Olivia Rodrigo’s debut hit is one of the “25 Most American Songs of All Time,” according to Esquire magazine.
In celebration of America’s 250th birthday, Esquire has put together a list of what it describes as “songs that are distinctly American, addressing protest and leisure, joy and pain, wisdom and silliness, nostalgia and experimentation.”
Olivia’s “Drivers License” made the cut, with Esquire writing that it “demonstrated the eternal power of two of American pop’s defining themes — cars and heartbreak.”
Furthermore, the mag says the song “transcended backgrounds and generations, creating a shared, uniquely national experience” and “stands as the … pinnacle” of 21st century pop.
Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” is also on the list because it’s, according to Esquire, “the all-time biggest-selling single by a female artist” and an “an era-defining record.” The magazine also notes it “represented the culmination of America’s musical century, blending country-music storytelling, pop sonic architecture, and Black creative expression.”
Other songs that made the cut include Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’,” Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” Bruce Springsteen’s “The River,” “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar, “Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffett and tracks by Bob Dylan, The Ramones, Johnny Cash, KISS, The Chicks, Woody Guthrie, Bad Bunny, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and The Beach Boys.
In case you’re wondering why “Party in the U.S.A.” or “Born in the U.S.A.” isn’t on the list, it’s because songs that mentioned “America” or “U.S.A” in the title or chorus were immediately eliminated, due to the 25-song limit.
As for why there are no songs by Prince or Michael Jackson, Esquire writes that the two men “possessed such otherworldly gifts that they seemed to stand for something beyond their native country.”
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