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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.

Make planning your next road trip EASY (& fun!)

When you’re planning a road trip, keeping track & organising all your ideas is often the hardest part. Fix that TODAY with our printable pdf road trip planner. Grab yours FREE now

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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:

  • How to plan a road trip
  • The BEST printable road trip planner (FREE!)
  • Most useful road trip apps
  • 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

Planning a long drive? These post might help

  • 15 Essential road trip tips you NEED to know
  • Things to remember before you leave
  • Healthy snacks for road trips

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.

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15 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 !!

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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

Best Road Trip Songs 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
  • Best Road Trips In Europe For Your Bucket List
  • Best Road Trips in Australia
  • Best Road Trip Quotes to Inspire You to Go!

Road Trip Songs Road Trip Playlist

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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!!

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The 50 Best Road Trip Songs to Sing on a Long Drive

Roll down the windows and start with some Smokey Robinson.

Vehicle, Mode of transport, Road, Car, Road trip, Asphalt, Landscape, Highway, Muscle car, Plain,

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The beauty of road trip music is that it can encompass pretty much any genre. You've got your classics like Johnny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere" and Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car," as well as songs that embrace the joy of the long drive.

Some tracks romanticize automobile-centric cities like Los Angeles (LL Cool J's "Going Back to Cali," Anderson .Paak's "Tints"), while others are just tailor-made for the open road (Dolly Parton's "9 to 5," Tom Cochrane's "Life is a Highway"). These 50 tracks will give you a head start on assembling a great road trip playlist, something that will help your next car journey be smooth sailing, even if you hit a few potholes along the way.

"Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf

Road Trip Songs

There's no better song to jump-start your road trip than Steppenwolf's "Born to be Wild." Though the 1967 rock 'n' roll ditty is commonplace on movie soundtracks today, its opening lyrics will inspire you take to the open road with a carefree spirit: "Get your motor runnin', head out on the highway. Looking for adventure in whatever comes our way."

"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by The Proclaimers

"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by The Proclaimers

You may not be walking 500 miles, but The Proclaimers' 1987 pop hit will add some pep to any long road trip.

"Despacito" by Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee

We have it on good authority that "Despacito" is one of Oprah's modern favorites, so of course it had to make it on our best road trip songs list.

"Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes

This folksy, nostalgic hit will warm you heart as the miles lessen and you get closer and closer to...home.

"Tints" by Anderson .Paak ft. Kendrick Lamar

Two of California's most gifted vocalists pay homage to to their home state's vaunted car culture on "Tints," which also explores how celebrity can turn one into a target. Musically, the bouncy funk beat from .Paak himself and Om'Mas Keith is perfect for gliding down the PCH.

"Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra

We can't even explain it, but Electric Light's optimistic "Mr. Blue Sky" just  sounds  like a sunny road trip. 

"Two Of Us" by The Beatles

This underrated Beatles track, written by both John Lennon and Paul McCartney, is just what you and your bestie need while cruising the day away.

"Send Me On My Way" by Rusted Root

If you're perfectly content with whatever destination you're heading towards, this 1990 single from Rusted Root is just the upbeat song for you.

"Gasolina" by Daddy Yankee

Get the road trip party going with this reggaeton track that will have the base pumping—if you're into that sort of thing.  

"Let It Whip" by Dazz Band

Add some energy to your trip with this disco bop that's basically guaranteed to get you moving—as much as you can—while stuck in the car.

"9 to 5" by Dolly Parton

With its catchy and upbeat tune, ironically this iconic track in which Dolly croons about the woes of an 8-hour work day, will make your drive seem like nothing. 

"Conga" by Gloria Estefan

Let Queen Gloria Estefan take you for a spin with this super-80s track that's an instant mood booster.

"Every Little Step" by Bobby Brown

Throw it back to 1988 and groove along to this soulful song that's sure to clear your mind as you get closer to your destination. Some would say with... every little step? 

"Cruisin'" by Smokey Robinson

As the Motown legend croons on the soulful 1979 track, "let the music take your mind" off whatever problems you may have before getting in the driver's seat. It's a mellow groove that'll get you to bob your head and snap your fingers while passing traffic lights and open fields.

"Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake

Don't worry when passersby and drivers in the next lane do a double take as you mouth the lyrics to this 1978 karaoke favorite. It's a universally loved power ballad celebrated for its encouraging message of independence after heartbreak.

"Don't Tell Me" by Madonna

Madonna's foray into country and dance music was a breath of fresh air in 2000. And when "Don't Tell Me" shuffles on your playlist, you'll be tempted to pull over and belt out every note to this catchy tune.

"Summertime" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

Ready to sit back and unwind? Cue up DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith 's quintessential hip-hop summer jam. It's an absolute must to keep you distracted, instead of counting the miles you have left to go.

"1979" by Smashing Pumpkins

For a touch of nostalgia, play the Smashing Pumpkins's signature "1979," which is an ode to the angst and confusion every teenager experiences. It isn't a fast-paced song, making it ideal to rocking out to while on cruise control.

"Little Deuce Coupe" by The Beach Boys

Proud of yourself and the car you're riding around in? Play this braggadocios 1963 song to show how much you love yourself and your brand new wheels.

"A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton

Hey, if it's good enough for five best friends to sing along to while driving—remember that scene in White Chicks?— then it's certainly good enough to blast in your car. Bonus points for keeping one hand on the steering wheel while miming Vanessa Carlton's piano playing with the other. Safety, first, of course.

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Michelle is the Culture & News Writer for OprahMag.com, where she writes about celebrities (she considers herself an expert on Beyoncé and Reese Witherspoon), plus the latest in pop-culture news, binge-worthy TV shows, and movies. The transplanted Southerner turned ambitious New Yorker lives her best life by listening to hip-hop and Pod Save America, watching The Office on repeat, quoting Oprah-isms, eating dessert before dinner, and avoiding avocado. Seriously, she doesn’t get the hype.

It should say, “Michelle is the former Culture & News Writer for Oprahmag.com...”

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Grant Rindner is a culture and music journalist in New York. He has written for Billboard, Complex, and i-D, among other outlets.

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Songwriting Legend Linda Perry On Working With Ringo Starr

The godfathers of british blues: cyril davies and alexis korner, the great american songbook: jazz covers, ‘the night’: the four seasons’ magnificent motown surprise, ‘the wildest’: why louis prima was the pre-rock’n’roll crazy man, best jazz songs: an introduction to jazz’s finest moments, the best terri clark songs: powerful, witty country essentials, elton john celebrates 50 years of ‘caribou’ with vinyl reissue, new live video, pearl jam share new album ‘dark matter’, benny the butcher announces ‘everybody can’t go’ tour, ringo starr and his all starr band announce fall tour dates, taylor swift shares new double album ‘the tortured poets department: the anthology’, frank zappa & the mothers of invention to release ‘whisky a go go, 1968’ live album, queen rock montreal heading to disney+ with imax enhanced sound, head out on the highway: the 25 best road trip songs.

From backseat singalongs to nomadic anthems, the best road trip songs capture the feeling of freedom that’s sometimes just a car ride away.

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The requirement for any good road trip is great songs. Whether you’re embarking on a solo trip down the highway or gathering for a vacation with friends and family, you’re going to need some tunes to keep you company along the way. We’ve collated classic driving songs from throughout the eras and assembled the best road trip songs to fire up as you head out on the open road.

Listen to some of the best road trip songs for your next vacation on Apple Music and Spotify .

25: Youngblood Hawke: We Come Running

With its driving beat and epic build up, this indie-pop song from LA pop-rockers Youngblood Hawke will get you revving down the highway. They spell it out directly, inviting the listener to head “for the open door, tell me what you’re waiting for”.

No Doubt, The Ink Spots, And Amy Winehouse: Currently Trending Songs

The beatles’ ‘let it be’ film to launch on disney+, 24: blink-182: what’s my age again.

In just under two and a half minutes, blink-182 ’s ‘What My Age Again’ is pop-punk perfection. This song cooks and there’s nary a second wasted, which is exactly what you want in the best road trip songs.

23: The Killers: Mr Brightside

Pomp, bombast, killer riffs and melodies is one way to set you free, even when stuck in traffic. “Mr. Brightside” from The Killers ’ debut album, Hot Fuss , is the rare road trip song that can get you through the traffic blues and out of the “cage” that is the daily grind.

The Killers - Mr. Brightside (Official Music Video)

22: Nirvana: Breed

Just like Appetite For Destruction , Nirvana’s Nevermind features an endless array of road trip songs, but there’s one standout track that sounds like burning rubber. With its blast of feedback and machine-gun intensity, “Breed” will get everybody headbanging in the backseat.

21: Sammy Hagar: I Can’t Drive 55

This is a classic highway vacation song. If the Red Rocker can’t you get to go past the speed limit (which we’re not officially condoning), nothing else will. Sammy Hagar’s breakout solo single has been blasting out of every car stereo since 1984, and has never stopped.

Sammy Hagar - I Can't Drive 55

20: Katy Perry: Teenage Dream

When there’s a long stretch of road ahead, sometimes you want psychedelic acid rock where you can put cruise control on and zone out, but when you’re traveling on vacation with a crew, singalong pop anthems are the best road trip songs. Katy Perry ’s ode to the endless possibilities of adolescence will have you sticking your head out the sunroof like a drunk teen on prom night.

19: Warren G (featuring Nate Dogg): Regulate

Few songs encapsulate an entire era better than this 1994 G-funk classic. Between Warren G’s storytelling and Nate Dogg’s smooth vocals, this is the song you can blast whether you’re cruising in your drop top or mid-sized sedan.

Warren G - Regulate (Official Music Video) ft. Nate Dogg

18: John Mellencamp: Pink Houses

This slice of heartland rock isn’t all that it seems. John Mellencamp seems to paint the perfect picture of the American dream, but if you keep listening, it’s really the indictment of a broken system. On one hand it remains a misunderstood political song but on the other, it’s a great road trip song.

17: The Rolling Stones: (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction

Tapping into that feeling of wanderlust, The Rolling Stones ’ search for satisfaction landed them their first No.1 hit . From Charlie Watts’ propulsive drumming to Mick Jagger’s cracking vocals and Keith Richards’ fuzz-box riff, “Satisfaction” beckons you to the road and the dancefloor.

16: U2: Where The Streets Have No Name

Like the morning’s first light coming over the desert highway, this U2 anthem begins with the sound of heavenly organs that quickly build to a driving rhythm led by The Edge’s arpeggiated guitar lines. Political origins aside, the song conjures images of the American West and the open road. It’s hard not to feel nostalgia when you glide in and out of traffic.

U2 - Where The Streets Have No Name (Official Music Video)

15: Guns N’ Roses: Appetite For Destruction

Forget road trip songs, this is a road trip album. From the menacing “Welcome To The Jungle” to the soaring “Rocket Queen” that closes Guns N’ Roses ’ Appetite For Destruction , you won’t find an album of songs better suited to a road trip vacation than this.

14: Dr. Dre: Let Me Ride

Any G-funk track is made for driving, but this cut from The Chronic is the ultimate road trip song. Between the Parliament-sampling chorus and Dre ’s evocative verses, “Let Me Ride” was tailor-made for summer driving… and is even better if you’re cruising around in a drop top.

Dr. Dre | Let Me Ride | Interscope

13: Bob Seger: Hollywood Nights

While Bob Seger sings about “looking down at the lights of LA” in this 1978 hit, the anticipation of a night on the town is universal. Seger’s frantic vocals and epic storytelling, combined with the uptempo music, is the perfect formula to speed towards the horizon.

Hollywood Nights (Remastered 2011)

12: Cyndi Lauper: I Drove All Night

Some people escape the “sticky and cruel” city by seeking solace in the great outdoors. Not Ms. Lauper. Her vocal calisthenics are just the motivation to drive all night to see your lover.

11: Snoop Dogg: Gin And Juice

Another slice of G-funk heaven. You don’t need hydraulics to roll with the melodic flow of “D-O-double-G.” Released during the heyday of gangsta rap, Snoop took the wild antics of his hometown, Long Beach, and turned them into an idyllic summer jam.

Snoop Dogg - Gin And Juice

10: Jackson Browne: Running On Empty

Few artists embodied the late 70s Laurel Canyon sound quite like Jackson Browne. “Running On Empty” isn’t a hard road rocker, but Browne could turn the most mundane experiences (like running out of gas) into a metaphor for missing out on the connections in life.

9: The Beatles: Day Tripper

The Beatles have an endless catalogue of travel tunes, from “Ticket To Ride” to “Drive My Car,” but “Day Tripper” is the real road trip song. Featuring one of the best guitar riffs of all time , “Day Tripper” is not so much about a quick getaway but about trying on the hippie lifestyle for a day or two.

Day Tripper (Remastered 2015)

8: Stevie Wonder: Master Blaster (Jammin’)

This could be included among the best vacation road trip songs for the intro alone, but the whole thing swings with a swagger that won’t (hopefully) have you swerving from side-to-side. Stevie Wonder ’s tribute to Bob Marley saw Stevie moving away from his typical one-man show and inviting a whole crew to boogie down.

Master Blaster (Jammin')

7: Willie Nelson: On The Road Again

Country music is littered with dirt-road anthems, but one of the true classics is Willie Nelson ’s ode to the nomadic life, “On The Road Again.” Nelson was tasked with creating an original song for the aging rocker character he played in the film Honeysuckle Rose . Willie delivered and nabbed an Oscar nomination in the process.

6: Tom Cochrane: Life Is A Highway

Canadian treasure Tom Cochrane is a household name up north, but in rest of the world he’s best known for this highway song anthem that’s become the perfect pep talk for hitting tarmac.

Tom Cochrane - Life Is A Highway (Official Video)

5: Prince: Little Red Corvette

Prince seemingly never suffered from either writer’s block or a shortage of sexual metaphors, as evidenced on his 1983 classic, “Little Red Corvette.” This tale of an ill-fated one-night stand was supposedly inspired by his bandmate Lisa Coleman’s pink Edsel, but “little red Edsel” just isn’t as catchy a refrain.

4: The Beach Boys: Fun, Fun, Fun, I Get Around

Both of these Beach Boys tunes helped define the 60s driving culture, particularly in the winding highways of Southern California. Tight harmonies and terrific rhythms, these songs will transport you to the windswept cliffs of the Pacific Coast Highway, driving along with the top down.

I Get Around (Stereo)

3: Tom Petty: Runnin’ Down A Dream

“Free Fallin’” is a great singalong, but when it comes to essential Tom Petty road trip tunes, “Runnin’ Down A Dream” takes the cake. Thanks to the highway imagery and scuzzy guitar riffs, this hard-charging song is best listened to with the windows down and your foot on the gas.

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - Runnin' Down A Dream (Official Music Video)

2: Bruce Springsteen: Born To Run

No survey of the best road trip songs would be complete without The Boss. Bruce Springsteen ’s entire body of work unpacks the experience of small-town living and the feeling that escape is just a car ride away.

1: Steppenwolf: Born To Be Wild

You don’t need a bike or road leather to blare this Steppenwolf classic. Most famously featured in the film Easy Rider , Jon Kay’s invitation to “head out on the highway” is a song that became an American anthem and a call for rebellion.

Born To Be Wild

Honorable Mentions

Looking for more great road trip playlist songs for your next vacation? With compulsively sing-along lyrics, these tunes are perfect for lonely highways where you just want to shout out your open car window.

