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Michigan's top songs: this week on The Green Room

Sufjan Stevens wrote a whole music album about his home state, Michigan. It's included in The Awesome Mitten's updated list of top Michigan songs.
Sufjan Stevens

If someone were to ask you to name your top songs about Michigan, what would come to mind? Would you have trouble coming up with more than one or two? 

Jake Cagle writes for the website, The Awesome Mitten. When he was asked to come up with his top five songs that mentioned Michigan either in the title or lyrics, or were about the state– he had some difficulty at first.

"I could only think of maybe a handful," Jake explains. "I knew it would take me days and days to come with an actual list, and then to whittle it down to songs that wouldn't get me laughed off the internet."

Jake Cagle eventually came up with his list of the top five Michigan songs, but since four years have passed since that article was published, but he recently collaborated with IPR to update it.

We asked for your favorite Michigan-themed songs, and based on our research and your feedback, five more songs were added to the list.

Jake says he sorted through at least 50 songs. It took him several weeks to edit that list down to his top choices.

"It's hard to listen to nothing but songs that are supposed to be about Michigan," he says, laughing. "Especially when I tried to have a broader reach this time."

The Awesome Mitten's top 10 songs that mention Michigan, in no particular order are as follows:

America— Simon & Garfunkel
Night Moves — Bob Seger
Lake Michigan — Rogue Wave
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald — Gordon Lightfoot
Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State — Sufjan Stevens
Michigan — The Milk Carton Kids
Detroit Rock City — KISS
Dancing in the Street — Martha and the Vandellas
Michigan and Again — The Accidentals
Panic in Detroit — David Bowie

Plus, be sure to listen to our own Spotify playlist. IPR: Michigan's Top 30. We want your feedback, so let us know if we included your favorites!

Dan Wanschura is the Host and Executive Producer of Points North.