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100+ Best Road Trip songs (to sing along with as you drive!)

No Road Trip is complete with an EPIC playlist. Here are 150 best road trip songs for your travels, motorhome adventures, road trip- and just singing along in the car. Enjoy! #roadtrip #playlist #songs #tunes #motorhome #travel #adventure

Looking for good road trip songs? Honestly, the right driving songs in the right playlist can make or break a road trip! Here are 100+ best road trip songs to sing along with as you drive!

And don’t forget to download your FREE road trip planner below , to help you plan your road trip.

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Best Road Trip Songs

Planning a road trip or long drive is tough. There are a million things to think about. And one of the things often overlooked is a road trip playlist!

Whether you’re travelling by car, RV, camper or bike, this list of the 100 best road trip driving songs is guaranteed to make the miles fly past!

We’ve got a mix of great driving songs to sing along too: songs for girly summer road trips, classic rock, all-American, a bit of country and some modern 2020 tunes- all designed to create the PERFECT playlist for your journey. And with over 100 road trip songs to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find something for everyone to sing along with on the road.

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How to create a great road trip playlist with sing-along songs!

The window wound down, the stereo cranked up and some awesome tunes you can sing along to; perfection, right? But if you’re anything like us, your phone/iPod is a random mix of all sorts of music- including a Christmas album or 7.

That’s why a road trip playlist is so important- you don’t have to worry if the next tune will be great, you already know it will be!

Make sure the songs are downloaded onto your phone/ ipod. Otherwise, you’re going to use up a lot of data and/ or run the risk of being in an area with bad signal and no music!
Like listening to things as you drive? Check out Audible – you can get podcasts, audiobooks and more- it’s a perfect way to pass the time on a long drive.

You might be able to get 3 MONTHS FREE music at Amazon. Click HERE to take advantage

I’ll be honest- there was some…. let’s call it “discussion”… over the best travel songs to include on this list. My husband prefers classic rock for driving songs. I like songs you can sing along with in the car and songs to drive fast too (NEVER above the speed limit though… right?!)

We compromised on creating a road trip playlist with song choices from all of us, so we hope there’s something in here for you!

So, let’s get to the best road trip songs.

(Update: This post started off as 100 of the best road trip songs… it’s growing as we add more in, so no idea how many are here now!! )

20 Rock Classics- the BEST Road trip Rock songs

Danger Zone – Kenny Loggins
Nutbush City Limits – Ike & Tina Turner
Dude Looks like a Lady – Aerosmith
American Pie – Don Mclean
Whole Lotta Rosie – AC/ DC
Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
Paradise City – Guns N’ Roses
All Night Long – Rainbow
Cats in the Cradle – Ugly Kid Joe
Here I Go Again – Whitesnake
Jump – Van Halen
We Built This City – Starship
Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams
Hell ain’t a Bad Place to Be – AC/DC
The Boys are Back in Town – Thin Lizzy
Rio – Duran Duran
Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting – Elton John
Who are You – The Who
Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac
Love Walked In – Thunder

Best Driving Songs- All-American road trip songs

Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen
Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Walk This Way – Aerosmith & Run DMC
My Life – Billy Joel
Living on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
Footloose – Kenny Loggins
One of these Nights – The Eagles
Born to be Wild – Steppenwolf
Nothing but a Good Time- Poison

Planning a road trip? You might find these posts useful:

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100 inspiring road trip quotes

25 Modern road trip songs to sing along with (2020 update)

Our favourite modern (ish!) driving songs, all of which are perfect to sing along to in the car and belt it out- especially in a traffic jam with people staring at you!! Add any (or all!) of these to your perfect summer road trip playlist.

Physical- Dua Lipa
Stupid Love – Lady Gaga
Dance Monkey – Tones & I (you know you love it…)
Take Me Back to London – Ed Sheeran
All the Good Girls go to Hell – Billie Eilish
What a Man Gotta Do – Jonas Brothers
Castle on the Hill – Ed Sheeran
Uptown Funk – Mark Robson & Bruno Mars
Rockstar – Nickelback
Looking for a Good Time – Lady Antebellum
It’s My Life – Bon Jovi
Take me to Church – Hozier
Hold Back the River – James Bay
Shut Up & Dance – Walk the Moon
Happy – Pharell Williams
The Pretender – Foo Fighters
Hall of Fame – The Script
Centuries – Fall Out Boy
Sex on Fire – Kings of Leon
The Kill – 30 Seconds to Mars
Mr Brightside – The Killers
My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark – Fall Out Boy
Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time – Panic at the Disco
Knights of Cydonia – Muse
If I had you – Adam Lambert
All the Small Things – Blink 182

Best road trip songs to sing along with in a car or RV

The ultimate girl’s road trip playlist- perfect songs to sing along with in the car!

Ah- I LOVE girly road trips, especially in the summer. There’s nothing better than some sunshine, good friends and some GREAT songs on the stereo. Here are some of our favourite road trip songs for girls (although we don’t mind if you boys listen to them too! 😉 )

20 Modern road trip sing-along songs for girls

Rolling in the Deep – Adele
Waking Up in Vegas – Katy Perry
Trouble – Pink
Everytime We Touch – Cascada
According to You – Orianthi
Bang Bang – Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Menaj
Black Magic – Little Mix
Heartbeat Song – Kelly Clarkson
Sax – Fleur East
Can’t Be Tame d- Miley Cyrus
Fight Song – Rachel Platten
The Best Damn Thing – Avril Lavigne
Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen
U and Ur Hand – Pink!
Part of Me – Katy Perry
Shake it Off – Taylor Swift
This is Me – Greatest Showman Soundtrack
Raise Your Glass – Pink
Living la Vida Loca – Ricky Martin
Baby one more time – Brittany Spears

20 Classic road trip songs for girls to sing along to in the car!

Walking on Sunshine – Katrina & the Waves
Bitch – Meredith Brooks
Everything I do, I do it for you – Bryan Adams
Holding Out for a Hero – Bonnie Tyler
Wake Me up before you Go-Go – Wham
It’s Raining Men – Weather Girls
Love Shack – B52s
I’m so Excited – Pointer Sisters
Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader
9 to 5 – Dolly Parton
Uptown Girl – Billy Joel
Heaven is a Place on Earth – Belinda Carlisle
Man! I Feel like a woman – Shania Twain
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
Poker Face – Lady Gaga
Burning Love – Wynonna (I much prefer this version- sorry Elvis!!)
Love My Life – Robbie Williams
Torn – Natalie Imbruglia
Proud Mary – Tina Turner
Summer Nights- Grease

14 Driving Songs with ‘road in the title’- perfect for a road trip playlist!

Hit the Road Jack – Ray Charles
Every Day is a Winding Road – Sheryl Crow
Take me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
The Long and Winding Road – The Beatles
Bright Side of the Road – Van Morrison
Long Road To Ruin – Foo Fighters
Road Trippin’ – Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Back on the Road Again – REO Speedwagon
Thunder Road – Bruce Springsteen
Road to Hell – Chris Rea
Road to Nowhere – Talking Heads
Old Town Road – Lil Nas X
Roadhouse Blues – The Doors
Road Less Traveled – Lauren Alaina

Best road trip songs to sing along with on a long drive

15 best songs about driving and cars

Some of the best songs about driving (and cars!) – all perfect for a road trip playlist!

Mustang Sally – The Commitments
Bat out of Hell – Meatloaf
I Drove all night – Roy Orbison
Rhythm Made Me Do It – Shania Twain
Drive By – Train
Greased Lightnin’ – Grease Soundtrack
Paradise by the Dashboard Light – Meatloaf
Bad Habit – The Offspring
Car Wash – Rose Royce
2,4,6,8 Motorway – Tom Robinson Band
Little Red Corvette – Prince
Pink Cadillac – Bruce Springsteen
Route 66 – Chuck Berry
Drive – The Cars
Drive My Car – The Beatles

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Best Driving songs to drive faster to (and sing along with!!)

Yes, we’ve already had some AMAZING road trip songs for the playlist, but here are some more to crank it up and sing along with (just watch that speed limit!!)

Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
Monkey Wrench – Foo Fighters
Eye of the Tiger – Survivor
Beat It – Michael Jackson
50 Ways to say Goodbye – Train
River Deep, Mountain High – Tina Turner
Cherry Pie – Warrant
I would do anything for love – Meatloaf
Addicted to Love – Robert Palmer
Pour Some Sugar on Me – Def Leppard (one of the best songs about sugar ever 😉 )
Any Way you Want it – Journey (or the Rock of Ages version!)
DOA – Foo Fighters
Lowlife – Theory of a Deadman
Making it Hard – Hinder
Oblivion – Terrorvision
Haven’t Had Enough – Marianas Trench
Angel with a Shotgun – The Cab
Silent Majority – Nickelback
Run to You – Bryan Adams
Thanks for the Mmrs – Fall Out Boy
The Anthem – Good Charlotte
Teenagers – My Chemical Romance
High School Never Ends – Bowling for Soup
Seven Nation Army – White Stripes
Kung Fu Fighting – Carl Douglas
Build Me up Buttercup – The Foundations
Johnny B Goode – Chuck Berry
Come As You Are – Nirvana
Teenage Dirtbag – Wheatus

20 Quieter Road trip songs- for when the kids are sleeping!

These songs are perfect when you want to turn it down a little bit. Admittedly, we tend to turn them up, but then we don’t have young kids anymore!

(Top tip for parents- these children’s car games won’t drive you crazy. Promise!)

Livin’ Thing – Electric Light Orchestra
All I Need is a Miracle – Mike and the Mechanics
Everybody wants to Rule the World – Tears for Fears
Money for Nothing – Dire Straits
In the Air Tonight – Phil Collins (just remember to air drum quietly!!)
I don’t want a lover – Texas
The Chain – Fleetwood Mac
The Gambler – Kenny Rogers
Stay with Me – Rod Stewart
All Night Long- Lionel Richie
No Son of Mine – Genesis
Easy Lover – Phil Collins & Philip Bailey
Every Little Thing She Does – The Police
It’s a Beautiful Day – Michael Buble
Jesus, He knows me – Genesis
The Day We Caught the Train – Ocean Colour Scene
All Right Now – Free
Another Brick in the Wall – Pink Floyd
Mama Told Me not to Come – Tom Jones
Boys of Summer – Don Henley

Every good road trip needs a GREAT playlist! Here are the best road trip songs to sing along to!

Classic road trip driving songs for EVERY trip

These are some of our favourite driving tunes- but they didn’t really fit anywhere else (or they did, but my OCD with the numbers wouldn’t allow it!) Still, don’t forget to put these onto your ultimate driving playlist!!

Africa – Toto
Waterloo – Abba
Like I Roll – Black Stone Cherry
Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top
I Love Rock n Roll – Joan Jet
Counting Stars – OneRepublic
Song 2 – Blur
Only The Good Die Young – Billy Joel
Dreadlock Holiday – 10cc
Englishman in New York – Sting
Stacy’s Mom – Bowling for Soup or Fountains of Wayne
The Power of Love – Huey Lewis and The News
One of Us – Joan Osborne
Won’t Get Fooled Again – The Who
When the Going gets tough – Billy Ocean
I Can’t Dance – Genesis
Losing My Religion – R.E.M
We Are Family – Sister Sledge
Video Killed the Radiostar – The Buggles
Hit Me with your Best Shot – Pat Benatar
I Got You (I Feel Good) – James Brown
Graceland – Paul Simon
Since You Been Gone – Rainbow
Total Eclipse of the Heart – Bonnie Tyler
Are You Gonna Go My Way – Lenny Kravitz
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2

Spotify Link for this road trip playlist

If you’d like to download this playlist on Spotify, you can do so here.