John Denver – Take Me Home, Country Roads The Proclaimers – I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) Tracy Chapman – Fast Car Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sweet Home Alabama The Eagles – Take It Easy Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way Sheryl Crow – Everyday Is A Winding Road The Grateful Dead – Truckin’ Toto – Africa Arcade Fire – Keep The Car Running Ray Charles – Hit The Road Jack Bon Jovi – Living on a Prayer Ike & Tina Turner – Nutbush City Limits Don McLean – American Pie The Allman Brothers – Midnight Rider Outkast – Hey Ya Rascal Flatts – Life Is A Highway Van Morrison – Bright Side of the Road Sufjan Stevens – Chicago Rihanna – Shut Up And Drive The Eagles – Hotel California The Allman Brothers Band – Ramblin’ Man Elton John – Tiny Dancer Simon & Garfunkel – America Pointer Sisters – I’m So Excited ABBA – Waterloo Dolly Parton – 9 to 5 Billy Joel – Piano Man Paul Simon – Graceland

Looking for more options? Check out our list of the best songs about cars and driving .

11 Comments

June 26, 2019 at 7:37 pm

Golden Earring – Radar Love

June 27, 2019 at 5:16 pm

Mountain Jam, The Allman Brothers Band

August 2, 2019 at 8:34 am

Neil Young : White Line, DriveBy, Albuquerque, Trans Am

September 21, 2019 at 4:00 pm

Joanne Nagen

September 25, 2019 at 5:02 pm

John Hartford Steam Powered Aeroplane; Joe Bonamassa Drive; Govt Mule Travellin Tune; Greatful Dead Truckin;Jerry Reed’s Eastbound and Down …..as Roy Rogers said Happy Trails to you Thanks

September 25, 2019 at 6:29 pm

“It’s a Car!” by Sean Morin is a little-known but extremely fitting, perfect vibe, catchy little road trip song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3piktwUcP0

Mike Einhorn

May 28, 2020 at 5:24 am

Bruce Springfield?

September 18, 2021 at 7:27 am

Rolling Down the Highway – BTO Rockin’ Down the Highway – DOOBIE BROTHERS Highway Star – DEEP PURPLE

How’s these NOT make the list?

Belvin Sweatt

January 7, 2022 at 1:08 am

You left out the best one— Sniff and The Tears—Drivers Seat.

January 7, 2022 at 12:01 pm

Here is my Road Trip playlist: Windows are Rolled Down – Amos Lee Call Me The Breeze – Lynyrd Skynyrd Florabama – JJ Grey & Mofro Mustang Sally – Buddy Guy f. Jeff Beck Going to California – Led Zeppelin Hotel California – Eagles Road to Nowhere – Talking Heads Tangled Up in Blue – Bob Dylan Me and Bobby McGee – Janis Joplin Joy – Lucinda Williams Breakdown – Jack Johnson Comin’ Home – Lynyrd Skynyrd Take the Long Way Home – Supertramp Till the Sun Comes Up – Jack & Weatherman

June 3, 2023 at 5:42 am

The triffids – Wide Open Road

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The 25 Most Popular Road Trip Songs

By michele debczak | jul 29, 2022.

"Life Is a Highway" is not on this couple's playlist.

The road trip is a great American tradition , and so is the road trip playlist. No matter how many podcasts and audiobooks you load up on your phone, spending hours in a car with loved ones usually leads to a sing-a-long. If you're looking for some musical inspiration before hitting the road this summer , check out the most popular road trip songs according to Spotify.

To find out which tracks drivers are most likely to blast while cruising down the interstate, Big Domain analyzed 50 Spotify playlists with “road trip“ in the title. The vacation rental site identified a few running themes, including ’80s power ballads and pop hits from the 2000s.

“ Don't Stop Believin ’” by Journey is the No.1 song featured on road trip playlists, followed by Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama.“ Millennial road-trippers may be more likely to drive to “Home“ by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and “Mr. Brightside“ by The Killers. Though most songs on the list appeal to nostalgia, a few newer tracks are featured, including “Blinding Lights“ by The Weeknd from 2020.

If you've been assigned DJ duties on your next car trip, you can read the full list of the most popular road trip songs below for inspiration. (You can also steal the whole playlist from Spotify —we promise your travel companions will never know.) If you’re still planning your route, check out these fascinating roadside attractions from each state.

  • “Don't Stop Believin’” // Journey
  • “Sweet Home Alabama“ // Lynyrd Skynyrd
  • “Riptide“ // Vance Joy
  • “Home“ // Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
  • “Livin’ On A Prayer“ // Bon Jovi
  • “Mr. Brightside“ // The Killers
  • “Pumped Up Kicks“ // Foster The People
  • “Counting Stars“ // OneRepublic
  • “Africa“ // TOTO
  • “Blinding Lights“ // The Weeknd
  • “Hey, Soul Sister“ // Train
  • “Party In The U.S.A.“ // Miley Cyrus
  • “Royals“ // Lorde
  • “Shotgun“ // George Ezra
  • “All Star“ // Smash Mouth
  • “Free Fallin’” // Tom Petty
  • “Ophelia“ // The Lumineers
  • “Payphone“ // Maroon 5
  • “Stolen Dance“ // Milky Chance
  • “Sucker“ // Jonas Brothers
  • “The Middle“ // Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey
  • “Watermelon Sugar“ // Harry Styles
  • “We Are Young“ // fun., Janelle Monáe
  • “Break My Heart“ // Dua Lipa
  • “Brown Eyed Girl“ // Van Morrison

The 50 Most Essential Songs for Your Perfect Road Trip Playlist

Ready to hit the open road? Load up your playlist with these songs first.

best road trip songs   rear view of couple on road trip driving classic convertible car towards sunset

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Car-culture tunes cross musical genres as seamlessly as changing lanes, moving between classic country, heavy metal, folk, funk, and rap. Whether you're in the mood for Rihanna or the Ramones, we've put together an eclectic list of the 50 best road trip songs to keep you humming along your journey. (Pro-tip: Once your road trip playlist is all loaded up, don't forget to download some audiobooks and plan a few games too.)

"Holiday Road" by Lindsey Buckingham

"Holiday Road" by Lindsey Buckingham

Even if you’re stuck driving a Family Truckster, this song will take you right back to carefree days. (Who else thought this was Kenny Loggins?)

RELATED:  The Quintessential Best Summer Songs From the Last 60 Years

"Radar Love" by Golden Earring

"Radar Love" by Golden Earring

You may not be able to name another song the Dutch band Golden Earring recorded, but this classic 1973 hit combines "midnight love" with the drive-all-night ballad for a road trip win.

"Ramblin' Man" by The Allman Brothers Band

A seventies version of the age-old musical trope of people who call the road their home and can't be burdened with staying in one place (see also: "Brandy," "Take It Easy" and "Me and Bobby McGee").

RELATED:   40 Song Lyrics That We've Been Messing up This Whole Time

"Little Red Corvette" by Prince

Songs about cars are a favorite subset of the road trip song genre, and Prince sets the bar high with this song about a "car" (ahem) that goes too fast.

"Hot Rod Lincoln" by Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen

This rockabilly tribute to racing cars was first recorded in 1955 but has been covered by lots of fast-picking twangy guitarists since, most famously in 1971 by Commander Cody.

"Shut Up And Drive" by Rihanna

Everything about this song is engineered to pop perfection: Her purring vocals, bouncy melody, and double entendres. Every girlfriends' weekend playlist needs some RiRi — and one that starts with a road trip needs this song.

"No Sleep Till Brooklyn" by Beastie Boys

This Beastie Boys hit from their first album,  Licensed to Ill , hits two well-traveled road trip sub-genres: the musician-singing-about-being-on-the-road genre and the paean to a specific destination. It's guaranteed to add a little energy to the playlist and revive the driver.

"Rocket 88" by Ike Turner (Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats)

Recording as Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats, Ike Turner was instrumental in turning the key and igniting rock and roll with this jumping twelve-bar blues composition. You can feel the purring power of the car, and the undeniable attraction of going too fast. (Rocket 88 was a nickname for the recently minted Oldsmobile 88.)

"Road to Nowhere" by Talking Heads

You can feel good about getting lost with this tribute to a long aimless drive. Embrace the opportunity to yip, yodel, and scat along with lead singer David Byrne.

"Fun, Fun, Fun" by The Beach Boys

America's romance with the car had been jumpstarted by the end of WWII, but it really hit cruising speed in the 1960s with groups like The Beach Boys and Jan and Dean singing about being teenagers, driving fast cars, and having fun. 

"On The Road Again" by Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson wrote his first song at nine years old and hasn't stopped yet, even at 87. This heartfelt love song for a life of touring with musician friends was reportedly written on the back of an airplane airsickness bag.

"Highway to Hell" by AC/DC

Here we have the perfect soundtrack to every miserable traffic jam along your road trip. Bon Scott's guttural vocals make singing along particularly satisfying when frustrated by a standstill.

"I've Been Everywhere" by Johnny Cash

This fast-paced litany of geographic destinations is the more entertaining musical version of sitting through someone else's travel slideshow. Johnny Cash takes a 1959 Australian song (in which all the destinations are Down Under) and makes it his own.

"Drive My Car" by The Beatles

Not only does this song benefit from Paul McCartney's perfect formula for delicious pop confection, its final verse, "Beep beep'm beep beep yeah" is irresistible.

"Semi-Crazy" by Junior Brown

No road trip playlist is complete without a trucker song. Austin musician Junior Brown recorded arguably the perfect one, complete with twanging solos on his unique double-neck guitar: half electric, half pedal steel.

"State Trooper" by Bruce Springsteen

Pretty much every song on Springsteen's 1982 album Nebraska  involves cars and driving, usually at night, but there's an urgency to "State Trooper" that is familiar to any driver who's flown past a speed trap and hoped not to get pulled over. 

"Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X

Not only does this 2019 blockbuster combine Lil Nas X's rap and trap music bona fides with some classic country elements (banjo! Billy Ray Cyrus!), it even samples a song by industrial rock group, Nine Inch Nails. Besides being catchy and fun, the song made history by simultaneously appearing on both country and hip-hop charts.

"Mercury Blues" by Alan Jackson

You may think that a love song to a brand of car was written by an advertising executive, but this song was first recorded in 1948 by a blues musician from Mississippi. Lots of bands have covered "Mercury Blues" but country boy Alan Jackson had a hit with it in 2010, the year that Mercurys were discontinued.

"Low Rider" by War

The revving engine, the insistent riff of the saxophone, singer Charles Miller's Mariana Trench – deep repetition of "Low. Ri. Der" — no wonder the Chicago Tribune called this song the "quintessential cruising song."

"Truckin'" by Grateful Dead

Every playlist meant for driving should probably include a song that repeats "what a long, strange trip it's been" a few times. This particular Dead song has been singled out for recognition not just by Rolling Stone and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but in 1997, the Library of Congress declared it a national treasure.

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50 Best Road Trip Songs: From Beastie Boys to Bruce Springsteen and Beyond

Join SiriusXM as we take a look at 50 of the most iconic road trip songs to include in your playlist this summer!

Profile picture of SiriusXM Editor

Looking for the best road trip anthems to soundtrack your drive? There’s something special about cruising down the highway in the summer with your loved ones, windows down and volume up!

Whether you’re off on vacation or just taking a day trip, it’s hard not to smile when the sun’s shining and there’s nothing ahead but the open road. The only thing that could make it better is the perfect song playing at full blast. We’ve gathered the perfect summery tunes to accompany you on your travels. So, fasten your seatbelts and come along for the ride with SiriusXM as we look at 50 of the most iconic road trip songs!

Listen to nonstop hits on Road Trip Radio (ch. 301) now →

Sing-Along Anthems

A road trip usually means you’ve got time to kill on your way to your destination. Time flies when you’re having fun, and there’s no better way to get the good vibes going than by rolling down the windows and blasting out some sing-along anthems!

From Bruce Springsteen ’s lyrics about hitting the road to find success to Vanessa Carlton’s pop hit about going the distance for love, these iconic tracks are essential road trip listening. Whether you’re a natural performer or more of the humming type, you’ll be singing along in no time!

  • “Paradise By the Dashboard Light” — Meat Loaf
  • “A Thousand Miles” — Vanessa Carlton
  • “Proud Mary” — Tina Turner
  • “Psycho Killer” — Talking Heads
  • “Born to Run” — Bruce Springsteen
  • “Go Your Own Way” — Fleetwood Mac
  • “American Pie” — Don McLean
  • “Livin’ On a Prayer” — Bon Jovi

’80s Throwbacks

If you really love a blast from the past, these songs are for you. So many ’80s tracks are ideal for road trips, with nostalgic melodies and catchy beats which instantly transport you back in time. Get your neon leg-warmers out — it’s time for permed hair and iconic dance moves as you cruise down the open road (and take a trip down memory lane)!

  • “Little Red Corvette” — Prince
  • “I Drove All Night” — Cyndi Lauper
  • “Walk This Way” — Aerosmith and Run DMC
  • “Danger Zone” — Kenny Loggins
  • “Runnin’ Down a Dream” — Tom Petty

’90s Bops

As you make your way through your journey, you might also want to make your way through music history. Jumping forward a decade, the ’90s is where you’ll find catchy rhythms and beautiful melodies that will make any journey enjoyable. From TLC to the Beastie Boys, here are some perfect songs to sing with your besties as you contemplate your lives on the open road.

  • “Waterfalls” — TLC
  • “All The Small Things” — Blink-182
  • “No Sleep ‘til Brooklyn” — Beastie Boys
  • “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” — Shania Twain
  • “Everyday Is a Winding Road” — Sheryl Crow

2000s Bangers

Another decade on, the bops just won’t stop! From Corinne Bailey Rae’s smooth vocals to Miley Cyrus’ 2009 party pop, these early 2000s tracks are essential for a summer adventure. These catchy tunes will get even the grumpiest backseat drivers nodding along, so be sure to add them to your road trip playlist.

  • “Long Road to Ruin” — Foo Fighters
  • “California” — Phantom Planet
  • “Chasing Pavements” — Adele
  • “Put Your Records On” — Corinne Bailey Rae
  • “Shut Up and Drive” — Rihanna
  • “Party in the USA” — Miley Cyrus

Modern Pop Hits

A road trip doesn’t technically have to be by car. Maybe you’ve taken a page out of Lil Nas X’s book and you’re making your way on horseback. Either way, these modern pop hits are must-haves on your travels. Channel your inner Ed Sheeran as you drive down those country lanes!

  • “Barbie World” — Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice (with Aqua)
  • “Castle on the Hill” — Ed Sheeran
  • “Levitating” — Dua Lipa
  • “Vroom Vroom” — Charli XCX
  • “Old Town Road” — Lil Nas X

Classic Rock

When the going gets tough, it’s time to headbang your way down the highway. Driving long distances can get tiring, so when you need an energy boost, these are the tracks to turn up to eleven. All you need is your headband and your air guitar — get ready to kick back and let the beat drive you onwards to Paradise City!

  • “Paradise City” — Guns N’ Roses
  • “Highway Star” — Deep Purple
  • “Here I Go Again” — Whitesnake
  • “Highway to Hell” — AC/DC
  • “Who Are You” — The Who

Baby Driver (2017) Soundtrack

This Edgar Wright film combines two great things: music and driving. It also happens to have a fantastic soundtrack! Many movies through the years have captured the spirit of driving in many different ways, such as Easy Rider  (1969), Little Miss Sunshine  (2006), and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). These songs will have you enjoying your journey, but you’ll also be planning your next movie night!

  • “Radar Love” — Golden Earring
  • “Baby Driver” — Simon & Garfunkel
  • “Chase Me” — Danger Mouse feat. Run the Jewels & Big Boi
  • “Brighton Rock” — Queen

From Luke Combs ’ heartfelt cover of Tracy Chapman’s 1998 hit to Willie Nelson ‘s love letter to the journey ahead, country music is perfect for reflective moments on the road. These songs encapsulate the often bittersweet joy of travel, which resonates with the freedom and adventure of road trips. Have your tissues at the ready — some of these tracks are real tear-jerkers!

