The climate changes on a daily basis, impacting the inhabitants. Artists have stepped up to raise awareness about global warming and climate change and the importance of caring for our world. Here are the 51 best songs about nature, the environment, and earth:
1. “Earth Song” – Michael Jackson
This 1995 song uses personalization to express how the earth is sobbing and the heavens are descending. Terrorism, pollution, and environmental pollution have all made their mark on people’s lives in some way. The narrator questions if there is still time to change our paths from horrible to a good life. This environmental song was Michael Jackson’s final performance before his untimely death in 2009.
Next: Best songs that use figurative language
2. “Blackened” – Metallica
This metal rockers express the environmental issues in the song Blackened. Blackened is about the Bible’s narration on the end of times. The song, which personifies earth and depicts its demise as a result of our lack of compassion, was released in 1991. Additionally, the song addresses issues on destruction, deforestation, and other social issues. Our selfish, unfettered acts are accelerating pollution on our planet.
3. “Pass It On Down” – Alabama
This song is from the country genre, and it was released in 1990. It is a reminder that the ecosystem is not something for us to take until we hand it on to future generations. To do so, we must protect the environment, from the oceans to the forests. If we do not act now, our children will have an environment that is ruined by acid rain, deforestation, and other factors.
Next: Best country songs of all time (our list of top picks)
4. “Beds Are Burning” – Midnight Oil
This 1987 rock song is about the destruction of lands that belonged to indigenous Australians and the apathy to their plight. It also demands the final restitution of ancestral land to the Pintupi, who were some of the latest individuals to arrive in Australia from the desert. In the 1930s, these people migrated from the Gibson Desert to other communities.
Next: The top 1980s rock songs through the years (80s rock hits)
5. “Feels Like Summer” – Childish Gambino
“Feels Like Summer” was written and produced by Donald Glover and his longtime partner Ludwig Göransson. Gambino uses metaphors to highlight a list of issues that he is concerned about in the current world. Environmental issues affecting global warming have been highlighted in the song, including the increasing water shortage and decreased bird populations. Glover wants us to take a step back to notice the rising summer temperatures.
Next: The absolute best summer songs of all time
6. “What A Wonderful World” – Louis Armstrong
This song is about embracing our environment. For a worthy cause, this incredibly memorable pop song from 1967 is in the Grammys Hall of Fame. Armstrong uses sky, rainbows, greenery, blooming flowers, and other natural phenomena as examples of the beauty that we came across in our daily lives.
Next: Top songs about flowers (our list of favorites)
7. “Burn On” – Randy Newman
When a television news item on the highly polluted Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, came on in 1969, Randy Newman was lying on the floor while experiencing back pain. Cleveland was in flames due to the presence of oil wastes generated from industries. This song is packed with vivid images, spoken with a piano tune.
8. “Despite Repeated Warnings” – Paul McCartney
McCartney wants us to take note of the environmental changes when he wrote this pop-rock song. The song is about a crazed sea captain directing us the ship towards the chunks of ice despite warnings that it is dangerous. Therefore, the song perfectly represents politicians who contend that global warming is a hoax. The song ends on an optimistic note, stating that transformation and progress are dependent on the community’s desire.
9. “Pollution” – Bo Diddley
Bo composed this song in New York’s Environmental Studios in 1971, and it was included on the album Another Dimension. This catchy track is a fiery protest song against the consequences of littering the streets. Additionally, the musician relates to the song, stating that he loved moving to a lovely location with beautiful greenery after being raised in an industrial location in Chicago.
10. “How Far I’ll Go” – Alessia Cara
Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote this upbeat melody is set in Polynesia for the Disney animated feature film. This song is sung by the title heroine, a princess, Moana. Moana’s family and loved ones symbolize the island’s native cultures. The song raises awareness of native communities, who are becoming increasingly endangered as the water levels of the sea and storms become more catastrophic. Therefore, Moana’s intended sail to rescue her people from the storm is the song’s subject.
Next: The top Disney songs of all time (our list of top picks)
11. “The 3 R’s” – Jack Jackson
Reducing, reusing, and recycling are the three R’s that Jack Johnson sang about, and they are at the heart of the concept of environmental conservation and mitigating climate change’s consequences. It educates on how to conserve the environment by avoiding littering. By so doing, there is optimism that the next generations will take the lead in living harmoniously with their environment.