And if you found it helpful and like our playlist, feel free to buy us a coffee 😉

Best Road Trip Songs- how did you like our Playlist?

Every single one of these songs makes us turn the volume up and sing along like crazy people- much to the amusement of anyone around us!

These are driving songs to embarrass yourselves to and enjoy every second. I hope it’s given you some great ideas for your own road trip playlist- let me know what you include on yours!!

How else can I help you today?

Record your trip in one of these beautiful road trip logbooks
How to plan an epic RV trip for beginners
The BEST gifts for road trippers
Essential road trip kit
Best Children’s car Games

Planning a summer road trip? This playlist is a PERFECT mix of upbeat driving tunes and classic sing-along favourites. With 150 songs to choose from, this summer road trip playlist has something for everyone! Summer roadtrip music never sounded so good!

Kat never planned to buy a motorhome. She also never planned to quit her job as an air traffic controller, go touring around Europe in said motorhome, start one of the UK’s largest motorhome travel websites… or get a cocker spaniel.

Find out how she went from stuck in the rat race to being a digital nomad and inspiring thousands of people to have their own epic adventures here.

If you’d like to connect with Kat, send her an email or follow her adventures on social media.

Sharing is caring!

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16 comments.

Wow that is a great list. You have a few I had forgotten. Very complete list of all music genre. That is the only problem I have with things like Sirrus and XM you have to select only one type. I love Pandora but as you mentioned DATA, DATA, so Ipod it is for roadtrips.

Thank you! We had a lot of fun writing it and listening to old songs 🙂 Yeah, Data is definitely something worth considering- it can get expensive quickly otherwise!

You missed out poison alive Cooper got to be on

thanks for the information

You’re welcome!

What an awesome song list. Thanks for sharing this list. take care…

You are very welcome- glad you enjoyed it. Happy Road trip!

Great lists. I made playlists on Spotify that can be accessed by anybody. Makes it easy if you have Spotify.

How do I access the playlist that you made

Rockin’ down the highway by The Doobie Brothers

Is there a way to automatically click a link or something so my Apple Music will automatically take and start playing the 150 song list

Wow. Now I have something to do while waiting for lockdown to end. I’ve never heard of some of yours! You won’t have heard of some of mine! Each to his own. I will start with Stones, Clapton, John Mayalls Bluesbreakers, Sonny Boy Williams……….Can’t stop, I’ve got to get my iPod.?

This is a really lovely list. I would also recommend Dead American Presidents’ Peaches for trips through farm country.

I miss the golden Earring with Radar love.

Can’t believe you don’t have and Go-Go’s songs listed!! I can think of a few that are awesome road trip songs !!

What song list to drive faster would not include Deep Purple – Highway Star??? Definitely put your pedal to the metal on that song.

The Ultimate Road Trip Playlist According to Travelers, Editors, and Spotify

This year has been nothing short of a whirlwind. As we wrap up the year, international travel is still a no go, and flying in general seems like a bit of a risky proposition. As a result, the humble road trip has roared back on our collective radar as many of us have been taking to the road as a way to get out of the house and explore our surroundings near and far.

When we began discussing road trips on zoom calls and in Slack channels, the one thing that everyone could agree on was that music was essential. A good soundtrack can mean the difference between the hours flying by as fast as the scenery out the window or turning around before you reach your destination.

So what makes a great road trip playlist? It starts with the songs, but with so many incredible choices out there, it’s hard to whittle down to something that stands up to the test of time. However, we had an idea.

To make the perfect road trip playlist, we used three components. First, we looked at Spotify data to identify the most popular songs for driving, according to the top 100 road trip playlists. Next, we surveyed our TripSavvy readers to get their take. After that, our editors weighed in on their favorite songs. In the end, we were left with 29 carefully curated high-vibe songs that create the ultimate travel music of 2020.

Here are the top road trip songs. For the best listening experience, try playing them in order. Enjoy!

"Wake Me Up" by Avicii

Released in 2013, “Wake Me Up” made history by becoming the first song on Spotify to accumulate 200 million streams. This song can instantly put you in a good mood and that's why it's up first on our list.

"Night Moves" by Bob Seger

"Night Moves" is an easy-listening, American Rock classic. "Rolling Stone" magazine named it Single of the Year in 1977. This song is sure to get you in the right headspace for hitting the highway.

"Fly Like an Eagle" by Steve Miller Band

As suggested by one of our readers, "Fly Like an Eagle" was a must-have for this playlist. Even though this psychedelic-rock tune was released in 1976, it still feels relevant today.

Feed the babies Who don't have enough to eat Shoe the children With no shoes on their feet House the people Livin' in the street Oh, oh, there's a solution

"I Feel It Coming" by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk

As suggested by one of our readers, "I Feel It Coming" is a sensual disco-pop song by The Weeknd and Daft Punk. When you play it, this catchy song will make you instinctively bob along as you're on the road.

"Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line

A song that appears on the Spotify list and was submitted by a reader is "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line. This upbeat country song will make you wanna roll the windows down and cruise.

"Take It Easy" by the Eagles

After hours of driving, "Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy," might be the best advice you'll get. Released in 1972, "Take It Easy" by the Eagles is still being played by road trippers, appearing 20 times across the top 100 playlists.

"Riptide" by Vance Joy

"Riptide," the 2013 single by Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy, appears on 13 of the top 100 road trip Spotify playlists. This cheery folk song won the World Music Award for World’s Best Song.

"Old Town Road (Remix)" by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus

In 2019 Lil Nas X released "Old Town Road," a country rap remix with Billy Ray Cyrus. It won lots of awards, so it's no wonder that this was a top contender.

"Malibu" by Miley Cyrus

"This song reminds me of a road trip down the west coast from San Francisco to San Diego," says Megan Hartig, Content Marketing Manager. We booked our hotels on the fly with the app Hotel Tonight which was great for spontaneous travel."

"Life in the Fast Lane" by Eagles

You can't listen to "Life in the Fast Lane" without feeling like a badass. This song was on 13 of the top road trip playlists on Spotify. But don't lose your cool as this lyric points out: Life in the fast lane, Surely makes you lose your mind.

Listening to this song can give you a lead foot. Don't get a speeding ticket!

"Hey, Soul Sister" by Train

If you've never sung "Hey, Soul Sister" at the top of your lungs, have you ever been on a road trip? Not according to Spotify listeners. This song appeared 16 times according to Spotify data.

"September" by Earth, Wind & Fire

"I grew up listening to a lot of Earth, Wind & Fire with my parents during road trips," says associate editor Sherri Gardner. "'September' was one of my family’s favorites because it’s fun to sing along to, especially with the windows down."

"Burn The House Down" by AJR

Another great suggestion by one of our readers, "Burn The House Down" written by the pop trio consisting of three brothers, began as a 2018 song about U.S. political climate and became the theme song for the March for Our Lives campaign.

"Carry On Wayward Son" by Kansas

If you're struggling to hang in during your long drive, turn up "Carry On Wayward Son" a little louder for some encouragement. This progressive rock song performed by Kansas in 1976 took the band to the next level.

"Dancing In The Moonlight" by Jubël featuring NEIMY

"Dancing In The Moonlight" was named nine times in the top 100 Spotify road trip playlists. This 2018 feel-good pop cover is sure to lift your spirits with its upbeat rhythm, especially if you are driving after the sun goes down.

"Road Trip (2020 Version)" by Convent Bonfires

This song was suggested by one of our readers, and given the title, we had to include it. This obscure, indie-rock track released this year gives us all the good vibes.

"Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey

With almost one billion streams on Spotify, it's no surprise "Don't Stop Believin'" cracks the top 3, with 24 appearances on Spotify's top road trip playlists. So next time you're in your car, turn up the volume and sing on and on and on and on.

"Circles" by Post Malone

Another song listed on the Spotify charts and our reader survey is "Circles" by Post Malone. This 2019 pop single won Song of the Year at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards. It sat for a record 39 weeks in the Hot 100's top 10.

"Feel This Good" by Jackopierce

Another reader's choice, "Feel This Good" by musical duo Jackopierce is an easy listening song for the freeway.

Woke up this morning, rolled out of bed My favorite song's playing inside my head I go out on the freeway, windows down Don't know where I'm going, but it's good to move around and Days like this should never end

"Big Yellow Taxi" by Lennon & Maisy

Canadian sisters, Lennon and Maisy Stella, do a beautiful cover of the classic song "Big Yellow Taxi" originally sung by Joni Mitchell.

"Shotgun (The Wild Remix)" by George Ezra & The Wild

Whoever gets to ride shotgun is sure to enjoy this 2018 song by George Ezra featuring The Wild. "Shotgun" was listed on both the Spotify and readers' choice lists.

"Layla" by Eric Clapton

The acoustic rock song "Layla" was suggested by readers and found on six of the top Spotify road trip playlists. Hailed as one of the most iconic classic rock ballads of all time, there is no surprise it belongs here.

"Higher Love" by Kygo & Whitney Houston

This version of "Higher Love" produced by Norwegian DJ Kygo and the late Whitney Houston is a tropical, high-energy song that was number two on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart.

"Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty

"I grew up listening to Tom Petty (he was my first concert), and he's still one of my all-time favorite musicians," says senior editor Jamie Hergenrader. "Free Fallin' is worthy of a road trip playlist because it embodies the vibe of the trip—you're out on the open road, free to explore, and the lyrics even mention or hint at several classic L.A. routes, such as Ventura Boulevard, Highway 101, and Mulholland Drive."

"More Than a Feeling" by Boston

Is there a song that reminds you of your secret crush? Apparently someone in the band Boston had one, and that inspired their hit song "More Than a Feeling." Spotify users can relate. The song shows up on 22 road trip playlists, making it the fourth most popular on our Spotify list.

"Hello Darlin'" by Conway Twitty

“In the car, there’s nothing better than classic country," says Astrid Taran, senior audience editor. "There’s something about driving in the middle of nowhere blasting old school country.”

"Fast Car" by Jonas Blue & Dakota

"Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman was listed 10 times on Spotify's list, but we included a remix by Jonas Blue & Dakota to keep things fresh and upbeat to keep things interesting along the ride.

"Sun Models" by ODESZA featuring Madelyn Grant

"This song feels like the perfect soundtrack for a road trip and makes everything feel a little more epic," says visual editor Taylor McIntyre.

"Jack & Diane" by John Mellencamp

Last but certainly not least, here we have a classic rock ballad by John Mellencamp. "Jack & Diane" was released in the summer of 1982 and has been a go-to by road trippers ever sense, appearing 10 times in the Spotify road trip lists.

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50+ BEST Road Trip Songs for the Ultimate Road Trip Playlist

Heading on a road trip soon and looking for the top road trip songs to add to your road trip playlist? I’ve got you covered with 50+ of the best road trip songs to listen (and sing along to) on long car drives.

Road Trip Songs For Your Road Trip Playlist

I hope you enjoy this list of great road trip songs. I have included a mix of road trip songs from different genres (including rock, pop and country) and different eras (from classic road trip songs to modern road trip songs). Most of these great songs are about road trips and travel or cars, highways and driving in general.

(And if you are planning on taking a road trip soon make sure to check out my essential road trip packing list to make sure you have all your road trip essentials before you go!)

