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The 250 greatest songs ever written about America

Sat 4 July 2026 17:45, UK

From “take me home, country roads” to “born in the USA” and “I ain’t no Senator’s son”, perhaps you get the clearest picture of America from the words that have been written about her in song.

Hell, Bono was even pretentious enough to say that “America is a song”. Currently, it is dissonant jazz, but occasionally, it has held a tune. Those tunes say a lot about the nation. Every country in the world sees its art shaped by its society and land. When it comes to the States, the vast open expanse of the country, and the dreams that it inspires, seems central to the culture that unfurls.

Bruce Springsteen typifies the red, white, and blue perhaps more than anyone. He is an entirely American artist. When he sings about hopping into a dented muscle car and blazing off into the horizon, you believe him. You picture him burning rubber for days on end as the sun somehow eternally sets in the rearview mirror. You think he really is going to leave his dead-end life behind and achieve his goals over in California, Boston, or wherever his latest bloodied by an undefeated protagonist is driving.

The premise doesn’t work outside of the States. If that same protagonist were British, in a bid to burn rudder in search of a new life, they would have to hop behind the wheel of a reasonably priced Corsa, trundle responsibly from Newcastle for an hour before reaching a service station on the outskirts of Leeds, coming to their senses, having a cuppa and a sausage roll, and then heading back home.

Most of the world would align with that way of thinking. The scope and scale of things in most other places are simply smaller. Equally, that is often reflected in the sound of the music, not just the themes. Take a riff like ‘American Girl‘, for instance, Tom Petty’s classic is all strong open chords, played out with straight-hand swagger.

In fact, the very formulation of rock ‘n’ roll is unique to the US. It was all swirled together at Congo Square. Situated in the heart of what is now befittingly called Louis Armstrong Park, just north of the French Quarter, this fabled spot in New Orleans is where African slaves would gather when they were permitted Sundays off. This foregathering was enforced by 1817 when the city mayor of New Orleans specifically selected the square as the only “gathering ground” permitted.

Imagine, if you will, how such a joyous cacophony in the heart of the bubbling chic New Orleans could cause the eruption of modern music to burst into song. Jazz, blues, and rock ‘n’ roll came roaring from the swirled mixing bowl of the square, surrounded by crooked tupelo trees, serpentine dust roads and the giant clay ball moon that seems to be a few miles closer to the Delta than the rest of the world, presiding in the hot sultry evening air, as though leering in to catch the sweet sound of celebration despite dower circumstance unfurling below.

You might have a blues guitarist on one bench, someone singing hymns on another, and a drummer playing out a Vodou beat the next one. Great swinging jams might erupt as music from all corners coalesced into one. And that was called rock ‘n’ roll.

It doesn’t take the most judicious reader to recognise that while that might make the genre one of worthy defiance, the crooked depravity from which it was born is more than an asterisk. Which is why American music is often the most fiercely political on the planet, too. As James Baldwin put it, “I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.”

A huge host of the country’s finest artists have held a similar point of view. All of this together has made the country the second greatest engine of music on the planet (wink). So, with that in mind, to celebrate/commiserate 250 years of the USA, we’ve compiled a playlist of the 250 greatest songs ever written about her.

The 250 greatest songs ever written about America:

‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ – Sam Cooke (1964)
‘Across 110th Street’ – Bobby Womack (1972)
‘Alabama’ – 13th Floor Elevators (1966)
‘Alabama’ – Neil Young (1972)
‘All My Friends Are in New York’ – The Stranglers (1977)
‘Allentown’ – Billy Joel (1982)
‘Alright’ – Kendrick Lamar (2015)
‘America’ – Christopher Owens (2015)
‘America’ – First Aid Kit (2014)
‘America’ – Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim (1957)
‘America’ – Prince (1985)
‘America’ – Simon & Garfunkel (1968)
‘America Drinks & Goes Home’ – Frank Zappa (1967)
‘America Eats Its Young’ – Funkadelic (1972)
‘American Dream’ – LCD Soundsystem (2017)
‘American Girl’ – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1976)
‘American Idiot’ – Green Day (2004)
‘American Jesus’ – Bad Religion (1993)
‘American Life’ – Madonna (2003)
‘American Pie’ – Don McLean (1971)
‘American Remains’ – The Highwaymen (1990)
‘American Woman’ – The Guess Who (1970)
‘Americana’ – Ray Davies (2004)
‘Americans’ – Janelle Monae (2018)
‘Angel from Montgomery’ – John Prine (1971)
‘Angeles’ – Elliott Smith (1997)
‘Arizona’ – Kings of Leon (2007)
‘ATliens’ – Outkast (1996)
‘Avenue A’ – The Dictators (1977)
‘Back in the U.S.A.’ – Chuck Berry (1959)
‘Back in the USA’ – Linda Ronstadt (1978)
‘Baltimore’ – Randy Newman (1977)
‘Baltimore Oriole’ – Hoagy Carmichael (1941)
‘Big River’ – Johnny Cash (1958)
‘Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos’ – Public Enemy (1988)
‘Blood Buzz Ohio’ – The National (2010)
‘Blue Coupe’ – Twin Peaks (2017)
‘Blue Ridge Mountains’ – Fleet Foxes (2008)
‘Born in the U.S.A.’ – Bruce Springsteen (1984)
‘Boys of Summer’ – Don Henley (1984)
‘Breakfast in America’ – Supertramp (1979)
‘Brooklyn’ – Steely Dan (1972)
‘Buckskin Boy’ – Hataali (2023)
‘California’ – Joni Mitchell (1971)
‘California Dreamin” – The Mamas & the Papas (1965)
‘California Nights’ – Best Coast (2010)
‘California Soul’ – Marlena Shaw (1969)
‘California Stars’ – Billy Bragg & Wilco (1998)
‘California Über Alles’ – Dead Kennedys (1979)
‘Calling America’ – ELO (1986)
‘Campfire Song’ – Levon Helm (2009)
‘Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa’ – Vampire Weekend (2008)
‘Carolina Drama’ – The Raconteurs (2008)
‘Casey Jones’ – Grateful Dead (1970)
‘Central Park West’ – John Coltrane (1964)
‘Changes’ – Tupac (1992)
‘Chicago’ – Graham Nash (1971)
‘Chicago’ – Sufjan Stevens (2005)
‘Chimacum Rain’ – Linda Perhacs (1970)
‘Cissy Strut’ – The Meters (1969)
‘Clay Pigeons’ – Blaze Foley (1989)
‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ – Loretta Lynn (1970)
‘Community of Hope’ – PJ Harvey (2016)
‘Copperhead Road’ – Steve Earle (1988)
‘Country Roads’ – John Denver (1971)
‘County Lines’ – Cass McCombs (2011)
‘Crossroad Blues’ – Robert Johnson (1936)
‘Crosstown Traffic’ – Jimi Hendrix (1968)
‘Dallas’ – Silver Jews (1996)
‘Dancing in the Street’ – Martha and the Vandellas (1964)
‘Detroit Rock City’ – Kiss (1976)
‘Dirty Blvd’ – Lou Reed (1989)
‘Do You Know the Way to San Jose’ – Dionne Warwick (1968)
‘Do You Know This Town’ – The Jesus and Mary Chain (1994)
‘Don’t Go Back to Rockville’ – R.E.M. (1984)
‘Don’t Worry About the Government’ – Talking Heads (1977)
‘Don’t Underestimate Midwest American Sun’ – Kevin Morby (2020)
‘Down in the Street’ – The Stooges (1970)
‘East St. Louis Toodle-Oo’ – Duke Ellington (1927)
‘East Virginia’ – Joan Baez (1961)
‘El Paso’ – Marty Robbins (1959)
‘End of Beginning’ – Djo (2022)
‘Eve of Destruction’ – Barry McGuire (1965)
‘Everyday People’ – Sly and the Family Stone (1968)
‘Everybody’s Coming to My House’ – David Byrne (2018)
‘Fairytale of New York’ – The Pogues (1987)