  • “Highway Vagabond” — Miranda Lambert
  • “Sweet Home Alabama” — Lynyrd Skynyrd
  • “Fast Car” — Luke Combs
  • “On the Road Again” — Willie Nelson
  • “Take It Easy” — Eagles
  • “Life is a Highway” — Rascal Flatts
  • “Take Me Home, Country Roads” — John Denver

While we certainly hope your road trip doesn’t feel like you’re going through the valley of the shadow of death, we do have a song for that. Whether it’s Coolio or Q-Tip providing the soundtrack to your road trip, there are plenty of hip-hop songs about driving to get you through even the longest of journeys. Check out these tracks to help you vibe while you drive.

  • “Ridin’” — Chamillionaire feat. Krayzie Bone
  • “A Boomin’ System” — LL Cool J
  • “Gangsta’s Paradise” — Coolio
  • “Let Me Ride” — Dr. Dre
  • “Let’s Ride” — Q-Tip

Find more music to soundtrack your summer road trip on SiriusXM.

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50 best road trip songs (ultimate road trip playlist).

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Finding the best road trip songs can elevate your journey from mundane to memorable.

We all crave that perfect soundtrack, one that mirrors the landscapes whizzing by and enhances the thrill of the open road.

Dive in, and discover the ultimate tunes to accompany every mile of your adventure.

1. “Road Trippin'” by Red Hot Chili Peppers

There’s something about the Red Hot Chili Peppers vibe that makes for excellent road trip music (that West Coast chilled vibe.)

There are many songs to pick from, but this one, which is named “Road Trippin,” is simply too good not to mention.

2. “L.A. Woman” by The Doors

One of the all-time great road trip songs by the Doors is “L.A. Woman.”

The organ solo, the bass line, the build-up, and the breakdown

It seems like it was designed to be driven in a laboratory.

It has repeated references to driving, including the closing phrase “driving down your freeway.”

3. “Waterfalls” by TLC

The song “ Waterfalls ” is recorded by the American hip-hop group TLC.

“Waterfalls,” which is frequently regarded as the group’s signature song, was a worldwide hit that topped the charts in numerous nations.

The song gave the trio their second US No. 1 after spending seven weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.

This music demands to be sung along with its catchy chorus and funk backbeat.

It is one of the trio’s best songs and the ideal song for a road trip.

4. “She’s So High” by Tal Bachman

“She’s So High,” Tal Bachman ‘s breakthrough hit, continues to be a classic ballad.

We must all sing that enormous falsetto note with him throughout the chorus’s build-up.

Any road trip playlist should have this song.

5. “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American southern rock band .

Their second album, Second Helping , features the song “Sweet Home Alabama” (1974).

Since it has been in so many media, including TV commercials and movies, this has perhaps been overused.

Since it’s a very fantastic road trip song, it’s worth disregarding all that.

It is a must if you are driving through Alabama.

6. “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers

Even when you’re trapped in traffic, pomp, bombast, and amazing riffs and melodies can set you free.

The Killers ‘ Hot Fuss debut album contains a song called “Mr. Brightside,” a rare road trip song that can lift you out of the daily grind’s metaphorical “cage” and the traffic blues.

7. “Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show

Bob Dylan was contacted by the Old Crow Medicine Show and asked if they could finish writing a demo he had recorded decades earlier.

We should all be grateful that it gave us “Wagon Wheel,” one of the best party songs .

8. “Every Morning” by Sugar Ray

The main single from Sugar Ray ‘s third studio album, 14:59 , is “Every Morning,” a song that was written by the American rock group.

Sugar Ray’s Every Morning is a four-minute shot of dopamine with a calm guitar lick.

It’s the ideal song to put on while driving and sing along with friends.

9. “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey

Nobody, at least that I know of, doesn’t stop what they’re doing to belt out the lyrics of “ Don’t Stop Believin’ .

And you, my friend, are a liar if you shake your head and claim that you never do.

This song is ideal for any type of road trip. It’s ideal at any time.

10. “Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf

“Born to be Wild” by Steppenwolf must be included on any list of classic road trip songs.

The song, which was used in the 1960 cult movie Easy Rider, immediately went viral.

It is the ideal song since it glorifies the need for freedom and adventure and makes explicit references to engines and automobiles (“get your motor running”).

11. “Lose Yourself” by Eminem

The soundtrack to the 2002 film “8 Miles” includes the American rapper Eminem ‘s song “Lose Yourself.”

The song was written and produced by Eminem, Jeff Bass, a member of the Bass Brothers production team, and Luis Resto.

Eminem was the writer of the lyrics.

One of the best tracks to rap along to in hip hop is Eminem’s famous hit “Lose Yourself.”

The guitar introduces the song, which is a famous hit from his movie 8 Mile and is about having the courage to reach your full potential.

12. “White Flag” by Dido

The anthem “White Flag” by Dido is a song for women worldwide.

Here, the emphasis is on remaining steadfast, remaining true to oneself, and never giving up on your convictions.

While driving along a highway after dusk, this song is ideal for belting out loud.

13. “The Passenger” by Iggy Pop

Iggy Pop recorded and released “The Passenger,” a song written by Ricky Gardiner and Iggy Pop, on the Lust for Life album in 1977.

This Iggy Pop hit makes people think of nighttime highways and road cruising (“down the city’s backsides”) in search of fun.

Pop and co-writer/producer David Bowie were living a crazy lifestyle that included drugs, alcohol, and late nights at the time this was being written.

14. “Hotel California” by Eagles

You’ll probably end up staying at one or more hotels if you’re taking a road trip.

You’d best hope that you don’t stumble onto “ Hotel California ,” where “you can check out but never leave.

It’s very difficult to dislike this song, which ranks among the most well-known American rock tunes ever.

15. “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt

This iconic breakup song is about No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani and the band’s guitarist.

For anybody with a broken heart, this is one of the best sing-along songs .

It’s also an excellent song to put on your next driving playlist, especially if you’re trying to get away from a failed relationship.

16. “Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s

The Plain White T’s “Hey There, Delilah” is the ideal song for you if you’re attempting to get into your feelings throughout your lengthy drive.

It is all about the difficulties of pursuing your goals while being in a committed relationship.

The lovely song is ideal for a rainy stretch of highway.

17. “Truckin'” by Grateful Dead

One of the best songs for road trips is “Truckin’.”

First off, the sound quality through a vehicle speaker system is incredible.

“You’ve got to play your hand; sometimes your cards aren’t worth a dime if you don’t lay ’em down,” the song’s lyrics state. (Pretty profound, right?)

Another phrase that can be relevant depends on how the road trip is going: “Lately, it occurs to me what a long, strange trip it’s been.”

18. “Graceland” by Paul Simon

The seventh studio album released by American singer -songwriter Paul Simon is titled “Graceland.

It was released in 1986 by Warner Bros. Records and was produced by Simon with engineering assistance from Roy Halee.

Paul Simon must be included if we’re talking about musicians that sound amazing on the road.

His slightly melancholy voice fits wonderfully when you cast your gaze across the landscape and consider what could have been.

19. “Jessie’s Girl” by Rick Springfield

This lustful pop song is all about the singer’s excessive obsession with the fiancée of one of his friends.

If there is someone you can’t have on your mind, the buildup to the chorus is the ideal song to sing along to on your next road trip.

20. “What’s Up” by 4 Non-Blondes

The second single from American rock band 4 Non-Blondes ‘ 1992 first album, Bigger, Better, Faster, More!, is the song “What’s Up?

Several European nations, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland, as well as the United States, have all seen an increase in popularity for the song.

It peaked at number one in those countries.

The classic song “What’s Up” by 4 Non-Blondes is the ideal soundtrack for solo drives through country places.

The song is ideal for yelling at the top of your lungs because it has an epic chorus.

21. “American Pie” by Don McLean

The epic song “ American Pie ” has several references to current events in pop culture.

The 1959 aircraft disaster that claimed the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper is said to be the inspiration for the phrase “day the music died.”

It’s also believed that Bob Dylan is the “jester” who “sang for the king and queen, in a coat he borrowed from James Dean.”

22. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver

Here’s another foot-tapper that is a great going-home song.

I realize that getting home isn’t the objective of road trips; the opposite is usually the case, but you have to return home eventually.

It’s also wonderful if you’re travelling on country roads, provided you aren’t stuck behind a tractor.

23. “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz

In one of the most popular love songs of the 2000s, Jason Mraz provided us with a tongue-twister-filled song to sing along to.

Singing along to “I’m Yours” in the car for four minutes is the ideal way to pass the time.

24. “I Try” by Macy Gray

American artist Macy Gray co-wrote and sang the song “I Try.”

The song was released in 1999 as the second single from her debut album, How Life Is .

With her breakout hit, “I Try,” Macy Gray created a masterpiece with her smoky voice.

The song is a therapeutic track to play in the car and portrays how all of us uncomfortable people feel when we are around the person we have a crush on.

25. “Road to Nowhere” by Talking Heads

This song’s first line, “Well, we know where we’re going, but we don’t know where we’ve been,” makes it clear that the following three minutes are going to be entertaining.

This is one of the best songs for a road trip. 

Just ensure not to be travelling on a road that leads nowhere.

26. “Route 66” by Chuck Berry

Possibly the most well-known road in the country is Route 66.

It served as the main path for migrants moving west as well (especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s).

Along with several other covers, including a very fine one by the Rolling Stones, this Chuck Berry song helped put it on the musical map.

27. “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains Of Wayne

In this society, there are only two types of people: those who want to date Stacy’s mother and those who want to be Stacy’s mother.

Whichever group you belong to, you should play “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne loudly on your next road trip.

28. “How You Remind Me” by Nickelback

The song “How You Remind Me” is by Nickelback , a Canadian rock group.

The band’s third studio album, Silver Side Up, featured the song as the lead single, which was written by lead singer Chad Kroeger.

Before being the subject of a picture meme, Nickelback was a hitmaker.

How You Remind Me is among the best road trip music to play while driving since it captures the post-grunge energy of the 2000s.

29. “Going up the Country” by Canned Heat

It’s a great choice and makes this the ideal road trip playlist with its upbeat pace, the flute, and the lyrics about leaving the city (“I’m gonna leave the city, gotta go away”).

This song was notably performed by Canned Heat at Woodstock in 1969, but the band’s career was tragically terminated when lead singer Alan Wilson killed himself in 1970, followed shortly after by Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison. That’s too awful.

30. “On The Road Again” by Willie Nelson

One of the best road trip songs is “On the Road Again.”

While most songs are about returning home, this one is the exact opposite.

It’s all about seeking adventure, exploring the unknown, and travelling “like a band of gypsies.”

“The life I love is making music with my friends,” he confesses.

Your desire for your road trip to never end will be fueled by this.

31. “I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys

Backstreet Boys , an American boy band, does have a song called “I Want It That Way.”

Their third studio album, Millennium, featured it as the lead single, which was released in 1999.

“I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys should be at the top of your road trip playlist if you’re ready for our favorite boy bands to make a comeback.

There aren’t many songs that are more enjoyable to sing along to.

32. “F*Ck You” by Cee Lo Green

The song by Cee Lo Green , “F*ck You,” is the ideal sing-along song for everyone who has been hurt, dumped, or dissed.

There aren’t many songs that are more therapeutic to sing, and given the vulgarity, the car is the ideal setting to let it blast.

33. “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac

You’ve probably already figured out that songs with a strong bassline work well as driving songs.

This song’s bass begins unexpectedly and grooves along brilliantly while Stevie Nicks bemoans her relationship with Lindsay Buckingham (usually Faire for Fleetwood Mac ).

33. “Livin’ On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi

“Livin’ On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi is the epitome of 80s rock ‘n’ roll.

The story of the unfortunate pair, Tommy and Gina, serves as a reminder that anything is possible when love and a dream are present.

The huge song is ideal for belting out when driving along a highway or city street.

34. “Drive My Car” by The Beatles

The Beatles should be on every self-respecting driving playlist.

You truly have a lot of options, but since we’re talking about cars, “Drive My Car” is as excellent as any.

With his bass playing in The Beatles, McCartney was always a cut above the rest, and this is a perfect illustration.

“The Long and Winding Road” and “Two of Us” are two more you can add.

35. “More Than A Feeling” by Boston

There aren’t many legendary rock bands that can match Boston ‘s massive sound.

With its epic guitar solos and powerful vocals that you can try your best to match, its hit song “More Than A Feeling” will have you rolling down the highway.

36. “Friday I’m In Love” by The Cure

“Friday I’m In Love” by The Cure perfectly captures the spirit and style of every John Hughes movie.

Put this song on and belt it out while you drive down the highway to get the feeling that you are the lead character in everyone’s new favorite coming-of-age movie.

37. “Put Your Records On” by Corinne Bailey Rae

One of the greatest jazz-pop songs to ever be played on the radio is Corinne Bailey Rae ‘s “Put Your Records On,”  which begins with that funk guitar.

When the chorus comes on, it’s best to turn up the radio, roll down the windows, let go of all your worries, and sing as loudly as you can.

38. “Your Song” by Elton John

English singer Elton John and American songwriter Bernie Taupin collaborated on the song “Your Song,” which John performed.

It was John’s debut Top 10 single internationally.

Elton John is the king of radio ballads, and every road trip requires a song.

His hit song, “Your Song,” which stands for the gift of his love, is maybe the most romantic or recognized.

39. “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins

Phil Collins , an English drummer and singer-songwriter, released his first solo single titled “In the Air Tonight.”

Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight” is one of the greatest radio singles of all time and is credited with popularizing air-drumming.

The song begs to be sung as it builds on a soft synth.

Just be sure to keep your hands on the wheel when the loud drum solo begins.

Following the 1980 divorce of his first wife, Andrea Bertorelli, Collins penned the song while grieving.

40. “Say It Ain’t So” by Weezer

Weezer , an American rock band, is the author of the song “Say It Ain’t So.”

Rivers Cuomo, the lead singer, wrote it.

Cuomo feared the marriage between his mother and stepfather would also break apart due to his father’s alcoholism since he thought his mother and father’s marriage failed because of this.

This song, which is one of Weezer’s most famous, has a vibe throughout.

This four-minute song, which perfectly captures the anxiety and rage of adolescence, will have you switching between being calm and yelling.

It is ideal for singing along when driving with friends.

41. “Stairway To Heaven” by Led Zeppelin

One of Led Zeppelin’s best-known songs, “ Stairway to Heaven ,” is regarded by many as the greatest rock song of all time.

It is regarded as one of the best road trip songs to blast at full volume.

It portrays the tale of a greedy lady who is overly optimistic about her gloomy future.

The song’s charm and mystery are enhanced by its vague lyrics, which also let listeners interpret it in their own way.

Heads will be thumping in the car thanks to an engaging plot and a tune that builds to an enormous solo and chorus.

42. “Crazy” by Patsy Cline

Crazy by Patsy Cline is one of the songs you need to know if you’ve ever wanted to be a country diva.

The country song , which has her distinctive high voice, is ideal for singing along in the car, especially if your love life is currently in ruins.

43 “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson

“Since U Been Gone” is a powerful and emotional song, and it was one of Kelly Clarkson ‘s first major hits.

The experience of leaving a toxic relationship is well encapsulated in this song.

We’ve all been in relationships where we weren’t treated as we should have been.

44. “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne

“Complicated” is the first song on Avril ‘s first album, Let Go , and thus her entire musical career.

It’s about the issues that arise when you try to be someone you’re not when all you need to do is chill out, relax, and enjoy life.

