Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are not that many pop songs about Alaska. It’s the largest U.S. state by area—apparently as big as Texas, California, and Montana combined—but its musical canon is almost non-existent. However, that’s not going to deter our ongoing 50 states project. We have curated a list of the best songs about Alaska that capture the spirit of the Last Frontier, whether through literal geography or a state of mind.
5. John Denver: “Alaska and Me” (1988)
John Denver made a career out of singing songs about places, and his 1988 album Higher Ground featured the moving folk finale, “Alaska and Me.” Denver sings about a bush pilot’s wife and her memories, weaving familiar Alaskan imagery like mountains and glaciers into a heartwarming sentiment about “chosen country.” It remains a poignant dedication to the wild and the free.
4. Dr. Dog: “Alaska” (2007)
A year before their breakout album Fate, the Philadelphia band Dr. Dog released We All Belong. The bluesy track “Alaska” stands out as a highlight, capturing a sense of longing. When Toby Leaman sings, “I hear it’s dark until the spring, well it’s been hell back here in Philadelphia,” he perfectly encapsulates the allure of the North.
3. Bee Gees: “Road to Alaska” (1972)
Found on the under-appreciated rock album To Whom It May Concern, “Road to Alaska” is a melancholic pop gem. Sung by Robin Gibb, the track follows a narrator traveling through Oklahoma and Nebraska on his way to the Last Frontier. While the song focuses on a wandering love interest, Alaska serves as the ultimate, inviting destination.
2. Maggie Rogers: “Alaska” (2016)
Maggie Rogers famously debuted this track for Pharrell Williams during an NYU master class. Inspired by her time hiking and dancing in the state, the song features minimalist disco drums and evocative lyrics about “icy streams” and “glacial plains.” It remains a hauntingly beautiful modern classic.
1. The Velvet Underground: “Stephanie Says” (1968)
“Stephanie Says” uses Alaska as a metaphor for isolation. Lou Reed’s repetition of “it’s so cold in Alaska” underscores the emotional distance of the subject. With John Cale’s weeping viola, it stands as one of the finest baroque pop songs ever written, capturing the essence of being “so gentle yet so far away.”
