Over the last decade, creative industries have received increasing attention in urban development studies. As a startingpoint, the articleproposes a critical analysis ofsome usual concepts andperspectives, to clarify the meaningofthe creative economy in urban development. On this basis, we analyze the creative sectors in Spain, both from the point ofview oftheir importance in urban economy and ofthe spatial logic that determines its territorial distribution. The study considers two spatial scales: one, it focuses on the urban system, with reference to the urban areas defined by the Ministry ofPublic Works and Transport (Ministerio de Fomento); and two, it carries out a comparative analysis, at a metropolitan level, between Madrid and Barcelona. The use ofboth perspectives allows us to offer a more nuanced vision ofthe habitual reference to the spatial concentration ofthese activities andpropose new perspectivesforfuture research.