ELIZA HARDY JONES Shares New Song America the Beautiful for PHILLY ANTHEMS
The WXPN project also features Christian McBride, Lady Alma and Devon Gilfillian among its dozen commissioned songs.
ELIZA HARDY JONES, a member of the GRAMMY-winning rock band THE WAR ON DRUGS, has released America the Beautiful, the second track to emerge from WXPN's Philly Anthems project. Supported by The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, the initiative brings together five established Philadelphia musicians and seven emerging local artists to write and record 12 original songs exploring themes of freedom and independence. Jones's song draws on the language of the familiar patriotic anthem to interrogate the gap between the nation's founding ideals and its history, arriving shortly after the project's first single, Better Times, by ERIC BAZILIAN of THE HOOTERS.
Photo Credit: Paige Walter
A member of GRAMMY award-winning rock band The War On Drugs, Jones draws from the iconic song to make a powerful statement on the contradictions of America's promises 250 years later.
'The stories we tell about our history help us understand who we are. In 'America The Beautiful' I draw on the iconic patriotic speech to examine the origin myth of the nation. A nation whose founding principles are freedom, tolerance, and the pursuit of happiness is also a nation willing to perpetrate unspeakable violence in the pursuit of wealth and power.' Jones says, 'We may feel that this moment is like none other in American history, but while some of the details have changed, the basic dissonance remains.'
Philly Anthems brings together five acclaimed Philadelphia musicians and seven emerging local artists to write and record 12 original songs inspired by the enduring themes of freedom and independence. The project will feature new music by Christian McBride, Devon Gilfillian, Lady Alma, alongside emerging artists Grace Gardener, Black Buttafly, The Bul Bey, JR Everhart, Sug Daniels, Moustapha Noumbissi, and The Flying Vees, who were announced on-air as the winner of the 24 Hour Song Challenge – Philly Anthems Edition.
The project is the newest chapter in WXPN's four-part Soundtrack to America's 250th initiative, joining The Philly 250, World Cafe's Sense of Place: Philadelphia, and Sound of History in celebrating Philadelphia's musical legacy and its continuing influence.
WXPN General Manager Roger LaMay explains, 'As we celebrate America's 250th anniversary, we wanted to do more than look back. Philly Anthems is about creating something new—giving Philadelphia artists the opportunity to reflect on themes in the Declaration of Independence that resonate today through original music and add new songs to the city's remarkable musical legacy. We're excited to share their songs and stories with audiences over the coming months.'
New Philly Anthems songs will premiere throughout the rest of 2026, with the project culminating in the release of a 12-song vinyl album on Record Store Day 2027 and two concerts.
About WXPN
WXPN, the nationally recognized leader in Triple A radio and the premier guide for discovering new and significant artists in rock, blues, roots, and folk, is the non-commercial, member-supported, public radio service of the University of Pennsylvania. WXPN produces World Cafe, public radio's leading music program featuring interviews and performances with today's essential and emerging artists and distributed by NPR to more than 300 stations across the U.S. WXPN also produces XPoNential Radio on XPN2 in HD and online. www.xpn.org.
Philly Anthems will also feature new music from CHRISTIAN McBRIDE, DEVON GILFILLIAN, LADY ALMA, and emerging artists GRACE GARDENER, BLACK BUTTAFLY, THE BUL BEY, JR EVERHART, SUG DANIELS, MOUSTAPHA NOUMBISSI, and THE FLYING VEES, with additional songs to premiere throughout the year ahead of a planned 12-song vinyl release. The project is part of WXPN's four-part Soundtrack to America's 250th initiative, alongside The Philly 250, World Cafe's Sense of Place: Philadelphia, and Sound of History.
Photo Credit: Paige Walter