10 Best Road Trip Songs of All Time

I think these are the 10 best road trips songs of all time (in no particular order).

“Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen
“On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver
“Life Is a Highway” by Tom Cochrane
“Little Red Corvette” by Prince
“I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by the Proclaimers
“Take It Easy” by the Eagles
“Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf
“Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd (This song is perfect for a classic American road trip in the South.)
“I Can’t Drive 55” by Sammy Hagar

Best Classic Road Trip Songs

Below are the greatest classic road trip songs that need to be on your music playlist:

“Long Lonely Highway” by Elvis Presley
“Highway to Hell” by AC/DC
“American Pie” by Don McLean
“Hit the Road Jack” by Ray Charles
“Route 66” by Chuck Berry
“No Particular Place to Go” by Chuck Berry
“Truckin’” by The Grateful Dead
“Running on Empty” by Jackson Browne
“Tiny Dancer” by Elton John
“Mustang Sally” by Wilson Pickett
“Radar Love” by Golden Earring
“Hotel California” by Eagles
“America” by Simon & Garfunkel
“The Passenger” by Iggy Pop

80s Road Trip Songs

Below are best 80s road trip songs to add to your music playlist:

“Holiday Road” by Lindsey Buckingham
“Road to Nowhere” by Talking Heads
“Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins (from the movie Top Gun)
“Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey
“Love Shack” by the B52s
“Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake
“Born in the U.S.A” by Bruce Springsteen
“Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
“I Drove All Night” by Cyndi Lauper
“Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman

90s Road Trip Songs

Below are best 90s road trip songs to add to your music playlist:

“Road Trippin'” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
“I’ve Been Everywhere” by Johnny Cash
“The Distance” by Cake
“Drive” by Incubus
“The Way” by Fastball
“Everyday is a Winding Road” by Sheryl Crow

Modern Road Trip Songs

Below are best modern road trip songs to add to your music playlist:

“Shut Up and Drive” by Rihanna
“California” by Phantom Planet – this is one of my favorite California road trip songs .)
“Keep the Car Running” by Arcade Fire
“A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton
“Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus
“California Gurls” by Katy Perry (featuring Snoop Dogg)
“Maps For The Getaway” by Andrew McMahon
“Holocene” by Bon Iver
“I Am The Highway” by Audioslave
“Wild” by John Legend and Gary Clark Jr.
“Thousand Miles” by Miley Cyrus (feat. Brandi Carlile)
“Levitating” by Dua Lipa
“Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – this is the perfect song to listen on the way back home after a long trip

Road Trip Playlist on Spotify

To make it easier for you to listen, I have created a spotify playlist of the best road trip songs of all time:

What are your favorite road trip songs?

Need some road trip inspiration?

Best Road Trips in the USA
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Best Road Trip Quotes to Inspire You to Go!

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savvyglobetrotter

These are all classics for sure when you’re talking about a road trip. My favorite would be Sammy Hagar “I Can’t Drive 55”. Something about that cool flow that makes it perfect for a summer road trip. But I would not follow the advice because I wish not to get pulled over crossing the country LOL.

Thank you so much for putting out this list of road trips and songs!!

Summer Road Trip Playlist (Apple Music Playlist)

Last updated on July 29th, 2023 at 06:20 am

The summer season is here and you know what that means! It’s time for a road trip!

Whether you’re with good friends or traveling solo, one essential thing you need for any big road trip are some awesome tunes! Unfortunately, radio stations fade in and out on the open road when you’re enjoying a long road trip . You need some of the best driving songs gathered together in an ultimate road trip playlist.

So here you go… a list of the best road trip songs… just click the Summer Road Trip Playlist image below to play some of our favorite top summer songs. At 127 songs and almost 8 hours, this list of the best road trip songs will serve you well on long car rides.

Popular songs… American classics… country songs… power ballads… the different genres in this road trip play list is sure to feature some of your favorite songs in a perfect soundtrack.

Woman Hanging Out Car Window On A Road Trip

CLICK HERE —> Apple Music Playlist

Summer Road Trip Playlist Songs Featured:

Country Girl (Shake It For Me) by Luke Bryan
Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles
Cake By The Ocean by DNCE
Body Like A Back Road by Sam Hunt
Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf
Life Is A Highway by Rascal Flatts
Take It Easy by The Eagles
I Love Rock ‘n Roll by Joan Jett
Want To Want Me by Jason Derulo
It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere by Alan Jackson
My House by Flo Rida
Hey Mama by David Guetta (featuring Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha & Afrojack)
Rather Be by Clean Bandit (featuring Jess Glynne)
Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson (featuring Bruno Mars)
Worth It by Fifth Harmony (featuring Kid Ink)
Shut Up And Dance by Walk The Moon
Drive You Crazy by Pitbull (featuring Jason Derulo & Juicy J)
See You Again by Wiz Khalifa (featuring Charlie Puth)
Barefoot Blue Jean Night by Jake Owen
Long Hot Summer by Keith Urban
Time Of Our Lives by Pitbull & Ne-Yo
When The Sun Goes Down by Kenny Chesney & Uncle Cracker
Sugar by Maroon 5
Toes by Zac Brown Band
Wake Me Up by Avicii
Let’s Go by Calvin Harris (featuring Ne-Yo)
I Love It by Icona Pop (featuring Charli XCX)
Chicken Fried by Zac Brown Band
Hanginaround by Counting Crows
All Summer Long by Kid Rock
I Go Blind by Hootie And The Blowfish
Only Wanna Be With You by Post Malone
How’s It Gonna Be by Third Eye Blind
Little Red Corvette by Prince
Knee Deep by Zac Brown Band (featuring Jimmy Buffett)
Hey Jealousy by Gin Blossoms
Summer Nights by Rascal Flatts
Dancing In The Moonlight by King Harvest
Honey, I’m Good by Andy Grammer
Am I Wrong by Anderson .Paak (featuring ScHoolboy Q)
California Gurls by Katy Perry (featuring Snoop Dogg)
One Dance by Drake (featuring Wizkid & Kyla)
Feel So Close by Calvin Harris
Waves by Mr. Probz
House Party by Sam Hunt
Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl) by Looking Glass
Waterfalls by TLC
Blinding Lights by The Weeknd
Dance Monkey by Tones And I
One Thing Right by Marshmello & Kane Brown
Hey Look Ma, I Made It by Panic! At The Disco
Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer
Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind
Closer by The Chainsmokers (featuring Halsey)
Bad Liar by Selena Gomez
Beautiful People by Ed Sheeran (featuring Khalid)
That’s What I Like by Bruno Mars
Sucker by Jonas Brothers
Señorita by Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello
bad guy by Billie Eilish
Toosie Slide by Drake
Happier by Marshmello & Bastille
Lips Are Movin by Meghan Trainor
Tints by Anderson .Paak (featuring Kendrick Lamar)
Cannibal by Kesha
What A Man Gotta Do by Jonas Brothers
Jumper by Third Eye Blind
Animals by Maroon 5
Cool by Jonas Brothers
Me Too by Meghan Trainor
Two Princes by Spin Doctors
Fly by Sugar Ray
She’s So High by Tal Bachman
Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
Island In The Sun by Weezer
Post Malone by Sam Feldt (featuring RANI)
All Right by Cisco Adler (featuring gnash)
Tongue Tied by Grouplove
All Star by Smash Mouth
Mr. Blue Sky by Weezer
Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes
Good As Hell by Lizzo
Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover by Paul Simon
Candy by Robbie Williams
Shotgun by George Ezra
Teeth by 5 Seconds Of Summer
Band On The Run by Paul McCartney
Stupid Love by Lady Gaga
Electric Love by BORNS
Walking On Sunshine by Katrina And The Waves
Midnight Sky by Mikey Cyrus
That’s My Kind Of Night by Luke Bryan
Dancing Queen by ABBA
Mr. Brightside by The Killers
Shake It by Metro Station
No Diggity by Blackstreet (featuring Dr. Dre)
Left Hand Free by alt-J
My Type by Saint Motel
Summer On You by PRETTYMUCH
Summer by Calvin Harris
Lil Bit by Nelly & Florida Georgia Line
Bad Habits by Ed Sheeran
Leave The Door Open by Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak & Silk Sonic
Peaches by Justin Bieber (featuring Daniel Caesar & GIVĒON)
Denim Jacket by Maroon 5
On The Road Again by Willie Nelson
Magic In The Hamptons by Social House (featuring Lil Yachty)
Loving You Easy by Zac Brown Band
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones
It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me by Billy Joel
Road Trippin by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Love Shack by The B-52’s
Ring Of Fire by Johnny Cash
Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen
Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys
Soak Up The Sun by Sheryl Crow
Radar Love by Golden Earring
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
I Can’t Drive 55 by Sammy Hagar
Come Together by The Beatles (from the Abbey Road album)
Holiday Road by Lindsey Buckingham
Roll Over Beethoven by Chuck Berry
Doctor My Eyes by Jackson Browne
Another Day In Paradise by Phil Collins
Fast Car by Tracy Chapman
Where The Streets Have No Name by U2 (from The Joshua Tree album)
American Pie by Don McLean

Now that you’ve got your perfect road trip playlist, where are you heading this summer? A California desert? A beach in Florida? Getting lost on a country road? Leave a comment below!

What is the #1 road trip song?

There is no definitive #1 road trip song, as musical tastes are highly subjective. However, here are some songs that are commonly associated with road trips:

“Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf – This 1969 rock anthem glorifies the freedom of the open road and is a road trip classic.

“Life Is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts – An upbeat country song released in 2006 that celebrates the journey rather than the destination.

“Take It Easy” by The Eagles – A mellow 1970s rock song advising people to take life at their own pace. Often played during long hauls.

“I Love Rock ‘n Roll” by Joan Jett – A feel good rock jam from 1981 that never fails to get people singing along.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen – Though not specifically about road trips, this song is guaranteed to be passionately sung by all occupants of the car.

“Radar Love” by Golden Earring – A driving rock song from 1973 about rushing home to a lover that captures the exhilaration of the open road.

“American Pie” by Don McLean – At over 8 minutes long, this folk rock classic keeps the music flowing for miles.

“Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd – A Southern rock staple ideal for cross country road trips through the American South.

So while there’s no definitive #1, these songs are certainly strong contenders based on their enduring popularity and ability to capture the spirit of the great American road trip!

How long should a road trip playlist be?

Generally, a road trip playlist should be at least 3 hours long, but can range upwards of 6 hours or more. The length of the ideal playlist really depends on the length of the trip and personal preferences.

Here are some general guidelines:

For short trips under 3 hours , a playlist of 30-50 songs is usually sufficient. You want enough variety to last the whole drive but not so much that you’re constantly skipping around.

For medium length trips of 3-6 hours , aim for a playlist in the range of 50-100 songs . This provides more variety and reduces repetition over an extended drive time.

For very long road trips of 6+ hours , a playlist of 100-200+ songs is recommended. The longer the trip, the more music you’ll need to cover all those miles without getting bored.

Consider the vibe you want for the trip too. An energetic, uptempo playlist can help keep drivers alert on long hauls. For more mellow trips, create a laidback playlist.

Mix up the genres and eras to appeal to multiple travelers. Classic road trip songs sprinkled among current hits keeps the playlist fresh.

Organize thematic playlists for different legs of the trip – driving music, sunset songs, sing-along favorites. This adds variety.

