The list of US State songs is not just music to the ears, but it has always been a powerful way to express the identity, culture, and history of all the fifty states across the USA. Forty-eight out of fifty states have officially designated one or more state son, often chosen by their legislatures to celebrate regional pride. It is evident that the state songs of the United States vary from classics like “You Are My Sunshine” (Louisiana) and “Georgia on My Mind” (Georgia) to iconic anthems like “Rocky Top” (Tennessee) and “Oklahoma”; these songs tell the story of America through melody.
In this blog, get to know how some states get even more musical, with Tennessee being the lead, with 14 official state songs, while Arkansas balances two state songs, a historical anthem, and a state anthem. So, whether you grew up singing your state’s tune in school or you’re hearing about it for the first time, here’s the full list of all US state songs.
List of 50 US State Songs
Interestingly, two legendary artists, Stephen Foster and John Denver, wrote songs that became official for multiple states—cementing their place in American music history. Below are the fifty state songs in the USA with the year of their adoption:
S. No | State | Song(s) | Notes |
1. | Alabama | “Alabama” | Adopted 1931 |
2. | Alaska | “Alaska’s Flag” | Adopted 1955 |
3. | Arizona | “The Arizona March Song” | Adopted 1919 |
4. | Arkansas | “Arkansas”; “Oh, Arkansas” | Also has a state anthem & historical song |
5. | California | “I Love You, California” | Adopted 1951 |
6. | Colorado | “Where the Columbines Grow”; “Rocky Mountain High” | Denver co-wrote the latter |
7. | Connecticut | “Yankee Doodle” | Adopted 1978 |
8. | Delaware | “Our Delaware” | Adopted 1925 |
9. | Florida | “Old Folks at Home (Suwannee River)” | Adopted 1935 |
10. | Georgia | “Georgia on My Mind” | Hoagy Carmichael classic, adopted 1979 |
11. | Hawaii | “Hawai‘i Pono‘ī” | Adopted 1967 |
12. | Idaho | “Here We Have Idaho” | Adopted 1931 |
13. | Illinois | “Illinois” | Adopted 1925 |
14. | Indiana | “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away” | Adopted 1913 |
15. | Iowa | “The Song of Iowa” | Adopted 1911 |
16. | Kansas | “Home on the Range” | Adopted 1947 |
17. | Kentucky | “My Old Kentucky Home” | Foster classic, adopted 1928 |
18. | Louisiana | “You Are My Sunshine”; “Give Me Louisiana” | Adopted 1977 |
19. | Maine | “State of Maine Song” | Adopted 1937 |
20. | Maryland | “Maryland, My Maryland” | Repealed in 2021 (no replacement yet) |
21. | Massachusetts | “All Hail to Massachusetts” | Adopted 1981 |
22. | Michigan | “My Michigan” | Adopted 1937 |
23. | Minnesota | “Hail! Minnesota” | Adopted 1945 |
24. | Mississippi | “Go, Mississippi” | Adopted 1962 |
25. | Missouri | “Missouri Waltz” | Adopted 1949 |
26. | Montana | “Montana” | Adopted 1945 |
27. | Nebraska | “Beautiful Nebraska” | Adopted 1967 |
28. | Nevada | “Home Means Nevada” | Adopted 1933 |
29. | New Hampshire | “Old New Hampshire” | Adopted 1949 |
30. | New Jersey | No official state song | One of two states without |
31. | New Mexico | “O Fair New Mexico” | Adopted 1917 |
32. | New York | “I Love New York” | Adopted 1980 |
33. | North Carolina | “The Old North State” | Adopted 1927 |
34. | North Dakota | “North Dakota Hymn” | Adopted 1947 |
35. | Ohio | “Beautiful Ohio” | Adopted 1969 |
36. | Oklahoma | “Oklahoma” | From Rodgers & Hammerstein musical |
37. | Oregon | “Oregon, My Oregon” | Adopted 1927 |
38. | Pennsylvania | No official state song | Second state without |
39. | Rhode Island | “Rhode Island, It’s For Me” | Adopted 1996 |
40. | South Carolina | “Carolina”; “South Carolina On My Mind” | Multiple official songs |
41. | South Dakota | “Hail! South Dakota!” | Adopted 1943 |
42. | Tennessee | Multiple (14 total) | Includes “Rocky Top” & “Tennessee Waltz” |
43. | Texas | “Texas, Our Texas” | Adopted 1929 |
44. | Utah | “Utah, This Is the Place” | Adopted 2003 |
45. | Vermont | “These Green Mountains” | Adopted 2000 |
46. | Virginia | “Our Great Virginia” | Adopted 2015 |
47. | Washington | “Washington, My Home” | Adopted 1959 |
48. | West Virginia | “The West Virginia Hills”; “This Is My West Virginia”; “West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home”; “Take Me Home, Country Roads” | Denver’s hit added in 2014 |
49. | Wisconsin | “On, Wisconsin!” | Adopted 1959 |
50. | Wyoming | “Wyoming” | Adopted 1955 |
Source: Wikipedia
Fun Facts About US State Songs
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Tennessee has the most state songs with 14.
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John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” became West Virginia’s state song in 2014.
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Arkansas recognizes four songs under different titles (anthem, historical song, etc.).
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Two states, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, currently have no official state song.
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Conclusion
Therefore, the history of US State songs is more than just melodies as they’re cultural touchstones, preserving history, pride, and identity. From the jazz spirit of “Georgia on My Mind” to the frontier imagery of “Home on the Range”, each anthem tells a story. Whether you’re exploring the list of US state songs for trivia, travel, or school, this guide offers a complete look at America’s musical heritage.
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