The Very Best Songs About Detroit, Michigan
Discover the very best songs about Detroit, Michigan. Whether it’s home, you’re traveling there tomorrow, or are fascinated by its economic and cultural change, we have your back.
From Fats Domino to Eminem, from Bobby Bare to Obie Trice, from KISS to Kid Rock, from Marvin Gaye to Smokey Robinson, we’ve gathered the very best songs about Detroit, Michigan in one place.
Start with our top ten songs about Detroit, and then explore by genre—including rock, hip hop, alternative, electronic and dance, R&B, blues, country, singer/songwriter, standards and soundtracks, jazz, and even holiday tunes.
You’ll find all the best songs about Detroit, Michigan right here.
Top 10 Songs About Detroit, Michigan
- 8 Mile – Eminem (iTunes | Amazon) Eminem rapped about Detroit’s northern boundary, 8 Mile Road, in this title track from the 2002 hip hop film that starred him as Rabbit
- Motor City – Neil Young & Crazy Horse (iTunes | Amazon) Young’s 1981 track laments the appearance of Japanese cars on American roads and questions what’s happening in Detroit
- Detroit Rock City – KISS (iTunes | Amazon) This 1976 track tells the true story of a Kiss fan who was killed in a car accident on his way to a Kiss concert
- Cadillac Assembly Line – Albert King (iTunes | Amazon) King sings this blues tale about leaving his girl to take a job on the building Cadillacs
- Detroit, Michigan – The Fabulous Peps (iTunes | Amazon) A local favorite in 1960s Motown, the Peps’ fiery live performances and dance moves earned them a following at Detroit’s famous 20 Grand
- Lose Yourself – Larry Callahan and Selected of God (iTunes | Amazon) This haunting and inspiring cover of Eminem’s classic track from the film 8 Mile was featured in the infamous 2011 Superbowl commercial rallying Detroit’s strengths
- Detroit City – Alice Cooper (iTunes | Amazon) Beloved rock musician name checks multiple Detroit rockers in this song about living large in the volatile Motor City
- Detroit Swing 66 – Gomez (iTunes | Amazon) Alternative 2002 track was originally released in Australia before it found its way to American shores
- I Care About Detroit – Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (iTunes | Amazon) When Smokey sings this track, he shares why he loves Motown
- We Almost Lost Detroit – Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (iTunes | Amazon) Detroit’s American indie-pop band covers spoken word and rap pioneer Gil Scott-Heron’s original piece.
Want more of the best songs about Detroit, Michigan? Check our list below for more favorites, standbys, classics, and a few oddball selections. No matter your musical taste, you can find a sound you like among the best songs about Detroit. Like us on Facebook or check out more top 10 songs for other great cities and destinations.
MORE OF THE BEST SONGS ABOUT DETROIT
ROCK SONGS ABOUT DETROIT
- Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey (iTunes | Amazon)
- Can’t Tame The Lion – Journey (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit – Rush (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Breakdown – J. Geils Band (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit, Michigan – Kid Rock (iTunes | Amazon)
- Baby Come Home – Kid Rock (iTunes | Amazon)
- Son of Detroit – Kid Rock (iTunes | Amazon)
- Devil Without A Cause – Kid Rock (iTunes | Amazon)
- Rainin’ in Detroit – Eliza Neals (iTunes | Amazon)
- Leaving Detroit – Eliza Neals (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Rock City – The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (iTunes | Amazon)
- Panic in Detroit – David Bowie (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Medley (Live at Hammersmith Odeon Audio) – Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit – Ian Hunter (iTunes | Amazon)
- Hotel Yorba – The White Stripes (iTunes | Amazon)
- Hand Springs – The White Stripes (iTunes | Amazon)
- Lafayette Blues – The White Stripes (iTunes)
- Be My Lover – Alice Cooper (iTunes | Amazon)
- Worse Than Detroit – Robert Plant (iTunes | Amazon)
- Rock & Roll – Detroit (iTunes | Amazon)
- In Thee – Blue Öyster Cult (iTunes | Amazon)
- 25th Floor – Patti Smith (iTunes | Amazon)
- Motor City Madhouse – Ted Nugent (iTunes | Amazon)
- Born in Detroit – The Rockets (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit 442 – Blondie (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit ’67 – Sam Roberts Band (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Diesel – Alvin Lee (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Girls – Starz (iTunes | Amazon)
