- Lori Lieberman wrote the song "Killing Me Softly with His Song" after attending a concert of McLean's and being inspired by his sensitive compositions.
- Wrote and recorded the song "Vincent" as a tribute to painter Vincent van Gogh.
- Best known for his No. 1 hit single "American Pie" (1971), a folk rock cultural milestone about the end of innocence of the early rock and roll generation.
- His song "American Pie" was covered by Madonna.
- His favorite songs are "Dream Lover" by Bobby Darin, "That's Why (I Love You So)" by Jackie Wilson, "Good Golly, Miss Molly" by Little Richard, "Another Girl" by The Beatles, "American Pie" by Madonna, "I Only Have Eyes for You" by The Flamingos, "When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again" by Elvis Presley, "Canary in a Coalmine" by The Police, "I'm Looking for Someone to Love" by The Crickets and "Crying" by Roy Orbison. (Source: BBC Radio 2 "Tracks of My Years").
- His song "The Grave" was covered by George Michael.
- Inducted into the American Songwriters Hall of Fame (2004).
- He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6300 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on August 16, 2021. Walk of Fame inductee 'Weird Al' Yankovic was among the guest speakers at the ceremony.
- He was awarded a star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 14, 2019.
- As he alluded to in the opening verse of "American PIe" at the time of the plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper he was working as a paperboy.
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