Playlist: 50 Songs for 50 States

When I asked Buzz readers to come up with a song for all 50 of the United States, I knew you'd get it done. But I wasn't expecting you to do it so quickly! Less than 24 hours after I first posted the challenge last week, every state had at least one suggested song, and the options just kept rolling in. (Interesting bit of trivia: The last state to get a song suggestion was Utah.)
Picking the list for my 50 Songs for 50 States iMix was tough with so many great options. I tried to keep a balance of genres and artists, and to incorporate suggestions from as many of you as possible. I also tried to pick songs that were on iTunes, but unfortunately, the picks for Maine, Maryland and North Carolina weren't available. To make up for their absence, I added saritalasweeta's pick of a song to represent Washington, DC. If you'd like to make a playlist of your own or just see what everyone came up with, all of the suggestions are posted here.
I have to give shout-outs to tikilite, glam sugar, jenybugs and rhondak for coming up with full playlists of their own, and to D-Diggity for nearly making it through the whole country using nothing but Johnny Cash songs. To see my playlist, read more
- Alabama: "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynrd Skynrd
- Alaska: "Alaska" by Dr. Dog
- Arizona: "Hotel Arizona" by Wilco
- Arkansas: "Arkansas Killing Time" by The Pine Box Boys
- California: "California Girls" by the Beach Boys
- Colorado: "The Colorado Trail" by Connie Dover
- Connecticut: "Connecticut" by Judy Garland and Bing Crosby
- Delaware: "Hello, I'm in Delaware" by City and Colour
- Florida: "Florida" by Modest Mouse
- Georgia: "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight
- Hawaii: "Blue Hawaii" by Elvis
- Idaho: "Private Idaho" by the B-52's
- Illinois: "Lookin' Out My Back Door" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Indiana: "Goin' Back to Indiana" by the Jackson Five
- Iowa: "Iowa" by Dar Williams
- Kansas: "You're Not in Kansas Anymore" by Jo Dee Messina
- Kentucky: "Awnaw" by Nappy Roots
- Louisiana: "Louisiana" by the Walkmen
- Maine: "Maine" by They Might Be Giants
- Maryland: "Maryland" by Vonda Shepard
- Massachusetts: "U-Mass" by The Pixies
- Michigan: "Say Yes! To Michigan" by Sufjan Stevens
- Minnesota: "Minnesoter" by the Dandy Warhols
- Mississippi: "Down in Mississippi (Up to No Good)" by Sugarland
- Missouri: "Missouri Waltz" by Johnny Cash
- Montana: "Blue Rock Montana" by Willie Nelson
- Nebraska: "Nebraska" by Bruce Springsteen
- Nevada: "Stop in Nevada" by Billy Joel
- New Hampshire: "New Hampshire" by Matt Pond PA
- New Jersey: "Jersey Girl" by Tom Waits
- New Mexico: "Crash and Burn" by Sheryl Crow
- New York: "The Only Living Boy in New York" by Simon & Garfunkel
- North Carolina: "North Carolina" by the Oranges Band
- North Dakota: "North Dakota" by Lyle Lovett
- Ohio: "Ohio" by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
- Oklahoma: "Oklahoma Hills" by Arlo Guthrie
- Oregon: "Portland Oregon" by Loretta Lynn with Jack White
- Pennsylvania: "Pennsylvania 6-5000" by the Glenn Miller Band
- Rhode Island: "Sweet Rhode Island Red" by Ike and Tina Turner
- South Carolina: "From South Carolina" by Her Space Holiday
- South Dakota: "South Dakota Hairdo" by Joe West
- Tennessee: "Tennessee" by Arrested Development
- Texas: "All my Ex's Live in Texas" by George Strait
- Utah: "The History of Utah" by Camper Van Beethoven
- Vermont: "Moonlight in Vermont" by Ella Fitzgerald
- Virginia: "Virginia Moon" by Foo Fighters
- Washington: "Four Hours In Washington" by M. Ward
- West Virginia: "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver
- Wisconsin: "Highway 51 Blues" by Bob Dylan
- Wyoming: "Song of Wyoming" by Chris LeDoux
- Washington, DC: "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" by The Postal Service
18 Comments