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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1


                          [VINSON & ELKINS LETTERHEAD]




                                  July 8, 1998



Capstar Broadcasting Corporation
600 Congress Avenue, Suite 1400
Austin, Texas  78701

Dear Sirs:

         We have acted as counsel to Capstar Broadcasting Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the registration under
the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") of the offer and sale of an
aggregate of 4,580,000 shares (the "Shares") of Class A Common Stock, par value
$.01 per share ("Common Stock"), of the Company, as that number may be adjusted
from time to time pursuant to the provisions of the Capstar Broadcasting
Corporation 1998 Stock Option Plan (including the agreement evidencing an award
thereunder, the "Plan"), that may be issued pursuant to the Plan. Unless
otherwise defined herein, terms having their initial letters capitalized have
the meanings ascribed to them in the Plan.

         In reaching the opinion set forth herein, we have reviewed such
agreements, certificates of public officials and officers of the Company,
records, documents and matters of law that we deemed relevant.

         Based upon and subject to the foregoing, and subject further to the
assumptions, exceptions, and qualifications hereinafter stated, we express the
opinion that each Share, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Plan,
will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

         The opinion expressed above is subject to the following assumptions,
exceptions and qualifications:

                  (a)    We have assumed that (i) all information contained in
all documents reviewed by us is true and correct, (ii) all signatures on all
documents reviewed by us are genuine, (iii) all documents submitted to us as
originals are true and complete, (iv) all documents submitted to us as copies
are true and complete copies of the originals thereof, and (v) each natural
person signing any document reviewed by us had the legal capacity to do so.



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Capstar Broadcasting Corporation
July 8, 1998
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                  (b)    We have also assumed that the Company will receive the
full amount and type of consideration (as specified in the Plan) for each of the
Shares upon issuance, that such consideration will be in cash, personal
property, or services already performed, that such consideration will equal or
exceed the par value per share of Common Stock, that appropriate certificates
evidencing the Shares will be properly executed upon such issuance, and that
each grant of an award pursuant to the Plan will be duly authorized.

         The opinion expressed above is limited to the laws of the State of
Texas, the Delaware General Corporation Law, and the federal laws of the United
States of America.

         This opinion may be filed as an exhibit to a registration statement
filed under the Securities Act. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit
that we come into the category of persons whose consent is required under
Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities
and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder.

                                              Very truly yours,

                                              VINSON & ELKINS L.L.P.