One of the finest songs in the pop-punk ballad genre, particularly for anybody who grew up in the early 2000s, is Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated.”

The song is one of the greatest sing-along songs ever since it combines country and punk aesthetics.

45. “Love On Top” by Beyoncé

For her fourth studio album, 4 , American singer Beyoncé recorded the song “Love on Top.”

Even though Queen B has many fantastic songs for a road trip, “Love on Top” is perfect for everyone with a heart full of love.

This song is ideal for expressing all the love in your heart since it is catchy and has a lot of 80s nostalgia vibes.

46. “All Star” by Smash Mouth

Not singing along to “All-Star,” Smash Mouth ‘s biggest song, is nearly impossible.

The song, which tells the tale of a potentially deluded wannabe rock star, has awesome wordplay and a catchy melody that demands to be sung even after we’ve heard it way too many times.

47. “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

One of the best songs ever recorded is “ Bohemian Rhapsody ,” a monumental work of art by Queen.

Their record label objected to the notion of a song that was almost six minutes long.

Fortunately for all of us, including Wayne and Garth, the band persisted and gave us one of the best driving songs ever.

48. “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers

One of the greatest declarations of love ever to be recorded is “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”.

The biggest hit by The Proclaimers is ideal for singing along to while driving, especially if you’re returning home to a special person.

49. “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra

It’s tough to resist singing along to Mr. Blue Sky, the upbeat song that became Electric Light Orchestra ‘s most recognized hit.

Even though the song’s true meaning is debatable, your road trip playlist should include it because of the upbeat melody and entertaining lyrics.

50. “Hit The Road Jack” by Ray Charles

Ray Charles released a song in 1961 that would go on to be used as the theme music for countless TV shows, motion pictures, and commercials for decades to come.

Every woman’s “I’m fed up with my man” anthem is “Hit the Road Jack,” and its appealing simplicity makes it the perfect road trip song.

Just be careful not to put it at the end of your playlist, or it might become stuck in your head forever.

Wrapping Up Our List of the Best Road Trip Songs

So, that wraps up our post on the best road trip songs.

We’ve included a mix of old and new, as well as fast and slow songs with each one having a special meaning.

Regardless of how long your journey is, these songs will make the trip infinitely more enjoyable. 

So turn up the volume and enjoy the ride.

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Create an unforgettable road trip with the best road trip songs

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Best 30 road trip songs for your road trip playlist

The best sing-along road trip songs with our favourite country and pop songs for the ultimate road trip vibe, plus other listening tips for the road.

Jeremy Sudibyo

Jeremy Sudibyo

A great roadbound adventure with an RV Rental needs the best road trip songs. Quietude is nice when staring out the car window in a state of holiday-bliss, but will get awkward at the half-hour mark. Singing along to a nice tune together is much more fun, so music it is! 

But what makes great road trip music? In this post, find out what a good tune needs to have to be great road material. 

For your future travels, we’ve recommended 30 of the best songs for a road trip and shared them in a Spotify playlist. We’ve added a downloadable, one-hour broadcast of some of those songs too. Read on to find further listening tips for great audiobooks and podcasts that will keep you entertained while driving.

What are some good road trip songs?

Every great road trip comes with its own soundtrack, but what makes a good road trip song? Different co-travellers, landscapes, seasons, and even times of day, all demand other music genres. On top of that, what defines ‘good music’ is a matter of taste. 

30 road trip songs to drive to and sing along

Now that we’ve shared our two cents on what makes a good playlist for cruising, how about we share our playlist? There’s everything we recommended above: singalongs, upbeat tunes, and good vibes above all. 

We’ve created a playlist on Spotify for you to stream. It’s embedded right here:

Songs on the playlist

1 Willie Nelson – On the Road Again

2. The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations

3. Ms Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop

4. The Modern Lovers – Roadrunner

5. OutKast – Hey Ya!

6. Men At Work – Down Under

7. Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Road Trippin’

8. Queen – Another One Bites The Dust

9. Paul Simon – Graceland

10. Eagles – Take It Easy 

11. A Tribe Called Quest – Can I kick It 

12. Kanye West – Through The Wire

13. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog – Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang 

14. Dj Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince – Summertime

15. Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance with Somebody

16. A-ha – Take on Me

17. Madonna – Holiday

18. Katrina & The Waves – Walking on Sunshine

19. Tracy Chapman – Give Me One Reason

20. David Bowie – Sound and Vision

21. Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl

22. Iggy Pop – The Passenger

23. Carly Simon – You’re so Vain

24. Peter, Pail and Mary – Leaving on a Jet Plane

25. Otis Redding – (Sittin’ On) the Docks of the Bay

26. Don McLean – American Pie

27. Talking Heads – This Must Be the Place

28. Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way

29. Lou Reed – Walk on the Wild Side

30. Toploader – Dancing in the Moonlight

We can’t tell you what the best road trip music is (but we’ll try to!), so how about we give you a few guidelines to create your own road trip music playlist? 

How to create a good music playlist for a road trip?

Friends singing and dancing to music on a road trip

Sing along road trip songs

Singalong songs make a road trip. There’s no better bonding than singing together and no better way to raise spirits and build momentum. You’ve found a good road trip singalong song when you instantly reach for the volume knob to blast the tune for all to sing (and to mask missing some of those high notes). 

Beware when adding singalongs to your playlist: use them sparingly! Not just because these are your special sauce, your co-driver can handle only so much Backstreet Boys.

A tempo for driving

If you’re driving for hours on end you’ll want to have music to keep you going. Not in a hurried way, just the right upbeat tempo and rhythm to keep feeling good and energetic. Maybe you don’t want to constantly have the same bpm for fear of dozing off. 

Add some variety and change of tempo to your music playlist to keep engaged. 

Music has the magical quality of setting the mood. So what mood does your playlist need to set? We want that holiday-vibe to kick in when on the road. 

Let’s analyze that vibe: it’s a happy feeling, one of excitement and adventure or whatever you chase on the journey you’re on. You want your music to reflect that and send out good vibrations to set the mood for a quality vacation. 

Everyone has their preferred musical genres and it’s up to you to create a playlist that fits your journey—keeping your travel companions in mind, that is. To keep everyone including yourself satisfied and listening, add a fun mix of genres to your playlist, including a combination of rock, country, rap and pop songs. 

Consider choosing a genre to build a theme around. Like adding good ol’ rock and roll for a deserted highway or chansons for the countryside.

Ready to build your own playlist? Whatever type of music you like most, following the above principles will help you have a good time on the road

The best Audiobooks and Podcasts for a Road Trip

Where music can really set the stage for your trip, there’s other listening material that scores as good on the entertainment side. 

Some of the greatest novels and most interesting non-fiction are available as audiobooks. Listening to them is like taking a journey within your journey—if anything, it’s a great way to kill time. 

Podcasts are the modern pirate radio stations. The sheer range of content and the indie feel to them make them excellent sound bytes on the road.

Audiobooks worth listening to on your next trip

A well-narrated audiobook will easily keep you entertained for hours on end. Note that not all books work equally well in audio format. 

We recommend to skip anything with sentences that blot whole pages. They’re meant for reading and making your brain tingle. Memoirs and engaging biographies make for great audiobooks. And novels. Any well told story, really. 

Audiobooks are copyrighted like e-books and therefore available through specific outlets, like Audible and iTunes.  

Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life 

Written and narrated by William Finnegan

Planning a coastal trip? These are the memoirs of a top-notch journalist who spent a life covering weighty topics like apartheid. And also spent a life surfing. Finnegan will transport you to deserted atolls and onto dusty roads in the Outback for the sake of chasing waves. Whether or not you’re a surfer, you’ll appreciate the story of a life well lived. 

Endurance. Shackleton’s Amazing Journey

By Alfred Lansing, narrated by Simon Prebble

Heading to cold territories? Does your campervan expedition lack strong leadership? Enter Shackleton, one of the 20th century’s most celebrated leader of men. Not because he led his expedition to victory. But because, when things went horribly wrong on his 1914 polar expedition, it was Ernest Shackleton who got all of his men home. This (audio)book is the definite retelling of one of the greatest adventures of our times. 

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

Written and narrated by Anthony Bourdain

The late Bourdain shows you the shadowy side of gourmet during his time growing up in the culinary world. An honest story by a man who is sorely missed by those he left behind. This is a unique chance to hear Anthony tell his own story and to get ready for your own gourmet adventure, wherever you’re headed on your holidays.

Or go for the classic story The Odyssey by Ian McKellen!

The Jungle Book

By Rudyard Kipling, pick your favourite narrator

This is a great option on a family road trip, because The Jungle Book opens up a world that speaks to all ages. When travelling with younguns, go for the Just So series of Kipling’s kids stories. Our favourite? The Elephant’s Child, narrated by Jack Nicholson (yes, this happened) and with a capella music by Bobby McFerrin (yes, really). 

The Children of Húrin

By J.R.R. Tolkien, narrated by Christopher Lee

Lord of the Rings fans need no convincing here, especially when reading who narrated Tolkien’s posthumously published novel. The late and great Christoper Lee, Saruman himself! This epic tale (also retold briefly in The Silmarillion) is set in the First Age of Middle Earth and is filled with tragedy and glory. For anyone who has no idea what all of that was just now, 

By Homer, narrated by Ian McKellen 

The mother of all journeys, Odyssey needs no introduction. If you’ve always wanted to but never read the epic(est, can we do that?) poem yourself, fear not—many have failed to commit. Perhaps Odysseus’ heroic tale will grip you when it’s told by Ian McKellen (that is Gandalf for you). Fun fact: in ancient times and before the greek alphabet, the Odyssey was an oral tradition, so maybe listening to it as an audiobook is coming full circle.  

6 of the best podcasts for a road trip

Listening to podcasts while on the road works wonderfully, too. They’re often engaging, current, and presented in a shorter format than audiobooks. It’s like listening to news radio but with your favourite hosts and full of interesting information. 

These online broadcasts air per episode and cover the whole spectrum of topics, making them an appealing and non-committal option for travellers. Here are some of the best podcasts for a road trip.

Zero to Travel

A must for aspiring travel nomads, this podcast covers the wondrous ways of alternative travelling: budget travels, digital nomads, and the stories of people who made travelling their life’s work.  

Economist Radio

Host David Palmer throws a weekly light on current topic in the way you’ve come to expect from The Economist. This is opinionated news on a level you won’t likely find on the FM band. Get opinionated here .

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

If to you a road trip adventure is about meeting new people, maybe you want to tune into this podcast. As an armchair expert, the host interviews people from all walks of life to hear stories, challenges, and life lessons. 

Condé Nast Traveler: Women who Travel

This isn’t the early 20th century and you’re not staying home just because you’re a woman. This Apple Podcast series is a celebration of travelling women pooled from the huge community Condé Nast mobilized around the topic. 

Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History

This podcast is for those with, one, a deep-rooted interest in history (often the gorey type) and , two, a lot of distance to cover on their road trip. Called the king of long-form podcasts, host Dan Carlin will research an event or topic for months to build a compelling historical storyline that can last for hours, nay days. Trans-Euro drive, anyone? 

Everything is Alive

A comical and informative podcast where objects from a lamppost to a soap bar are given a voice so that they discuss their life with the podcast host. An absurd premise that manages to reveal as much about ourselves as it does about the hidden life of your daily items.

About the Autor

Seasonal vanlifer on a permanent holiday. Does occasional creative work to sustain his diet of beachside margaritas and paperback thrills.

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101 Road Trip Songs to Play on Your Next Drive

Young couple driving convertible at sunset

  • From top movie picks to celebrity scoops and travel advice, Brittany writes on a wide range of topics for The Knot.
  • While Brittany is a contributing writer for The Knot Worldwide, she also provides shopping content for publications like BuzzFeed, CTV and The National Post.
  • Brittany has a Bachelor of Arts in media and communications studies, along with minors in creative writing, theater studies and music performance. ...

There's nothing quite like a thrilling adventure behind the wheel, and no journey is complete without the best road trip songs to accompany you on your ride. Whether you're planning a solo expedition, a road trip honeymoon or a fun-filled outing with the bach party crew, the right driving music playlist can transform your lengthy car rides into unforgettable experiences.

From powerful rock anthems that'll have you cranking up the volume to mellow acoustic tunes that set the mood for scenic drives, our editors have curated a list of 101 road trip songs that are so good, they might as well be considered road trip essentials . With the wind in your hair, the sun on the horizon and road trip music on the speakers, you're bound for a memorable adventure. Sit back, fasten your seatbelts, and feel the beat with these road trip songs.

In this article:

The Knot's Top 10 Road Trip Songs

Road trip songs about driving, classic road trip songs, singalong road trip songs, country road trip songs, summer road trip songs, groovy road trip songs, road trip playlist names.

Califormication album cover

From funky beats to cinematic electro-pop, here are the absolute best road trip songs curated by our editors.

"Road Trippin'" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Here's a mellow, acoustic track by the Red Hot Chili Peppers that captures the essence of wanderlust and the open road, making it an essential tune for any road trip playlist.

"Pull Up To The Bumper," Grace Jones

This sultry groove may not be talking about a car's bumper per se, but it's an iconic disco classic that is perfect for staying energized on late drives.

"California Dreamin'" by The Mamas & the Papas

This timeless anthem beautifully expresses the longing for warmth and sunshine, making it an evergreen song choice for dreamy road trip escapes.

"I Wish," Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" is a funky masterpiece that's impossible not to groove along with while driving to an exciting destination.

"Mr. Brightside," The Killers

As a chart-topping indie-rock hit, "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers is the perfect blend of nostalgia and catchy energy, making it a must-play track for car sing-a-long sessions.

"You Go Down Smooth," Lake Street Dive

When it comes to songs for the road trip of your dreams, look no further than Lake Street Dive's "You Go Down Smooth." With Rachael Price's mesmerizing vocals, this soulful song was made for winding down on a moonlit journey.

"Nightcall," Lovefoxxx, Kavinsky

Fans of the 2011 film Drive will instantly recognize this cinematic electro-pop track. It's a must-play on late night drives through vibrant cityscapes.

"Could Heaven Ever Be Like This," Idris Muhammad

With its hypnotic groove and a unique blend of jazz and disco elements, this iconic track by Idris Muhammad belongs on every list of road trip songs.

"Son of a Preacher Man," Dusty Springfield

Jam-packed with soul and charm, this classic song is ideal for a breezy cruise down memory lane.

"Coming Home," Leon Bridges

This heartfelt tune is a great companion for the long drive home after an epic road trip adventure.

The Beatles Rubber Soul

With lyrics and melodies that amplify the joy of hitting the open road, these road trip songs about driving also serve as powerful metaphors for life's journey. They're perfect driving songs, but many of them will resonate beyond the literal act of hitting the road, too.

"Fast Car," Tracy Chapman

"Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman is a heartstring-tugging ballad that paints the picture of chasing freedom down the open road — a relatable journey for anyone who loves getting the heck out of Dodge when push comes to shove.

"Keep Driving," Harry Styles

In this Harry Styles road trip song, the lyrics "should we just keep driving?" serve as a metaphorical invitation to persevere through life's chaos, no matter how absurd or challenging it may become.

"Life Is a Highway," Tom Cochrane

This electrifying anthem cranks up the volume on the joys of life as a never-ending highway, making it an absolute must-have for your road trip playlist.

"No Particular Place to Go," Chuck Berry

This rock 'n' roll hit by Chuck Berry is a total blast, capturing the thrill of cruising around with your sweetheart, with no particular place to go.

"I Can't Drive 55," Sammy Hagar

Here's a high-energy rock song that rebels against speed limits and embodies the need for speed — but please, don't take these lyrics literally!

