To mark America's Semiquincentennial, TIME asked 25 experts to share a song that captures the essence of American life today.

From Rod Stewart to George Michael, music lovers will love finding out what the most popular song was during the year they were born ...

American history is complicated. So are these all-American hits. From "Born in the U.S.A." to "We Shall Overcome" and "Sweet ...

An iconic 1974 track has recently been crowned the greatest American rock song of all time. It beat out a powerhouse list of beloved songs that were recorded and released by iconic artists. More than ...

That magic can be found throughout the soundtrack to America's 250 year history, but with a singular expression — a persistent, optimistic energy that has powered this nation forward. The pursuit of ...

These three classic rock songs by America are so good, they still rock our world today, decades after they were first ...

In this 250th anniversary year of the United States, pianist Lara Downes is traveling the country collecting conversations with scholars, searching for our history through songs. Her latest stop is ...