Patriotism (pa·tri·ot·ism \ˈpā-trē-ə-ˌti-zəm): Love that people feel for their country.
What goes hand-in-hand more comfortably with country music than American Patriotism? Sure, trucks, whiskey and a few other things come to mind, but no music genre focuses on the American Spirit like country music!
Love for the United States, in song, dates back for centuries. With so many modern country songs to choose from, coming up with the 10 BEST songs was quite a challenge!
I think most country music fans, today, will immediately point to Toby Keith as an artist full of American Patriotism. “American Soldier,” “Courtesy Of The Red, White & Blue” and “Made In America” are just a few of the hits Keith has taken to radio with his American Pride. I can’t even imagine a Toby concert over the last 15 years to NOT feature a crowd chanting “U.S.A., U.S.A.!” having taken place. It’s happened every time that I’ve seen him perform!
But what about patriotic songs from artists that AREN’T Toby Keith? Songs like Brad Paisley’s “American Saturday Night,” Rodney Atkins’ “It’s America” and “Only In America” by Brooks & Dunn, remind us of all of the things that make America an incredible place to live.
Other songs speak to us about those who fight for our freedoms and in some cases, don’t make it back home. Billy Ray Cyrus expresses his appreciation for the U.S. Military with his 1992 hit, “Some Gave All”. In a similar vein, Trace Adkins sings “Arlington” from the viewpoint of a U.S. Soldier who didn’t make it back home and is now buried in the cemetery in the National Cemetery.
Of course no country song screams patriotism like the one and only, “God Bless The U.S.A.,” by Lee Greenwood. Nearly 15 years after its original release, this is still the go-to song for all holidays supporting American Pride, with good reason!
These are our picks for the Top 10 Patriotic Songs in country music! Did your favorite song make the cut? Tell us what we missed in the comments below!
10. Brad Paisley – “American Saturday Night”
9. Rodney Atkins – “It’s America”
8. Trace Adkins – “Arlington”
7. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Some Gave All”
6. Dierks Bentley – “Home”
5. Aaron Tippin – “Where The Stars And Stripes And The Eagle Fly”
4. Toby Keith – “American Soldier”
3. Brooks & Dunn – “Only In America”
2. Merle Haggard – “The Fightin’ Side Of Me
1. Lee Greenwood – “God Bless The U.S.A.”