"Drive My Car," The Beatles

Who can resist grooving to The Beatles' "Drive My Car"? It's a pop-rock classic that's practically woven into our musical DNA. With its clever lyrics, it turns the whole idea of driving into a wild ride of ambition and success

"Running on Empty," Jackson Browne

Hit play on "Running on Empty" by Jackson Browne when you're in a nostalgic and reflective mood.

"King of the Road," Roger Miller

"King of the Road" by Roger Miller is a foot-tapping country classic that embraces the carefree simplicity of life on the open road, where the journey is the real treasure.

"Highway to Hell," AC/DC

AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" is an electrifying rock anthem that'll have you revving up for your road trip and the wild ride of life.

"I Drove All Night," Cyndi Lauper

Buckle up for an 80s track that'll whisk you away on a nostalgia-fueled journey. This one's a love song that uses driving as a metaphor for the extraordinary lengths someone will go to be with their special someone.

"Six Days on the Road," Dave Dudley

In "Six Days on the Road" by Dave Dudley, you can practically smell the diesel fumes and taste the trucker's coffee as he sings about life on the asphalt, making you want to hit the road for a cross-country road trip.

"Brand New Cadillac," The Clash

This musical joyride by The Clash features roaring guitars and frenetic beats that'll make you feel like you're speeding down the highway in a vintage muscle car.

"Cruisin'" by Smokey Robinson

Smokey Robinson's "Cruisin'" is the ultimate serenade to the special someone sitting in your passenger seat, inviting you to take a musical journey where love and the open road merge in perfect harmony.

"Truckin'" by the Grateful Dead

"Truckin'" by the Grateful Dead is the ultimate road trip anthem, a groovy tune that'll have you nodding along to its rhythm while dreaming of endless adventures on the highway.

"Riding in My Car," Elizabeth Mitchell

If you're going on a road trip with kids, this delightful song about driving will make all of you want to roll down the windows and sing along with a carefree heart.

Get your party started

"mustang sally," wilson pickett.

This is the kind of song that'll make you want to hit the gas pedal and let your inner wild child take the wheel, with a chorus so catchy you'll be humming it long after the ride's over.

"Boyfriend's Car," Colour Me Wednesday

With its upbeat melody and cheeky lyrics, "Boyfriend's Car" by Colour Me Wednesday will make you want to grab the car keys and hit the road with your best pals.

"Get in My Car," BRONCHO

With lyrics like "I like to go fast, I like to go far, won't you open that door? Get in my car," this catchy song by BRONCHO is a fab pick for adventure seekers and dreamers alike. You'll love its catchy beat and unique vocals.

"Road to Nowhere," Talking Heads

Lyrically, "Road to Nowhere" reflects a sense of journey and searching for meaning in life. It uses driving and the open road as a metaphor for life's uncertain and often directionless path.

The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers

From Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again" to "Lovely Day" by Bill Withers, these timeless classics are quintessential driving songs for any road trip adventure.

"On the Road Again," Willie Nelson

With its catchy melody and heartfelt lyrics, this country hit has become an anthem for travelers and adventurers, resonating with anyone who's ever felt the call of the highway and the excitement of a new journey.

"Life in the Fast Lane," Eagles

"Life in the Fast Lane" by the Eagles is a rock masterpiece known for its driving rhythm and vivid lyrics that capture the allure and perils of a fast-paced, high-octane lifestyle.

"Take Me Home, Country Roads," John Denver

Here's a beloved folk classic that evokes a sense of nostalgia and the longing for the familiar, making it an essential song for those returning to their roots.

"You're So Vain," Carly Simon

Everyone will be singing along to this sassy, upbeat song by Carly Simon. It'll help to turn those lengthy hours behind the wheel into a fun and memorable road trip experience.

"Wild World," Cat Stevens

This ballad speaks to the bittersweet farewells and reflections often encountered during a road trip, offering a great soundtrack for those moments of contemplation.

"Rich Girl," Daryl Hall & John Oates

Daryl Hall & John Oates' "Rich Girl" is a groovy, feel-good tune that infuses a sense of carefree luxury and adventure into your journey, making it perfect for the road.

"Highwayman," The Highwaymen, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash

This epic country ballad that weaves together tales of life, death, and reincarnation along the roadways, creating an emotionally resonant narrative for your travels.

"Wild Horses," The Rolling Stones

"Wild Horses" is the kind of song that'll add depth and emotion to your journey, inviting reflection and a deeper connection with the landscape, the people you're with and the places you're heading.

"The Long and Winding Road," The Beatles

Here's a classic ballad by The Beatles that'll take you through the scenic landscapes of life, reminding you that even the most twisty-turny journeys can lead to beautiful destinations.

"Riders on the Storm," The Doors

With haunting melodies and Jim Morrison's evocative vocals, this is one of the best road trip songs for cruising along rain-soaked highways, conjuring a cinematic journey into the unknown.

"Easy," Commodores

The Commodores' "Easy" is a smooth and soulful road trip anthem, providing a laid-back groove that matches the leisurely pace of a scenic drive.

"Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey

This iconic road trip song is pretty much synonymous with the enduring spirit of adventure. Its memorable chorus and anthemic sound make it an uplifting and powerful addition to any road trip playlist.

"Rearviewmirror," Pearl Jam

This driving song by Pearl Jam is a great song for shaking off the past and hitting the gas on life's highway, leaving regrets in the dust. With Eddie Vedder's emotive vocals, it's the ultimate anthem for forward momentum.

"Lovely Day," Bill Withers

"Lovely Day" by Bill Withers is a classic song known for its uplifting and feel-good vibe, making it a go-to track for brightening any lengthy drive.

Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan

Characterized by catchy melodies, easy-to-remember lyrics and an irresistible urge to belt out the words, these singalong road trip songs belong on your driving music playlist.

"Dancing in the Moonlight," King Harvest

With its infectious and carefree melody, "Dancing in the Moonlight" by King Harvest is perfect for late-night drives, where passengers can't help but sing along to the feel-good lyrics.

"Like a Rolling Stone," Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" offers a timeless anthem for soul-searching road trips, with its poetic lyrics and memorable melody that invites passionate singing from all passengers.

Chicago Bachelorette Party

"Hey Jude," The Beatles

A singalong standard, "Hey Jude" by The Beatles is tailor-made for group road trips, with its unforgettable "na-na-na-na" chorus that's impossible not to join in on.

"September," Earth, Wind & Fire

This high-energy, funk-infused hit that will have everyone in the car grooving and harmonizing to its infectious melodies.

"My Girl," The Temptations

A soulful gem, "My Girl" by The Temptations is an absolute must-sing during any road trip, with its heartwarming lyrics and soothing harmonies.

"You Make My Dreams Come True," Daryl Hall & John Oates

This upbeat pop classic is an instant mood-lifter, making it an ideal choice for a car full of enthusiastic passengers, ready to sing along to the fun, uplifting chorus.

"Stand by Me," Ben E. King

"Stand by Me" is a timeless ballad that brings people together with its comforting lyrics, making it a natural addition to your list of road trip songs.

"Jolene," Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton's "Jolene" offers a fabulous opportunity for passengers to show off their vocal skills while engaging with this iconic country hit.

"All Star," Smash Mouth

"All Star" is an upbeat and spirited tune that encourages animated singalongs, particularly for those who grew up watching Shrek.

"Bennie and the Jets," Elton John

Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets" combines a memorable melody with quirky lyrics, creating playful moments that are perfect for singing along on the road.

"Brown Eyed Girl," Van Morrison

With its feel-good lyrics and folk-rock melody, "Brown Eyed Girl" is an enduring singalong that'll bring warmth to any car ride.

"Eye of the Tiger," Survivor

This high-energy anthem is a favorite for group singalongs, especially when you need a motivational boost on the road.

"Tambourine Man," Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan's "Tambourine Man" combines poetic storytelling with a memorable melody, providing ample opportunities for passengers to harmonize and get lost in the music.

The Chicks Wide Open Spaces cover

These country road trip songs are perfect companions for scenic drives, offering a soundtrack that resonates with the sights and sounds of driving out in the countryside and making your road trip one to remember.

"Wide Open Spaces," The Chicks

"Wide Open Spaces" is a country classic by The Chicks (formerly known as the Dixie Chicks), with lyrics that capture the feeling of setting out on the open road, making it an anthem for wanderers.

"Fast Cars and Freedom," Rascal Flatts

Rascal Flatts' "Fast Cars and Freedom" is an up-tempo country song that embodies the spirit of a carefree road trip, complete with a driving beat and lyrics about adventure.

"Wagon Wheel," Old Crow Medicine Show

Originally penned by Bob Dylan and later reimagined by Old Crow Medicine Show, "Wagon Wheel" is a beloved folk-country song that conjures images of a scenic journey on a dusty trail.

"I've Been Everywhere," Johnny Cash

This high-energy, tongue-twisting song lists an array of places, creating a sense of vicarious travel for the listener.

"Take a Back Road," Rodney Atkins

Rodney Atkins' "Take a Back Road" is a feel-good, country-rock tune that encourages taking the scenic route and embracing life's little detours.

"Drivin' My Life Away," Eddie Rabbitt

Here's an upbeat country track that captures the nomadic spirit of road tripping, with a chorus that's hard not to sing along with.

"Amarillo by Morning," George Strait

George Strait's "Amarillo by Morning" is a classic country ballad that paints a vivid picture of the open plains and the longing for home, making it an ideal song for a cross-country journey.

"I Walk the Line," Johnny Cash

A Johnny Cash classic, "I Walk the Line" conveys devotion and steadfastness, making it a song that resonates with travelers as they embark on their journey.

"Daytona Sand," Orville Peck

"Daytona Sand" by Orville Peck is a modern country song with a nostalgic sound that evokes a sense of wanderlust and the feeling of freedom on the road.

"Here You Come Again," Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton's "Here You Come Again" is a timeless country hit that conveys a sense of longing and anticipation, with Dolly singing about the return of a past love.

Lana Del Rey Born to Die

Whether it's a drive to the beach, a cross-country journey or simply cruising with the windows down, these summer road trip songs will set the soundtrack for sun-soaked moments on the road.

"Riptide," Vance Joy

Vance Joy's "Riptide" is a folk-pop song with an infectious melody and a carefree spirit, making it a perfect accompaniment for a summer drive along the coast.

"As It Was," Harry Styles

"As It Was" by Harry Styles is a sunny and laid-back track that embodies the nostalgia of summer, ideal for a leisurely road trip.

"I Follow Rivers," Lykke Li

Here's an upbeat indie-pop song with an adventurous spirit, evoking a sense of wanderlust and exploration.

"Alaska," Maggie Rogers

Maggie Rogers' "Alaska" is a fusion of folk and electronic elements, creating a unique sound fit for capturing the essence of a summer adventure.

"Summertime Sadness," Lana Del Rey

This melancholic yet captivating song captures the bittersweet feelings of summer's end, making it perfect for late August or September road trips.

"Cruisin' to the Parque," Durand Jones & The Indications, Y La Bamba

"Cruisin' to the Parque" is a soulful track with a groovy, retro vibe that sets the mood for a relaxed summer road trip.

"Texas Sun," Leon Bridges, Khruangbin

"Texas Sun" is a collaboration between Leon Bridges and Khruangbin, offering a fusion of soul and funk that pays homage to the Texan landscape, making it a fantastic choice for a Lone Star State adventure.

"Old Pine," Ben Howard

Evoking nostalgia and longing for the outdoors, this song by Ben Howard is the perfect driving music — especially if you're driving into the woods for an epic camping trip with your pals.

"Postcards From Italy," Beirut

Beirut's "Postcards From Italy" is a folk-infused song with a continental flair, evoking images of sun-drenched European road trips and Mediterranean coastlines.

"Home," Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

This joyful, folk-rock anthem radiates a sense of togetherness and nostalgia, making it ideal for shared road trip memories.

"Summer of '69," Bryan Adams

Bryan Adams' "Summer of '69" is a classic rock hit that brims with nostalgia, celebrating the memories of youthful summer adventures.

"Walking on Sunshine," Katrina and the Waves

An enduring pop song, "Walking on Sunshine" exudes a carefree, upbeat energy that makes sense for a summertime joyride.

"Eternal Summer," Strokes

This indie rock track might be one of the best road trip songs ever, capturing the hazy and timeless feeling of driving in the summertime.

"All Summer Long," Kid Rock

This song is the ultimate summer soundtrack, sampling two iconic rock songs: Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" and Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London."

"Good Vibrations," The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" is a legendary surf-rock track that radiates sunny and beachy vibes, making it synonymous with the spirit of summer.

"Island in the Sun," Weezer

This feel-good, alt rock song that embodies the dream of finding an idyllic paradise, which is totally fitting for a dreamy summer road trip.

"How Long Do I Have to Wait for You?," Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

With vintage vibes and a groovy, horn-laden melody, this soulful track by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings will undoubtedly enhance your summer road trip playlist.

"Franklin's Tower," Grateful Dead

The Grateful Dead's "Franklin's Tower" is a jammy and bluesy track that embodies the free-spirited atmosphere of summer music festivals and road trips.

"Sugar Man," Rodriguez

Rodriguez's "Sugar Man" is a folk-rock song with an aura of mystery and adventure, a perfect fit for a road trip seeking the unknown.

"You And Me," Penny & The Quarters

This soul ballad by Penny & The Quarters sets a romantic and nostalgic tone for a summer road trip, filled with love and longing.

"Heavy California," Jungle

Jungle's "Heavy California" is an electrifying funk and soul-infused track that exudes energy and excitement, making it a top-notch summer road trip song choice.

"Cecilia," Simon & Garfunkel

Simon & Garfunkel's "Cecilia" is a beloved folk-rock song that captures the carefree essence of youth and summertime fun.

"Me and Julio Down by the School," Paul Simon

This Paul Simon song is an upbeat tune that celebrates youthful adventures, making it a great addition to your summer road trip music list.

Vulfpeck Thrill of the Arts

With funky basslines, rhythmic guitar riffs and infectious melodies, these groovy road trip songs are perfect for making those long journeys more fun.

"Back Pocket," Vulfpeck

"Back Pocket" by Vulfpeck is a funk-infused track with a catchy, danceable groove and an infectious bassline, making it a great choice for a lively road trip playlist.

"Young Hearts Run Free," Candi Staton

Candi Staton's "Young Hearts Run Free" is a classic disco song with an upbeat tempo and lyrics that'll inspire a little car seat dancing.

"Long Way Home," Durand Jones & The Indications

This soulful, groovy track will set a mellow, yet rhythmic mood for your journey.

"Oh, Loretta," Sex on Toast

"Oh, Loretta" is a fun and funky tune by Sex on Toast, with a mix of soul and pop elements, with lyrics that'll add a hint of humor to your road trip music selection.

"You're Mine," The Funk Brothers

The Funk Brothers' "You're Mine" is a smooth and soulful track that embodies the classic Motown sound and infuses a groovy atmosphere into your adventure.

"Pusherman," Curtis Mayfield

This funk and soul masterpiece, known for its gritty rhythm and lyrics, is perfect for adding a touch of grit to your selection of road trip songs.

"Give Up The Funk," Parliament

"Give Up The Funk" by Parliament is a funky anthem with an irresistible beat and memorable hooks, igniting a lively vibe during your long journey.

"Le Freak," Chic

"Le Freak" is a disco classic by Chic, known for its catchy melody and danceable groove, making it an ideal choice to keep the good vibes flowing during your road trip.

"Last Dance," Donna Summer

Donna Summer's "Last Dance" is an energetic disco hit that encourages passengers to bob their heads and sing along, setting the stage for a memorable time on the road.

"You Haven't Done Nothin'," Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder's "You Haven't Done Nothin'" is a groovy track with a social message, mixing soul and funk elements to keep the journey's energy flowing.

