List of tallest buildings in the world in the context of "Willis Tower"

New York City is the most populous city in the United States, with a metropolitan area population of over 19 million as of 2025. Its skyline is one of the largest in the world, and the largest in the United States, in North America, and in the Western Hemisphere. Throughout the 20th century, New York City's skyline was by far the largest in the world. New York City is home to more than 7,000 completed high-rise buildings of at least 115 feet (35 m), of which at least 106 are taller than 650 feet (198 m). The tallest building in New York is One World Trade Center, which rises 1,776 feet (541 m). The 104-story skyscraper also stands as the tallest building in the United States, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, and the seventh-tallest building in the world.

The city is home to many of the earliest skyscrapers, which began to appear towards the end of the 19th century. A major construction surge in the 1920s saw the completion of some of the tallest skyscrapers in the world at the time, including the Chrysler Building in 1930 and the Empire State Building in 1931 in Midtown Manhattan. At 1,250 feet (381 m) and 102-stories, the Empire State Building stood as the tallest building in the world for almost four decades; it remains among the city's most recognizable skyscrapers today. Following a lull in skyscraper development during the 1930s to 1950s, construction steadily returned. The Empire State Building was dethroned as the world's tallest building in 1970, when the 1,368-foot (417 m) North Tower of the original World Trade Center surpassed it. The North Tower, along with its twin the South Tower, held this title only briefly as they were both surpassed by the Willis Tower (then Sears Tower) in Chicago in 1973. The Twin Towers remained the tallest buildings in New York City until they were destroyed in the September 11 attacks in 2001.

The Bank of America Corporate Center is an 871 ft (265 m) skyscraper in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. Designed by Argentine architect César Pelli and HKS Architects, and best known as the headquarters of the namesake Bank of America, it has been the tallest building in North Carolina since its 1992 construction, the 51st-tallest building in the United States, and the 174th-tallest building in the world.

Sometimes locally referred to as the "Taj McColl" after former Bank of America CEO Hugh McColl, who was responsible for the tower's construction, on a clear day the tower is visible to the naked eye from 35 miles (56 km) away.