The key is striking the right balance of variety and continuity in an order that flows well. Don’t just throw every song you like into one massive playlist. Curate it thoughtfully for the specific trip and travelers. Bon voyage!

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The Ultimate Road Trip Playlist for Your Summer 2022 Travel Journeys

Who fancies a road trip this summer?

Whether you’re heading for a one-day drive around the Great British countryside or you’re heading to your staycation destination, every road trip needs a playlist.

But what are the best and most popular road trip songs?

Cath Kidston’s independent data collection partner has analysed all playlists on Spotify with ‘road trip’ in the title to create the ultimate road trip playlist. We have 100 songs in total and we’ll detail the top 10 here.

#1 – Mr Brightside by The Killers

The ultimate feel-good, sing-your-heart-out song, it’s easy to see why ‘Mr Brightside’ has topped the road trip playlist chart, appearing in 134 playlists. It’s the perfect combination of teen angst and adult singalong with an added dose of nostalgia for good measure.

#2 – Riptide by Vance Joy

In contrast to Mr Brightside’s angsty rock vibe, the tinkly mellow guitar strings in ‘Riptide’ are oh-so-summery. There are mixed interpretations of this song – some believe it’s a love song, some think it’s directed at a lover who is drifting away from the singer, and some read it as a break-up song. Whichever it is, the melody is uplifting and summery, making it a great road trip song that appears on 107 playlists.

#3 – Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd

If there’s a song that epitomises the classic American road trip, it’s ‘Sweet Home Alabama’. The classic guitar intro is instantly recognisable and it’s another song that gets an outing every summer. It’s been sampled by Kid Rock since, highlighting the enduring popularity of this tune. But you can’t beat the original, which features on a total of 96 playlists.

#4 – Stacy’s Mom by Fountains of Wayne

Continuing the theme of nostalgic indie rock is the classic, ‘Stacy’s Mom’ by Fountains of Wayne, in at number four with 93 playlist inclusions. This already-entertaining tune has recently been parodied on TikTok, with the title becoming Stacy’s Dad. It’s another song we all know the words to and can sing along to at the top of our lungs.

#5 – Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey

Coming in at number five and appearing on 92 playlists is the huge Journey anthem, ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’. Who hasn’t heard the intro and immediately jumped to their air guitar to play and sing along? The upbeat song is beloved by people of all ages and experienced a renaissance with younger generations when it was covered on Glee and sang by X-Factor winner Joe McElderry on the show, introducing a new generation of listeners to Journey.

#6 – Hey, Soul Sister by Train

As infectious as it is joyful, Train’s ‘Hey, Soul Sister’ comes in at number six. We can imagine driving through the rolling hills of the Lake District or the glorious Norfolk coast, car top down, with this blasting. If the trip is beginning to fatigue you a bit, this tune will certainly perk you back up and have you singing along carefreely. No wonder it features on 86 road trip playlists.

#7 – Africa by TOTO

As far as classics go, it doesn’t get much better than TOTO’s ‘Africa’ – featuring on 81 road trip playlists. You’ll be prepared to bust a lung singing along to the irresistible chorus, arms in the air (if you’re a passenger, of course). In fact, we love this one so much that we might need to put it on repeat. Now, after us: “I bless the rains down in Africaaaaaaaa…”

#8 – All Star – Smash Mouth

In at number eight, with inclusion on 77 playlists, we have a real head-bopper. Many of us were introduced to this catchy tune through 2001’s cinematic masterpiece, Shrek . That’s why it holds so much childhood nostalgia for us. Long-term fans of the band will have heard this song long before the movie as it placed in the charts when released , and it’s stood the test of time as a classic for old and new listeners.

#9 – Shotgun by George Ezra

‘Shotgun’ was one of the biggest songs of 2018, hitting number one in the charts and staying there for four weeks – but in the charts for a huge 128 weeks in total. It’s easy to see why it’s featured in 74 road trip playlists – Ezra’s lyrics describe riding shotgun on a road trip “underneath the hot sun.” You can pretend this song is describing your trip as you play it.

#10 – Hotel California – 2013 Remaster by Eagles

The final song in the top 10 most featured road trip playlist tunes is another that could easily describe your road trip – ‘Hotel California’. The song begins with “on a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair” – and while we don’t quite have desert highways in the UK, we can certainly pretend we do as we roll past beaches and other landmarks on a hot summer day. This classic features on 72 playlists.

So there you have it – the 10 most popular road trip playlist songs. So pack your travel bags, throw your day-out backpacks into your car, and crank up the volume.

https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107859453046/

https://eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2021/05/18/shrek-20-all-star-smash-mouth-paul-delisle-embraces-legacy/5125335001/

https://www.loudersound.com/news/remember-that-fountains-of-wayne-song-stacys-mom-well-say-hello-to-stacys-dad

https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/3804/smash-mouth/

https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/30845/george-ezra/

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The Top 38 Summer Road Trip Songs

Like many folks, we have plans to hit the highway this summer for a few road trips. Which means in addition to packing enough snacks, water and soft drinks to keep us replenished, we’re going to need a good mix of songs to accompany the journey. And though the technology for making a road trip list of tunes has changed — what used to be created using LPs recorded onto cassettes, now is made in mere minutes with an iTunes or Spotify playlist — the fun of pulling from a wealth of material to create the perfect mix remains.

Billboard’s heavyweight list of top 30 summer songs got us to thinking, and while a few made our summer mix, our own personal taste prevailed for some alternatives for open-road jamming.

Our melting pot of tunes for this season, like all good mixes, features a wide variety. On this session we picked from songs (or bands) with “summer” in the name. Songs that can be upbeat or mellow. Classics and brand new. A combination of guilty pleasures, mellow jams, and indie rock. Again, a little bit of everything.

What will be at the top of your road trip playlist this summer?

Let us know on Facebook and Twitter ( click to Tweet now! ), and your recommendation could be included in our next collection of summer road trip tracks. ( UPDATE: Our social media followers have spoken and the result is Another Awesome Summer Road Trip Playlist ! Check it out!)

Tunes to make your summer road trip sound and feel great

Check out this playlist on Spotify .

1. “Heaven” The Walkmen – The title track from this group’s 2012 album has a great groove geared toward hitting the road either for a lengthy road trip or just cruising around town.

2. “Bubble Toes” Jack Johnson – Johnson’s combination of acoustic-backed songs and surf sensibilities set up for a smooth ride into summer. This, a single from his 2001 debut album, is a prime example.

3. “Dog Days Are Over” Florence + the Machine – Florence Welch and her bandmates have gone from playing small clubs to large arenas since forming in London in 2007. This epic song, with its slow build and positive lyrics, is perfect for playing while putting miles behind on the open road.

4. “Brown Eyed Girl” Van Morrison – Originally released in 1967 following the Summer of Love, it’s fitting to include in a best of summer road trip songs playlist.

5. “Boyfriend” Best Coast – The debut album by this duo was full of summery, beachy vibes and this, the first single, is the perfect way to cruise through summer.

6. “Surfin’ Safari” The Beach Boys – A list of summer songs can’t be complete without at least one number by the group that had so many fun-in-the-sun defining hits.

7. “Here Comes the Sun” The Beatles – Yes, this is an obvious one, but as George sings, “I say, it’s all right.”

8. “Diamonds on the Inside” Ben Harper – Harper’s music infuses folk, blues, rock, soul, reggae, you name it. It all equates to a great soundtrack for heading out on the road this summer – see this song.

9. “Semi-Charmed Life” Third Eye Blind – This 1990s-formed band has had a resurgence lately with summer tour dates on the books, including Lollapalooza in July. This is the song that started it all and still revs the engines for sing-along, upbeat road trip songs.

10. “Summertime” The Sundays – When Harriet Wheeler sings “’Cause it’s you and me in the summertime, we’ll be hand in hand down in the park,” it paints a gleeful picture of the season. If you haven’t heard of this alternative English band, popular in the 1990s, then their music is worth getting caught up on. Try it on your next road trip.

Click here to recommend your favorite summer road trip tune.

11. “One Love/People Get Ready” Bob Marley and the Wailers – As fans of Marley’s music know, the majority of songs from this reggae legend can transport the listener to a warmer clime within the first notes. Put the compilation album “Legend,” where this song can be found, on repeat and drift away.

12. “Cruel Summer” Bananarama – Though the song’s lyrics reflect on the darker side of summer (the HEAT), the 1980s-era keyboards, guitar and electro-drums keep this song breezing along during a car journey.

13. “Knee Deep” Zac Brown Band – The ZBB is accomplished at creating feel-good songs perfect for warm weather road tripping. The bonus guest vocals by Jimmy Buffett put this one among the top songs of the summer.

14. “Summer Skin” Death Cab for Cutie – With “summer” in the title, this one lands on the list, but it’s Ben Gibbard’s emotive lyrics, rat-a-tat snare drum and bassline that make this a must-have for summer playlists.

15. “All Summer Long” Kid Rock – The Detroit-based Kid was raised on rock-and-roll and it shows in this 2007 smash that mixes in “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Werewolves of London” riffs for a road trip song worthy of a sunny sojourn.

16. “Walking on Sunshine” Katrina and the Waves – There’s a reason Jack Black’s character in “High Fidelity” opens up a Monday morning mix tape with this one-hit wonder. Also works for opening a summer road trip playlist.

17. “Roscoe” by Midlake – Who ever heard of a hit song with the word “stonecutters” in it? Well, Midlake did it. Through intricate guitar work and the driving rhythm section, Midlake created a song as perfect for a quiet night at home as it is blasting in your car and pushing you down the highway.

18. “Glad You Came” The Wanted – Pump up the volume on this former Top 40 No. 1 hit and like the song says, you’ll be glad you did.

19. “California Gurls” Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg – Perry’s perfection of pop makes this song, and really most of the stuff she does, perfect for cranking up the volume while rolling down the highway.

20. “California Girls” The Beach Boys – Another classic by the boys who defined the beach sound, this one heats up a harmonious take on the Golden State.

21. “Yellow” Coldplay – This UK-formed quartet has come a long way, and had numerous hits, since releasing this colorful song off their first album (Parachutes, 2000). But there’s something about “Yellow” that just says “open road.” “Look at the stars, look how they shine for you.”

22. “Soak Up the Sun” Sheryl Crow – This warm-weather anthem of 2002 still holds up in 2016 as the perfect musical accompaniment to cruising through summer.

23. “One Particular Harbour” Jimmy Buffett – Fins up for this one. Jimmy Buffett is one of those artists, like Marley and Kenny Chesney, whose music brings about good vibes and sparks sing-alongs to any summer road trip.

24. “Holiday” Vampire Weekend – A happy, upbeat number that gets you in the mood for summer vacation thanks to this quartet formed while attending Columbia University.

25. “Rolling in the Deep” Adele – Adele’s star has risen to new heights this year with her third album, but this song off her second release, “21”, speaks of a relationship that, “could have had it all, rolling in the deep.”

26. “You Gotta Believe” The Rocket Summer – Again, the band’s name begs for inclusion in this list, but this upbeat number comes with a feel-good vibe that is mood enhancing. Watch your speed when this jam comes on.

27. “When I Was Young” Nada Surf – With “surf” in the moniker, this group was a given to land on the list, and many tunes in their catalog could work as great summer road trip songs. This acoustic-infused ballad is a good one for cruising along a coast and reflecting.

28. “Back Down South” Kings of Leon – The cover image of the album this track comes from – 2010’s “Come Around Sundown” – features two palm trees on an island surrounded by water and backlit by the sun. The perfect visual to sum up a vacation getaway and this song helps audibly take you there.