"1612," Vulfpeck

This funky track has a playful rhythm with killer vocals that's sure to bring a smile to the faces of your fellow road trippers.

"Down in Mexico," The Coasters

The Coasters' "Down in Mexico" is a famous rhythm and blues track with a sultry and captivating groove you'll want to play more than once on your next road trip.

Woman driving by boyfriend sitting in car

Whether you're cruising through scenic landscapes, embarking on an epic adventure or seeking the perfect soundtrack name for your journey, here are a few road trip playlist names to consider before putting together your next road trip music list.

  • Highway Harmonies
  • Cruisin' Classics
  • Sun-Kissed Highway Jams
  • Road Trippin'
  • For the Open Road
  • Driving Fast
  • Golden Hour on the Road
  • Summer Road Trip
  • Coastal Cruisin'
  • Backroad Beats
  • Open Road Remixes
  • Country Roads Collection
  • Sizzlin' Summer Sounds
  • Road Trip Mixtape
  • Sunny Drives

Best Honeymoon Road Trip Destinations of 2023-2024 according to the knot editors photo of the blue ridge parkway

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Three songs for the perfect summer road trip playlist

Washington, DC - May 03, 2016: Stephen Thompson CREDIT: Matt Roth

Stephen Thompson

Marissa LoRusso, photographed for NPR, 19 September 2019, in Washington DC.

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.

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

If you have travel plans for the summer and if those plans involve long stretches in the car, naturally, you are going to need some good music to blast. Well, NPR music contributor Marissa Lorusso and NPR Pop Culture Happy Hour host Stephen Thompson are here to walk us through three of their favorite tracks for that perfect summer road trip playlist.

STEPHEN THOMPSON, BYLINE: There is no way that we could possibly run the full gamut of road trip music in just three songs. These picks are just to get you started. Marissa, could you kick us off? Give us a song that you're going to play on your next road trip.

MARISSA LORUSSO, BYLINE: OK, so the first song I'm bringing as an ideal road trip song is "Closer To Fine" by the Indigo Girls.

THOMPSON: Yeah.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "CLOSER TO FINE")

INDIGO GIRLS: (Singing) And the less I seek my source for some definitive closer I am to fine, yeah, closer I am to fine, yeah.

LORUSSO: So "Closer To Fine," of course, the opening track on Indigo Girls' breakthrough sophomore album, "Indigo Girls" from 1989 - I think it's probably the song people think of when they think of Indigo Girls. At the heart of the Indigo Girls and what makes them so special is this deep friendship and collaboration between Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, and of course you hear that in the way they sing, right? Like, there's the main melody and the countermelody, and they just kind of, like, interact with each other. Something that's important to me in a road trip song is high singalong potential, which I think, obviously, "Closer To Fine" - extremely high singalong potential. This song to me sounds like just, like, being in the car with your friends, windows rolled down, everyone is trying to, like, both sing the main melody and the countermelody at the same time. Even if you don't know the words, you probably know the part of the chorus that goes - closer to fine - great singalong track.

THOMPSON: Yeah, this is a great choice. And I got to say, this song came out when I was 17 years old. There are not many songs that are more crucial to at least my own musical development than this one. I fell spectacularly in love with this song. And so, for me, this is a perfect road trip song because not only does it have that great singalong potential, but it has a harkening back to my youth potential, which is always good for a driving song. If driving makes you feel young, this is the way to do it.

LORUSSO: Absolutely.

THOMPSON: All right. So way back in 2008, NPR Music put together a series called Road Trip Songs To Drive By, which was a collection of five-song road trip playlists to kind of spark people's imagination, and I put one together. You know, I did one, of course, that was, like, crushingly sad songs. That's my wheelhouse. But I also did one that was called "Nine-Minute Road Trip," which was five songs that added up to a total of nine minutes, and they were supposed to present, like, an entire world of experiences that you would be having in nine minutes. And one of my favorite songs on that playlist is "Song 2" by Blur.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SONG 2")

BLUR: (Singing) When I feel heavy metal - woo-hoo (ph) - and I'm pins and I'm needles - woo-hoo - well, I lie, and I'm easy all of the time. But I'm never sure why I need you. Pleased to meet you.

THOMPSON: So two things about "Song 2" - one is you mentioned that high singalong potential. If you don't sing along with the woo-hoo and then the part of the song that's like (vocalizing)...

THOMPSON: So you can mouth along with what are probably the lyrics, but then you get to yell, woo-hoo. The other thing about this song is it's perfect, ideally, if you are road tripping on the autobahn because it is very, very, very hard not to absolutely max out your car's possible speed for the two minutes and two seconds of "Song 2."

LORUSSO: I think that's such a great road trip song as well because you could really put that at the beginning of a playlist to hype you up. You could put it in the middle of a playlist when you need to kind of reach an emotional peak.

THOMPSON: Yep.

LORUSSO: And then you could also put it at the end of a playlist to kind of send you off into the world - great choice.

THOMPSON: Thank you very much. How about you? You got another one for us?

LORUSSO: I do. OK, so there is about a trillion Beyonce songs that would be great for a road trip playlist. I chose the song "Love On Top" from her album "4," which came out in 2011.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LOVE ON TOP")

BEYONCE: (Singing) Baby, it's you. You're the one I love. You're the one I need. You're the only one I see. Come on, baby, it's you. You're the one that gives your all.

LORUSSO: I think there's not much I could say about Beyonce that hasn't been said, but for me, this was one of the first songs that really, like, made me feel totally blown away by Beyonce. It is a great hype-up song, which I think is another good genre of road trip playlist track. But the thing about "Love On Top" is that there's that part at the end where, you know, she, like, sings the chorus a bunch of times, and it modulates. And it changes keys, so every time it gets higher, and she's just, like, singing higher and higher and higher. And I defy you to be in the car with one or more Beyonce fans - which, like, it could also include yourself - and not try to, like, keep up with all of those key changes and have a huge smile on your face. It simply cannot be done. As a person with, like, a relatively high speaking voice, I feel like I'm at an advantage to keep up with Beyonce, but of course, I wouldn't say that I can keep up with Beyonce. But anyway, I think that makes for a good road trip fun.

THOMPSON: Nice. Literally nobody can keep up with Beyonce.

LORUSSO: To be clear.

THOMPSON: Yeah. Yeah, I mean, Beyonce has - I can vouch. Like, I have seen proof that Beyonce is great on road trips. We have a kind of like a family road trip playlist, you know, that I put together. It's called "Katie Is In The Car." And when I first put it together, it was probably about 80 songs, and like 11 of them were by Beyonce.

THOMPSON: So you really - I would also say "Countdown" is great in the car. "XO" is great in the car.

LORUSSO: Great choice.

THOMPSON: Really, like, if you were just starting a foundational road trip playlist, just dumping all your Beyonce onto it and then subtracting is a great way to go.

LORUSSO: That's a great place to start.

KELLY: That was NPR music contributor Marissa Lorusso and Pop Culture Happy Hour host Stephen Thompson.

Copyright © 2023 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

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.

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Home > Tips > 275 Best Road Trip Songs For Your Road Trip Playlist

275 Best Road Trip Songs For Your Road Trip Playlist

By Dymphe / February 9, 2023

Road trip songs are amazing when you're on the road! If you're looking for the perfect road trip playlist, I'm sure you'll love this one.

Going on a vacation soon? Then music will make it a lot of fun. For example, when I'm going on a beach vacation, I love listening to my beach playlist .

I always love listening to songs when traveling. And especially when I'm on the road, music is also very important.

For that reason, I made this road trip playlist. Even though this playlist is perfect for traveling, I always love listening to it.

The playlist consists of 275 songs. The genres on the list are pop, rock, dance, indie, and hip-hop. Furthermore, I've included a category of other genres as well. All the songs are perfect for your next road trip.

Depending on what music you want to listen to, you can choose one of the genres. But I'd recommend listening to all and adding them to your Spotify account.

Here are the 275 best road trip songs!

View of a road

Table of Contents

Pop: Amazing Road Trip Songs With Great Melodies

One of the best genres for your road trip is the popular music genre or pop for short.

The road trip songs that belong to this category are a lot of fun. And they will make your trip much better for sure.

You likely recognize a lot of songs on this list, which is great. It is always fun to sing along songs you know very well. These songs are great while you are driving the road for that reason.

Also, pop songs are great to listen to when you are going on a road trip with other people. The other people in the car will likely also know the songs on this list! This makes these songs even better for your road trip playlist.

What's great about pop music as well is that the songs have a lot of great melodies.

Furthermore, pop songs almost always have parts that repeat.

Also, many of the parts of the song are easy to sing. This makes them even better as a road trip song.

All these aspects make that you should definitely add pop songs to your road trip playlist.

Besides that, what's great is that pop music exists for a long time. Because of this, there were a lot of songs to choose from.

To make creating your playlist with pop road trip songs easier I divided these songs by when they came out.

For example, I have a category with songs from 2015 till 2019. Also, this list contains new songs from the year 2021 till the present. These songs will likely be more familiar to you when you often listen to the radio or look at the charts. Besides that, you find older songs on this list as well.

Music From 2021 Till Now

1. It'll Be Okay - Shawn Mendes

2. Oh My God - Adele

3. Sunshine - OneRepublic

4. Shivers - Ed Sheeran

5. Cold Heart - PNAU Remix - Elton John, Dua Lipa, PNAU

6. GHOST TOWN - Benson Boone

7. Easy On Me - Adele

8. Pepas - Farruko

9. Better Days (NEIKED x Mae Muller x Polo G) - NEIKED, Mae Muller, Polo G

10. THATS WHAT I WANT - Lil Nas X

11. abcdefu - GAYLE

12. INDUSTRY BABY (feat. Jack Harlow) - Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow

13. STAY (with Justin Bieber) - The Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber

14. Woman - Doja Cat

15. Need to Know - Doja Cat

16. Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran

17. Life Goes On - Oliver Tree

18. good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo

19. Heartbreak Anthem (with David Guetta & Little Mix) - Galantis, David Guetta, Little Mix

20. Freaks - Surf Curse

21. Build a Bitch - Bella Poarch

22. Run - OneRepublic

23. Save Your Tears (with Ariana Grande) (Remix) - The Weeknd, Ariana Grande

24. Kiss Me More (feat. SZA) - Doja Cat, SZA

25. MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) - Lil Nas X

26. Mood (feat. iann dior) - 24kGoldn, iann dior

27. Peaches (feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon) - Justin Bieber, Daniel Caesar, Giveon

28. Rasputin - Majestic, Boney M.

29. Cover Me In Sunshine - P!nk, Willow Sage Hart

Songs in 2020

30. Good Days - SZA

31. WITHOUT YOU - The Kid LAROI

32. positions - Ariana Grande

33. Lonely (with benny blanco) - Justin Bieber, benny blanco

34. Sweet but Psycho - Ava Max

35. Heat Waves - Glass Animals

36. Take You Dancing - Jason Derulo

37. Savage Love (Laxed - Siren Beat) - Jawsh 685, Jason Derulo

38. Put Your Records On - Ritt Momney

39. Levitating (feat. DaBaby) - Dua Lipa, DaBaby

40. Don't Start Now - Dua Lipa

41. Break My Heart - Dua Lipa

42. In Your Eyes - The Weeknd

43. Blinding Lights - The Weeknd

44. Control - Zoe Wees

45. Boss Bitch - Doja Cat

Road next to the water

Music from 2015 Till 2019

46. Watermelon Sugar - Harry Styles

47. If the World Was Ending (feat. Julia Michaels) - JP Saxe, Julia Michaels

48. I Don't Care (with Justin Bieber) - Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber

49. 7 rings - Ariana Grande

50. Don't Call Me Up - Mabel

51. No Lie - Sean Paul, Dua Lipa

52. Attention - Charlie Puth

53. One Kiss (with Dua Lipa) - Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa

54. The Middle - Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey

55. New Rules - Dua Lipa

56. Perfect - Ed Sheeran

57. Shape of You - Ed Sheeran

58. Happier - Ed Sheeran

59. Castle on the Hill - Ed Sheeran

60. Hold On - Chord Overstreet

61. Starboy - The Weeknd, Daft Punk

62. Cake By The Ocean - DNCE

63. Say You Won't Let Go - James Arthur

64. 7 Years - Lukas Graham

65. We Don't Talk Anymore (feat. Selena Gomez) - Charlie Puth, Selena Gomez

66. Love On The Brain - Rihanna

67. Love Yourself - Justin Bieber

68. Sorry - Justin Bieber

69. Stitches - Shawn Mendes

70. Uptown Funk (feat. Bruno Mars) - Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars

Songs From 2010 till 2014

71. Time of Our Lives - Pitbull, Ne-Yo

72. Summer - Calvin Harris

73. Maps - Maroon 5

74. Sugar - Maroon 5

75. Animals - Maroon 5

76. Rude - MAGIC!

77. Thinking out Loud - Ed Sheeran

78. Photograph - Ed Sheeran

79. Like I Can - Sam Smith

80. Story of My Life - One Direction

81. Royals - Lorde

82. Mirrors - Justin Timberlake

83. Counting Stars - OneRepublic

84. Heart Attack - Demi Lovato

85. When I Was Your Man - Bruno Mars

86. Die Young - Kesha

87. Just Give Me a Reason (feat. Nate Ruess) - P!nk, Nate Ruess

88. What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction

89. Payphone - Maroon 5, Wiz Khalifa

90. Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepsen

91. Love You Like A Love Song - Selena Gomez & The Scene

92. Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye, Kimbra

93. On The Floor - Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull

94. Hey, Soul Sister - Train

95. Grenade - Bruno Mars

96. Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars

97. DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love (feat. Pitbull) - Usher, Pitbull

98. TiK ToK - Kesha

99. Dynamite - Taio Cruz

100. Baby - Justin Bieber, Ludacris

Music before 2010: Perfect Road Trip Songs If You Like Older Pop Songs

101. See You Again (feat. Charlie Puth) - Wiz Khalifa, Charlie Puth

102. Classic - MKTO

103. Hey Ya! - Outkast

104. Bad Romance - Lady Gaga

105. I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas

106. Party In The U.S.A. - Miley Cyrus

107. Umbrella - Rihanna, JAY-Z

108. Viva La Vida - Coldplay

109. I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

110. Gimme More - Britney Spears

111. SexyBack (feat. Timbaland) - Justin Timberlake, Timbaland

112. Hips Don't Lie (feat. Wyclef Jean) - Shakira, Wyclef Jean

113. Toxic - Britney Spears

114. I Want It That Way - Backstreet Boys

115. Careless Whisper - George Michael

116. Wannabe - Spice Girls

117. Take on Me - a-ha

118. Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears

119. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go - Wham!

120. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Remastered - Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart

121. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson

122. Beat It - Michael Jackson

123. Africa - TOTO

124. Let's Groove - Earth\, Wind & Fire

125. Let It Be - Remastered 2009 - The Beatles

126. Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell

127. Dancing Queen - ABBA

View of a landscape and a car

Songs of the dance music genre are also great to add to your road trip playlist.

These road trip songs are great for dancing, but also great while you are driving.

This genre has a lot of rhythm and great beats that I'm sure you'll enjoy and will make your trip better!

