Before the ascension of homespun superstars like The Killers and Panic! At The Disco, it fell on outsiders to write and perform songs about Las Vegas that could reach the ears of an international audience. In many cases, the songs were half-hearted efforts that the musicians themselves don’t rate: “Viva Las Vegas” was a medium-sized hit for Elvis Presley in 1964 (it reached #29 on the Billboard Hot 100), but he never performed it live, not even in Vegas itself. And when other name artists make Vegas songs, they’re packed with as-seen-on-TV clichés (see Sheryl Crow’s “Leaving Las Vegas” or Katy Perry’s “Waking Up in Vegas”), or use the city as a metaphor for stuff that has nothing to do with us (Gram Parsons’ “Ooh Las Vegas,” AC/DC’s “Sin City”). We waited a long damn time for our “Empire State of Mind,” our “No Sleep Till Brooklyn.” Now, The Killers drop local-pride anthems every few years.

But that doesn’t mean those outsider songs were bad. I’d suggest adding several of them to any all-Vegas playlist, along with the gems named below. But here’s the thing: If you live here, and you’ve made playlists to get you through the day: Congratulations, those are now all Vegas songs. Rip them away from other cities whose hometown musicians think they know something about living here.

MENTION THE CITY BY NAME

“Atomic City” U2

“Heaven or Las Vegas” Cocteau Twins

“Let’s Go to Vegas” Faith Hill

“Queen of Las Vegas” The B-52’s

“Vegas” Sara Bareilles

“Vegas” Doja Cat

“Vegas” Calvin Harris

“Vegas” Shamir

“Vegas Lights” Panic! At The Disco

“Vegas Nights” Mary J. Blige

“Viva Las Vegas” Elvis Presley (also Dead Kennedys, ZZ Top, Shawn Colvin or Nina Hagen)

“Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” Brandon Flowers

MUSIC VIDEO SET IN VEGAS, WHICH ARGUABLY GIVES US A STAKE

“24K Magic” Bruno Mars

“Do You Realize??” The Flaming Lips

“How I Feel” Flo Rida

“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” U2

“Money on My Mind” Sam Smith

“On My Mind” Ellie Goulding

“Ride” Lana Del Rey

“Space Lord” Monster Magnet

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