‘Fast Car’ – Tracy Chapman (1988)
‘Feels Blind’ – Bikini Kill (1991)
‘Fire and Brimstone’ – Link Wray (1971)
‘For What It’s Worth’ – Buffalo Springfield (1966)
‘Fortunate Son’ – Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969)
‘Frank’s Wild Years’ – Tom Waits (1987)
‘Frankie’s Gun’ – The Felice Brothers (2007)
‘Freedom Highway’ – The Staple Singers (1965)
‘Freedom of Choice’ – DEVO (1980)
‘Freedom of ‘76’ – Ween (1993)
‘Gardenia’ – Kyuss (1994)
‘Georgia on My Mind’ – Ray Charles (1960)
‘Going to a Town’ – Rufus Wainwright (2007)
‘Going to California’ – Led Zeppelin (1971)
‘Graceland’ – Paul Simon (1986)
‘Grand Canyon’ – The Magnetic Fields (1999)
‘Greenwich Village Folk Song Salesman’ – Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood (1968)
‘Harlem’ – Bill Withers (1971)
‘Heaven or Las Vegas’ – Cocteau Twins (1990)
‘Hills of West Virginia’ – Phil Ochs (1964)
‘Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings’ – Father John Misty (2012)
‘Hollywood Hopeful’ – Loudon Wainwright III (1973)
‘Hollywood Swinging’ – Kool & The Gang (1973)
‘Holocene’ – Bon Iver (2011)
‘Hotel California’ – Eagles (1976)
‘Hotel Yorba’ – The White Stripes (2001)
‘House of the Rising Sun’ – The Animals (1964)
‘I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City’ – Harry Nilsson (1969)
‘I Love the USA’ – Weezer (2016)
‘Imagine’ – John Lennon (1971)
‘In America’ – The Radio Dept (2010)
‘In California’ – Joanna Newsom (2004)
‘Indian Reservation’ – Paul Revere & the Raiders (1971)
‘Inner City Blues’ – Rodriguez (1971)
‘Jesusland’ – Ben Folds (2005)
‘Joshua Tree’ – U2 (1987)
‘Kentucky Rain’ – Elvis Presley (1970)
‘Kids in America’ – Kim Wilde (1981)
‘King of New York’ – Fun Lovin’ Criminals (1996)
‘Knoxville Girl’ – The Louvin Brothers (1956)
‘L.A. Woman’ – The Doors (1971)
‘Lawyers, Guns, and Money’ – Warren Zevon (1978)
‘Like a Rolling Stone’ – Bob Dylan (1965)
‘Little Pink Houses’ – John Mellencamp (1983)
‘Living for the City’ – Stevie Wonder (1973)
‘Living in America’ – James Brown (1985)
‘Long Black Veil’ – Lefty Frizzell (1959)
‘Long Island City Here I Come’ – Geese (2025)
‘Los Angeles’ – X (1980)
‘Louisiana’ – The Walkmen (2008)
‘Low Rider’ – War (1975)
‘Mannish Boy’ – Muddy Waters (1955)
‘Marquee Moon’ – Television (1977)
‘Massachusetts’ – Bee Gees (1968)
‘Me and Bobby McGee’ – Kris Kristofferson (1970)
‘Memphis’ – Johnny Rivers (1964)
‘Memphis Soul Stew’ – King Curtis (1967)
‘Miami’ – Short Porch (2023)
‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ – Gladys Knight & the Pips (1973)
‘Mississippi Goddam’ – Nina Simone (1964)
‘Mississippi Queen’ – Mountain (1970)
‘Mississippi River’ – JJ Cale (1982)
‘Moon Over Miami’ – Sarah Vaughan (1960)
‘Morning, Morning’ – The Fugs (1966)
‘My City Was Gone’ – Pretenders (1982)
‘My Country’ – Tune-Yards (2011)
‘New Hampshire’ – Sonic Youth (2004)
‘New York’ – Cat Power (2008)
‘New York’ – St Vincent (2017)
‘New York City Cops’ – The Strokes (2001)
‘New York Groove’ – Ace Frehley (1978)
‘Night Moves’ – Bob Seger (1976)
‘No Sleep Till Brooklyn’ – Beastie Boys (1986)
‘NYC’ – Interpol (2002)
‘October in the Railroad Earth – Jack Kerouac (1959)
‘Ode to Billy Joe’ – Bobbie Gentry (1967)
‘Ohio’ – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1970)
‘Okie from Muskogee’ – Merle Haggard (1969)
‘Old Crow’ – James Taylor (1997)
‘Only in America’ – Jay and the Americans (1963)
‘Pacific Coast Highway’ – Hole (1998)
‘Pancho and Lefty’ – Townes Van Zandt (1972)
‘Parties in the USA’ – Jonathan Richman (1992)
‘People Get Ready’ – Curtis Mayfield (1965)
‘Philly’s Been Good To Me’ – Kurt Vile (2013)
‘Please Mr Postman’ – The Marvellettes (1961)
