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Australian songs for the ultimate road trip playlist

Posted January 25, 2024

Enjoy the best Aussie music from every state, with a road trip playlist designed to have you rocking across the country.

Australia has as much musical talent as we do open road, so why not fuse the two on your next cross-country  road trip Down Under?

For your next long-distance holiday across the country, rather than pumping out the same top 20 pop hits, support your local music scene with our rocking playlist featuring the best Aussie artists from every state and territory in Australia.

A small caveat: while of course, musical taste is subjective and there are thousands of artists to check out across the country, the following are some of the best to start pumping your road trip off on the right note.

And remember, whenever you travel, stay Road Trip Happy by packing your emergency car kit , and making sure your emergency roadside assistance is up to date.

The best Aussie music for each state of your road trip

Travelling through the Garden State? Whether you’re going down the famed Great Ocean Road , taking a trip to the High Country or rocking on to the Murray River , here’s some iconic Victorian artists to get you from Melbourne to Mildura:

Kylie Minogue – Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia’s highest-selling female artist of all time has a library of albums spanning five decades – more than you’ll need to cross the state. They’re so good you can’t get them out of your head.

Nick Cave – Originally from the small town of Warracknabeal, Australia’s answer to Johnny Cash has a brilliant discography if you’re looking for something dark and broody. Bonus points for his collaborations with other Vic artists like Kylie Minogue and Warren Ellis.

Jet – Skyrocketing to international stardom with their 2003 album  Get Born, the Dingley natives will have you singing Rollover DJ quicker than them picking up six Grammys in one night.

Crowded House – Don’t hold it against front man Neil Finn that he is technically a Kiwi. The Melbourne-based band even have a street in Elwood named after their late drummer, Paul Hester Walk. Now we’re getting somewhere!

The Living End – Shooting to fame after meeting in Wheeler’s Hill in 1997 with their punk rock single  Prisoner of Society , these now-40-somethings are still touring and rocking as hard as ever.

John Farnham – Affectionally known as ‘Farnsy,’ or ‘Whipsering Jack,’ is it even an Aussie road trip playlist without Australia’s (preferred) national anthem, You’re The Voice?

Vance Joy  – Getting the top spot on Triple J’s Hottest 100 in 2013 with  Riptide, James Keogh (aka Vance Joy) gave up a promising career as an AFL player to follow his musical aspirations that will make you wanna sing the words wrong.

Tones and I – Taking the world by storm with her hit Dance Monkey in 2019, the Mount Martha native went on to go 17 x platinum and reach #1 in over 30 countries.

Honourable mentions:  H unters & Collectors, Amy Shark, Daryl Braithwaite, The Cat Empire, Something for Kate, Airbourne, Taxiride, Area-7, Tash Sultana, Killing Heidi, Little River Band, Chrissy Amphlett, Baker Boy, Xavier Rudd, Tina Arena, Archie Roach.

New South Wales

Cruising along the east coast to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, or on a quest to see all of Australia’s Big Things ? Whatever your trip, here’s what to press play on once you cross the Murray:

AC/DC – Founded in Sydney in 1973, AC/DC are the unquestionable kings of Australian rock and roll. With almost every track designed to be blasted down a highway to hell, each song is perfect road trip material.

Silverchair – Fronted by the iconic Daniel Johns, Newcastle’s Silverchair have a legacy that has spanned decades, generations, and genres – including grunge, rock, and alternative scenes to sing along to as you cross those Straight Lines.

Midnight Oil – Founded in 1978, Midnight Oil are one of Australia’s most politically charged bands with hits like Beds are Burning and The Power and the Passion. After disbanding in 2002 when front man Peter Garrett pursued his political career, the group reformed in 2016.

INXS – Inducted into the ARIA hall of fame in 2001, the legendary rock band headed by the late great Michael Hutchins are one of the few Aussie acts to mystify all those beforehand, getting nominated for Grammy, ARIA and MTV awards.

Honourable mentions:  Spiderbait, Grinspoon, Troy Cassar-Daley, The Kid LAROI, Wolfmother, Icehouse, The Presets, Flume, Hoodoo Gurus, Moving Pictures, Mental As Anything, Angus & Julia Stone, You Am I, Matt Corby.

Queensland is the sweet escape, whether you’re headed to explore the attractions of the Gold Coast, the relaxation of Noosa and the Sunshine Coast, or you’re going up north for a full Great Barrier Reef adventure in Far North Queensland.

Powderfinger – With five consecutive number-one-selling studio albums, watch the sun set over the beaches with singalongs to one of Australia’s most successful Brissie rock bands.

