Anthems can fuel patriotism, unite fans at baseball games, rally the troops or animate political movements.
For the next year, we'll unpack the elements of an anthem and ask what a song says about our diverse American communities as well as our collective soul.
"American Anthem," a series from NPR, will tell the stories of 50 different songs -- challenging the way anthems are identified and how songs are transformed by listeners. Expect to hear these stories on Morning Edition and All Things Considered on a nearly weekly basis. If you have a suggestion for the series, you can submit your American anthem and your thoughts on NPR's website.
Listen to all of NPR's "American Anthem" stories via their curated list.
A running playlist of the anthems (songs only) will continue to be updated on NPR Music's "American Anthem" Spotify playlist, so you can listen to them anytime.