5 Songs Every Michigander Should Know

Spanning a variety of decades and genres, there are a select few classic songs that everyone from Michigan knows. Whether you like them or not, these songs seem to find their way onto every BBQ, grad party, and even wedding playlist.

1. All Summer Long - Kid Rock

Who hasn't heard this summer jam? Inspired by Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama," this song is the soundtrack to every boat day spent out on the lake. Most remembered is the line "it was summertime in Northern Michigan."

2. Don't Stop Believing - Journey

From prom to a random Thursday night, this 1981 hit is often a part of the festivities. I have found it's very special to most Michiganders, who have learned all the words and scream them at the top of their lungs. "Born and raised in south Detroit" is the line we cling to the most.

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3. Lose Yourself - Eminem

A poor kid from Detroit coming from nothing and making it big has been Eminem's legacy, one that has made the great state of Michigan part of his brand, as well as his DNA. Made popular by the movie "8 Mile," this song is beloved by people in Michigan, even those who aren't typically fans of rap music.

4. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot

This pick is a bit of a dark horse, but it is a classic that tells the true story of the capsizing of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975, killing all 29 men on board. Most people in Michigan know of this song but don't know all the words. A few stick out, like the ones mentioning all the great lakes. One memorable line is "Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams."

5. Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes

While this song may not exactly scream Michigan to all of us, it is tied to the very fabric of our state for some. For those of us who have been to a University of Michigan football game in Ann Arbor at The Big House, this song has most definitely been played and screamed by more than 110,000 fans every time. Some don't know the lyrics, just the signature chant to the tune of the music. But for those who love music and love Michigan, they know it by heart.

Surely there are more out there, but these five immediately come to mind for this Michigander.