Edwin Starr’s song “War” from 1970 asked the question, “War. What is it good for?” – and answered emphatically “Absolutely nothing!” One thing war has been good for, though, is as a fertile topic – along with its hoped-for opposite, peace – for music.
To determine the most popular songs about war and peace, 24/7 Tempo reviewed performance data on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for songs protesting or advocating war or recounting a battle or a soldier’s experience in war (some treatments of the subject are more abstract than others). Songs were ranked based on an inverse score where in a week at No. 1 is worth 100 points, a week at No. 2 worth 99 points, and so on, up to a week at No. 100 worth one point. Chart data is current through the week of Dec. 31, 2022.
All of the war and anti-war songs on our list are from the post-World II era, addressing the Cold War, nuclear war, the Vietnam War, racial strife, and the war on terror. With folk and folk-rock performers such as Phil Ochs, Peter, Paul and Mary, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan providing much of the messaging, anti-war music surged in popularity in the 1960s and 1970s with songs such as “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “Get Together,” and “Peace Train.” (Here are 50 protest songs that made the Billboard Hot 100.)
The Vietnam War was singled out in the tunes “Bring the Boys Home,” “Born in the USA,” “Daniel,” and “Sunshine” – as well as, on the other side of things, “The Ballad of the Green Berets.”
Nuclear war was in the crosshairs of musicians with songs such as “Eve of Destruction,” “It’s a Mistake,” and “1999” – in the last of which, Prince poked fun at Armageddon.
Not all the songs about conflict are protesting it. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir had a hit with the “Battle Hymn Of The Republic” as did Whitney Houston with her rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” (These are the origins of America’s national anthems, songs, and marches.)
After the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, country singers weighed in with ballads such as “Have You Forgotten?”, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning),” and “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American).”
40. Cat Stevens, “Peace Train”
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 25, 1971
> Peak position on Hot 100: #7 (for 3 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 12 weeks
39. Freda Payne, “Bring the Boys Home”
> Entered Hot 100: June 5, 1971
> Peak position on Hot 100: #12 (for 2 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 13 weeks
38. Barry McGuire, “Eve of Destruction”
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 21, 1965
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 11 weeks
37. Glen Campbell, “Galveston”
> Entered Hot 100: March 1, 1969
> Peak position on Hot 100: #4 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 12 weeks
36. Toby Keith, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)”
> Entered Hot 100: June 8, 2002
> Peak position on Hot 100: #25 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 20 weeks
35. Lil Baby, “The Bigger Picture”
> Entered Hot 100: June 27, 2020
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 20 weeks
34. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, “Battle Hymn of the Republic”
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 7, 1959
> Peak position on Hot 100: #13 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 16 weeks
24/7 Tempo
33. Darryl Worley, “Have You Forgotten?”
> Entered Hot 100: March 15, 2003
> Peak position on Hot 100: #22 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 20 weeks
32. Alan Jackson, “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)”
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 24, 2001
> Peak position on Hot 100: #28 (for 2 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 20 weeks
31. Larry Verne, “Mr. Custer”
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 29, 1960
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 13 weeks
30. Sgt. Barry Sadler, “The Ballad of the Green Berets”
> Entered Hot 100: Feb. 5, 1966
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 5 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 13 weeks
29. Men At Work, “It’s a Mistake”
> Entered Hot 100: July 2, 1983
> Peak position on Hot 100: #6 (for 2 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 15 weeks
24/7 Tempo
28. Toby Keith, “American Soldier”
> Entered Hot 100: Dec. 27, 2003
> Peak position on Hot 100: #28 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 20 weeks
27. The Supremes, “Stoned Love”
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 7, 1970
> Peak position on Hot 100: #7 (for 2 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 14 weeks
26. Peter, Paul & Mary, “Blowin’ in the Wind”
> Entered Hot 100: June 29, 1963
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 15 weeks
25. Don Henley, “All She Wants to Do Is Dance”
> Entered Hot 100: Feb. 23, 1985
> Peak position on Hot 100: #9 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 19 weeks
24. Bruce Springsteen, “Born in the USA”
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 10, 1984
> Peak position on Hot 100: #9 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 17 weeks
23. Whitney Houston, “The Star Spangled Banner”
> Entered Hot 100: March 9, 1991
> Peak position on Hot 100: #6 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 27 weeks
22. Elton John, “Daniel”
> Entered Hot 100: April 7, 1973
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 15 weeks
21. ABBA, “Waterloo”
> Entered Hot 100: June 1, 1974
> Peak position on Hot 100: #6 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 17 weeks
20. Jonathan Edwards, “Sunshine”
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 13, 1971
> Peak position on Hot 100: #4 (for 3 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 16 weeks
19. Marvin Gaye, “What’s Going On”
> Entered Hot 100: Feb. 20, 1971
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 3 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 15 weeks
24/7 Tempo
18. Joan Baez, “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 14, 1971
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 15 weeks
17. USA For Africa, “We Are the World”
> Entered Hot 100: March 23, 1985
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 4 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 18 weeks
16. The Temptations, “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today)”
> Entered Hot 100: May 23, 1970
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 3 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 15 weeks
15. Aaron Tippin, “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly”
> Entered Hot 100: Oct. 20, 2001
> Peak position on Hot 100: #20 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 20 weeks
14. Edwin Starr, “War”
> Entered Hot 100: July 11, 1970
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 3 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 15 weeks
13. Green Day, “21 Guns”
> Entered Hot 100: July 11, 2009
> Peak position on Hot 100: #22 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 20 weeks
12. White Lion, “When the Children Cry”
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 5, 1988
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 23 weeks
11. The Youngbloods, “Get Together”
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 2, 1967
> Peak position on Hot 100: #5 (for 2 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 25 weeks
10. Genesis, “Land of Confusion”
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 1, 1986
> Peak position on Hot 100: #4 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 21 weeks
9. Sly & The Family Stone, “Everyday People”
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 30, 1968
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 4 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 19 weeks
8. Nena, “99 Luftballons”
> Entered Hot 100: Dec. 10, 1983
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 23 weeks
7. Poison, “Something to Believe In”
> Entered Hot 100: Oct. 6, 1990
> Peak position on Hot 100: #4 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 21 weeks
6. Jesus Jones, “Right Here, Right Now”
> Entered Hot 100: April 13, 1991
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 25 weeks
5. Prince, “1999”
> Entered Hot 100: Oct. 30, 1982
> Peak position on Hot 100: #12 (for 2 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 30 weeks
4. Scorpions, “Wind of Change”
> Entered Hot 100: June 1, 1991
> Peak position on Hot 100: #4 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 25 weeks
3. M.I.A., “Paper Planes”
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 2, 2008
> Peak position on Hot 100: #4 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 20 weeks
2. Johnny Horton, “The Battle of New Orleans”
> Entered Hot 100: April 27, 1959
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 6 weeks)
> Total time on Hot 100: 21 weeks
1. Green Day, “Holiday”
> Entered Hot 100: April 9, 2005
> Peak position on Hot 100: #19 (for 1 week)
> Total time on Hot 100: 32 weeks
Sponsored: Find a Qualified Financial Advisor
Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to 3 fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Tempo Editorial team.
