50 Best Patriotic Songs to Add to Your 'Proud to Be American' Playlist

America wouldn't be the country it is without the many different people who make it up. "God Bless the U.S.A." serves as a reminder to not only love your country, but also everyone in it!

Fun fact: If it weren't for Katharine Lee Bates, this Ray Charles classic wouldn't exist! Her 19th century poem, "America," hit home for many citizens. After her words were connected with the hymn, "Materna," Ray Charles went on to create this beautiful ballad that everyone knows today.

If we're being honest, there are numerous Woody Guthrie songs that could have made this list! Still, "This Land Is Your Land" speaks to the heart of the country all these years later, making it one of his most iconic songs.

"When you have an American heart, you can be who you are." These words are spoken by young kiddos at the beginning of this Faith Hill music video, which is eventually followed by a sweet ode to the country that makes it all possible for people to be their full selves.

Brooks & Dunn truly know how to get people on their feet! The upbeat melody in "Only in America" is just one reason to love this song. The meaning, which is about the endless possibilities available and the diverse lives who lead this wondrous country, is a whole other reason!

Road trip, anyone? Simon & Garfunkel will inspire you to see the beautiful terrains of this wide-spread land, as well as its big-city skylines. Bonus points if you go to every city and state mentioned in this song!

You didn't think you'd get through this list without seeing at least one Dolly Parton song, did you? Dolly produced this track after the country faced the attacks from 9/11, hoping to help her listeners and fans heal a bit. Freedom and justice are at the core of this one.

There's no better song to begin your summer barbecues with, and that's a fact! It's crazy to think that this song didn't become a hit until much later after it was released!

The national anthem is already patriotic enough, but no one has ever sung it like Whitney Houston did at the 1991 Super Bowl! This one was *so* iconic, that radio stations even began airing it as they would other pop-hits!

You can't deny it: No matter who you are—you, too, will be putting your hands up when this comes on. Why? Well, because they're playing your song! The 2009 song will surely stand the test of time.

If you're looking for a chill inducing experience, the United States Army Field Band Soldiers Chorus is here to give you just that. Their perfect harmonies as they sing the beautiful words to "America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee)" will probably bring a tear or two to your eyes.

While the literal meaning to "American Pie" has been debated for some time now, there's no contesting the fact that it has become a staple at every summer outing and general party. Heck, it's even a constant karaoke request, too!

Lenny Kravitz delivers a great cover of this 1970 hit! Sometimes, people even forget that it's not his original song, but the band Guess Who is probably more than okay with the popularity that Lenny gave it.

There may not be any words to this band march, but that hardly matters. If the drums to this quintessential beat don't get you going, we're not sure anything else will!

The history of America is delivered so eloquently by Johnny Cash in this one. It's a spoken word over a mellow tune, which sort of adds to the seriousness of it all.

This gorgeous song was created by the one and only John Legend for the second season of the series Underground. "The song points out the tension between the promise of America, the ideals of America, and sometimes us not living up to those ideals in practice," he told Billboard.

Little fun fact here: The Beatles' "Back in the USSR" was inspired by a father of rock and roll—the one and only Chuck Berry! Personally, Berry's version is definitely better for our purposes.

This iconic Bruce Springsteen is sometimes misinterpreted as a simplistic celebration of patriotism. In reality, the lyrics explore a Vietnam War vet returning home with "nowhere to go." As a true master of American rock and roll, Springsteen brings a complex, honest picture of patriotism that allows a veteran's struggle to mingle with pride.

Here's a shocker—this gigantic hit comes from the British singer Kim Wilde! The lyrics were written by her father, who had been captivated by the idea of iconic Americana pastimes of young people in the US (drinking milkshakes and going to drive-in movies). "I think a lot of that got caught up in the lyrics—all the kids in America are having a better, more interesting, more dangerous time than we were here," Kim explained in 2018.

Irving Berlin's songs are a cornerstone of American popular music, including his World War I era anthem "God Bless America." Its title and lyrics exemplify the pride that Irving exuded for this country.