Country fans know that each song on this Memorial Day playlist focuses on the men and women who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice.

Each of these 22 country songs does that in a deeply personal way. New for 2025? A 20-year-old soldier tribute from Tracy Lawrence that we’re embarrassed to have forgotten about until now.

Well-known titles by Tim McGraw, Toby Keith and the Statler Brothers are the go-to songs for any Memorial Day songs list. For this Top 22, we went deeper.

Find an album cut from Chris Young, a modern hit from Justin Moore and a decades-old melody that hits just as hard today as it did when one of country music’s best made it famous amid the Vietnam War.

George Jones honored fallen soldiers 10 years before his death. Billy Ray Cyrus‘ tribute came 20 years prior to that — if nothing else, you’re going to discover that country music’s commitment to the troops is long-lasting. These aren’t easy songs to write, and each requires the kind of connection you just can’t fake.

As a general rule, the more tears that fall, the better.

Lawrence released “If I Don’t Make It Back” in early 2006, as the war in Iraq was still top of mind across America. The lyrics describe a man spending his last nights at home before shipping off.

“And find someone good enough for Amy / Who will love her like I would have / If I don’t make it back,” he sings to close the chorus.

The bite comes in the final verse when listeners learn his friend’s fate. It’s a beautiful ballad about what soldiers sacrifice.

For some, Memorial Day has become the unofficial start to summer or an excuse for a long weekend. That’s not right. Think of this list of Memorial Day songs as 22 ways to honor the brave American heroes who fought valiantly for our freedom, and then share the song that touched you with someone else.