128. Where Are You Now - Lost Frequencies, Calum Scott

129. Panga (Ft. Idd Aziz) - LevyM

130. Love Tonight - David Guetta Remix Edit - Shouse, David Guetta

131. Sweet Dreams - Alan Walker, Imanbek

132. Never Going Home - Kungs

133. BED - Joel Corry, RAYE, David Guetta

134. Friday (feat. Mufasa & Hypeman) - Dopamine Re-Edit - Riton, Nightcrawlers, Mufasa, Hypeman, Dopamine

135. The Business - Tiësto

136. uNcuthu Ft. Sekiwe - LevyM

137. ily (i love you baby) (feat. Emilee) - Surf Mesa, Emilee

138. Lose Control - MEDUZA, Becky Hill, Goodboys

139. Ride It - Regard

140. Love Tonight - Edit - Shouse

141. Something Just Like This - The Chainsmokers, Coldplay

142. Closer - The Chainsmokers, Halsey

143. This Is What You Came For (feat. Rihanna) - Calvin Harris, Rihanna

144. Don't Let Me Down - The Chainsmokers, Daya

145. Waiting For Love - Avicii

146. The Nights - Avicii

147. Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers) - Radio Edit - Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers

148. Wake Me Up - Avicii

149. Titanium (feat. Sia) - David Guetta, Sia

150. Feel So Close - Radio Edit - Calvin Harris

151. Give Me Everything (feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer) - Pitbull, Ne-Yo, Afrojack, Nayer

152. Fireflies - Owl City

153. Timber (feat. Ke$ha) - Pitbull, Kesha

154. Remember - Becky Hill, David Guetta

155. Head & Heart (feat. MNEK) - Joel Corry, MNEK

156. Someone To You - BANNERS

Palm trees and water

Rock: Nice Road Trip Songs With Great Beats

Here's yet another genre that is great to add to your playlist.

Rock music often features acoustic or electric guitars. These instruments add a great sound to the song.

Furthermore, there is a lot of difference in the songs that belong to this genre.

For example, there are road trip songs of this genre that are very fast, while there are also very slow ones.

Furthermore, there are songs with heavy vocals, while there are also ones with soft vocals.

These differences exist because there are a lot of subgenres of rock.

Depending on what type of song you like most, you can choose certain songs from this road trip playlist.

Also, what's great is that rock songs often feature great stories. Taking in these stories while listening to these songs will make your road trip much more fun for sure!

For example, many songs are about love, but some are also about political or social themes.

These stories make the songs much more interesting!

Like pop music, there are a lot of different songs to choose from. That's because the genre exists for more than 75 years. This makes this genre amazing if you're looking for road trip songs.

To make choosing a song for your road trip playlist easier, I divided this list of songs too.

For this list, I chose to use the year 2000 as the dividing year.

Moreover, this list contains some new songs, such as Circles by Post Malone from 2019. But this list also has older songs. For example, it also includes Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N' Roses, which is a more classic rock song that I'm sure you know!

Music From 2000 Till Now

157. Circles - Post Malone

158. Sucker - Jonas Brothers

159. Natural - Imagine Dragons

160. High Hopes - Panic! At The Disco

161. Beggin' - Måneskin

162. Believer - Imagine Dragons

163. Thunder - Imagine Dragons

164. High Enough - K.Flay

165. Heathens - Twenty One Pilots

166. Stressed Out - Twenty One Pilots

167. Ride - Twenty One Pilots

168. Friends - Chase Atlantic

169. Centuries - Fall Out Boy

170. Locked out of Heaven - Bruno Mars

171. Hall of Fame (feat. will.i.am) - The Script, will.i.am

172. Everybody Talks - Neon Trees

173. Paradise - Coldplay

174. Animal - Neon Trees

175. Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon

176. Snow (Hey Oh) - Red Hot Chili Peppers

177. How to Save a Life - The Fray

178. Fix You - Coldplay

179. The Scientist - Coldplay

180. Clocks - Coldplay

181. Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down

182. Yellow - Coldplay

Songs Before 2000

183. Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers

184. Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve

185. Basket Case - Green Day

186. What's Up? - 4 Non Blondes

187. Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers

188. Losing My Religion - R.E.M.

189. Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses

190. Paradise City - Guns N' Roses

191. You Give Love A Bad Name - Bon Jovi

192. Dancing In the Dark - Bruce Springsteen

193. Under Pressure - Remastered 2011 - Queen, David Bowie

194. Don't Stop Believin' - Journey

195. Back In Black - AC/DC

196. You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC

197. Another One Bites The Dust - Remastered 2011 - Queen

198. Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra

199. Highway to Hell - AC/DC

200. Don't Stop Me Now - Remastered 2011 - Queen

201. Dreams - 2004 Remaster - Fleetwood Mac

202. Hotel California - 2013 Remaster - Eagles

203. Bohemian Rhapsody - Remastered 2011 - Queen

204. Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd

205. Dream On - Aerosmith

206. Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time) - Elton John

207. Stairway to Heaven - Remaster - Led Zeppelin

208. Have You Ever Seen The Rain - Creedence Clearwater Revival

209. Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival

210. Here Comes The Sun - Remastered 2009 - The Beatles

211. Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison

Landscape with snow

Indie: Great Road Trip Songs If You Like Alternative Music

Ready for some alternative road trip songs during your trip?

If you like songs that are lesser-known, you should choose some of the songs on this list.

Also, the songs are great to add to your road trip playlist if you want to listen to more unusual instruments.

Indie music often combines a lot of different aspects of other genres. This makes the songs unique!

Also, what's great is that if you choose to add a lot of these songs to your playlist, you have a very diverse list of music! And that's great if you want to have a nice list of road trip songs. I'm sure you'll love these songs!

212. my ex's best friend (with blackbear) - Machine Gun Kelly, blackbear

213. Can I Call You Tonight? - Dayglow

214. Someone You Loved - Lewis Capaldi

215. Bruises - Lewis Capaldi

216. when the party's over - Billie Eilish

217. Are You Bored Yet? (feat. Clairo) - Wallows, Clairo

218. Into It - Chase Atlantic

219. Infinity - Jaymes Young

220. Ophelia - The Lumineers

221. Hymn for the Weekend - Coldplay

222. Electric Love - BØRNS

223. Wait a Minute! - WILLOW

224. Shut Up and Dance - WALK THE MOON

225. Riptide - Vance Joy

226. Take Me To Church - Hozier

227. Best Day Of My Life - American Authors

228. Still into You - Paramore

229. Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men

230. Stereo Hearts (feat. Adam Levine) - Gym Class Heroes, Adam Levine

231. Tongue Tied - Grouplove

232. Pumped Up Kicks - Foster The People

233. Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz

234. Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's

235. Numb - Linkin Park

236. Bring Me To Life - Evanescence

237. In the End - Linkin Park

238. Safe And Sound - Capital Cities

239. Best Friend (feat. Doja Cat) - Saweetie, Doja Cat

Nature and a blue sky

Hip-Hop music is great music to listen to during your road trip. That's why I added also added perfect road trip songs of this genre to the list.

This is a music genre that often includes rap, but there are also songs without rap. Also, there are lots of songs of this genre with both rap and other types of vocals. This combination makes these songs great too!

Besides that, these songs often have very rhythmic melodies. Also, there is sometimes beatboxing that accompanies rap.

What's great is that there is a lot of variety in these songs.

For example, there are hip-hop songs that combine with pop. Also, there are songs that feature both rap and rock.

Besides that, what's great is that these songs differ in their tempo. There are very fast songs, but also very slow songs.

The rhythm of this music genre is what makes many of these songs proper road trip songs. It is great to ride on the road while listening to a rhythm at the same time.

Also, many of these hip-hop songs contain stories that you can listen to while driving on the road. This makes these songs even better for your trip.

To make this list of songs more comprehensible I divided this list as well. Below, you can find songs from 2015 till now, and songs from before 2015.

Songs From 2015 Till Now

240. Laugh Now Cry Later (feat. Lil Durk) - Drake, Lil Durk

241. WAP (feat. Megan Thee Stallion) - Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion

242. What You Know Bout Love - Pop Smoke

243. ROCKSTAR (feat. Roddy Ricch) - DaBaby, Roddy Ricch

244. Godzilla (feat. Juice WRLD) - Eminem, Juice WRLD

245. Bandit (with YoungBoy Never Broke Again) - Juice WRLD, YoungBoy Never Broke Again

246. Robbery - Juice WRLD

247. SICKO MODE - Travis Scott

248. rockstar (feat. 21 Savage) - Post Malone, 21 Savage

249. Ric Flair Drip (with Metro Boomin) - Offset, Metro Boomin

250. Let You Down - NF

251. goosebumps - Travis Scott

Music Before 2015

252. No Role Modelz - J. Cole

253. Can't Hold Us - feat. Ray Dalton - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

254. Work Out - J. Cole

255. Love The Way You Lie - Eminem, Rihanna

256. Empire State Of Mind - JAY-Z, Alicia Keys

257. Low (feat. T-Pain) - Flo Rida, T-Pain

258. Yeah! (feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris) - Usher, Lil Jon, Ludacris

259. Ms. Jackson - Outkast

View of rocks

Other Genres: Additional Road Trip Songs That Are Perfect For Your Playlist

In the lists above I covered the genres pop, dance, rock, indie, and hip-hop.

Of course, there are more genres of road trip songs. That's why I included some songs that didn't fit the categories above in this section.

For example, there are songs of the R&B genre in this part of the list. Also, there are soul and country songs on this list.

Don't forget to add these songs to your road trip playlist, as they are great as well! Also, many of the songs are very popular songs, so you likely know them.

For example, if you want to add a great and slow song to your playlist, choose All of Me by John Legend!

Besides that, the songs of this section by Bruno Mars are great to listen to while driving as well!

260. I GUESS I'M IN LOVE - Clinton Kane

261. Leave The Door Open - Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic

262. DÁKITI - Bad Bunny, Jhay Cortez

263. You Got It - Vedo

264. 10,000 Hours (with Justin Bieber) - Dan + Shay, Justin Bieber

265. No Guidance (feat. Drake) - Chris Brown, Drake

266. Shallow - Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper

267. All The Stars (with SZA) - Kendrick Lamar, SZA

268. Redbone - Childish Gambino

269. That's What I Like - Bruno Mars

270. The Hills - The Weeknd

271. idfc - blackbear

272. Like I'm Gonna Lose You (feat. John Legend) - Meghan Trainor, John Legend

273. All of Me - John Legend

274. Sure Thing - Miguel

275. Temperature - Sean Paul

Road and nature

This was my playlist of amazing road trip songs. If you're going to travel soon, have a lot of fun! I'm sure you'll have a great time listening to these lovely songs.

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The Ultimate Road Trip Songs

Zeynep İlkim

Travel and music go hand in hand! Music is the best tool we have to access a different world than the one we live in, next to actually traveling to faraway lands. Some songs are so powerful that they might actually inspire us to pack our things and go on an adventure in the physical realm , not just in our heads. Many folk traditions carried out in all parts of the world have been either sung by traveling bands and musicians , some entertaining the courts of monarchs , some playing for the people, through centuries.

This tradition is somewhat carried in the modern world too! With the ability to travel increasing in the modern world, musicians (and their fans) tour the world to share the power of music . Travel has always been at the root of music , so it only makes sense that some songs are particularly good to travel and inspire wanderlust . Here are some examples below that you can add to your road trip songs playlist!

1. Best Road Trip Songs to Sing-Along in the Car

2. how to create a playlist for your road trip on spotify / apple music, 3. what are fun things to do on car trips.

car

Road Trippin’ by Red Hot Chili Peppers

redhotchilipeppers

What song could inspire the emotion of road-tripping better than this one? Red Hot Chili Peppers might be known for their energetic stage presence and eccentric funk music , they sure know how to make a calm but entertaining song that will make a perfect addition to your best road trip songs playlist while you are on the road “with your favorite allies ”.

An unfortunate thing about road trips is that they cannot go on forever, but they can end on the most beautiful destinations! Among the best places road trips can end up on are beaches. Did you know there are amazing beaches in Istanbul that you can see and enjoy? Check out this blog post for a sweet trip to the hidden gems in the beaches of Istanbul.

California Dreamin’ by The Mamas and The Papas

california_dreamin

California Dreamin’ captures the essence of longing for a place that is the home of your most pleasant memories , a place where you’ll be “ safe and warm ”. Even if you’re not going for a road trip to the West Coast of America , this song will inspire you to travel nonetheless. It also helps that the multivocal nature of the song makes for a perfect sing-along experience with your loved ones that you are traveling with!

Keep the Car Running by Arcade Fire

Several prominent artists themselves have covered this great song, so why shouldn’t you give it a listen on your road trip? This song is all about keeping on; keeping the car running and not giving up.

EAGLES: Take It Easy

The Eagles are a classic rock band that have produced some great road trip songs . Their song “ Take it Easy ” is a perfect example of a mellow but upbeat tune that celebrates the freedom and romance of the open road . Other great Eagles songs to add to your road trip songs playlist include “ Hotel California ” and “ Desperado ”. These timeless classics are sure to keep you entertained as you cruise down the highway .

Cyndi Lauper: I Drove All Night

lauper

If travel means escape to you, then this song will make a great contribution to the list your top road trip songs. The song captures the rhythm of the late 80s, which makes it a great song to sing along to, if you are road tripping with your loved ones or on your own. As you drive on the road, longing to finally be at peace at your travel destination, this song should accompany you on your journey.

Steppenwolf: Born To Be Wild

Steppenwolf

Born To Be Wild is the ultimate song for adventurous travellers; the song is all about finding the unexpected joys of traveling, and the exciting feeling of going away. However you may be traveling, whether by motorbikes like the imagery Born to Be Wild evokes, car, plane, ship or on foot, this song will definitely inspire you to get up and get on with your adventure!

Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd

If you’re on a road trip and looking for some great road trip songs to add to your road trip songs playlist, you can’t go wrong with “ Sweet Home Alabama ” by Lynyrd Skynyrd . This classic rock hit is a celebration of the southern state, with its catchy guitar riffs and iconic lyrics that will have you singing along in no time. Whether you’re driving through Alabama or just passing by, this song is sure to get you in the mood for adventure and make your road trip all the more memorable. So turn up the volume and let the music take you away!

500 Miles by The Proclaimers

500 Miles by The Proclaimers

500 Miles by The Proclaimers is one of the classic road trip songs that will keep you and your friends singing along for miles. The catchy beat and iconic chorus make it the perfect addition to any road trip songs playlist. As you hit the open road with your windows down, this song will give you the energy to keep going for miles on end.

Africa by Toto

One of the best road trip songs that you can add to your road trip songs playlist is “ Africa ” by Toto . The song has a catchy beat and the lyrics are perfect for a long drive. The song has been around since the 1980s, but it still remains popular among people of all ages. Whether you’re driving with friends or family, listening to “Africa” by Toto will surely make your road trip more enjoyable and memorable. So, don’t forget to add this classic song to your road trip songs playlist!

The Beatles Twist and Shout

The Beatles

The Beatles have a wealth of songs that are perfect for a road trip. Some of their most popular hits like “ Drive My Car ,” “ Ticket to Ride ,” and “ Back in the U.S.S.R. ” are upbeat and perfect for singing along with while cruising down the highway. Other great road trip songs by The Beatles include “ I Want to Hold Your Hand ,” “ Can’t Buy Me Love ,” and “ Help! ” Their music is timeless and always puts people in a good mood, making it the perfect addition to any road trip songs playlist.

American Girl – Tom Petty

“ American Girl ” by Tom Petty is one of the most iconic road trip songs that captures the spirit of adventure and freedom on the open road . The song’s upbeat tempo and catchy melody make it a perfect addition to any road trip songs playlist. As you cruise down the highway, you can sing along to lines like “Well, she was an American girl, raised on promises” and feel a sense of nostalgia for all the adventures that lie ahead. So turn up the volume and let this classic American rock song be the soundtrack to your next epic road trip.

