The 10 Best Songs About Being Grateful

It’s nearly impossible to find songs solely about Thanksgiving (unless you like Adam Sandler). However, there are numerous songs in pop culture that celebrate being thankful for family, friends, successes and more. To get into the thankful spirit, we compiled our 10 best songs about expressing gratitude. We left off songs like Ariana Grande’s viral 2019 track “Thank U, Next” because we can speak for everyone in that we don’t want to be giving our exes positive shout-outs on Turkey Day.

We’ve added songs by DJ Khaled, Jay-Z, Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood and more to provide you with some musical motivation and get you in the mood. As a bonus, we threw in Norah Jones and Leon Bridges’ “This Christmas I’m Coming Home” because Christmas is just right around the corner. 

Here are some songs that capture the myriad ways we can be thankful, embodying the essence of love, gratitude and self-reflection.

Dido – “Thank You” (1999)

Anyone who is an Eminem fan knows the opening vocals of Dido singing her lyrics to “Thank You.” “Stan” became a mainstream success due to “Thank You,” a song that appeared on the 1998 movie soundtrack Sliding Doors. Although it wasn’t released as a single until 2000, by then Eminem had put a spotlight on the original, which many listeners thought offered an alternative perspective. Many believe Dido sings about her lover and expresses her appreciation for him. “And I want to thank you / For giving me the best day of my life / And oh, just to be with you / Is having the best day of my life,” she sings.

DJ Khaled feat. Lil Wayne and Jeremih – “Thankful” (2021)

In 2017, DJ Khaled’s 10th studio album, Grateful, was an ode to the joys of fatherhood following the birth of his son, Asahd. Following the release of Father of Asahd in 2019, he released Khaled Khaled in 2021, aiming to inspire fans to move with love. The opener was “Thankful,” produced by Khaled and featuring his frequent hitmakers Lil Wayne and Jeremih. On the hook, Jeremih sings about keeping his head above ground after people pray for his downfall. “I’ma blow this bag for everybody who counted me out / And I still got love for all my dawgs who holding me down,” he sings. Wayne reflects on seeing “white chalk make street angels,” expressing his gratitude for being considered one of the GOATs. The video puts the concept into action, showing clips of Khaled and Wayne pushing through the struggles to achieve their dreams.

Alanis Morissette – “Thank U” (1998)

Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill is her undisputed classic. After dealing with the rigours of touring that album, she retreated to India to heal. The wellness-minded album Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie had a lead single, “Thank U,” which she wrote after taking a long break from her life to breathe. It taught her an immense amount of gratitude and the importance of learning to lead with love and bliss. She thanks the universe for a smattering of things, both good and bad, as it prepares the next generation for what lies ahead.

Jay-Z – “Thank You” (2009)

The main themes of Thanksgiving are spreading what we’re most thankful for through best wishes and messages. Sometimes, you want to adopt the Jay-Z mentality and get some braggadocious bars off about your accomplishments. On Jay-Z’s “Thank You,” off 2009’s The Blueprint 3, he tells his audience to hold their applause because this song is for them. He fires off tongue-in-cheek references to how he’s so popular now and that he’s cut from a different cloth. Above all, it’s vintage Hov at the top of the mountain, telling his competition that he’s levels above.

Celine Dion – “Thankful” (2013)

In this powerful ballad, Celine Dion draws inspiration from her loved ones and the unbreakable bonds she has formed throughout her life. “I’m thankful to be here, thankful to feel clear / Thankful my prayers have been answered,” she sings, expressing a deep gratitude. She further explores the meaningful people with lyrics like “I’m thankful you listened, thankful to heaven, thankful for feeling alive again.”

Talking Heads – “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” (1983)

Talking Heads frontman David Byrne wrote “This Must Be the Place” as a straightforward sentimental love song. It’s probably the most on-brand song for family members flying in or driving back to their hometowns, welcoming the affection from their loved ones the moment they reconnect. Byrne adds some starry-eyed fondness to the track, teaching us that we are capable of love and being loved.

Rita Ora – “Grateful” (2014)

Written by Diane Warren, Rita Ora’s “Grateful” is an Oscar-nominated song from the 2014 film Beyond the Lights. She once performed it at the Oscars, despite Warren complaining about Ora and the Relativity label for not promoting the song. The lyrics express how someone deals with the storms in their life, seeing the pain and the scars they cause as opportunities to make them stronger.

Chance the Rapper feat. Jamila Woods – “Blessings” (2016)

Chance the Rapper’s lush reworking of “Blessings (Reprise)” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon is a snapshot of how big Coloring Book was. The Chicago rapper was joined by Ty Dolla $ign, Anthony Hamilton, D.R.A.M. and Raury, delivering a goregous mix that still holds up today. The song is a fusion of hip-hop and gospel, praising God and celebrating all His blessings with joy.

Carrie Underwood – “Thank God for Hometowns” (2012)

This applies to the Dallas transplants who have made plans to go back home for Thanksgiving. Thank God for hometowns, where you’ve grown to appreciate the comforts of the place you grew up and foster a sense of nostalgia. But let’s be honest, that’ll wear off and you’ll want come back to the Big D faster than you can say “fo shit sho.”

Sly and the Family Stone – “Thankful n’ Thoughtful” (1973)

Only Sly can sound impossibly cool while sending a message of gratitude in this blusey slow burner. You ought to be thankful.

Norah Jones and Leon Bridges – “This Christmas I’m Coming Home” (2025)

We wanted to end this list with a festive song, as most Americans put up their Christmas trees right after Thanksgiving anyway. Norah Jones and Leon Bridges, two Texas-bred Grammy Award winners, teamed up earlier this month to release a single about returning home for the holidays. “I wanna leave the world behind for now / And forget about the trouble on my mind,” the pair sings. “I can sit by the fire and lose myself for a while / And remember what was so hard to find.” Jones and Bridges got a Christmas tune to enjoy until Mariah Carey dominates the holidays again.