Yahoo Finance
The 100 Greatest Things about America 2021
Andy Serwer with Max Zahn
12 min read
Yahoo Finance’s 100 Greatest Things about America list
Credit: AP, Getty Images, Reuters

We’re back and better than ever!

Yes, I’m talking about America post (sort of) COVID-19, but also Yahoo Finance’s 100 Greatest Things about America list. Of course many of us have had a rough time of it this past year. What better reason then to celebrate the good things about our country. So before you mix up the G&Ts (and/or the margs) and fire up the grill (and/or the fireworks), please check out our latest list.

First a few notes. This project has been done for seven years running, (I started it in 2010 when I was the editor of Fortune, and skipped a few years), which means we now have 700 greatest things about America— and we could easily find 700 more. For the record, pretty much anything can be on the list — national parks, TV shows, favorite foods — subject to just one rule. People can be included, of course, but only the living. Ditto for dogs and cats. (Sorry Rin Tin Tin and Socks — see No. 39.)

Note that a few people from previous lists have passed away over the years. Also, picks from older lists may have not “aged well,” as they say, but we aren’t going to edit previous years’ lists, except this year in one instance. I discovered that Edward R. Murrow (“I Can Hear It Now”) somehow made the first list in 2010, (No. 55), a violation of our guidelines, since he died in 1965. While I have the greatest respect for the legendary CBS newsman, (born Egbert Roscoe Murrow, fyi), I am going to remove him and replace him with John Sidney McCain III, who passed away in 2018, (but of course was alive in 2010.)

With so many names it’s fun to search for great things you might think should be on the list (hit command F on a Mac.) You will see we added our third Taylor this year (Ham, No. 23), which joins Chuck Taylor No. 89 in 2013 and James Taylor, No. 49 in 2011. (Stand ready for 2022 Taylor Made!) We also added two doctors this year (Fauci No. 1 and Pepper No. 2) to join one on the 2012 list (Seuss No. 80.) And we now have three peanuts, the cartoon this year at No. 68, peanut butter at No. 56 in 2012 and just the plain old nut (er, legume) No. 30 in 2014. In other words you can have all kinds of fun with the list, which we very much encourage you to do.

So Happy Fourth of July everyone! And please enjoy—in no particular order—Yahoo Finance’s 100 Greatest Things about America 2021!

1. U.S. COVID-19 vaccines: Moderna, J&J, (and 50%) Pfizer

2. Dr. Anthony Fauci

3. Dr. Pepper

4. Statue of Liberty

5. The new space race: Bezos v. Musk

6. Simone Biles

7. Rice Krispies treats

8. Juneteenth an official federal holiday

9. Capitol Police officers

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