20 memorable songs about living spaces

Ari Lennox gives listeners an essential independent living anthem on her 2019 hit “New Apartment.” She highlights the feelings of having privacy while living alone. As she sings on the hook, “I just got a new apartment / I’m gon’ leave the floor wet / Walk around this b— naked / And nobody can tell me s—.” 

In 2010, country singer Miranda Lambert released her comforting single “The House That Built Me.” On the track, Lambert reflects on feeling a bit lost in life and wants to visit the house she grew up in to help her find a sense of self again. As she sings on the bridge, “You leave home, you move on and do the best you can / I got lost in this whole world and forgot who I am.” 

While a house is a place where someone resides, the late soulful singer Luther Vandross doesn’t believe his residence is comforting since he is dealing with a breakup on “A House Is Not a Home.” His feelings of sadness and loneliness are heard throughout the track: “But a room is not a house / And a house is not a home / When the two of us are far apart / And one of us has a broken heart.” 

On Free Nationals’ 2019 track “Apartment,” the protagonist deals with a breakup and is ready to start a new chapter. Part of starting anew as a single person is finding a place to live to call their own. While looking at nice apartments, the protagonist realizes he's still missing his ex-partner during this new process. 

A home is meant to be a comforting place where one can feel at ease and free. That’s the type of sentiment that is expressed in “Our House” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. As the band sings on the hook, “Our house is a very, very, very fine house / With two cats in the yard / Life used to be hard / Now everything is easy ‘cause of you.”

On Mickey Guyton’s 2021 track “Dancing in the Living Room,” the singer expresses how much she wants to have a good time with her lover at home. There’s no need to always party at a club when they could just play some music at home and dance the night away. Her feelings are fully displayed as she sings, “Let’s turn the lights down low / Let’s take it slow / Dancing the living room.” 

The songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson penned Diana Ross’ 1979 single “It’s My House.” On the track, Ross emphasizes how her house is a place built and decorated with love, and she treats it as such. As she sings, “There’s a welcome mat at the door / And if you come on in / You’re gonna get much more / I put my name in the ceiling above / ‘Cause it was built for love.” 

On Afro B’s 2019 single “Condo,” the singer expresses his infatuation with a potential partner and wants to show her the finer things and invite her to his crib. T-Pain joins to sing that he could put his partner up in a nice condo as well; she just needs to express mutual interest. 

On Kacey Musgraves' 2013 track “My House,” the singer details the life of living in a trailer and using it to travel across the country. Her feelings are evident from the first verse as she sings, “Who needs a house up on a hill / When you can have one on four wheels / And take it anywhere the wind might blow?” 

Sometimes visiting a past home can be a bit hard for a previous tenant, not only because of memories but because the space has changed. That’s the sentiment on Barenaked Ladies’ 1996 single “The Old Apartment,” in which the protagonist expresses a form of entitlement, anger, and regret as he visits his previous residence. 

Sometimes people feel a sense of nostalgia and comfort when they go back to the home they grew up in. Willie Nelson expresses these feelings in his 2017 track “Little House on the Hill.” As he sings, “That little house has weathered so many storms / It’s a place that feels so cozy and so warm / It’s waiting there for me, and it’s where I long to be." 

Instead of going to a club to have fun, people can bring their party to their own crib, and that’s exactly what Flo Rida did on his hit single “My House.” It’s a rendezvous with Flo and his partner, partying the night away alone. As he says in the third verse, “Welcome to my duck-off, the crib, the spot, the pad / But my house is your house if you throwin’ it back.” 

Kota the Friend’s 2021 track “Living Room” is a freestyle in which the rapper details how he feels the most comfort in his living room. As he raps, “I’m hella picky with everyone I invite / Some people that’s my friends, I told ‘em they banned for life / ‘Cause people who respect you, gon’ respect your crib.” 

Sometimes people move to bigger and better things, such as living in small homes and working hard to get the house of their dreams. Wiz Khalifa highlights that feat on his track “House in the Hills.” The rapper talks about having haters along his path toward success, but he's not letting that stop him because he's finally living in the mansion he's always wanted, and he's going to keep prevailing. 

In 2010, country singer Toby Keith released his single “Trailerhood.” On the track, Keith details his life of living in a trailer, how he interacts with his neighbors, and having a good time in his neighborhood. As he says on the hook, “It’s our little piece of paradise way out here in the woods / There is always something going on down in the trailerhood.” 

On Joyner Lucas’ 2015 track “Mansion,” the rapper wonders what he needs to do with his life to afford the house of his dreams. He expresses that a music career is his only option and that working as a cashier won't grant him the house he wants. Joyner hopes that his rap career works out in his favor so he can get everything he desires.

On Stevie Wonder’s 1968 track “The House on the Hill,” the singer expresses his admiration for a particular house in the neighborhood because he believes his future partner resides there. He wants to capture the attention of the girl who lives there, so he thinks that once he throws rocks at her bedroom window, she’ll run out to meet him with glee.

In 1995, Selena released her song “El Chico del Apartamento 512.” On the track, Selena tells the story of having a crush on a guy living in her apartment building. She eventually gets the courage to meet him, so she knocks on his door, and a woman answers. Selena believes the woman is her crush's partner, but she's actually his sister, much to the singer's relief. 

In 1984, Rick James’ protege group the Mary Jane Girls released their most successful single, “In My House.” On the track, the group stresses how they can give a partner all the love and affection they need, so the invite to their house is always open for the one they want. 

On Warren G’s 2015 track “My House,” the rapper details the many physical items seen in houses. Everything from furniture to rugs, pools, and so much more, Warren G is proud to call a house his own.