29. “Summer Babe (Winter Version)” Pavement – A breezy, distorted guitar jam with the quirkiness one expects from this seminal indie rock band circa 1992.

30. “The Great Salt Lake” Band of Horses – Another group with a new record out this summer, this song from BoH’s 2006 debut is an ode to adventures waiting to be had by heading to your favorite body of water.

31. “Sunrise” Norah Jones – This mellow number from Ms. Jones’ 2004 debut works great for watching the sunrise (or set) and reveling in the beauty of Mother Nature.

32. “Begin the Begin” R.E.M. – The opening track from the 1986 classic album “Lifes Rich Pageant” when placed as an opening song for a road trip playlist kick-starts the journey with the perfect jangle.

33. “Big Bad Wolf” by Jessie Frye – Loud guitars. Pounding drums. Powerful vocals. Some songs are made to blast out loud while you and your friends sit at the pool all day. (Just make sure you check out all her other songs, too!)

34. “Road Trippin’” Red Hot Chili Peppers – Hailing from California, the Peppers have warm-weather, beach vibes in their blood and in their songs. Many of their tunes could make this list, but this one was chosen for its nod to the road trip and lyrics such as “fully loaded we’ve got snacks and supplies.” Look for the group’s new album dropping this summer.

35. “Wonderwall” Oasis – Possibly the biggest song to come out of the band of Gallagher brothers, the acoustic guitar and catchy chorus keep this classic relevant for today’s car cruising.

36. “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” Justin Timberlake – Roll the windows down and turn it up for this tune by JT who, let’s face it, has the Midas touch for road-ready tunes.

37. “Cake by the Ocean” DNCE – An instant earworm, this toe-tapping number will get in your head and have you signing along … all summer long.

38. “First” Cold War Kids – This could have been a song for the summer in 2014 when it was first released on the album “Hold My Home.” Though it may have taken two years, the song has caught on in popularity and cuts across several radio formats emerging as a cool road jam.

Check out our follow-up Road Trip Playlist to see what songs were chosen by our followers on Facebook and Twitter.

James Mayfield is the Director of Content at Santander Consumer USA and has been creating content on financial topics for more than 10 years. In addition to writing for the Santander, RoadLoans and Chrysler Capital blog sites, his work has…

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The best road trip songs of all time

These road trip songs will make your next excursion a memorable one, whether you’re driving for few hours or a few days

Image: Time Out/Sterling Munksgard/Shutterstock

Don’t get us wrong—we really love city life. But sometimes day-tripping to a nearby summer music festival doesn’t quite satiate our need for escape, and that’s where these classic road trip songs come in. When the urge strikes, it’s time to hit the highway/motorway/ whatever for a good, old-fashioned road trip. Of course, you can’t drive in complete silence—well, you can, but the very thought is giving us a flat tyre—so we’ve compiled our list of the best road trip songs to get your motors running and propel your journey into fifth gear. Crank up classics from the Boss, the Dead and Prince, and even some Whitesnake, as you cruise along the open road, forgetting every care in the world.

RECOMMENDED: 🤝 The best songs about friendship 🎉 The best birthday songs of all time 🎶 The best ’80s songs 🎤 The best karaoke songs 🕺 The best pop songs of all time

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

Best road trip songs, ranked

1. ‘born to run’ by bruce springsteen.

Like Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born in the U.S.A.,’ ‘Born to Run’ is darker than it may seem. Embedded in the scuffed poetry of the lyrics is a potent combination of rebellion, sex, disgust and determination—brought to life by the throaty passion of Springsteen’s voice, the liberating wail of Clarence Clemons’s sax and the sheer propulsive force of the E Street Band’s backup. “Someday girl, I don’t know when/We’re gonna get to that place where we really wanna go,” Springsteen promises. ‘Born to Run’, for all its spikes, takes you there. It’s a love song, an urban-jungle cry and a perfect anthem of pedal-to-the-metal escape.

2. ‘Little Red Corvette’ by Prince

It doesn’t take a B.A. in poetry to figure this ditty’s got nothing to do with cars. In the world of Prince, coupés are women, horsepower is a pack of Trojan condoms, and gas is stamina in the sheets. The beat takes its time, synthetic drums echoing into the distance, just as the Purple One implores his one-night stand to take it slow, to make it two, three or more nights. Dez Dickerson peels out in the guitar solo, but she’s the one driving here. Perfect choice of car model—elusive, American, curvy, risky. It wouldn’t work as a Ferrari or Rolls.

3. ‘Here I Go Again’ by Whitesnake

Been dumped recently? You need to go for a drive (preferably in a Jaguar XJ). You’ve made up your mind. You ain’t wasting no more time. So tease your hair, don your pleather, and crank up the volume on this 1982 hit—just try not to get stuck in traffic. This power ballad works better on the open road (with no adjacent drivers to judge your Coverdale cover moves).

4. ‘Where the Streets Have No Name’ by U2

This anthemic opening track from U2’s landmark 1987 LP, The Joshua Tree, is an ideal kick-starter for any road trip (particularly if you're wandering about the California desert where the titular yucca plant is commonly found). From a whisper, the sound of an organ builds up like a spiritual beacon being unveiled. It’s well over a minute before the Edge’s churning guitar and Adam Clayton’s propulsive bassline kick in, and another 40 seconds before Bono’s vocals touch down. By then, you’re ready to hit top gear and wail along: ‘I want to run/I want to hide/I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside.’ Though this road trip song is about Bono’s vision of an Ireland free from class boundaries, it has inspired countless highway warriors to venture out to those places that maybe aren’t on the map.

5. ‘Love Shack’ by the B-52s

‘Hop in my Chrysler! It’s as big as a whale, and it’s about to set sail!’ booms Fred Schneider on this all-time great party song . Admittedly, it’s hard to dance like no one’s watching when you’re behind the wheel of a Chrysler (or a Fiat Punto, for that matter), but ‘Love Shack’ will liven up any road trip. If your bum’s getting numb, just whack it on and have yourself a little front or backseat disco.

6. ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ by Lynyrd Skynyrd

American football possibly killed off Southern boogie rock. Hear us out. Because of college pigskin rivalries, this song could not be made today. College football is a matter of life and death down there, literally. Iconic trees and people have been murdered over games. Skynyrd was born deep in SEC country: The boogie-rock brothers were from Jacksonville, not Alabama, and cut the track in Georgia. Could you imagine a bunch of Gators fans cutting a tune that could in any way be construed as ‘Roll Tide’? Yankees and rivals love to mock and loathe the Crimson Tide, but when this ditty plays, every human in the room, no matter the allegiance, becomes a temporary, gen-u-wine Mobile redneck.

7. ‘I Drove All Night’ by Cyndi Lauper

The irreverent thrift-shop spunk that defined Cyndi Lauper’s persona in the 1980s sometimes overshadowed her killer range and sensitivity as a vocalist, but ‘I Drove All Night’—from her third album, 1989’s ‘A Time to Remember’—finds her in a different mode. Driven by a feverish desire, she takes the wheel and makes her own way to her lover’s bed. (She may coyly ask, ‘Is that all right?’ but by that time she’s already done it.) And Lauper’s impressively sustained last note is a perfect expression of the song’s sense of undeterrable yearning.

8. ‘Fast Car’ by Tracy Chapman

Tracy Chapman’s beautifully direct 1988 hit, from her eponymous debut album, gives escapism an especially poignant twist. The speeding car and its romantic freedom (‘City lights stretched out before us/Your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder’) can’t be separated from what it’s speeding from: a life of urban poverty, trapped taking care of deadbeats—first a drunk father and then, at the end, the very driver that she had dreamed might carry her to rescue.

9. ‘Keep the Car Running’ by Arcade Fire

If there’s one quality that characterizes Arcade Fire’s sound, it’s urgency—and nowhere is that more evident than on ‘Keep the Car Running’ from the band’s super noir, grandiose 2007 ‘Neon Bible’ album. Based on singer Win Butler’s childhood nightmares (‘Men are coming to take me away!’ he pines), ‘Keep the Car Running’ expands these fears into a sense of global anxiety, and the certainty that there must be something better down the road (‘Don’t know why, but I know I can’t stay’). On its release, the song was likened to prime-era Bruce Springsteen; imagine fans’ joy when Butler and Régine Chassagne made a surprise showing at the Boss’s stadium gig to bust out the song with him. Warning: You will need to be super-careful not to break the speed limit if you play this song while driving.

10. ‘Truckin’’ by Grateful Dead

Let us pause, and acknowledge the fact that this road trip song has been recognised by the U.S. Library of Congress as a national treasure. Mmmm. Written and performed communally by Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir and lyricist Robert Hunter, the catchy, bluesy shuffle turns the band’s misfortunes on the road into a metaphor for getting through life’s constant changes. And really, what’s a good trip—or a good life—if you can’t exclaim at the end, ‘What a long, strange trip it’s been’?

11. ‘Road to Nowhere’ by Talking Heads

The gospel-choir intro to this upbeat single, off 1985’s ‘Little Creatures’ LP , makes for a great start to any road-trip mix. The song celebrates the journey over the destination—as frontman David Byrne puts it, ‘I wanted to write a song that presented a resigned, even joyful look at doom.’ (Typical of him.) Not every end point is a good one, but we’ll be damned if this march doesn’t have us enjoying the ride.

12. ‘Graceland’ by Paul Simon

Road trips are a time for contemplation, whether we expect it (or like it) or not. Paul Simon’s 1986 single is a perfect, toe-tapping example—we’re treated to what’s basically his stream of consciousness on a drive to Graceland with his son after the failure of his marriage to the late, great Carrie Fisher. At turns both nostalgic and hopeful, it runs the gamut of emotions we always seem to experience a little more profoundly on the road.

13. ‘Take It Easy’ by the Eagles

The Eagles took flight in 1972 with their debut single: a quick but mellow paean to the romance of the road, where a world of troubles—romantic and otherwise—can be shucked at the mere sight of a girl (my lord!) in a flatbed Ford. Cowritten by frontman Glenn Frey and his friend Jackson Browne, the song’s rejection of worry and release into insouciant adventure are perfect for relieving tension on a drive. As the lyrics gently urge: ‘Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy.’

14. ‘America’ by Simon and Garfunkel

Add this one to your bucket list: Everyone should be required (at least once) to listen to their restless side, hitchhike, board a bus and go to another city/state/country to find something better—as described in Simon and Garfunkel’s 1968 classic, which follows two young lovers on a Greyhound in search for America. Take your sweetie along for the ride, smoke cigarettes on the side of the road, chat with the weirdos you meet on your journey, and by all means, indulge in a few slices of all-American pie.

15. ‘Route 66’ by Chuck Berry

This R&B standard, written in 1946 by Bobby Troup, has been covered by everyone from the Rolling Stones to John Mayer and Depeche Mode. We’re partial to Chuck Berry’s 1961 rendition, which matches the 2,400-mile pilgrimage on the L.A.–Chicago-connecting titular highway to a T. Who better than the father of rock & roll to accompany a trip past greasy-spoon diners, tiny towns frozen in time and striking Americana landscapes?

16. ‘Home’ by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

First and foremost a love song, the L.A. troupe’s jingly-jangly 2010 smash single is also, obviously, about coming home – making it the perfect road trip song. Naturally, the feel-good tune should be played at the end of your voyage, when you’re speeding a bit because you just can’t wait to get home to your significant other/parents/puppy/comfy bed.

