100 Reasons to Love America in 2019

Rare and refreshing: a relatable icon who shares her journey. (And her five favorite cities in America!)

After a decade filled with bro-country odes to trucks, tailgates and tank tops, a new generation of female singer-songwriters like Musgraves, Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini are making their own mark on country music - and expanding the genre as they do it.

Everybody loves a comeback! The golfer, 43, overcame addiction and scandal to win the Masters.

The actor dedicates his life to supporting veterans. His foundation has adapted more than 50 smart homes for wounded warriors.

The most joyful type of yoga, because of goats.

Eleven states have programs in place.

The former New York Yankee is the first person elected unanimously to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Now open on Liberty Island, the 26,000-sq.-ft. structure celebrates the universal symbol of freedom and brings the immigrant experience to life. Admission is free.

The actor, 23, proved he's a nice person when he was seated on a plane- in economy class-next to superfan Alankrutha Giridhar, who live-tweeted the ride (and took this hoodie pic). He answered all of her questions, and she wrote, "What shocks me the most is this dude wanted to know about me!"

In an explosion of nostalgia, the original Brady Bunch house has been restored to its 1970s glory by the stars of the sitcom along with HGTV pros. A Very Brady Renovation will air in September.

Her book Becoming is set to become the bestselling memoir in history. But the former First Lady is as self-effacing as she is confident. After she appeared at the Grammys, she shared some texts she exchanged with her mom. 'Did you meet any of the real stars?' asked Marian Robinson. Replied Obama: 'I am a real star...by the way.'

This app uses answer bots to get rid of spam calls from telemarketers and scammers.

The Blue Ridge Mountain city calls itself Dog City U.S.A., and canines are welcome at bakeries, bars breweries and stores. A hotel, Aloft, even fosters dogs until they are adopted by guests.

The Freeport, Maine, company's boots and totes are having a fashion moment, and they're made in the U.S.A.

On March 14 we celebrate math and eat pie (3.14=pi).

Their second smash hit together, "Please Me," reached No. 1 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

When the New York City department store began its holiday tradition in 1924, it promised a "marathon of mirth," and it has delivered year after year with intricate floats, iconic balloons and musical performances.

All grown up and married now - Nick to Priyanka Chopra and Joe to Sophie Turner just this year; Kevin is a father of two - the three put their differences aside to make music again (and a documentary) after six years apart.

A rust-belt city having a renaissance. Spectacular late-19th-century architecture provides a backdrop for a busy restaurant and bar scene.

If the ship's destinations and amenities aren't enough of a draw, travelers can now set sail with the likes of Oprah, the Property Brothers or Jon Bon Jovi.

TWA's 1960s flight center, designed by architect Eero Saarinen, closed in 2001, along with the airline. Renovated as a hotel, it has 512 rooms. Rates start at $249 per night, or you can book a four-hour stay for $139.

The nonprofit network is all about transparency, televising congressional proceedings since 1979.

The classic teen sleuth got a movie this year - and a new TV series was picked up in May.

Comics Maya Erskine (left) and Anna Konkle, both in their 30s, play teen versions of themselves in this Hulu hit, sending up middle school by portraying it as it really happened.

In the superb Netflix documentary Homecoming, the first black woman to headline Coachella not only proves that she's the "best performer in the world," in the words of her husband, JAY-Z - she also reveals details of her difficult pregnancy and strict postpartum diet.

The longest shutdown in history proved how valuable they are.

Chicago White Sox teammates Ryan Burr and Ian Hamilton (no relation to the originals) couldn't resist capitalizing on their names by pulling out their revolutionary garb and re-creating the historic event - without bullets - in March.

With 154 flights of stairs, the over $150 million N.Y.C. space has been called the world's most expensive selfie spot.

The former NFL quarterback raised the bar on a millennial trend when he whisked Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters to his family's Florida farm and slipped a 7.25-carat solitaire ring on her finger. Then singer Mathew Mole stepped out from behind a bale of hay to serenade the couple with "The Wedding Song."

Benjamin Allen, born Feb. 4, wins the hair and smile sweepstakes. "I'm in love," the Bravo host wrote on Instagram.

It was 50 years ago that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took a walk on the moon-a giant leap for mankind.

The All-American brand has started trading publicly on the NYSE.