12. “Where Do The Children Play” – Cat Stevens
This is an anti-pollution song in which Stevens expresses some of his worries, including inequality, violence, and contamination. In the song, Stevens states that it is modern developments that have been improving our lives while damaging our environment by putting gasoline into trucks and turning our children’s playgrounds into skyscrapers.
13. “Sunshine On My Shoulders” – John Denver
This song was written by Denver in the springtime of 1971 when it was raining. Denver found himself hoping to spend more hours outside, basking in the warmth of the sun. When asked, Denver stated that this tune was about the benefits of romance on one dimension. On a deeper level, it aspired to something that the entire globe could embrace, culminating in an earth song.
Next: The top songs about spring of all time
14. “After The Gold Rush” – Neil Young
This song, written by Neil in 1970, has a range of topics and implications, but at its core, it is among the top songs about the environment. Young has revised the song and now performs it “in the twenty-first century.” Young also penned another song, Be the Rain, which appeals to oil industries to cease destroying the environment. Young has been an outspoken environmentalist, criticizing President Trump in 2018 and rejecting environmental change research.
Next: Top songs about rain of all time (raining tracks)
15. “Green River” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
This song, as the name implies, is an environmental song written in 1969 by John Fogerty, the band’s leader at the time. John described the green river in the song as a spot in California where he used to go when he was young. He used to travel there once a year till he was ten years old. He found the place to be a peaceful spot and made many lasting memories there, including swimming and rope swinging. The song implies that the environment around us is beautiful and that we should learn to recognize and appreciate it.
Next: The top songs about California ever made (our list)
16. “Mercy, Mercy Me” – Marvin Gaye
Marvin composed this R&B tune about the environment and how we all have a responsibility to protect the earth in 1971. Years before global climate change became a prominent concern, the song did not take a hit until later. Mercy is a lovely song about our environment, including a strong plea for global attentiveness.
17. “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” – Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan was just 21 years old when he composed the wonderful lyrics of this song in 1962. The song is a well-known protest song wherein he predicts the end of the world. The U.N. Environment Programme aired an unusual live performance of Dylan presenting his song-poem set to powerful photos of diminishing ice caps and desolate landscapes. It destroyed livelihoods in 2009, just before a U.N. Climate change summit launched in Denmark.
18. “Trouble In The Water” – Common
This is one of the top songs about nature, originally recorded in the 1960s and then again in 1978. The song’s central message is that people are also suffering while the sun shines brightly. This song inspires those who enjoy reggae and specifically songs about the environment to protect the environment. The Rock’ N’ Roll Theatre in Chicago, for example, presented an Earth Day commemoration event in 2019 that included tracks by the great reggae artist.
Next: The best reggae songs of all time (our list of reggae tracks)
19. “All The Good Girls Go To Hell” – Billie Eilish
Billie Elish envisions God in collaboration with the devil, both with the aim of mocking the chaos on the globe. Eilish and her sibling co-wrote and recorded this song that tackles rising environmental changes front and center. She ultimately condemns humanity’s mistreatment of the environment and emphasizes her dissatisfaction with the inattention and inadequate response.
20. “Big Yellow Taxi” – Joni Mitchell
Joni’s first vacation to Hawaii resulted in publishing this song in 1971. She raises some environmental concerns in the song. Joni mentions Hawaii as an example of how it used to be a wonderland but has become a tourist trap. She goes on to say that when flying over the islands, all of them are beautiful and lush, but when flying over O’ahu, she sees Waikiki buildings, which crushes her heart.
Next: The top songs about flying and airplanes of all time
21. “Walk With You” – Janelle Kroll
Janelle Kroll is a songwriter and vocalist who wrote this song. She uses the song to express her feelings about changing the world. She claims that glaciers are not sentient beings, but when they are destroyed, we experience loss because it will eventually increase sea levels and impact the environment. Climate action is difficult, but our expression of love and our commitment to it will rescue everything on the earth we cherish.
22. “Before The Deluge “ – Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne wrote this song in 1974, and it depicts the history of his generation’s goals and illusions and their fall from power. The song proved prophetic with its warning that if people take responsibility for the environment, they will never be dissatisfied. Men who choose to exploit the earth’s magnificence for their personal benefit, on the other hand, will face the full force of her wrath in the end hour.
