Le 250 migliori canzoni sull’America, secondo Far Out Magazine

Qual è il modo migliore per raccontare gli Stati Uniti? Secondo molti, basta ascoltare le canzoni che li hanno descritti nel corso dei decenni. Dai paesaggi evocati da “Country Roads” ai sogni e alle contraddizioni raccontati da Bruce Springsteen, la musica ha spesso saputo cogliere l’essenza dell’America meglio di qualsiasi altro linguaggio. Il magazine Far Out ha così deciso di cimentarsi in un’impresa improba: selezionare le 250 migliori canzoni sull’America. “L’immensità del territorio, il mito della frontiera, le tensioni sociali e politiche, ma anche la straordinaria mescolanza di culture che ha dato vita a jazz, blues e rock’n’roll, hanno reso gli Stati Uniti una fonte inesauribile di ispirazione – sottolinea il magazine nell’introduzione – Per celebrare 250 anni di vita degli Stati Uniti, abbiamo raccolto le 250 migliori canzoni dedicate all’America, tra inni patriottici, brani di denuncia, racconti di viaggio e ritratti delle sue città e dei suoi protagonisti”.

Ecco, allora, la classifica delle 250 migliori canzoni dedicate all’America, secondo Far Out (qui il servizio integrale).

• “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 Monáe (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)
• “Bloodbuzz 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” – Hataalii (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)
• “Cross Road 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” – J.J. 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 Billie 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 Marvelettes (1961)
• “Portland” – The Replacements (1987)
• “Private Idaho” – The B-52’s (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” – N.W.A. (1988)
• “Subway Train” – 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 Unbroken” – 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)