Savage Garden – Exploding onto the scene in 1993, The Brisbane duo’s brand of pop rock earned them international fame that took their success to the moon and back. Hopefully you can find the drink of the same name on the way as you sing out ‘chica-cherry cola!’

Amy Shark – Being awarded eight ARIAs Awards from 29 nominations is no small feat for any singer, but the Gold Coast alum has gone on to perform with the likes of Ed Sheeran, Keith Urban, and judge on the new Australian Idol. Hope she tells them all we said hi.

Christine Anu – One of Australia’s most beloved female artists, Christine Anu’s rendition of  My Island Home c ontinues to be heralded an Australian anthem, which you can enjoy with sunshine on a rainy day.

Regurgitator – The Brisbane-based trio’s second studio album,  Unit, was released in November of 1997 and has since gone triple-platinum featuring hits like I Like Your Old Stuff Better Than Your New Stuff  and  Polyester Girl.

Bee Gees – While The Disco Kings were raised as children in Manchester, they moved to Brisbane in the 1950s and became the Bee Gees in the Sunshine State, so we’ll take it! Giving the world hits like Staying Alive and Night Fever, there’s no doubt you should be dancing to these disco tracks your whole drive.

Keith Urban – Everyone’s favourite TV judge and country singer grew up in Queensland, although it’s in the USA where his career really took off, spanning four Grammys, six ARIAs, 13 Country Music Awards and 15 Academy of Country Music Awards.

Honourable mentions:   Custard, Violent Soho, Pete Murray, Sheppard, The Go-Betweens, The Amity Affliction, The Saints, George.

Northern Territory

Planning a trip down Red Centre Way ? It’s time to pump the air con along with these classic territorial tunes:

Yothu Yindi – While their song  Treaty  will forever be synonymous with the Northern Territory, the indigenous rock group will be remembered for bringing Aboriginal culture to the world.

Baker Boy – As the winner of Triple J’s Unearthed National Indigenous Music Awards in 2017, this young RnB artist has already opened for 50 Cent and performed at the AFL Grand Final , so enjoy the ride.

Jessica Mauboy  – Discovered on the fourth season of A ustralian Idol  in 2006, Mauboy is now an acclaimed musician, actress, and tv judge – and singing along is just inescapable.

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – Known as Gurrumul and Dr G. Yunupingu, began his career as a backing vocalist for Yothu Yindi. Gurrumul went on to create triple-platinum albums telling stories of the land.

Leah Flanagan – The Darwin-born singer-songwriter has collaborated with Paul Kelly and the late Archie Roach, and appeared on shows such as Spicks and Specks and Rockwiz.

Honourable mentions:  Ted Egan, Nokturnl, Gus Williams, Martine Locke, David Blanasi, Isaac Yamma.

Western Australia

Known for its pristine beaches, snorkelling adventures, wine regions and extraordinary Kimberley Ranges, play gentle soft rock as you coast along the country’s sunniest state.

Jebediah – Formed in 1994, the alternative rock band was a regular main-stager at the historic Big Day Out and Homebake festivals during the 90’s and early 00’s.

Tame Impala – Though the psychedelic pop group Tame Impala is known as a band, all songs are written, recorded, and performed in the studio by Kevin Parker.

John Butler Trio – While the trio may be more aligned with Byron Bay than Perth, this rock band had three debut #1 albums -what can be Better Than That?

Eskimo Joe – Born out of Freemantle, these schoolmates have stuck together for more than 20 years and still regularly tour around the great Foreign Land.

Honourable mentions:   End of Fashion, Birds of Tokyo, Baby Animals, Pendulum, Little Birdy, Gyroscope, Brian Cadd, Karnivool.

South Australia

You could be travelling down to the wineries of the Barossa Valley, on a day trip to Kangaroo Island or exploring the state’s capital of Adelaide. Make it a party with these stateside South Australian hits:

Cold Chisel – Fronted by Jimmy Barnes, Cold Chisel is without doubt Australia’s quintessential pub rock band, certain to feature on every Aussie playlist as you pass those Flame Trees nationwide.

Paul Kelly – He’ll have you singing along Before Too Long . One of Australia’s greatest storytellers, the Adelaide-born singer-songwriter has been rocking Australia’s music scene and radio waves for almost 50 years.

Sia – While the faceless singer has her own Unstoppable music career, she has also written songs for international pop icons including Rhianna, Beyoncé and Britney Spears.

Hilltop Hoods – The kings of Aussie hip hop with have you singing all the way to the Exit Sign. Debuting in 1991, they went on to have six albums go to #1 on Australia’s album charts.