The Rolling Stones: Sympathy for the Devil

The Rolling Stones have produced many classic road trip songs to enjoy on your next adventure. Their hit song “ Sympathy for the Devil ” is an excellent choice for a long drive, with its driving beat and engaging lyrics. Other great Rolling Stones tracks to include on your road trip songs playlist are “ Start Me Up “, “ Brown Sugar “, and “ Gimme Shelter “. These songs will keep you energized and excited throughout your journey.

Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way

Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac is an iconic band famous for their classic hits that make for great road trip songs. Their music has a timeless quality that is perfect for listening to while driving through scenic routes. Some of their most popular tracks include “ Go Your Own Way ,” “ Rhiannon ,” and “ Dreams .” These songs are perfect for singing along to and will keep you entertained throughout your journey. Fleetwood Mac’s music is the perfect accompaniment to any road trip, providing a sense of nostalgia and adventure at the same time.

Phil Collins: In the Air Tonight

Phil Collins has been a staple in road trip songs playlists for decades. His hit song “ In the Air Tonight ” is a classic that never gets old and is one of the best road trip songs. With its iconic drum break and haunting vocals, it’s the perfect song to blast while cruising down the highway. But Collins has plenty of other great tracks that are perfect for a road trip, such as “ Sussudio ,” “ Easy Lover ,” and “ Take Me Home .” Whether you’re singing along at the top of your lungs or just nodding your head to the beat, Phil Collins is sure to make any road trip more enjoyable.

Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen’s music is perfect for a road trip songs playlist. His classic hit “ Born to Run ” has a powerful and energetic beat that will keep you energized on the road. The song captures the spirit of adventure, freedom, and youthful rebellion that are all part of the quintessential American road trip experience. It’s easy to sing along to, making it a great choice for group sing-alongs in the car. With its catchy guitar riffs and driving drum beats, “Born to Run” is a must-have on any road trip songs playlist.

Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen is a classic road trip song that has been enjoyed by generations. It’s catchy melody and powerful vocals make it an ideal choice for long drives. The song’s epic build-up and crescendo are perfect for those moments when you’re driving through vast, open landscapes, and the lyrics about freedom and adventure perfectly capture the spirit of a road trip. Bohemian Rhapsody is a timeless classic that will always be associated with the joy of hitting the open road.

Bob Dylan: Like a Rolling Stone

Bob Dylan’s songs are perfect for a road trip playlist. His classic hit “ Like a Rolling Stone ” is a must-have for any long drive. Other great options include “ Tangled Up in Blue ” and “ Shelter from the Storm .” These songs have stood the test of time and continue to resonate with listeners today. So, load up your playlist with some Bob Dylan and hit the open road!

spotify

You can spice up your Spotify playlists by customizing the picture, adding a text to its description and picking a unique title for your playlist. You can look at other playlists that are made by other users on Spotify, to find songs about traveling on the road. With its vast collection of playlists, scouring through Spotify’s archives for the perfect playlist can be a daunting task. However, instead of spending hours searching, why not use this opportunity to create your own unique road trip songs playlist ? By selecting your favorite songs and incorporating them into a personalized mix , you can set the tone for your journey and make it that much more memorable . Whether it’s upbeat tunes to keep you energized or mellow tracks to help you unwind and relax , there are endless possibilities when it comes to curating the perfect road trip songs playlist. So go ahead, get creative and let the music take you on an adventure!

Some road trip playlists already available on Spotify that you might find useful are:

Apple Music

Apple Music is the perfect source for road trip songs. The curated playlists and vast archive make it easy to find your favorites. With regular updates and a variety of moods and genres, there’s something for everyone on Apple Music. The service also offers personalized recommendations , so if you’re not sure what to listen to, Apple Music can suggest something based on your listening history. In addition, Apple Music’s “ Up Next ” feature lets users queue their favorite songs for uninterrupted listening during long drives. It’s a great choice for anyone looking for good road trip songs, with its vast music library and user-friendly features offering a seamless experience.

Some Apple Music albums that might be able to help you in your song search are:

There are plenty of fun things you can do on car trips to make the time pass more quickly and enjoyably. Here are a few ideas:

  • Play road trip games like “I Spy” or “20 Questions”
  • Bring along small travel-sized games like cards or travel board games
  • Take in the scenery along your route and stop at interesting roadside attractions
  • Plan ahead and pack snacks, drinks, and other treats to enjoy during the trip
  • Make rest stops at interesting towns or landmarks along the way
  • Bring a camera and take pictures of memorable moments during your trip

What songs to listen to while driving?

What songs to sing in the car, how do i choose music for my car stereo so that it doesn't sound like "the radio", what should we not listen to while driving.

  • Loud music: Listening to music that is too loud can be distracting and make it difficult to hear traffic sounds or emergency sirens.
  • Podcasts or audiobooks: While these forms of entertainment can be enjoyable, they require a certain level of attention that may distract you from focusing on the road .
  • Phone calls: Talking on the phone while driving can be dangerous and is often illegal in many places. It is best to pull over if you need to take a call or use hands-free technology.
  • Intense or emotional content: Listening to content that makes you emotional or agitated can also be distracting and impair your ability to drive safely.

How can I make my own playlist for a road trip?

  • Choose a theme or mood for your playlist: You can select songs based on a specific genre, artist or mood that you want to create.
  • Make a list of your favorite songs: Think about the songs that you love and that fit with the mood or theme you have chosen.
  • Add some new songs to the mix: Discover new music by browsing through popular road trip songs playlists on streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music.
  • Organize your playlist: Arrange the tracks in an order that flows well and keeps you engaged throughout the trip.

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Paris 3 Day Itinerary

road trip song 1 hour

Road Trip Playlist (150 Songs!)

By: Author Isabelle Robledo

Posted on Last updated: December 14, 2023

Road Trip Playlist Songs

If you’re going on a road trip you must have an awesome playlist! As a passionate road tripper, who’s been traveling in an RV with my parents and four siblings for the last 5 years, and a music lover, going on a road trip without an awesome road trip playlist is the worst packing mistake you could make.

I’ve put together a complete road trip playlist to last you til the end of time (or at least 9 hours). Below is the perfect road trip playlist divided into four parts whether you’re looking for happy music, chill background tunes, head-nodding jams, or classic sing-alongs!

I’ve included a link at the bottom so you can download this entire playlist on Spotify as well as each playlist.

Before you head out on that epic road trip, check out our other Road Trip Blogs:

  • Road Trip Pack List
  • How to Plan a Successful Road Trip
  • Tips for Your First Camping or RV Trip
  • 14 Tips For Your First Road Trip
  • How To Road Trip on a Budget
  • Essential RV Gadgets for Your RV
  • Roadschooling Your Kids

RV LIVING + FULL TIME TRAVEL WITH KIDS

The Perfect Road Trip Playlist 

  • Happy Playlist

Songs to keep the good vibes rolling

1. Buttercup – Jack Stauber

2. Shut Up And Dance – WALK THE MOON

3. Blisters In The Sun – Violent Femmes

4. Gone Daddy Gone – Violent Femmes

5. Everyday People – Sly & The Family Stone

6. Someday – The Strokes

7. One Of Us – New Politics

8. NBHD – Onerepublic 

9. Good Life – Onerepublic

10. Life in Color – Onerepublic 

11. Lucky – Jason Mraz

12. Midnight City – M83

13. Oxygen – Dirty Heads

14. I Don’t Care – Ed Sheeran (with Justin Bieber)

15. Dog Days Are Over – Florence And The Machine

16. When It Was Wrong – California Honeydrops

17. Cleopatra – The Lumineers 

18. Burn The House Down – AJR

19. Everything Now – Arcade Fire 

20. Ride – Twenty One Pilots

21. High Hopes – Panic! At The Disco

22. We Are Young – fun

23. The Walker – Fitz And The Tantrums

24. Wake Up – Arcade Fire

25. Upside Down – Jack Johnson

26. Starman – David Bowie

27. 9 to 5 – Dolly Partson

28. Faith – George Michael 

29. Take It All Back 2.0 – Judah & The Lion

30. Unbelievers – Vampire Weekend 

31. Might Be Right – White Reaper

32. Everybody Talks – Neon Trees

33. The Hype – Twenty One Pilots 

34. Fool – Dan Luke and The Raid 

35. The Underdog – Spoon

36. Safe And Sound – Capitol Cities

37. Best Day Of My Life – American Authors

38. My Life – Billy Joel

things to consider before buying an RV

  • Jam On Playlist

These songs for when you’ve been driving for hours on end and to need a jump start

39. What’s Up- 4 Non-Blondes

40. Back In Black – AC/DC

41. Like A Stone – Audioslave

42. E-Pro – Beck 

43. Hard To Handle – The Black Crowes

44. Pump It – Black Eyed Peas

45. Dancing In The Dark – Bruce Springsteen

46. Come A Little Closer – Cage the Elephant 

47. The Distance – Cake

48. What I Got – Sublime

49. I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) –

50. The Kids Aren’t Alright – Fall Out Boy

51. This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race – Fall out Boy

52. Handlebars – Flobots

53. Best Of You – Foo Fighters

54. Sweet Child O’Mine – Guns N’ Roses

55. Choke – I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME

56. Believer – Imagine Dragons

57. Overthinker – INZO

58. Gloria – The Lumineers 

59. Float On – Modest Mouse

60. Supermassive Black Hole – Muse

61. Come As You Are – Nirvana

62. Feel It Still – Portugal. The Man

63. Fat Bottomed Girls – Queen

64. Creep – Radiohead

65. Sky Is The Limit – Rebelution 

66. Can’t Stop – Red Hot Chili Peppers

67. Dani California – Red Hot Chili Peppers

68. Paint It Black – The Rolling Stones

69. I Heard It Through The Grapevine – The Slits 

70. Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol

71. Best Friend – Sofi Tukker (Feat. NERVO, The Knocks, & Alli Ueno)

72. Black Hole Sun – Soundgarden

73. Dream On – Aerosmith

74. Drive – Incubus 

Full time travel with teenagers

  • Chill Playlist

Songs perfect for when you want good music that can be in the background

75. Stand Tall – Dirty Heads

76. Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros 

77. Take a Walk – Passion Pit

78. Young Folks – Peter Bjorn & John

79. High Dive – Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

80. When It Was Wrong – California Honeydrops

81. The Girl – City and Colour

82. Clocks – Coldplay

83. Hang Me Up To Dry – Cold War Kids 

84. Half The World Away – Oasis

85. Space Oddity – David Bowie 

86. Ho Hey – The Lumineers

87. Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran

88. Everlong (Acoustic Version) – Foo Fighters

89. Pumped Up Kicks – Foster The People

90. Dead Sea – The Lumineers 

91. Dirty Paws – Of Monsters And Men

92. Oxford Comma – Vampire Weekend

93. Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton

94. Viva La Vida – Coldplay

95. Hey There Delilah – Plain White T’s

96. The Night We Met – Lord Huron

97. The World At Large – Modest Mouse 

98. Guiding Light – Mumford & Sons 

99. Starlight – Muse

100. Liztomania – Phoenix

101. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd 

102. Circles – Post Malone

103. death bed (coffee for your head) – Powfu, beabadoobe

104. Karma Police – Radiohead 

105. Courage To Grow – Rebelution

106. Losing My Religion – R.E.M

107. Wish I Knew You – Revivalists

108. Tiger Striped Sky – Roo Panes 

109. New Slang – The Shins 

110. Sunday Best – Surfaces 

111. Dancing In The Moonlight – Toploader

112. Riptide – Vance Joy

113. Superposition – Young The Giant 

114. In The Air Tonight – Phil Collins 

Grand Teton to Yellowstone to Glacier National Parks Road Trip Norris Basin

  • Classics Playlist

Songs we consider classics in our household that you will want to sing along to, dance, or both

115. A-Punk – Vampire Weekend

116. I’m Yours – Jason Mraz

117. Have You Ever Seen The Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival

118. Starman – David Bowie

119. American Pie – Don Mclean

120. Heartache Tonight – Eagles 

121. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go – Wham!

122. Without Me – Eminem

123. Africa – Toto

124. Psycho Killer – Talking Heads

125. Santeria – Sublime

126. Escape (The Piña Colada Song) – Rupert Holmes 

127. Come And Get Your Love – Redbone

128. Oh Pretty Woman – Roy Robinson

129. Stand By Me – Ben E. King

130. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor

131. Radioactive – Imagine Dragons

132. Counting Stars – Onerepublic 

133. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye

134. Can’t Take My Eyes Off You – Frankie Valli

135. You Make My Dreams Come True – Hall & Oats 

136. Hotel California – Eagles

137. Loser – Beck

138. Hooked On A Feeling – Blue Swede

139. Cigarette Daydream – Cage The Elephant

140. Dancing Queen – ABBA

141. House Of The Rising Sun – The Animals

142. Should I Stay Or Should I Go? The Clash 

143. All These Things That I’ve Done – The Killers

144. Island In The Sun – Wheezer

145. Fell In Love With A Girl – The White Stripes

146. The Chain – Fleetwood Mac

147. Free fallin’ – Tom Petty

149. Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrn

150. The Joker – The Steve Miller Band

151. Another One Bites The Dust – Queen

152. The Devil Went Down To Georgia – The Charlie Daniels Band

Download the Entire Playlist on Spotify

You can click here to get the whole Spotify playlist or the titles below for each playlist

Nomad Family

Road Trip Inspo

Here are some of our favorite road trip itineraries to inspire your next vacation!

  • Ultimate West Coast Road Trip Guide
  • Southern California Road Trip
  • Million Dollar Highway Road Trip
  • Alaska Road Trip
  • Colorado Road Trip
  • Oregon Road Trip
  • Idaho Road Trip
  • California Coast Road Trip
  • Northern California Waterfall Road Trip
  • Washington Cascade Loop Road Trip
  • Southwest National Parks Road Trip
  • Washington State National Parks Road Trip
  • South Dakota Black Hills Road Trip
  • Canada National Parks Road Trip
  • Sea To Sky Highway Road Trip

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    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.

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  6. 50+ BEST Road Trip Songs for the Ultimate Road Trip Playlist

    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.

  7. 50 Best Road Trip Songs of All Time

    The beauty of road trip music is that it can encompass pretty much any genre. You've got your classics like Johnny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere" and Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car," as well as songs that embrace the joy of the long drive. Some tracks romanticize automobile-centric cities like Los Angeles (LL Cool J's "Going Back to Cali," Anderson ...

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  12. 50 Best Road Trip Songs

    These catchy tunes will get even the grumpiest backseat drivers nodding along, so be sure to add them to your road trip playlist. "Long Road to Ruin" — Foo Fighters. "California" — Phantom Planet. "Chasing Pavements" — Adele. "Put Your Records On" — Corinne Bailey Rae. "Shut Up and Drive" — Rihanna. "Party in the ...

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    6. "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers. Even when you're trapped in traffic, pomp, bombast, and amazing riffs and melodies can set you free. The Killers ' Hot Fuss debut album contains a song called "Mr. Brightside," a rare road trip song that can lift you out of the daily grind's metaphorical "cage" and the traffic blues. 7.

  14. Best 30 road trip songs for your road trip playlist

    For your future travels, we've recommended 30 of the best songs for a road trip and shared them in a Spotify playlist. We've added a downloadable, one-hour broadcast of some of those songs too. Read on to find further listening tips for great audiobooks and podcasts that will keep you entertained while driving.

  15. 101 Best Road Trip Songs For Your Driving Music Playlist

    This soul ballad by Penny & The Quarters sets a romantic and nostalgic tone for a summer road trip, filled with love and longing. "Heavy California," Jungle. Jungle's "Heavy California" is an electrifying funk and soul-infused track that exudes energy and excitement, making it a top-notch summer road trip song choice. "Cecilia," Simon & Garfunkel

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