- The Detroit River Dirty Blues – Michael Katon (iTunes | Amazon)
- New Detroit – Neon Blonde (iTunes | Amazon)
- Passport to Detroit – Joe Strummer (iTunes | Amazon)
- Drifting Back to Motown – Crack the Sky & John Palumbo (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit – Dan Potthast (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit – The Reese Daily Band (iTunes)
- Detroit – Füxa (iTunes | Amazon)
- Motown – 12 Dirty Bullets (iTunes | Amazon)
- Bomb Ann Arbor Now – Dead Schembechlers (iTunes | Amazon)
- The Ann Arbor Chainsaw Massacre Christmas Song – Dead Schembechlers (iTunes | Amazon)
HIP HOP SONGS ABOUT DETROIT
- From The D – Eminem, Trick Trick & Kid Rock (iTunes | Amazon)
- Welcome 2 Detroit – Trick Trick & Eminem (iTunes | Amazon)
- Welcome 2 The Party (Ode 2 The Old School) – Kid Rock (iTunes | Amazon)
- Devil’s Night – D12 (iTunes)
- Detroit – Royce da 5’9 (iTunes | Amazon)
- King of Detroit – Royce da 5’9 (iTunes)
- I Run Detroit – Royce da 5’9 (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit MI – Cash Out feat. Royce da 5’9, Seven the General & Tone Tone (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Game – J Dilla feat. Chuck Inglish & Boldy James (iTunes | Amazon)
- 8 Miles and Runnin’ – Freeway & Jay Z (iTunes)
- There They Go – Obie Trice feat. Eminem & Big Herk (iTunes | Amazon)
- Welcome to Detroit – Dogmatic feat. Obie Trice (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit 187 – Product feat. Obie Trice (iTunes | Amazon)
- City of Boom – Detroit’s Most Wanted (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit State of Mind – Elzhi (iTunes | Amazon)
- Halloween On Military Street – Insane Clown Posse (iTunes | Amazon)
- The Smog – Insane Clown Posse (iTunes | Amazon)
- Welcome To Detroit – Jay-Dee (iTunes | Amazon)
- Hello Detroit – Executive feat. 2face (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Zoo – Disco D & Paradime (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit – Bronze Nazareth feat. Phillie & Kevlaar 7 (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Summer – Invincible + Waajeed (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit – Digital Terrorists (iTunes | Amazon)
- I’m in Detroit Trick – LMFAO (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit (Apollo Brown Mix) – Boog Brown (iTunes | Amazon)
ALTERNATIVE SONGS ABOUT DETROIT
- Detroit – The Bright Light Social Hour (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit – Rancid (iTunes | Amazon)
- The Big Three Killed My Baby – The White Stripes (iTunes | Amazon)
- Oh Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head (Rebuild! Restore! Reconsider!) – Sufjan Stevens (iTunes | Amazon)
- Motown Never Sounded So Good – Less Than Jake (iTunes | Amazon)
- Back to Detroit – Nikki Corvette & the Stingrays (iTunes | Amazon)
- Broke in Detroit (Again) – The Dirtbombs (iTunes | Amazon)
- Motor City Baby – The Dirtbombs (iTunes | Amazon)
- Broken Man – The Von Bondies (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Has a Skyline – Superchunk (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Has a Skyline (Acoustic) – Superchunk (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroiter, Part 2 – Bantam Rooster (iTunes | Amazon)
- Man From Detroit – Hard Place (iTunes | Amazon)
- City of Motors – Soul Coughing (iTunes | Amazon)
- Murder City Nights – Radio Birdman (iTunes | Amazon)
- Queen of Detroit – +/- {Plus/Minus} (iTunes | Amazon)
- The D In Detroit – Anniversary (iTunes | Amazon)
- The Power’s Out – Flogging Molly (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit – Primal Scream (iTunes | Amazon)
- Motor City – The Slackers (iTunes | Amazon)
ELECTRONIC & DANCE SONGS ABOUT DETROIT
- Ann Arbor – Fulgeance (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit – Gorillaz (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit – Starski & Clutch (iTunes | Amazon)
- Belle Isle Players – Starski & Clutch (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit (Original) – Inkfish (iTunes | Amazon)
- Motor City – The Dolls (iTunes | Amazon)
- Back to Detroit – Capone (iTunes | Amazon)
- Who’s Afraid of Detroit – Claude VonStroke (iTunes | Amazon)
- Back to Detroit – Joe Dominguez (iTunes | Amazon)