‘Portland’ – The Replacements (1987)
‘Private Idaho’ – The B52s (1980)
‘Radlands’ – Mystery Jets (2012)
‘Ramblin’ Man’ – The Allman Brothers Band (1973)
‘Reagan’ – Killer Mike (2012)
‘Red Dirt Girl’ – Emmylou Harris (2000)
‘Redondo Beach’ – Patti Smith (1975)
‘Rock & Roll’ – The Velvet Underground (1970)
‘Rockaway Beach’ – Ramones (1977)
‘Rocket USA’ – Suicide (1977)
‘Roll Bus Roll’ – Jeffrey Lewis (2009)
‘Route 66’ – Nat King Cole Trio (1946)
‘Runaway’ – Del Shannon (1961)
‘Running on Empty’ – Jackson Browne (1977)
‘San Francisco’ – Scott McKenzie (1967)
‘San Francisco’ – Foxygen (2013)
‘Saturday in the Park’ – Chicago (1972)
‘Seattle’ – Public Image Ltd (1986)
‘Seattle Party’ – Chastity Belt (2013)
‘Silver Springs’ – Fleetwood Mac (1977)
‘Sin City’ – The Flying Burrito Brothers (1969)
‘Son of a Preacher Man’ – Dusty Springfield (1968)
‘Soul Man’ – Sam & Dave (1967)
‘South City Midnight Lady’ – The Doobie Brothers (1973)
‘Southbound’ – The Allman Brothers Band (1973)
‘Spanish Harlem’ – Ben E King (1960)
‘St. Louis Blues’ – Bessie Smith (1929)
‘Stars Fell on Alabama’ – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (1957)
‘Straight Outta Compton’ – NWA (1988)
‘Subway Train’ – The New York Dolls (1974)
‘Summer in the City’ – The Lovin’ Spoonful (1966)
‘Summertime’ – Porgy and Bess (1935)
‘Summertime in New York City’ – Gil Scott-Heron (1976)
‘Surfin’ USA’ – The Beach Boys (1963)
‘Sweet Home Alabama’ – Lynyrd Skynyrd (1974)
‘Sweet Virginia’ – The Rolling Stones (1972)
‘Take Me to the River’ – Al Green (1974)
‘Take My Hand, Precious Lord’ – Mahalia Jackson (1956)
‘Texas Flood’ – Stevie Ray Vaughan (1983)
‘Texas Sun’ – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (2020)
‘That’ll Be The Day’ – Buddy Holly (1957)
‘The Banks of the Ohio’ – The Kossoy Sisters (1956)
‘The Battle of New Orleans’ – Johnny Horton (1959)
‘The History of Utah’ – Camper Van Beethoven (1986)
‘The House I Live In’ – Frank Sinatra (1945)
‘The House that Built Me’ – Miranda Lambert (2009)
‘The Lady Came from Baltimore’ – Scott Walker (1967)
‘The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down’ – The Band (1969)
‘This Is America’ – Childish Gambino (2018)
‘This Land’ – Gary Clark Jr (2019)
‘This Land Is Your Land’ – Woody Guthrie (1945)
‘This Side of the Island’ – Hamilton Leithauser (2014)
‘This Tornado Loves You’ – Neko Case (2009)
‘Total Football’ – Parquet Courts (2018)
‘Transatlanticism’ – Death Cab For Cutie (2003)
‘Tulsa County’ – The Byrds (1968)
‘Tulsa Jesus Freak’ – Lana Del Rey (2021)
‘Tupelo’ – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (1985)
‘United States of Whatever’ – Liam Lynch (2002)
‘Uptown’ – The Crystals (1962)
‘Ventura Highway’ – America (1972)
‘Washington Bullets’ – The Clash (1980)
‘We Are An American Band’ – Grand Funk Railroad (1973)
‘We Are The People’ – A Tribe Called Quest (2016)
‘We Shall Overcome’ – Pete Seeger (1963)
‘Welcome to the Jungle’ – Guns N’ Roses (1987)
‘What’s Going On’ – Marvin Gaye (1971)
‘When the President Talks to God’ – Bright Eyes (2005)
‘When the Revolution Comes’ – The Last Poets (1970)
‘Where Did You Sleep Last Night’ – Lead Belly (1944)
‘Wichita Lineman’ – Glen Campbell (1968)
‘Will the Circle be Broken’ – The Carter Family (1935)
‘Working Titles’ – Damien Jurado (2012)
‘Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald’ – Gordon Lightfoot (1976)
‘Yakety Yak’ – The Coasters (1958)
‘Young Americans’ – David Bowie (1975)
‘Youngstown’ – Richard Hawley (2012)
‘Your Best American Girl’ – Mitski (2016)

The 250 greatest songs ever written about America

The 250 greatest songs ever written about America:

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