Who composed the music for the United States national anthem?

The music for the United States national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner," was composed by John Stafford Smith. Smith wrote the melody in the late 18th century, and it was originally used for a drinking song called "To An Acronym." The connection between Smith and the anthem was established when Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to the song during the War of 1812, inspired by the sight of the American flag still waving after a battle.

Other figures mentioned, such as John Philip Sousa and George M. Cohan, are notable American composers and musicians known for their contributions to marches and theatrical music, respectively, but they did not create the music for the anthem. Francis Scott Key, while essential to the anthem's identity for writing its words, did not compose the melody. Thus, John Stafford Smith is correctly identified as the composer of the music for "The Star-Spangled Banner."