23. “Seminole Wind” – John Anderson
Country singer John Anderson, who was born in Florida, wrote and released this country hit in 1992. The song is about the Seminoles, a group of Native Americans in Florida. Chief Osceola, whose spirit strikes out across the devastation of environmental assets for monetary benefit, is mentioned in the lyrics. In addition, the song protests the drying of the Rain Forest and the forcible transfer of locals off territories for flood management.
24. “Mother Nature’s Son” – Beatles
In 1968, while in India, Paul McCartney was inspired by the Maharishi, who delivered a speech on ecology, penned this bongo-style tune. McCartney had always had a strong connection to nature and reflected on his personal history. The Beatles worked on 24 different versions of the song before settling on the final version. While at his father’s house, McCartney also composed Mother Nature’s Son, another nature song.
25. “Pollution” – Tom Lehrer
Tom Lehrer is a great humorous singer-songwriter who created this song to alert tourists visiting America about his country’s ecological concerns and how its rivers and streams were contaminated. The city streets are a wonderful excitement, he says in the song; if the hoods do not get you, the gas will. This means that there is so much contamination that you cannot feel secure talking a walk outside. Our children need a clean and healthy environment where they can freely play outside.
Next: The best songs about rivers (of all time)
26. “Don’t Drink the Water” – The Dave Matthews Band
The band released this rock song in 1998. It’s a monument to America’s indigenous peoples and the oppression and tragedy they experienced when their entire planet was taken away from them after intruding European colonists. The song’s narrator is a non-native looking forward to displacing current residents and constructing on their once-sacred property.
Next: Greatest Dave Matthews Band songs
27. “Don’t Go Near The Water” – The Beach Boys
Mike Love, who co-wrote this song with Al Jardine, said he despised the illiteracy that caused people to break the laws of creation. The Beach Boys’ then-manager, Jack Rieley, urged Love and Jardine to create an environmental tune for the group. The band sang the foreshadowing lyrics regarding a man destroying the sea. The outcome of this song was the anti-pollution cry which became the album’s introductory tune, Surf’s Up, in 1971.
Next: Top songs about the beach, sand, surfing and more
28. “Go To The Woods” – Dar Williams
Dar Williams wrote this striking environmental song in 2012 to express her concerns about the disappearance of the world’s vegetation. Williams, who is also a traveling musician, volunteers for environmental causes, including her Give Bees A Camp project that combines performances with the planting of bee-friendly farms for kids. In the song, Williams says that you won’t kill all the bees if you want honey. This underlines the need for individuals learning to protect the planet.
Next: The best songs about fall for an Autumn playlist
29. “Earth Day Every Day (Celebrate)“ – John Denver
This song was by Denver, a strong supporter of Earth Day, and is well-known for his iconic songs, with the song “Country Roads” being one of the greatest champions of environmental concerns in 20th-century music. He received the first World Ecology Award in 1990 for his album Earth Songs, which he released. He advised people to celebrate both land and water in the record. Denver, who later went on to develop an innovative tree-planting program in the United States, was still concerned about the environment. Before his death in 1997, he wrote a song concerning Yellowstone Park; it was just about ecology.
30. “[Nothing But] Flowers” – Talking Heads
According to the song, no one really seems to notice when things fall apart. The song’s message is still relevant today, as it is a scathing criticism of the contemporary world’s state of ignorance. In addition, this is a humorous, satirical tune about humanity’s greatest blessings, with Kirsty MacColl’s backing vocals and Johnny Marr’s guitar, as well as African percussionists Brice Wassy.
31. “Truth To Power” – OneRepublic
The song was created from the viewpoint of Mother Nature, speaking to her people inhabiting it, and was written and performed by OneRepublic leader Ryan Tedder and T Bone Burnett. Tedder is a firm believer in the importance of current artists bringing attention to societal issues such as climate change. This amazing 2017 pop song portrays the planet as a veteran loved one who reminds people of her growing decrepit and defenseless status, fragile to humanity’s attacks.