17. ‘Going Up the Country’ by Canned Heat

Released in 1968 and adapted from a 1920s blues song, Canned Heat’s highest-charting single was the unofficial anthem of Woodstock—and even after all this time, it’s the perfect track to kick off a road trip, a steering-wheel-tapping, grin-inducing song that makes you immediately pine for sun-drenched fields: “I’m going where the water tastes like wine, we can jump in the water, stay drunk all the time.” Those dudes had their priorities straight…just so long as they had a designated driver.

18. ‘I’ve Been Everywhere’ by Johnny Cash

Music has always had the power to educate. Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’ taught us more 20th-century American history than a year’s worth of school hisoty lessons. For a CliffsNotes anatomy lesson, we turned to Professor Sir Mix-a-Lot. And when it comes to geography, there is no better musical resource than this name-dropping country ditty, first released with North American locales in 1962 by Canadian crooner Hank Snow. In four verses, 91 places are rattled off in rapid-fire succession—destinations both big (Chicago and Nashville) and small (Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and Haverstraw, New York). This road trip song has been covered many times and adapted for different regions of the globe, but we’re partial to the Man in Black’s 1996 rendition, simply because his weathered, gravelly bass-baritone suggests a man who has indeed been everywhere.

19. ‘Hit the Road Jack’ by Ray Charles

Fiendishly simple with its descending piano chords, ‘Hit the Road Jack’ is sung from the perspective of a philanderer being ejected by his lady. By all rights this 1961 R&B classic should win a prize for being impossible not to sing along to: ‘What you say?!’ screams soul hero Charles to his velvet-voiced Raelettes. Later he complains, ‘You can’t mean that,’ about as convincingly as a cat picking bird feathers from between its teeth. The track's most memorable use in a road trip appears in the 1989 comedy movie The Dream Team .

20. ‘Holiday Road’ by Lindsey Buckingham

Hard to hear this seemingly happy little sock hop without thinking of the Griswold family station wagon zooming to Walley World. As its dark video helps to underline, the lyrics speak more of feeling trapped than free. The Fleetwood Mac man was an ace at hiding his boyish ache behind melodic smiles. Which is why this road trip song is such simple genius: It works the same whether you’re chained to a desk and longing for a vacation or finally on the highway, shooting to God knows where with no deadlines.

21. ‘Mr. Blue Sky’ by Electric Light Orchestra

The sweet spot is 176 beats per minute. That’s a giddy run, the pace of your footsteps hitting the pavement as you jog home after a first kiss. Though we haven’t tested this, we theorise it is the precise cadence of fence posts whipping past your window as you motor down a highway just above the speed limit. ‘Mr. Blue Sky’ is 176 beats per minute, which is why, whenever it plays, you have the urge to run like a big dumb puppy dog to a boyfriend/girlfriend, or let the wind blow through your hair at 76mph, as you croon along to the vocoder like a robot. Warning: When ‘Mr. Blue Sky’ is used without such outlets, it can cause deep wanderlust.

22. ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’ by the Proclaimers

If there’s one road trip song that can unite everyone in the car in the simple act of thumping whatever surface is near them in time with a ludicrously catchy tune, it’s this one—a hit in 1988 for Scottish twins the Proclaimers. Fun fact: The ‘havering’ referred to in the first verse (‘And if I haver, I know I’m gonna be the man who’s havering to you’) is Scots slang for babbling foolishly. So now you know.

23. ‘Ride Like the Wind‘ by Christopher Cross

Take your EGOT and stuff it. Chris Cross has the transportation trifecta—mega-hits for the sea (‘Sailing’), sky (‘Arthur’s Theme’) and road (‘Ride Like the Wind’). People condescendingly pigeonhole the guy as yacht rock (the pink flamingo on his smash album doesn’t help), but he’s truly yacht-jet-and-rental-car rock. Despite its lily-white reputation, ‘Ride‘ is cool and dangerous. It’s possibly—no, probably—about drug smuggling. Racing away to Mexico with Michael McDonald as the devil on your shoulder. Hearing those percolating bongos, wind effects, electric piano and oily guitar licks, it could fit right on Daft Punk’s ‘Random Access Memories’ album . It remains DJ gold. Call it ‘Get Unlucky’.

24. ‘Ramblin’ Man’ by the Allman Brothers Band

We may not have been born in the backseat of a Greyhound bus (thanks, mum!), but for whatever reason, the idea of being a ramblin’ man (or woman) is endlessly appealing. And when we play this 1973 hit—based on Hank Williams’s 1951 song of the same name—on the open road, that’s exactly who we are. At least until Monday.

25. ‘On the Road Again’ by Willie Nelson

Nothing beats hitting the open road, where you can escape the stress of work, family, bills, city life and just be free, man. Just ask tireless road dog Willie Nelson. The Red Headed Stranger penned this 1980 country hit—the ultimate get-the-hell-out-of-town anthem—not in the back of a tour bus but rather, of all places, on a barf bag midflight.

26. ‘Runnin’ Down a Dream’ by Tom Petty

Some would argue that we could have built this entire list solely out of Petty tunes—but we had to make a choice, and we picked this 1989 single from the song man’s first solo record, ‘Full Moon Fever’. Not only does it take place in a car, but the tune’s reference to Del Shannon’s ‘Runaway’ and killer guitar solo make it a perfect fit for blasting out of your speakers while cruising down the interstate in pursuit of the American dream, your future destination or simply that next roadside burger.

27. ‘Let Me Ride’ by Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre’s ‘The Chronic’ album arrived on the heels of the 1992 South Central riots. Folks in Compton were looking to escape and could not—and not just because of the traffic on the 110 and 405. This was a cry for cruising with the bucket seats dropped back, slow rolling on a resting-heart-rate rhythm and those G-funk dog-whistle keyboards. ‘Swing down, sweet chariot, stop, let me ride,’ goes the chorus lifted from Parliament’s ‘Mothership Connection,’ itself based on a slave spiritual. But just because the song hides a deeper political meaning the way lowriders hide a subwoofer in the trunk, there’s no reason Dre can’t roll in style. Specifically, in a 1964 Chevy Impala shoed with Dayton rims (a.k.a. ‘Ds,’ as in ‘Throw some Ds on that bitch’).

28. ‘Born to Be Wild’ by Steppenwolf

The riff, like the rev of a motorcycle throttle, has become so terribly commonplace, it’s hard to imagine what it must have been like to hear its ‘heavy-metal thunder’ with virgin ears during the opening credits of Easy Rider . Today, Steppenwolf’s monster hit is a movie-trailer cliché on par with ‘Bad to the Bone’ and ‘I Got You (I Feel Good).’ What was once-tough biker rock is now Viagra-ad fodder. Still, if you can wash out the soundtrack memories of Problem Child, Dr. Dolittle 2, Rugrats Go Wild, et al., the dirty little number still rips, along with a deep huff of exhaust fumes and jazz cigarettes.

29. ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ by Journey

A thousand terrible karaoke performances have somewhat dulled the lustre of this once-gleaming classic ’80s song , but once it comes on in the car, you’ll be in love with it all over again within seconds. Just don’t use it as a road map—there is no such place as South Detroit. Okay, there is, but it’s in Ontario, Canada, so you might need your passport.

30. ‘Interstate Love Song’ by Stone Temple Pilots

The underrated STP (hey, that’s a fuel additive) was never truly a grunge band. The ‘Core’ album was a trend-surfing foot in the door, the American equivalent to Blur’s baggy-riding ‘Leisure’. Really, the bands have more melodic ambitions. Scott Weiland, as his solo albums and pink fur coat proved, had far more Bowie in him than his peers. ‘Interstate Love Song’ was the lifting of the veil, when the Pilots announced, Hey, we actually listen to the Beatles , not the Melvins. It chugs along with drop-top bliss, even if the chorus is oddly about trains, not driving.

31. ‘Radar Love’ by Golden Earring

Appropriately for a song about driving, this 1973 cut from Dutch rockers Golden Earring is one of the best road trip songs ever written. ‘The road has got me hypnotised, I’m speeding into a new sunrise!’ wails singer Barry Hay, as that bassline gets your head nodding and your foot instinctively pressing down on the gas. ‘Radar Love’ also has the best breakdown of any rock song ever. This is an indisputable scientific fact.

32. ‘Life Is a Highway’ by Tom Cochrane

Okay. We know how heavy-handed these metaphors are. And how forced the rhymes are. We never said every song on this list was a masterpiece. But we dare you not to sing along with the chorus of this 1991 cheesefest— especially on a highway. Maybe no one ever listens to the song in its entirety (sorry Tom), but one or two ‘life is a highway’s are pretty much mandatory. Give in.

33. ‘The Way’ by Fastball

Alt-rock band Fastball had a breakout 1998 hit with this fast-driving tale of a married pair that ditches its conventional home and family, in favour of a dream life on the highway with no destination. The feel-good, sing-along optimism of the chorus—‘They’ll never get hungry, they’ll never get old and grey’—has a dark undercurrent: Weeks after their disappearance, the bodies of the real-life Texas couple who inspired the song were discovered in an Arkansas ravine. But all of life’s roads hit a dead-end eventually: Better, maybe, at least to leave the driveway.

34. ‘California’ by Phantom Planet

Contrary to popular belief, the hair-metal power ballad did not die by grunge’s bullet. The hair just got shorter and the trousers got looser. Case in point: this 2002 theme from The O.C. It is emo made only from the emotion of uncut nostalgia. It is basically Motley Crüe’s ‘Home Sweet Home’ for mollycoddled millennials, right down to the video compiled from sentimental tour footage. And it is oddly reminiscent of Al Jolson’s ‘California, Here I Come.’ That’s some feat, finding the common ground between Jolson and the Crüe. Man, remember when Ryan became a cage fighter after Marissa died?

35. ‘Shut Up and Drive’ by Rihanna

This electro bop from 2007 isn’t a top-tier Rihanna tune, but it still kinda rips. Driven – pun definitely intended – by a crafty sample from New Order’s club classic ‘Blue Monday’, it’s an unashamedly fluffy new wave pastiche that’s as much about sex as hitting the open highway. Don’t even pretend you can resist it – especially when the chance of RiRi releasing new music any time soon seems to get slimmer with each passing year.

36. ‘Running on Empty’ by Jackson Browne

There’s a reason this song soundtracks the Forrest Gump protagonist’s famous transcontinental jog: Few pop tunes capture the rush of earthbound travel—by foot, by car or, in Jackson Browne’s case, by tour bus—better than this autobiographical FM-radio staple. But what makes it a classic is the ambiguity in Browne’s message. ‘I don’t know where I’m running now; I’m just running on,’ he sings, perfectly summing up how the desire for escape can be its own kind of trap.

37. ‘Two of Us’ by the Beatles

The Fab Four’s back catalogue is replete with songs about travelling around: ‘Drive My Car,’ ‘Day Tripper,’ ‘Ticket to Ride,’ ‘Yellow Submarine’—the list goes on and on like a long and winding road. No Beatles track, though, captures the feeling of setting off into uncharted territory with someone special better than ‘Two of Us,’ penned by Paul McCartney in 1969. There is debate as to whether McCartney’s partner in crime in this song is future wife Linda Eastman, as he claims, or John Lennon, which some of the nostalgia-infused lyrics would suggest. No matter—an impromptu road trip is a good time whether your passenger-seat companion is your new flame or your counterpart in the greatest songwriting tandem of all time.

