episodes. It was then announced that the actress would be scheduled for an indefinite hiatus from the show, which ultimately resulted in her leaving the series as a regular cast member, following the completion of the fourth season in 2011. Later that year, on August 16, 2011, Momsen told Elle magazine that she had quit acting to focus on her music career. Momsen attended the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan for high school education alongside Connor Paolo, Gregori Lukas and Sarah Hyland.

However, on October 16, 2012, it was reported that Momsen and Connor Paolo, whose recurring role as Momsen's stepbrother had also been significantly decreased following the fifth season, would be returning to Gossip Girl for the final episode of the sixth and final season. Between 2010 and 2011 Momsen decided to quit acting for the time being to focus solely on her music career.

Taylor was the face of British fashion chain New Look for its spring/summer 2010 collection. After weeks of speculation of who was the face of Madonna's 2010 fashion line "Material Girl", Momsen was announced on July 15, 2010. A week later, Momsen was announced as the model for John Galliano's new women's fragrance, scheduled to launch in autumn 2010. In 2010, she appeared in a video for John Galliano's "Parlez-Moi d’Amour" fragrance ad campaign. Taylor is currently the face of Samantha Thavasa's handbag line. She has done multiple photoshoots, press events, and commercials.

In March 2009, Momsen stated in an interview with OK! Magazine that her band The Pretty Reckless had then recently signed a deal with Interscope Records. She co-writes the songs with guitarist Ben Phillips; in addition to lead vocals, Momsen also plays rhythm guitar. She played her first tour with her band opening for The Veronicas on their Revenge is Sweeter Tour in spring 2009. The band's debut album Light Me Up was released on August 30, 2010 in the UK, where it debuted at number 6, as well as at number 18 in Ireland. The first single "Make Me Wanna Die" was released on May 30, 2010, where it peaked at number 16, while the second single "Miss Nothing" which was released on August 23, 2010 peaked at number 39. The third single released has been "Just Tonight".

On July 27, 2011, Momsen announced via Twitter that the band would be the supporting act for Evanescence during the fall of 2011. Throughout 2012, Momsen and her band toured North America; the second headlining tour, titled the Medicine Tour, began in March 2012 and culminated with supporting dates for Marilyn Manson's 2012 world tour Hey Cruel World... Tour. Momsen also appeared as guest vocalist on the first track of ex Ministry member Paul Barker's 2012 album Fix This.

On November 30, 2012, it was announced that The Pretty Reckless' fourth single "Kill Me" would be released on December 11. The track was the last song to be featured in the Gossip Girl series finale. In June 2013, the band released a teaser of their upcoming album, Going to Hell.

Momsen cites Kurt Cobain, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd, and AC/DC as some of her personal influences.