32. “4 Minutes“ – Madonna
Justin Timberlake is among the artists featured on this song, which he co-wrote with Danja Hills, Madonna, and Timberland. This explosive dance-pop from 2008 seems to have little melodic complexity, yet the concept is profound and obvious. The song instills a sense of urgency in acting, motivating you to get started on doing something acknowledgeable immediately now as there’s not much time left for the world to be saved.
Next: Top inspirational songs to draw motivation from
33. “Eyes Wide Open” – Gotye
This environmentally-themed track is developed from Gotye samples, with the fence samples serving as the song’s backbone. He contributed his own keyboards and rhythm, while the rest of the band contributed other music features. This pop tune from 2015 suggests that we should be prepared to embrace changes in order to rescue the ecosystem. The song contains an ominous message warning fans of earth’s impending annihilation and the end of human civilization.
34. “Radioactive” – Imagine Dragons
The narrator paints a vision of a post-apocalyptic universe in this 2012 electro-rock song, as he is engulfed by ashes and dirt and breathes in hazardous chemicals. Dan Reynolds sings about waking up to the fact that the world is changing and breaking free. The song suggests that individuals should reawaken and choose to take a risk that will benefit the environment while also allowing them to see life in a new light. Otherwise, if the world does not exercise caution, nature would perish.
Next: The best and biggest songs that everyone knows
35. “Is This The World We Created…?” – Queen
Freddie Mercury, the lead vocalist of Queen, claimed in 1984 that he mostly felt powerless about the situation of the earth, which is why he and Brian May wrote this song. Mercury further said that they were thinking about the hardships all across the world when they came up with the song. The song represented children’s sorrow and was written in the aftermath of natural disasters in Africa that resulted in a severe famine.
36. “Make A Little Wave” – Demi Lovato & Joe Jonas
The strength of social activity is the subject of this 2009 hit. The song underlines what a dedicated individual is capable of accomplishing by implementing adjustments that have an influence on the larger world. The song’s rhythm was created as part of a campaign by Disney’s youthful and brilliant stars to raise funds for environmental preservation and wildlife charities.
37. “Rocky Mountain” – John Denver
Denver began writing this song during the annual Perseid Meteor Shower in August. He was camping with buddies at Williams Lake’s tree line when he spotted shooting stars. The song took him roughly nine months to finish after the impulse hit. One of Colorado’s two official state songs, this 1972 soft rock song describes the grandeur of the hills while mourning the loss caused by economic growth.
38. “Sweet Summer Lovin’” – Dolly Parton
This tune was the second single from the Great Balls of Fire album by Dolly, and it became a huge success in 1979. The song condenses some of the wonderful summertime moments into a song celebrating summer romance. She sings about jogging along a rustic river and feeling authentic and describing the bright sun as a great red bubble and the sunset as a masterpiece from the West.
Next: Top romantic love songs through the years (of all time)
39. “S.O.S. (Mother Nature)” – Will. I. Am
Will.i.am, the main vocalist of the Black Eyed Peas group, recorded this song in 2007, in which he talks about the impacts of climate change and how global warming exacerbates natural calamities. Will also used the song to attack the government’s lack of funding for climate change mitigation. Money and technology, he says, ought to be the least of our concerns. Instead, we should begin to alter our approach to environmental protection.
40. “Paradise” – John Prine
John Prine, a singer-songwriter, composed this wonderful song about the environmental effects of strip mining and the devastation it causes in tiny villages in 1971. The song is about Muhlenberg Township, Kentucky, where his parents grew up, and how a mining company wrecked it. When industrial exhaust gases and hazardous waste are released into the environment, they hurt society as a whole. The song further depicts specific environmental changes affecting residents of a community.
41. “Theme from Antartica” – Vangelis
Vangelis has always been a skilled composer, and with this album to Kuruhara’s wonderful film, he creates a powerful tune, admirably integrating amazing sights of Antarctica’s majesty with a poetic story. The song expresses how beautiful the world is and how we should care for its creatures as a result.
42. “Fall On Me” – R.E.M.
This R.E.M. classic song from the early 1980s was all about environmental activism. In a 1986 interview with Spin magazine, Bill Berry stated that the tune was primarily about Acid Rain. When fossil fuels are burned, sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxide are released into the sky, generating acid rain and posing a hazard to the ecosystem. Waterways, trees, marine animals, and other ecosystems are all harmed by acid deposition. Additionally, paint flakes, stone sculptures degrade, and steel corrode as a result.
