Road trips are great, especially when taken with a group of friends. For any road trip, you want to have several options on what kind of music you listen to.
Ideally, you’d have a playlist to get your group pumped up for getting to your destination, a playlist to keep the driver awake at night (for those extra-long road trips), and even options like a book on tape or podcasts for when you’re tired of music, but still want something to listen to. There’s nothing wrong with learning a few things while traveling, so podcasts are always good to have on deck.
When it comes to music, you and your friends might have slightly different tastes in music, so designating different people to be in charge of the music at different times is a great way to expand your musical repertoire.
Recommended by Daivat Dholakia of Essenvia
Tame Impala – Currents
I think for me at least (but I’m guessing many others too), music appreciation is partly experiential. That is, something that’s stuck with you is probably due to a previous positive experience whilst listening to that particular moment.
My wife and I keep going back to Tame Impala – Currents album when we’re on road trips. It ties back to the first time we listened to that album – we were on a Road Trip through the south of France & were having a great time. Then this great new album came on, and we happened to be driving down a country back road lined with sunflower fields on both sides for as far as the eye could see. The rest was history.
I actually went on to found my own company www.mirrortrip.com which specializes in affordable rentals for road trips; we’re about to expand to a bunch of cities in the US & Canada (hopefully back to Europe too sometime in the near future).
Recommended by Reece Griffin of MirrorTrip
Idaho Playlist
There are miles of adventure to be found along Idaho’s thirty-one scenic byways and hours of music to accompany your road trip. The perfect duo – Best of Idaho Spotify Playlist featuring Idaho artists and beautiful vistas and sweeping turns. Enjoy.
Recommended by Diane Norton of Visit Idaho
A Night at the Opera – Queen
Released in 1975, this album produced Bohemian Rhapsody. A song that every generation, old or new, knows globally. Whether it be when it dominated the charts or used in Wayne’s World in 1992, this one song is known and loved by all. This can be played anywhere, and even if the audience does not know who the band is – they know the song, and most, if not all, know the words. This is a go-to album for road trips because everyone knows the words!
Bat Out of Hell – Meatloaf
Released in 1977 and spending 522 weeks at number one, this is an iconic piece of work that anyone who appreciates music loves! Never before and most likely ever again will there be musical compositions as exciting. From the racing tile track to “Two out of three ain’t bad,” there’s a track on this album that reminds anyone in their 40s of what they grew up listing to the courtesy of their parents. This album ignites the fire, it gets you excited – it pumps you up for what’s next.
Recommended by Nikki Webster of Britonthemove
Jack Johnson Radio on Spotify
Usually, when I’m road tripping, I want to listen to music that’s chill but still upbeat. I want to be able to relax and enjoy the sights I’m surrounded by without being too distracted by crazy music – but I don’t want to fall asleep either! My go-to music selection is the Jack Johnson radio on Spotify, because his songs, and similar songs by other artists, seem to fall right in that perfect balance of chill and upbeat for me.
Recommended by Jeremy Yamaguchi of Lawnlove
Sirius XM
I listen to Sirius XM a lot of road trips but when I do not (like when a rental car does not have it) I have some fun playlists and podcasts. I lean toward old-school hip hop and classic rock, but my favorite for the past few years has been Charlotte De Witte’s (techno/EDM) podcasts.
Recommended by Charles McCool of McCool Travel
Spotify Playlists
I usually keep coming back to this playlist, when I just want to listen to songs, work or do chores: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DWUa8ZRTfalHk?si=599c237343f44d73
This one song, ‘let me down slowly’ by Alec Benjamin, is the one that I listen to on loop when flying, and these are some of my traveling favorites: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0l0a4uSRYz0VWnt38VAEzR?si=b81bada0b31444b1
Another one of the playlists which I like to listen to specifically on the road is below. These are more like singing along to songs that you can vibe to: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7iJdUHoA5Zi2GkCeBgPgau?si=4b05478c3a544155
These playlists contain some of my absolute favorite songs, mostly travel ones.