The teen discovered a FaceTime bug that spies on users-and got it fixed.

For the show's 50th anniversary, the USPS has issued stamps. (Confidential to young readers: You buy these at a post office.)

The popular game on The Tonight Show (the host is pictured with Alicia Keys) has inspired a new NBC competition show.

Helping others is a core value.

The country rap song by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (shown above, with Keith Urban) went viral and topped the charts in more than 12 countries.

The Mega Millions jackpot keeps getting bigger. (Odds of winning: 1 in 300 million.)

Boston Kreme flavor (also cinnamon roll) without the guilt.

Saturday Night Live's longest-running cast member-he started in 2003-is also its MVP, with breakout characters like Steve Harvey (pictured) and the host of Black Jeopardy. "I want people to say that I did it right," he told Vanity Fair. Next he plays a dad on his own NBC show.

Before the iconic TV show premiered, director James Burrows sent the cast to Vegas to commemorate their last days of anonymity. They've barely had a quiet moment since. Though Courteney Cox received almost 4 million views of a video she posted while visiting the Friends N.Y.C. apartment in March, there's little hope of a reunion-but Jennifer Aniston said, "Anything could happen."

Maybe there's no allure left in the Dewey decimal system, but libraries have been reinventing themselves in the digital age as community hubs, with business resources and teen spaces. And they're free.

The pop star traces her journey in "Metamorphosis," at the Park MGM through August.

Seamless, Grubhub, Uber Eats and others bring dinner to your door

The extractions showcased by dermatologist Sandra Lee are grotesquely satisfying.

Last year we took 38.5 million trips on e-scooters. (That includes Tyler Posey, pictured, riding a Bird in L.A.) They're ecofriendly and a cheap way to get around.

Here's to Gen Z for taking action. Juliana v. the United States says federal energy policy puts children in harm's way.

Helps stop crime in your neighborhood.

The Nigerian refugee, 8, won a chess championship; then a fund drive raised money for his family to get a home. (Even cooler? The family is using the majority of the money to set up a fund to help other African immigrants.)

Former Obama staffers are smart and insightful on this podcast.

For a hot minute it was considered healthy.

The UCLA gymnast brought joy to her sport.

The first wheelchair user to win a Tony Award.

An e-commerce company focused on fair prices, not fancy branding.

The director of Get Out and Us is Hollywood's hottest filmmaker.

Fun, relaxing and Instagrammable.

Thanks to Riley Morrison, he makes girls' shoe sizes.

The Congressman, who lost his eye to an IED while serving as a Navy Seal in Afghanistan, has a glass eye inspired by Captain America!

A freaky hit that's all about those costumes.

The thrill of pregame partying and charcoal grilling.

The pro sports gambler changed the way Jeopardy! is played.

The new mom of Gene Attell kept them refreshingly real.

It comes in 50 colors, it smells great, and it helps kids focus. Sept. 16 is National Play-Doh Day.

In June and October snag $49 one-way flights to Nashville or $159 tickets to Honolulu. (Blackout days apply.)

The superstar brought TV's best comedy, Veep, to an end in May.

Three days of peace, love and rock and roll changed the culture.

Every year more than 6 million travelers visit the 277-mile Arizona canyon that was designated a national park in 1919. Carved by the Colorado River, the breathtaking expanse is one of the deepest gorges on the planet and one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Bucket-list it.

Beautiful, feral horses have roamed this barrier island off the coast of Maryland and Virginia since the 1600s. They've survived extreme weather conditions but are threatened by climate change.

George H.W. Bush's former service dog now works with injured military veterans at Walter Reed hospital in Bethesda, Md.

At 41, the New England Patriots quarterback became the first player in history to win six Super Bowls.

Let us count the ways these two are made for each other. The way they found each other in their 40s! The way they always match! The places they go! The things they post on Instagram! ("There are icons but there is only one Jennifer Lopez, ladies and gentlemen," wrote A-Rod.) "Our life right now is incredibly wonderful," Lopez told Good Morning America. "We don't need anything more."

A record 127 women (106 Democrats, 21 Republicans) now serve in Congress, including the first Muslim women and the first Native American women. A milestone, but still under 25 percent of all the seats.

The home of the blues turns 200. Visit the birthplace of rock and roll and the must-see Civil Rights Museum.