10 Best Patriotic American Songs of All Time

Finding the perfect patriot songs for your 4th of July or Memorial Day cookout can be surprisingly difficult. Go too heavy on the ‘rah rah rah’ and you’re bound to set a mood that’s more ‘insurrection’ than ‘chill backyard cookout.’ And lean too heavy on the Springsteen or Creedence and you’ll have to endure another night of your friends giving you ‘well, actually’ lessons in the real meaning of subversive classics. 

Patriotic songs come in all flavors, from ‘these colors don’t run’ country to choral classics, from protest songs to pledges of allegiance. For this list of the 10 best patriotic songs on the playlist, we resisted the urge to hit you over the head with messaging from either side of the aisle. We say give us your funky, your rousing, your stirring ballads and tongue-in cheek rockers. This is your patriotic starter pack. Once the national pride is stoked, feel free to switch on some Bruce and Miley once the party gets going.