Cities are a major topic for popular songs. Music journalist Nick Coleman said that apart from love, "pop is better on cities than anything else."
Popular music often treats cities positively, though sometimes they are portrayed as places of danger and temptation. In many cases, songs celebrate individual cities, presenting them as exciting and liberating. Not all genres share the tendency to be positive about cities; in Country music cities are often portrayed as unfriendly and dehumanizing, or seductive but full of sin. However, there are many exceptions, for example: Lady Antebellum's song "This City" and Danielle Bradbery's "Young in America".
Lyricist and author Sheila Davis writes that including a city in a song's title helps focus the song on the concrete and specific, which is both more appealing and more likely to lead to universal truth than abstract generalizations. Davis also says that songs with titles concerning cities and other specific places often have enduring popularity.
Albania
Tirana "Shkupi, Tirana, Prishtina" by Adrian Gaxha "Tirona" by West Side Family
Algeria
Algiers "Alger" by Jean Leloup "Alger Alger" by Lili Boniche "Bahdja Bida" by Dahmane El Harrachi "Broken Flag" by Patti Smith
Oran "Rouhi ya Wahrane" by Khaled
Tizi Ouzou "Tizi Ouzou" by Idir & Maxime Le Forestier "Idrar Inu" by Idir
Armenia
Yerevan "No moles left in Irevan", by Jabbar Garyaghdioglu "Hey Jan Yerevan" by Willi Tokarev "Yerevan Jan" by Levon Malkhasyan
Argentina
Buenos Aires "Anclao en París" by Enrique Cadícamo "Boskie Buenos" by Maanam "Buenos Aires sólo es piedra" by Alas "Buenos Aires" by Benjamin Biolay "Buenos Aires" by Iz*One "Buenos Aires" by Dom La Nena "Buenos Aires" by Fito Páez "Buenos Aires" by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber "Buenos Aires" by Xoel López "Buenos Aires" by "Cafetín de Buenos Aires" by Roberto Goyeneche "Cae el Sol" by Soda Stereo ”Ciudad Mágica” by Tan Bionica "", tango by Ástor Piazzolla and Horacio Ferrer "En la Ciudad de la Furia" by Soda Stereo "" by Sumo "María de Buenos Aires" by Ástor Piazzolla "Mi Buenos Aires querido" by Carlos Gardel "No Bombardeen Buenos Aires" by Charly García "No Tan Buenos Aires" by Andrés Calamaro "Santa Maria (Del Buen Ayre)" by Gotan Project "Rapsodia Porteña" by Juan María Solare "Villa Crespo" by Juan María Solare "Villa Kreplaj" by Juan María Solare
Rosario "Tema de Piluso" by Fito Páez
Ushuaia "Anochecer en Ushuaia" by Juan María Solare
Córdoba "Soy Cordobés" by Rodrigo
Tucumán "Tucumán" by Mariano García
Azerbaijan
Baku "Baku" by Tofig Guliyev "Baku" by VO5 "Baku" by Muslim Magomayev "Baku" by Rashid Behbudov "Baku" by Iosif Kobzon "Mercy Baku" by DJ Smash
Australia
Adelaide "Adelaide" by Ben Folds "Adelaide" by John Cale "Adelaide" by Paul Kelly "Adelaide" by Anberlin "Adelaide" by the Rockfords "Adelaide, You're Beautiful" by Judith Durham "Best Western" by Bad Astronaut "Came from Adelaide" by Coodabeen Champions "Charades" by Cog "City of Light" by Hilltop Hoods "Hindley Street" by Powderfinger "Home and Broken Hearted" by Cold Chisel "Howl at the Moon" by Don Walker "In South Australia I Was Born" by Greg Champion "Largs Pier Hotel" by Jimmy Barnes "Lost in Adelaide" by Spiderbait "Mr Bad Example" by Warren Zevon "Northern" by Bad Dreems "One More Boring Night in Adelaide" by Redgum "Sitting in a Bar in Adelaide" by Skyhooks "Town With No Cheer" by Tom Waits "Welcome to Adelaide" by Snog
Albury–Wodonga "Albury Wodonga" by Private Function
Alice Springs "46 Miles from Alice" by Catherine Britt "88k from Alice" by Greg Champion "A Town Like Alice" by Ted Egan "Alice" by Dick Diver "Alice Springs" by Coloured Stone "Alice Springs" by Liz Phair "Alice Springs" by Mystery Jets "Alice Springs" by John Williamson "Alice Springs Rodeo" by Ted Egan "Alice Springs Waltz" by Herbie Laughton "The Ghan to Alice Springs" by Buddy Williams "Such a Beautiful Thing" by Ian Moss "Warakurna" by Midnight Oil "When the Snow Falls on the Alice" by Lee Kernaghan
Ballarat "Ballarat" by the Lemonheads "Died in Ballarat" by Mick Thomas' Roving Commission
Bathurst "Australian Boy" by Lee Kernaghan "The Bathurst Rebellion" by Lionel Long "Bathurst to L.A." by Penny Davies and Roger Ilott "Boys from Bathurst" by Lee Kernaghan "Four Walls" by Cold Chisel
Bendigo "Bendigo" by Matt Taylor "Bendigo, Welcome Stranger" by Keith Glass "Bendigo Rock" by Russell Morris "Ghost of Bendigo" by the Terrys and Nooky "The Kid from Bendigo" by Reg Lindsay "Lady from Bendigo" by Eric Bogle "Shazza and Michelle" by ROOT!
