American Pie  by Don McLean

Don McLean's album American Pie, released in October 1971, is a milestone in folk-rock music and catapulted the artist to global prominence. It was the second studio album of the artist from New York. It was recorded at Record Plant Studios in New York between May and June of 1971.

The song American Pie is an 8-minute "elegy" for the loss of innocence in American culture. It refers to the 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper, an event that McLean dubbed "The Day the Music Died." At the time of its release, it was the longest song to ever reach No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100. On the other hand, the song Vincent (Starry Starry Night) is a moving tribute to painter Vincent van Gogh, which became a No.1 hit in the United Kingdom.

The album remained at No.1 on the Billboard 200 for seven weeks until early 1972. American Pie is considered an "elegy" for the transition from the optimism of the 1950s to the disillusionment of the 1960s and 1970s, influenced by events such as the Vietnam War and the assassinations of political leaders.