You love to see it.
At this point, it almost feels downright un-American not to play Toby Keith’s 2002 classic, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),” the late legend’s iconic post-9/11 anthem, on the 4th of July. However, with the U.S. celebrating its 250th birthday this year, with massive celebrations happening all across the country, it had an even bigger boost in its usual popularity.
On July 5th, it was confirmed that the Oklahoma native’s patriotic hit was the most-streamed song on Spotify during the holiday (which is only fitting if you ask me). Thanks to the major 4th of July boost, Keith just notched a career-best on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 this week.
After receiving a staggering 15.3 million official streams, 2.6 million airplay impressions and 6,000 digital sales throughout the week of July 3-9, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” re-entered the Hot 100 at #11. With this, it is now the late legend’s highest-charting song on the all-genre chart, passing his previous best of #15 with “Red Solo Cup” in 2012.
Additionally, the classic would also score a career best on Billboard’s Streaming Songs and Digital Song Sales chart, sitting at #2 on each one.
Of course, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” has all but become his signature song, spending a week at #1 upon its release in 2002 and receiving a 5x platinum certification last December, selling over five million units. As we know, the track was written in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, capturing the tangible anger that was shared around the country at the time. With that being said, however, he was not going to release it initially.
He originally wrote the song to perform for troops on his USO tours, after growing frustrated with media coverage in the wake of the terrorist attacks. And when he performed the song for the troops, they went wild.
With that being said, however, he had never intended to actually record the song. But then-Commandant of the Marine Corps James L. Jones told Toby that he didn’t have a choice, calling it “the most amazing battle song I’ve ever heard in my life.”
“It’s your job as an entertainer to lift the morale of the troops. If you want to serve, that is what you can do.”
The rest, as they say, is history, and the track has officially become nothing short of an American classic 24 years later.
Though “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” was the most notable re-entry this week, it wasn’t the only popular 4th of July track to receive a lot of love. Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” (#31), Zac Brown Band’s “Chicken Fried” (#32), Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son” (#44) and Kenny Chesney’s “American Kids” (#46) all re-entered the Hot 100 as well, thanks to America’s 250th.
“Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue”