Brisbane "Auchenflower" by David McCormack "The Battle of Brisbane" by the Pogues "Big Old Car" by Adam Brand, Cold Chisel "Brisbane" by the Wiggles "Brisbane '82" by John Kennedy "Brisbane, 1933" by the Gin Club "Brisbane City" by Joel Turner "Brisbane Girl" by Penny Davies and Roger Ilott "Brisbane Ladies" by The Bushwhackers "Brisbane Love Song" by Sun Kil Moon "Brisbane (Security City) by the Saints "Brisbane, The River City" by Robbie Dunn "Brisbane to Beechworth" by Matt Taylor "Brisvegas" by John Kennedy's 68 Comeback Special "The Brown Snake" by Thelma Plum "Buckin' Brisbane Broncos" by Jim Haynes "Caboolture Speed Lab" by Custard "Coming Home" by Sheppard "Conversation with a Brisbane Cab Driver" by Rob Snarski "Darkside" by Kev Carmody "Departures (Blue Toowong Skies)" by Bernard Fanning "Dreamworld" by Midnight Oil "The Ekka (Dagwood Dogs)" by Robbie Dunn "Fortitude Valley" by Mick Thomas "Fortitude Valley" by Wagons "Fri Night in Brisbane" by Robbie Dunn "The Goodbye Train" by the Apartments "Growing Up in Brisbane" by Riptides "Hills of Brisbane" by James Blundell "Hey Steven" by John Kennedy's Love Gone Wrong "Inferno (Brisbane in Summer)" by Robert Forster "I've Been Drunk in Every Pub in Brisbane" by the Chats "Living South of the Freeway" by Kev Carmody "London... Paris... Bracken Ridge!" by the Onyas "Meet Me in the Mall in Brisbane" by Judith Durham "Moreton Bay" by John Denver "No-one Loves Brisbane Like Jesus" by John Williamson "No Sleep 'til Brisbane" by the Amity Affliction "Nuclear Device (The Wizard of Aus)" by the Stranglers "Pig City" by Spiral Stairs "Pig City" by The Parameters "Queensland University" by Custard "Rosalie" by Gaslight Radio "See You Again" by Catfish "Snake Skin Lady" by Robert Forster "Spring Rain" by the Go-Betweens "Streets of Your Town" by The Go-Betweens "Thought I Was Over You" by Jack Frost "Trees of Brisbane" by Charles Jenkins
Broken Hill "Broken Hill" by Stephen Rowe "The Bus to Broken Hill" by John Dengate "Inside a Fireball" by Hunters & Collectors "Moving On" by Roaring Jack "Pickin' Up the Pieces" by Tania Kernaghan "Push a Wheelbarrow" by John Williamson "This Is Not the Way Home" by the Cruel Sea "Truthful Fella" by Slim Dusty
Cairns "Bye Bye Pride" by The Go-Betweens "Cairns" by Emma Russack "Cairns" by Mikey Young "Christmas in Cairns" by The Ten Tenors
Canberra "Australia's Canberra" by Judith Durham "Canberra's Calling to You" by Jack Lumsdaine "Canberra, We're Watching You" by Dalvanius and the Fascinations "Dickson" by Cosmic Psychos "Gough" by The Whitlams "Yarralumla Wine" by Redgum
Coffs Harbour "Coffs Harbour Blues" by Hard-Ons "Harry Was a Bad Bugger" by Tex, Don and Charlie "Russell Crowe's Band" by Frenzal Rhomb
Darwin "Aralia" by Leah Flanagan "Darwin" by Don Walker "Darwin (Big Heart Of The North)" by Slim Dusty "Darwin is da Winner" by Judith Durham "Darwin Jailhouse Window" by Tex Morton "Santa Never Made It into Darwin" by Bill and Boyd "She’s On Again in Darwin" by Ted Egan "Song for Darwin" by Ayers Rock "Tojo" by Hoodoo Gurus
Fremantle "The Catalpa" by the Real McKenzies "Shine" by the Scientists "South Fremantle" by Ashley Naylor
Gladstone "Gladstone Pier" by Redgum
Glenorchy "The Glenorchy Bunyip" by Augie March
Gold Coast "The Boys Light Up" by Australian Crawl "Elly" by Kev Carmody "Gold Coast" by Violent Soho "Gold Coast Man" by Dan Kelly "Over the Border" by Skyhooks "Runaway Bay" by Ghostwriters "Southport Morning Post" by Gaslight Radio "Southport Superman" by the Chats "Surfers Paradise the Musical" by Tripod "Tina from Robina" by Gaslight Radio