Next: The best songs with animals in the title of all time
43. “Landscape is Changing” – Depeche Mode
British synth-pop pioneer Depeche Mode tackled dark, political themes such as revolt, inequality, and degradation on their third album, Construction Time Again. The band expresses their views on humanity’s negative impact on the planet in this song produced in 1983. The song uses personification and states that the countryside is bleeding and that hundreds of hectares of woods are dying to demonstrate the extent of the destruction of the environment.
44. “Time Is Ticking Out” – The Cranberries
This indie-rock hit’s message is that the people must awaken to the consequences of their activities on the global ecosystem before it is too late. The narrator is concerned that future people will inherit a world destroyed by pollution. The Chernobyl nuclear tragedy, radioactive issues, and the depletion of the ozone layer are all mentioned in the song. In addition, the song attacks governments’ passivity and human gluttony.
45. “Going Up To The Country” – Canned Heat
In this song, the narrator asks his buddy to depart the tumultuous metropolis and seek refuge in a calm location where they can plunge into the river and communicate with nature. This 1968 rock single was the unofficial hymn of Woodstock, resonating with the dreams of young activists long before it was a GEICO tune.
46. “Last Great American Whale”- Lou Reed
This single from the great Lou Reed’s hit album, released in 1989, weaves together a story with aspects of the Civil Rights Movement and a person’s never-ending ambition to change the future. He spits the cruelest barbs at his compatriots over a softly strummed guitar. The song argues that Americans do not even care about anything, but they should, particularly when it comes to natural resources such as land and water.
47. “Doctor My Eyes“ – Jackson Browne
The narrator of this pop song, which was released in 1972, portrays a sorrowful individual. Some think his sadness was caused by the entirety of his life, while others feel the impacts of war caused it. Regardless of the source, the narrator has observed damage and evil that exists on earth, which has shattered his optimism. In this song, he seeks medical aid but discovers that he has simply toughened, forcing him to live his life. The narrator explains why you should be this person as it is important to remain occupied in order to stay alive.
Next: The best songs about life of all time
48. “I Saw God Today” – George Strait
The song calls the listeners’ attention to the everyday miracles that can go unrecognized. The song also depicts a man’s religious experience as a result of his lovely daughter’s birth, in which he begins to realize the world’s glory. In everyone’s hectic lives, it’s easy to overlook these precious moments. Strait’s song encourages people to take a moment to appreciate the little things in life, such as sunsets.
Next: Best songs about sunsets ever made
49. “Nobody’s Fault” – Aerosmith
This song was produced in 1976 by the band’s lead vocalist, Steven Tyler. This happened after a devastating earthquake struck San Fernando, California, in 1971, killing 65 individuals. The following year, another earthquake struck Nicaragua, killing roughly 5,000 people. As a result of the earthquakes, this song was written about the dread from earthquakes, which had become all too common. The song argues that the fault line, as well as our civilization world in general, is to blame for neglecting the threat of such disasters.
50. “License to Kill” – Bob Dylan
This song, written by Bob Dylan and released in 1983, accuses humanity of polluting earth’s resources such as water and trampling on everything in its path. The song argues that man has created his own death and that his first step was to reach the sky, demonstrating his contempt for what he saw as the U.S. space program’s arrogance. It also is possible that the tune was just designed to emphasize that progress frequently has unforeseen consequences.
Next: The best songs about death of all time (grieve to these tracks)
51. “Supernature” – Cerrone
Nature should be protected rather than tampered with. This song was written in the 1970s with the concept that we should be concerned about environmental issues and that no harm should be done to our world under any circumstances. The lyrics of this song clearly evoke thoughts of ecological preservation.
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As the Head Editor and Writer at Music Grotto, Liam helps write and edit content produced from professional music/media journalists and other contributing writers. He works closely with journalists and other staff to format and publish music content for the Music Grotto website. Liam is also the founding member of Music Grotto and is passionate in disseminating editorial content to its readers.
Liam’s lifelong love for music makes his role at Music Grotto such a rewarding one. He loves researching, writing and editing music content for Music Grotto.