Recommended by Sai Blackbyrn of CoachFoundation
Upbeat Dance Playlists
Before any trip, we always make sure to update our favorite playlists on Spotify so they are ready for listening offline. Long travel days can be brutal with no music.
We have several different playlists depending on our mood, but we always seem to gravitate towards upbeat dance music because this is our general overall mood when traveling.
Some of our favorite tunes are listed below:
- Concrete Angel – Gareth Emery (electronic)
- Paid For Love – IIan Bluestone (electronic/dance)
- Waves – Jeremy Loops (alternative)
- Tides – The XX (contemporary R&B)
- Body – Loud Luxury (electronic)
- Heat Waves – Glass Animals (alternative)
Recommended by Mark and Kristen Morgan of Where Are Those Morgans
Awesome Mix 1 & 2 from Guardians of the Galaxy
As a Marvel fan, I love the “Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix 1 & 2” on YouTube for road trips. These amazing 80s sing-along songs not only make me nostalgic about when I was a kid but also bring me back to the awesome Guardians of the Galaxy movie and other Marvel gems.
They’re smooth and happy songs that only give me positive vibes and make me laugh when I think of where I was and what I was doing when I first heard the song. Perfect for road trips!
Recommended by Tim White, the CEO, and Founder of MilePro
Relaxing Songs to Add to Your Playlist
I do not embark on my travels without my go-to playlist. Here are 2 of my top picks –
1) Eagles – Take It Easy helps me relax on any journey. I try to imagine the inspiration the singer might have felt while writing this song, which puts me in a positive headspace.
2) Dirty Money’s Coming Home – I feel many can relate to that feeling of searching for that utter peace at home, which is how I view my travels.
Recommended by Axel Hernborg of Tripplo
Late 90s and Early 00s Songs
First, I do love music from the late 90s-early 00s. These just hit the spot when you’re cruising on the highway and need a pick-me-up.
My favorite song of all is “You Get What You Give” by the New Radicals. It’s a one-hit wonder! And it’s too good to just play once. This song makes you feel free and liberated, and it’s so uplifting it’s hard not to smile.
Recommended by Becca Siegel of Halfhalftravel
Road Trip Alberta Playlist
I have a lot of ideas for you on this one. In fact, I run a Road Trip website for the Canadian province I live in (RoadTripAlberta.com) and have even created an exclusive Spotify playlist for it. It’s a mix of music from Alberta artists as well as just good ol’ fashioned road trip songs.
From this list, I particularly love the song “Vagabond” by Wolfmother (I was a digital nomad for 8 years so I listened to this one a LOT over the years) and “Keep the Car Running” by Arcade Fire because they are simply the best band on the planet. :)
Classic Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson always make the rounds, too. Nothing like belting these tunes out when driving!
Recommended by Dalene Marie of RoadTripAlberta.com, where she writes about topics like things to do in Calgary.”
Upbeat Tunes
As a musician and frequent traveler, I have found that upbeat tunes are always my go-to when I hop on a road trip. Depending on where I am going, sometimes I listen to playlists or songs that are a little more tropical (if the destination is a beach destination). This would include a lot of Bob Marley and the Beach Boys.
In general, when I am traveling, I love older, upbeat 80s songs. There’s a playlist on Spotify called “80s Hits” that includes artists like Tears for Fears and Van Halen, which makes for a fun and exciting mood.
Recommended by Brittany Mendez of Floridapanhandle.com
Running Down a Dream
You aren’t road tripping if you don’t have Tom Petty’s “Running Down a Dream”. What a great song to crank, preferably while headed West into the wide-open. It just belongs on the open road. Plus, Petty has stood the test of time, so it is a song that isn’t just for one generation.
Recommended by Paul Johnson of Gorp
The Jurassic Park Theme Song
There is nothing quite like the majesty of America’s natural beauty. I try to take at least one road trip per year to a major national or state park somewhere in the U.S., and I’ve developed a playlist just for those trips. The first song on the list, and the one I always start when I first enter the park, is the Jurassic Park theme by John Williams. It started as an inside joke with a friend of mine when we went out to the Badlands in South Dakota, in part to look at the fossils on display there.
Recommended by Todd Saunders, CEO of FlooringStores
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