- Back to Detroit City – Tiger Stripes (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit – Morgan Geist (iTunes | Amazon)
- Hello Detroit – Emil Seidel (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Sound – Soul Designer (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Tickets – Apoptygma Berzerk (iTunes | Amazon)
- Landing In Detroit – The Detroit Grand Pubahs (iTunes)
- Put Your Hands Up for Detroit (Club Mix) – Fedde le Grande (iTunes)
R&B SONGS ABOUT DETROIT
- Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) – Marvin Gaye (iTunes | Amazon)
- We Almost Lost Detroit – Gil Scott-Heron (iTunes | Amazon)
- Devil With a Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly – Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels (iTunes | Amazon)
- Need Somebody – Subdudes (iTunes | Amazon)
- The Motown Song – Rod Stewart with The Temptations (iTunes | Amazon)
- Goin’ Back to Detroit – The Platters (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Michigan – Ronnie Love (iTunes | Amazon)
- Motor City – The Satintones (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Girl – Raphael Saadiq (iTunes)
BLUES SONGS ABOUT DETROIT
- Detroit City Blues – Fats Domino (iTunes | Amazon)
- The Motor City Is Burning – John Lee Hooker (iTunes | Amazon)
- I Love Detroit – The Boogiemen (iTunes)
- Detroit Blues – Tampa Red (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Jump – Big Maceo Merriweather (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Moan – Victoria Spivey (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Special – Big Bill Broonzy (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Lady – Motor City Josh (iTunes | Amazon)
- Hello Detroit – Cee Cee Collins with the RJ Spangler Trio (iTunes | Amazon)
- Blessed St. Anthony – Ty Stone (iTunes | Amazon)
COUNTRY SONGS ABOUT DETROIT
- One Piece at a Time – Johnny Cash (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit City – Bobby Bare (iTunes | Amazon)
- Motor City Man – South Austin Jug Band (iTunes | Amazon)
- Shuttin’ Detroit Down – John Rich (iTunes | Amazon)
- F**k You, I’m From Detroit – Nick Pivot (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Made – Gary Rand (iTunes | Amazon)
- Bless You Boys Detroit Tigers 1984 – Dan Gury (iTunes | Amazon)
- Motor City Boogie – York Brothers (iTunes | Amazon)
SINGER/SONGWRITER SONGS ABOUT DETROIT
- Papa Hobo – Paul Simon (iTunes | Amazon)
- The Last Time I Saw Richard – Joni Mitchell (iTunes | Amazon)
- Motor City Serenade – Stewart Francke (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Made – John Hiatt (iTunes | Amazon)
- Black Day In July – Gordon Lightfoot (iTunes | Amazon)
- Black Day In July – The Tragically Hip (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Waves – Matt Nathanson (iTunes | Amazon)
- Inmates – The Good Life (iTunes)
- These Hands (Song for Detroit) – Jason Roseboom (iTunes | Amazon)
- Ann Arbor – Timo Elliston (iTunes | Amazon)
POP SONGS ABOUT DETROIT
- Hello Detroit – Bogdon Vasquaf (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit City – Tom Jones & Charles Blackwell (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit – Dan Henig (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Was Built On Secrets – Search the City (iTunes | Amazon)
- Elizabeth Parker – Dave Caruso (iTunes | Amazon)
- Motor City Girl – The Badways (iTunes | Amazon)
STANDARDS & SOUNDTRACK SONGS ABOUT DETROIT
- Detroit – Western Massachusetts Sacred Harp Convention (iTunes | Amazon)
- Hello, Detroit – Daniel Boaventura (iTunes | Amazon)
- Hello Detroit – Rowetta (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit – John Davidson & Lesley Ann Warren from Disney’s The Happiest Millionaire (iTunes | Amazon)
- Spaghetti a Detroit – Fred Bongusto (iTunes | Amazon)
JAZZ SONGS ABOUT DETROIT
CHRISTMAS & HOLIDAY SONGS ABOUT DETROIT
- It’s Christmas Time In Detroit City – Redhill (iTunes | Amazon)
- Detroit Christmas Blues – Tim Pak (iTunes | Amazon)
- Snowtown In Motown – Ray Dahrouge (iTunes | Amazon)
- Christmas Eve On Woodward Avenue – Karen Newman (iTunes | Amazon)
- The Ann Arbor Chainsaw Massacre Christmas Song – Dead Schembechlers (iTunes | Amazon)
SUGGEST SONGS ABOUT DETROIT, MICHIGAN
Is there a great, good, or not half-bad song about Detroit or that takes place in Detroit that we missed? Drop us a line or contact us on Facebook and let us know. If it’s a fit, we’ll be sure to add it to our list of the best songs about Detroit, Michigan.