38. ‘Chicago’ by Sufjan Stevens

Some songs make your heart beat faster from the get-go, and 2005 road-trip song ‘Chicago’ is just such a gem, announcing its entrance in a whirlwind of strings and a rush of percussion. The backing cuts suddenly to Stevens’s voice, whispering that most universal human sentiment: ‘I fell in love again—all things go, all things go,’ and then later, another familiar feeling: ‘I made a lot of mistakes, I made a lot of mistakes.’ It’s this acknowledgement of our frailty, coupled with our irrepressible capacity for hope and excitement that gives ‘Chicago’ its electrifying, driving charge. That and the fact it features in the ridiculously touching road movie Little Miss Sunshine .

39. ‘Fade Into You’ by Mazzy Star

Night driving found a shimmering musical complement in this ethereal 1994 track from dream popsters Mazzy Star. In a rare bit of sonic magic, it seems that no matter how fast you’re driving, the low beats per minute on ‘Fade Into You’ always manage to sync up perfectly with the passing dividing lines visible from your car’s two headlights. And a night drive, preferably undertaken as you’re pining for an unrequited love, wouldn’t be complete without Hope Sandoval’s dusk, haunting vocals echoing throughout your ride. Two-lane highway bliss, by moonlight.

40. ‘The Golden Age’ by Beck

This 2002 road trip song, off Beck’s desolate, heartbreaking ‘Sea Change’ , is one of the most perfect and profound illustrations of driving as a means of escape. It’s best played at night, in the desert if you’ve got one handy, when you feel like crap but have pretty much come to terms with it. And when, as Beck says, ‘You've gotta drive all night just to feel like you’re okay.’ Go forth, drive and wallow. Maybe you’ll feel better in the morning.

41. ‘Scar Tissue’ by Red Hot Chili Peppers

The L.A.-bred Peppers clearly know a thing or two about hitting the highways, as evidenced by a song catalogue riddled with Cali-inspired, crank-up-the-dial tunes. For a journey out on the open road, we like this lead track off the band’s 1999 album, ‘Californication’, due to its lilting desert-by-twilight vibe. The song’s main attraction is John Frusciante’s wailing guitar solos, which achingly embody Anthony Kiedis’s lyrics about isolation and the twisted, drug-fuelled paths he’s traversed (‘With the birds I’ll share this lonely view’). Enter tumbleweed, stage right.

42. ‘Every Day Is a Winding Road’ by Sheryl Crow

The little sister to Tom Cochrane’s ‘Life Is a Highway,’ Sheryl Crow’s 1996 hit unabashedly co-opts the use of automotive byways as metaphors for life’s ups and downs. (Billy ‘the world is a vampire’ Corgan apparently misread the memo.) The ‘wacky’ characters in Crow’s songs are often a bit too precious for our liking—in this case, a vending-machine repairman with a daughter he calls ‘Easter’ (what?)—but the chorus always gets us fired up for some hairpin turns, even when we’re cruising down a seemingly endless straightaway. This road trip song works perfectly when your destination is San Francisco’s iconic Lombard Street, whose residents probably have this tune swirling in their heads 24/7.

43. ‘Jack & Diane’ by John Cougar Mellencamp

Inevitably, your road trip is going to hit some lulls: You’re fighting off the yawns, your passengers have passed out, and it's 57 miles to the next pit stop. When this happens, there’s one sure-fire way to get your journey back on course: Unleash the Cougar. Indiana’s favourite son specialiaes in songs about the heartland, and his crowning jewel is this 1982 chart topper about two high-school sweethearts and the twists and turns of their American Dream. Despite the jaunty beat and an epic drum breakdown rivaling the one in Phil Collins’s ‘In the Air Tonight,’ the tale is cautionary, urging us to savour those thrilling, carefree teenage years. Oh, to be young, in love and suckin’ on chilli dogs outside the Tastee Freez.…

44. ‘King of the Road’ by Roger Miller

Did our dads play this 1964 ditty on long car rides when we were little? You betcha. Do we think they contemplated the potential consequences of making penniless vagabonds sound super cool? Doubtful. Regardless, it’s a timeless everyman’s anthem, and darn if it isn’t catchy. We really like listening to it in our van down by the river.

45. ‘Green Onions’ by Booker T. & the M.G.’s

This R&B instrumental, recorded in 1962, is the perfect soundtrack for an unhurried drive, when you’re sick of singing along and ready to just cruise. It’s repetitive, much like the open road, but with a steady beat and some soulful Hammond organ to keep things interesting. Widely considered to be one of the greatest songs of all time, it’s received accolades from Rolling Stone , Acclaimed Music, the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Library of Congress. If AAA had a greatest songs list, we’re sure ‘Green Onions’ would be on that, too.

46. ‘Mustang Sally’ by Wilson Pickett

You can probably blame censorship for our automobile sex fetishes. Early rock & rollers couldn’t sing about sex, so they sang about their cars…with not-so-subtle undertones. ‘Mustang Sally,’ the grandmother of ‘Little Red Corvette’ only wants to ‘ride around,’ and Pickett howls with his thumb out, looking to hitch. Don’t let this song’s karaoke staple status let you forget what it’s really about.

47. ‘Going Back to Cali’ by LL Cool J

From Al Jolson to Led Zeppelin and Phantom Planet, dozens of artists have tapped into the westward dream of the Golden State. Heck, the tradition stretches back to Gold Rush ditties of the mid 19th century, Smithsonian Folkways fodder like ‘Life in California.’ But only one man made the trip wrapped in precious metals, not seeking them. Cool J cruises to the coast, as he proclaims in verse, in a Corvette with a Laurents chrome chain steering wheel, Dayton wire rims and a gold-leaf convertible top. Rick Rubin’s stark 808 beats thunder under the extremely relaxed rhymes of Mr. Ladies Love. ‘I’m going back to Cali,’ he nearly whispers before shrugging it off. ‘Hmm, I don't think so’ He might go, he might not. With his riches, he is a walking California. That’s cool. Cool enough to pull off one of the few sax solos in hip-hop history.

48. ‘The Distance’ by Cake

With the band’s signature horns and a self-serious melody that practically requires head-bobbing and Speed Racer–esque intensity (you may even want to invest in racing gloves), this single off of 1996’s ‘Fashion Nugget’ album is irresistible. The album is filled with more on-the-nose driving songs than this one (‘Race Car Ya-Yas,’ ‘Stickshifts and Safetybelts’), but this is the money single—and got the album platinum status. Throw it on repeat and hit the open road. Just take an occasional break for track No. 7, the band’s excellent cover of Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive.’

49. ‘Roadrunner’ by the Modern Lovers

Talk about a brilliant juxtaposition: Jonathan Richman’s 1972 cut, written when he was 19, beautifully contrasts the Velvet Underground’s bare-bones, dirty-as-hell chugalug sound with a subject matter so suburban that Richman’s heroes Lou Reed & Co. wouldn’t dare touch it: The thrill of being young, driving in a car and blasting the radio. The song’s repetitive two-chord propulsion is a perfect late-night road-trip pick-me-up. And there’s a bangin’ cover by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts to check out, too.

50. ‘Have Love, Will Travel’ by the Sonics

At some stage in your life—at any point between getting your driver’s licence and getting married, really—you’ll drive from ‘Maine to Mexico’ for a piece of ass, as Gerry Roslie does in this proto-punk classic. The high-tension twang of the guitar sounds like the strings are about to snap, the perfect sonic emulation of sexual frustration. A recent ad for Mexican beer claims you need an ‘encyclopedic knowledge of garage rock’ to pull up this song, as if from some lost, dusty volume. Nah, this is Rock & Roll 101.

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The Ultimate Road Trip Playlist for Your Summer 2022 Journeys

Who fancies a road trip this summer? Whether you’re heading for a one-day drive around the Great British countryside or you’re heading to your staycation destination, every road trip needs a playlist. But what are the best and most popular road trip songs? Cath Kidston’s independent data collection partner has analysed all playlists on Spotify with ‘road trip’ in the title to create the ultimate road trip playlist. We have 100 songs in total and we’ll detail the top 10 here.

#1 – Mr Brightside by The Killers The ultimate feel-good, sing-your-heart-out song, it’s easy to see why ‘Mr Brightside’ has topped the road trip playlist chart, appearing in 134 playlists. It’s the perfect combination of teen angst and adult singalong with an added dose of nostalgia for good measure.

#2 – Riptide by Vance Joy In contrast to Mr Brightside’s angsty rock vibe, the tinkly mellow guitar strings in ‘Riptide’ are oh-so-summery. There are mixed interpretations of this song – some believe it’s a love song, some think it’s directed at a lover who is drifting away from the singer, and some read it as a break-up song. Whichever it is, the melody is uplifting and summery, making it a great road trip song that appears on 107 playlists.

#3 – Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd If there’s a song that epitomises the classic American road trip, it’s ‘Sweet Home Alabama’. The classic guitar intro is instantly recognisable and it’s another song that gets an outing every summer. It’s been sampled by Kid Rock since, highlighting the enduring popularity of this tune. But you can’t beat the original, which features on a total of 96 playlists.

#4 – Stacy’s Mom by Fountains of Wayne Continuing the theme of nostalgic indie rock is the classic, ‘Stacy’s Mom’ by Fountains of Wayne, in at number four with 93 playlist inclusions. This already-entertaining tune has recently been parodied on TikTok, with the title becoming Stacy’s Dad. It’s another song we all know the words to and can sing along to at the top of our lungs.

#5 – Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey Coming in at number five and appearing on 92 playlists is the huge Journey anthem, ‘Don’t Stop Believin”. Who hasn’t heard the intro and immediately jumped to their air guitar to play and sing along? The upbeat song is beloved by people of all ages and experienced a renaissance with younger generations when it was covered on Glee and sang by X-Factor winner Joe McElderry on the show, introducing a new generation of listeners to Journey.

#6 – Hey, Soul Sister by Train As infectious as it is joyful, Train’s ‘Hey, Soul Sister’ comes in at number six. We can imagine driving through the rolling hills of the Lake District or the glorious Norfolk coast, car top down, with this blasting. If the trip is beginning to fatigue you a bit, this tune will certainly perk you back up and have you singing along carefreely. No wonder it features on 86 road trip playlists.

#7 – Africa by TOTO As far as classics go, it doesn’t get much better than TOTO’s ‘Africa’ – featuring on 81 road trip playlists. You’ll be prepared to bust a lung singing along to the irresistible chorus, arms in the air (if you’re a passenger, of course). In fact, we love this one so much that we might need to put it on repeat. Now, after us: “I bless the rains down in Africaaaaaaaa…”

#8 – All Star – Smash Mouth In at number eight, with inclusion on 77 playlists, we have a real head-bopper. Many of us were introduced to this catchy tune through 2001’s cinematic masterpiece, Shrek. That’s why it holds so much childhood nostalgia for us. Long-term fans of the band will have heard this song long before the movie as it placed in the charts when released, and it’s stood the test of time as a classic for old and new listeners.

#9 – Shotgun by George Ezra ‘Shotgun’ was one of the biggest songs of 2018, hitting number one in the charts and staying there for four weeks – but in the charts for a huge 128 weeks in total. It’s easy to see why it’s featured in 74 road trip playlists – Ezra’s lyrics describe riding shotgun on a road trip “underneath the hot sun.” You can pretend this song is describing your trip as you play it.

