Portland, OR

Music connected to Portland

Looking for a city with a thriving music scene and a quirky soul? Head north to Portland, Oregon! This Pacific Northwest gem has inspired artists across genres, from the grunge anthems of Hole ("Celebrity Skin," "Doll Parts") to the indie rock stylings of Elliott Smith and Modest Mouse. Macklemore even drops a GPS coordinate shout-out in "Can't Hold Us," mapping out the city on the global stage. And let's not forget "The Simpsons" main title theme by Testify and "Do the Bartman" by The Simpsons Sing the Blues – a nod to the city where creator Matt Groening spent his formative years.

Beyond the music, Portland is a city shaped by its natural surroundings and a unique cultural identity. Nestled at just 50 feet above sea level and bisected by the Willamette River, Portland boasts stunning views and easy access to outdoor adventures like nearby Multnomah Falls. With more breweries per capita than anywhere else in the world, and a creative, nature-loving vibe permeating every corner, Portland offers a vibrant backdrop for discovering your next favorite band.

About Portland

• Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, grew up in Portland.
• Pinball was legalized in Portland after being banned for decades.
• Its deep-water port established Portland as a vital trade hub.
• Portland has more breweries per capita than any other city worldwide.
• The Great Fire of 1873 destroyed much of the city's business district.
• Named after Portland, Maine, the city was established in 1845.
• With over 650,000 residents, it's Oregon's most populous city.
• At 50 feet above sea level, it sits relatively low for a mountain state.
• The tech industry and manufacturing are major employers in Portland.
• A creative, quirky, and nature-loving atmosphere permeates Portland.
• The Missoula Floods during the Pleistocene Epoch carved out the landscape.
• Multnomah Falls, a towering waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge, is a short drive away.
• The Willamette River bisects the city, flowing north into the Columbia River.
• Black-tailed deer are commonly seen in Portland's parks and green spaces.
• Douglas fir trees dominate the forests surrounding the city.
• The Chinookan peoples inhabited the area for thousands of years before European contact.
• The Great Fire of 1866 destroyed a large portion of downtown Portland on August 2nd.
• Pittock Mansion, completed in 1914, offers panoramic views of the city.
• The Vista Bridge, built in 1926, is rumored to be haunted by a woman who jumped to her death.

Artists From Portland

Aaron Marsh Abronia Agalloch Aja Volkman Aldrlag Aphasia Ben Gilde Blind Pilot Brandi Shearer Bridge City Sinners Bridgette Wilson The Builders and The Butchers Camp Crush Cindy O’Dell Cool Cat Funk Dagger of the Mind Danava Deb Talan Del Porter Demi-Dryer Dirty Lowdowns Dispossessed Dolphin Midwives Drive Dryer Esperanza Spalding Everclear Ezra Bell Family Worship Center Frances Farmer Gals Fruition Gaythiest Grave Pilgrim Hippie Death Cult Holy Grove Horse Feathers I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In the House Indubious JAB Jane Powell Jasmin White Jefferey Martin Jenny Don't and the Spurs Jim Pepper Kaia Kat Cunning Kathy Kienzle Kendall Lujan Kimberly Brase Kutless Laurel Malone Lifesavas Lisa Jackson LP Giobbi Luna Negra Maiah Manser MarchFourth Matt Ward Michele Midge Williams Mike Bomb'r Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson Mizmor MR.ELIVE My New Vice Nancy Good Nick Gamer OM Trio On the Rocks Peter Ellefson Pink Martini Quarterflash Ravine Ray Greenley Red Fang Rescue Rhododendron Richmond Fontaine Robert Henry and the Repeaters Robot Eyes Robots of the Ancient World Roselit Bone Slow Goat SOL Stellar Descent Stephen Malkmus Thais Perkins The Blasting Company The Bridge City Sinners The Dandy Warhols The Decemberists The Delines The Gentry The Jazz Minors The Kingsmen The Love Machine The Macks The Shins The White Buffalo The Wipers Tim O’Dell Time Rift Todd Snider Unamused Vengeance Arsenal Village Idiot Viral Tyrant Wipers Wolflaut Youngblood Brass Band Weyes Blood Unknown Mortal Orchestra Gossip Grouper Yung Bae Vektroid Diane Birch Foghorn Stringband Visible Cloaks Sallie Ford Summer Cannibals Ages and Ages Tony Furtado Liz Vice The Last Artful Dodgr Maiah Wynne Dolorean Ural Thomas Johanna Warren The Takes Milc

Songs About Portland

September In Seattle by

Guwop by

Drifters Wife by

Tron Cat by

Can't Hold Us by

Gilman street by

celebrity skin by

doll parts by

miss world by

petals by

violet by

different days by

"the simpsons" Main title theme by

do the bartman by

Portland; Maine by

Portland East to Portland West by

Portland (feat. Quavo & Travis Scott) by

Portland Rain by

Portland by

Portland Woman by

Postcard from Portland by

Pictures on a Wall by

Between the Bars by

Miss Misery by

Down by the Water by

Float On by

Portland by

I Won’t Slip Up by

Nearby Places

Aaron Marsh Abronia Agalloch Ages and Ages Aja Volkman Aldrlag Aphasia Ben Gilde Blind Pilot Brandi Shearer Bridge City Sinners Bridgette Wilson Camp Crush Cindy O’Dell Cool Cat Funk Dagger of the Mind Danava Deb Talan Del Porter Demi-Dryer Diane Birch Dirty Lowdowns Dispossessed Dolorean Dolphin Midwives Drive Dryer Esperanza Spalding Everclear Ezra Bell Family Worship Center Foghorn Stringband Frances Farmer Gals Fruition Gaythiest Gossip Grave Pilgrim Grouper Hippie Death Cult Holy Grove Horse Feathers I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In the House Indubious JAB Jane Powell Jasmin White Jefferey Martin Jenny Don't and the Spurs Jim Pepper Johanna Warren Kaia Kat Cunning Kathy Kienzle Kendall Lujan Kimberly Brase Kutless LP Giobbi Laurel Malone Lifesavas Lisa Jackson Liz Vice Luna Negra MR.ELIVE Maiah Manser Maiah Wynne MarchFourth Matt Ward Michele Midge Williams Mike Bomb'r Milc Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson Mizmor My New Vice Nancy Good Nick Gamer OM Trio On the Rocks Peter Ellefson Pink Martini Quarterflash Ravine Ray Greenley Red Fang Rescue Rhododendron Richmond Fontaine Robert Henry and the Repeaters Robot Eyes Robots of the Ancient World Roselit Bone SOL Sallie Ford Slow Goat Stellar Descent Stephen Malkmus Summer Cannibals Thais Perkins The Blasting Company The Bridge City Sinners The Builders and The Butchers The Dandy Warhols The Decemberists The Delines The Gentry The Jazz Minors The Kingsmen The Last Artful Dodgr The Love Machine The Macks The Shins The Takes The White Buffalo The Wipers Tim O’Dell Time Rift Todd Snider Tony Furtado Unamused Unknown Mortal Orchestra Ural Thomas Vektroid Vengeance Arsenal Village Idiot Viral Tyrant Visible Cloaks Weyes Blood Wipers Wolflaut Youngblood Brass Band Yung Bae Aberdeen, WA Albany, OR Ashland, OR Auburn, WA Beaverton, OR Bellevue, WA Brier, WA Corvallis, OR Eugene, OR Everett, WA