Hobart "Hobart Obit" by Augie March "Happy Years I Spent in Hobart" by Judith Durham
Kalgoorlie "Kalgoorlie" by Tim Rogers and the Temperance Union "Kalgoorlie" by The Peep Tempel "King of Kalgoorlie" by Slim Dusty "The Golden Mile" by Spy vs Spy
Launceston "Launceston" by Icecream Hands
Mackay "Good to Cry" by Robert Forster
Melbourne
Mount Isa "Back at the Isa" by John Williamson "Carless in Isa" by Don Walker "City of Mount Isa" by Slim Dusty "Isa Rodeo" by Slim Dusty "Only Road You Know" by Chris LeDoux
Newcastle "The Basha Polka" by the Porkers "Earthquakin'" by the Porkers "Newcastle Knights" by Morgan Evans "Newcastle Nights" by "Jim Haynes "The Newcastle Song" by Bob Hudson "Star Hotel" by Cold Chisel
Perth "Arsehole of the Universe" by The Scientists "I Love Perth" by Pavement "Jeremy Joy" by The Triffids "Perth" by Bon Iver "Perth" by Beirut "Perth Is a Culture Shock" by The Victims "Perth Girls" by Abbe May "Perth Traumatic Stress Disorder" by Alex Lahey "Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town" by The Panda Band "South Perth" by Bernie Hayes "When Perth Is on the East Side" by Judith Durham
Port Lincoln "Cool Hand Lukin" by Paul Kelly "Drinkin in Port Lincoln" by Cold Chisel
Port Macquarie "The Ballad Of Port Macquarie" by Slim Dusty
Queanbeyan "Queanbeyan" by Jack Lumsdaine
Rockhampton "Six Hours to Brisbane" by Halfway
Sydney
Tamworth "Another Tinsel Town" by Rod McCormack "Big Trucks Are Rolling into Tamworth" by Greg Champion "Clouds Over Tamworth" by John Williamson "The Devil Went Down to Tamworth" by Pixie Jenkins "Everybody Knows Why Everybody Goes to Tamworth" by Smoky Dawson "Gotta Get Back to Tamworth" by Johnny Chester "Hello Tamworth" by Arthur Blanch "I Took My Trombone To Tamworth" by Ian McNamara "Joe Maguire's Pub" by Slim Dusty "Longyard On A Saturday Night" by Greg Champion "Making The Music In Tamworth" by Greg Champion "Tamworth" by Topp Twins "Tamworth (the song)" by Norma O'Hara Murphy "Tamworth the Great Country Star" by Stan Coster
Toowoomba "1990's" by Custard
Townsville "I Was Only Nineteen" by Redgum "Showtime" by Cold Chisel
Wangaratta "Wangaratta Gazza" by Peter Bibby "Wangaratta Wahine" by the Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band
Woolongong "Beachcomber from Wollongong" by John Williamson "Wollongong the Brave" by Aunty Jack
Whyalla "Whyalla" by Peter Bibby
Austria
Friedberg "Friedberg" by Anna F.
Fürstenfeld Fürstenfeld by S.T.S.
Salzburg "Salzburg" by Worakls
Vienna "Ganz Wien" by Falco "Vienna Calling" by Falco "Wiener Blut" by Falco "Vienna" by Matt Costa "Vienna" by Billy Joel "Vienna" by Ultravox "Vienna" by The Fray "Wien, Wien nur du allein" by Fritz Wunderlich "Vienne" by Barbara "Dear Vienna" by Owl City "Visit to Vienna" by Sahara Hotnights "Take This Waltz" by Leonard Cohen "A Night in Vienna" by Opus
Bahamas
Nassau "Funky Nassau" by The Beginning of the End "Sloop John B" by The Beach Boys
Belgium
Aalst "Aalst (stad mijner dromen)" by Raymond van het Groenewoud
Antwerp "Antwerpen" by Enter Shikari
Bruges "Le carillonneur de Bruges" by "Mon père disait" by Jacques Brel
Brussels "BX vibes" by Scylla "Brussel" by Johan Verminnen "Brussel" by Liesbeth List. Melody based on 'Bruxelles' by Jacques Brel. "Brussels by Night" by Raymond van het Groenewoud "Brussels Is on My Side" by Milow "Bruxelles" by Jacques Brel "Bruxelles" by Bénabar "Bruxelles" by Dick Annegarn "BruxellesVie" by Damso "Funky'n Brussels" by Lost Frequencies "Il pleut sur Bruxelles" by Dalida "In de Rue des Bouchers" by Johan Verminnen