In this paper, the vibro-acoustic behaviors of vibrational cylindrical shells are investigated by using structural intensity approach. The reducing interior noise method for vibrating cylindrical shells is proposed by altering and redistributing the structural intensity through changing the damping property of the structure. The concept of proposed novel method is based on the properties of structural intensity distribution on cylindrical shells under different load and damping conditions, which can reflects power flow in the structures. In the study, the modal formulas of structural intensity are developed for the steady state vibration of cylindrical shell structures. The detailed formulas of structural intensity are derived by substituting modal quantities, in which the effect of main parameters such as weight coefficients and distribution functions on structure intensity are analyzed and discussed. Numerical simulations are first carried out based on the structural intensity analytical solutions of modal formulas. Through simulating the coupling vibration and acoustical radiation problems of cylindrical shell, the relationship between vibro-acoustic and structural intensity distribution is derived. We find that for cylindrical shell, by properly arranging damping conditions, the structural intensity can be efficiently changed and further the noise property can be improved. The proposed methodology has important implications and potential applications in the vibration and noise control of fuselage structure.