#10 – Hotel California – 2013 Remaster by Eagles The final song in the top 10 most featured road trip playlist tunes is another that could easily describe your road trip – ‘Hotel California’. The song begins with “on a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair” – and while we don’t quite have desert highways in the UK, we can certainly pretend we do as we roll past beaches and other landmarks on a hot summer day. This classic features on 72 playlists.

So there you have it – the 10 most popular road trip playlist songs. So pack your travel bags, throw your day-out backpacks into your car, and crank up the volume.

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Three songs for the perfect summer road trip playlist

Stephen Thompson

Marissa Lorusso

Pop Culture Happy Hour host Stephen Thompson and NPR Music contributor Marissa Lorusso suggest three songs to make your summer road trip playlist perfect.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Summer Road Trip Songs - Best Summer Travel Music (Playlist Updated in 2023)

Other playlists:.

Build the ultimate road trip playlist

Thanks for liking this song! We have added it to a personal playlist for you.

by Darby Ottoson and Natalia Toledo

July 11, 2022

A road trip playlist should be as wild and winding as your next adventure. At various points, it could be to spark nostalgia, to accent the scenery flying by, or to keep awake for the last leg. It’s all about the journey, so sit back and enjoy the road-tested favorites of touring musicians and hosts at The Current.

Check out who picked what, and why, below:

Twin Peaks, “Irene”

“I’d say ‘Irene’ by Twin Peaks. It feels sunny, expansive, kinda naive, and curious, and the continuous drums maintain energy throughout. IDK it makes my heart smile, feels like I’m on the cusp of something new.” –Mike Kota

Phil Cook, Southland Mission

“One album I can suggest for a road trip is Phil Cook’s Southland Mission . I’ve put a lot of miles of travel in a car and this album always picks me up. I find its rhythmic pace to be that of a textbook driving album. Bouncing through western Wisconsin I find this album often painting my trail home to Minnesota. Love ya Phil!” –Joe Rainey, Sr.

Onipa, “Chicken No Dey Fly”

“A song that we kept coming back to on our Mary EP tour was ‘Chicken No Dey Fly’ by Onipa, off their Tapes of Utopia Mixtape. We probably listened to that album like five or six times through. It’s so good!” –King Pari

Frank Ocean, Channel ORANGE

“I love the Channel ORANGE album by Frank Ocean for long rides, mostly because I love to sing along and it keeps me awake! It’s 10 years old but was an instant classic from the jump.” –Lady Midnight

Kali Malone, The Sacrificial Code Kate Bush, Hounds of Love Björk, Vespertine

“ The Sacrificial Code by Kali Malone is essential backseat reading/sleeping/decompressing music for tour. If I am in the driver's seat for long enough then Hounds of Love and Vespertine are both guaranteed plays too.” –Early Eyes (John O’Brien)

Andy Shauf, The Party

–Lily Govrik

Alvvays, “Not My Baby”

“It’s hard to find an artist or album we can all agree on when we are on the road, but the band Alvvays is a favorite for all of us. We probably set the record for most listens to “Not My Baby,” off Antisocialites , but both records are wall-to-wall hits.” –Graveyard Club

Mathieu Boogaerts, “Avant que je m'ennuie”

“His self-titled album is one of my go-to records. Kinda has been for the last 3 years. His music is somehow both intricate and effortless. It demands nothing of you as a listener but when you do listen, it gives a lot.” –we are the willows

Local radio stations

“I’m a big believer in radio road trips. Just love listening to whatever is blowing around the airwaves when I travel. Some cities used to have really distinctive radio profiles as you drove into town: New York, LA, Philadelphia, DC, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle … They are still out there, though. Even in our own state: WTIP, WELY, KAXE, KVSC, KUMD, KUOM. That random journey through sounds is what lets me know I’m on the road.” –John Munson (The New Standards, Semisonic, Trip Shakespeare)

Sheryl Crow, "Every Day Is a Winding Road" Tom Cochrane, "Life Is a Highway"

“I would say Sheryl Crow's Greatest Hits comes to mind right away and of course the classic, ‘Every Day Is a Winding Road.’ I like something energetic and sing-along-able when I'm driving. And also something that's recorded well because it's very hard to hear what's going on through the van speakers … My other favorite driving song is ‘Life Is A Highway’ by Tom Cochrane. I like songs that are about driving and great to drive to as well!” –Bad Bad Hats

Anju, “In Your Red Car”

“I wanted to conjure and capture a really dreamy in-love car ride I experienced – where the whole moment feels tinted with rose-y sunset-y magic and it feels like nothing can go wrong. To me this song sounds like how I remember that dreaminess – I hope it can be a soundtrack for the joyful rides of others.” –Anju

Dijon, “Many Times”

"I’ll be playing this one on repeat all summer – immediately catchy, head-nodding, and Dijon just slays the performance. Still a little moody, but in a windows-down, volume-up at the gas station sorta way." –Dessa

Rosalía, El Mal Querer

“As a band, the album we listened to the most was Rosalía’s El Mal Querer . We love how Rosalía effortlessly combines a rich flamenco tradition with modern pop sensibilities. (We hope we are in our own way fusing American traditional music with modern stylings as well!) And her VOICE – technically acrobatic, sounds effortless, sexy, powerful, shifting between colors and timbres like it ain’t no thang! And it’s also nice to hear a totally different sound than what we are usually playing and hearing on our lineups.” –Barbaro

Gram Parsons, Grievous Angel

“Depending on my travel destination, it really pumps me up to listen to musicians who grew up or base themselves in that location. However, it's usually a LONG CAR RIDE. I always find myself going back to Grievous Angel by Gram Parsons. He and Emmylou Harris have such a unique voice combo and it's really fun to sing along and jump between harmonies. Some of the songs are pretty mellow, but the majority chug along at an easy laid back traveling pace.” –Monica LaPlante

Crazy Frog, “Axel F” Darude, “Sandstorm” Black Eyed Peas, “Pump It”

“We couldn’t decide between three songs that we play probably three times a week when on the road, both before the gig and after. All insane choices but all honest.” –Gully Boys

Lewis Del Mar, “Sewers”

“So much grief and nostalgia. Surprisingly good feelings to navigate while sitting still for hours.” –papa mbye

Beach House, “Zebra” into Band of Horses, “St. Augustine”

“I went on a month-long road trip through Scotland with my best friend back in ’08. Those two songs were on the mix that I made. It provided a wonderful soundtrack to the lush green countryside. I would put this on in the early morning, dew-on-the-leaves portion of the trip.” –Jade

The Black Keys, Dropout Boogie Lenny Kravitz, 5 Jack White, Fear of the Dawn Bob Moses, The Silence in Between Carly Rae Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe”

“I took a road trip recently, and these are the albums that I listened to most. Carly Rae Jepsen’s ‘Call Me Maybe’ for me is the ultimate sing-your-heart-out pop song. Her albums are great pop fun too – just don’t get lost in the singing and fun like I did. I was driving and singing, lost track of my speed, and got a speeding ticket back in 2020 coming back from Montana." –Zeke

Kate Bush, “Running up that Hill” Foghat, “Slow Ride” Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes

“‘Running Up that Hill’ from Kate Bush has always been my road trip song because I’m generally on a road trip to go hike the highest elevation I can find. My alternatives are ‘Slow Ride’ by Foghat and the entire album of Fleet Foxes title record which I’ve taken to India, Alaska, and just about every hike I’ve ever been on.” –Ayisha

The Nude Party, The Nude Party

“One of my go-to road trip albums is the self-titled debut from The Nude Party. This album is perfect for rolling down the highway. You’ll have songs like ‘Feels Alright’ and ‘Chevrolet Van,’ which is about a band’s struggles on the road turned up to 11! The Nude Party perfectly blends the sounds of the Velvet Underground and the Rolling Stones. Nobody makes music like them anymore!” –Bill DeVille

Miriam Makeba, “Pata Pata”

“Pata Pata is Xhosa for ‘touch touch’ and was also a dance that was popular in the shebeens (bars) of the Johannesburg Townships like Soweto. Miriam Makeba, a South African artist, recorded it in 1967 and it was a worldwide hit. Miriam Makeba has an incredible story . But why do I love this song for road trips? It’s super catchy and gives you that burst of energy you need on the boring part of the drive, and Miriam is an amazing artist to celebrate.” –Lindsay Kimball

Regina Spektor, Soviet Kitsch

“I love to sing in the car, so any album that gets me singing like an unhinged lunatic is great for a road trip. Regina Spektor’s 2004 release, Soviet Kitsch , is a perfect example of a record that I can sing word-for-word, note-for-note. It’s odd, quirky, and filled with glorious melodies, peculiar stylistic choices, and honest, at times hilarious lyrics … I think I tend to like artists more before they become huge. The music industry can adulterate humans’ authentic souls.” –Diane

John Tesh, “Roundball Rock”

“Say you're in a car with a friend, or a few friends, or one or two friends and their friends who may not know you very well. Crossing the various highways and byways, at some point you're going to be passed the aux cord. The last thing they're expecting is a deeply soul-stirring piece of nostalgia that they haven't heard in years … An instrumental created for the purpose of hyping professional basketball games [ NBA on NBC ], throwing this baby on randomly mid-playlist is a great mid-trip bit of fun, especially if your fellow passengers aren't basketball fans.” –Chaz Kangas

Various Artists, Saturday Night Fever (The Original Movie Soundtrack)

“I actually have a go-to mix CD called "Road Trip Hits" that I compiled when my teenage son and I went on our first road-trip together – and we bring along the same CD every time we travel anywhere. It’s mostly disco and classic R&B and soul hits from the ‘70s – upbeat tunes with groovy vibes that bridge generations (most importantly, fun for all ages to listen and sing-along to) … But if I had to pick one singular album, it would be the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever – there's nothing more fun to sing along with than those crazy falsettos from the Brothers Gibb.” –Jessica Paxton

Don’t see your road trip picks? Let us know your favorites in the comments below.

A collage featuring outdoor concert, pow wow, baseball, state fair

This feature is part of The Current’s 89 Days of Summer series, helping you enjoy the best of the season with weekly guides to events, entertainment, and recreation in the Twin Cities.

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The Ultimate Road Trip Playlist According to Travelers, Editors, and Spotify

"Wake Me Up" by Avicii

"Night Moves" by Bob Seger

"Fly Like an Eagle" by Steve Miller Band

"I Feel It Coming" by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk

"Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line

"Take It Easy" by the Eagles

"Riptide" by Vance Joy

"Old Town Road (Remix)" by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus

"Malibu" by Miley Cyrus

"Life in the Fast Lane" by Eagles

"Hey, Soul Sister" by Train

"September" by Earth, Wind & Fire

"Burn The House Down" by AJR

"Carry On Wayward Son" by Kansas

"Dancing In The Moonlight" by Jubël featuring NEIMY

"Road Trip (2020 Version)" by Convent Bonfires

"Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey

"Circles" by Post Malone

"Feel This Good" by Jackopierce

"Big Yellow Taxi" by Lennon & Maisy

"Shotgun (The Wild Remix)" by George Ezra & The Wild

"Layla" by Eric Clapton

"Higher Love" by Kygo & Whitney Houston

"Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty

"More Than a Feeling" by Boston

"Hello Darlin'" by Conway Twitty

"Fast Car" by Jonas Blue & Dakota

"Sun Models" by ODESZA featuring Madelyn Grant

"Jack & Diane" by John Mellencamp

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