Kasey Chambers –  The Adelaide-born country music superstar was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame following her incredible fourteen ARIA Music Awards sweep in 2018.

Guy Sebastian – Our very first Australian Idol way back in 2003, Adelaide-raised Sebastian has had a musical career spanning 20 years across music and television, including 10 albums on the ARIA Top 10 charts. Just remember to Turn It Up.

Honourable mentions:   The Angels, The Superjesus, Orianthi, No Fixed Address, Wolf & Cub, The Masters Apprentices, Redgum, GANGgajang.

While Tasmania 's music scene is yet to produce an international household name, here are some of the up-and-coming bands that are making a splash in the mainland Australian music scene: Dan Tuffy, Miles Brown, Greeley, Reuben Koops, Heart Beach, Tiger Choir, The Sleepy Heads, The Innocents, Christopher Coleman Collective.  

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The 10 Road Trip Songs That Define Australia

Whether you’re headed up the east coast or through the red center, no Aussie road trip is complete without a custom playlist. Our list includes rock classics, forgotten gems, social protest anthems, and tunes about mateship. So wind down your car windows and sing the lyrics proudly for these are the songs that define our great southern land.

‘khe sanh’ – cold chisel.

Released in May 1978, ‘Khe Sanh’ tells the story of an Australian- Vietnam veteran dealing with post-traumatic stress and struggling to re-integrate into civilian life. The song was written by pianist Don Walker at Sweethearts café in Kings Cross, New South Wales, and although every Australian knows the lyrics, ‘well the last plane out of Sydney’s almost gone,’ when it was released, the song only reached number 41 due to Australian censors giving the song an A classification, meaning that it was unsuitable for airplay. Despite this, DJs begged the band to release the song as a single, and these days, ‘Khe Sanh’ receives high rotation on classic rock stations. ‘Khe Sanh’ became the Australian Cricket Team’s anthem during their tour of the Caribbean in 1995.

‘Sounds of Then’ – GANGgajang

‘solid rock’ – goanna.

In 1982, ‘Solid Rock’ was released off Goanna’s Spirit of Place debut album, which became the first charting rock record to feature the didgeridoo . The album features anthems of social protest with ‘Solid Rock’ telling the story of Aboriginal dispossession. Goanna frontman Shane Howard was inspired to write the song after a trip to Uluru where he witnessed ‘imma’, a community ceremony. Howard wrote the song to ‘inspire Australians to look deeper into the historical racism and injustices suffered by Aboriginal Australia at the hands of Settler Culture since 1788.’

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbASq3FMf70

‘Down Under’ – Men at Work

No Australian can help but feel patriotic when Men at Work’s ‘Down Under’ starts to play. The lyrics about a Vegemite sandwich and the copyright infringed ‘Kookaburra’ flute sections are intrinsically Australian. Written by Colin Hay and Ron Strykert, the song was the third single from Men at Work’s 1981 debut album, Business As Usual, and went on to reach number one in Australia, New Zealand and Canada before it topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1983 where it set up camp for four weeks. ‘Down Under’ went on to sell two million copies in the US alone, and following its American success, the single reached number one in several European countries. The song tells of a travelling man who is proud of his nationality; however, the meaning behind the lyrics is that of a country which has lost its spirit due to overdevelopment, and the song hopes to instead celebrate the country’s true greatness.

‘Great Southern Land’ – Icehouse

Released in August 1982, ‘Great Southern Land’ was Icehouse singer-songwriter Iva Davies’ answer to Men at Work’s ‘Down Under’ . In his opinion, ‘Down Under’ was a song full of clichés and sounded as if it were written by someone who didn’t grow up in Australia, which is true considering that Colin Hay has Scottish roots. Davies said, ‘I wanted to get rid of all the postcard stuff, all the koala bears and get to something more substantial,’ and that he did. The song’s narrative has motifs of isolation, and the lyrics describe Australia in acute accuracy with the line, ‘a prisoner island hidden in the summer for a million years.’

‘Beds are Burning’ – Midnight Oil

Released in 1987 from Midnight Oil’s sixth studio album, Diesel and Dust, political song ‘Beds are Burning’ went to number one in New Zealand, South Africa and Canada and cracked the top ten in France , Netherlands, Australia and the UK. The lyrics stand in support of returning native land back to the Indigenous Pintupi people, many of whom were forcibly removed in the 1950s and 1960s. Midnight Oil performed the song at the 2000 Olympic Games wearing black with the word sorry written on their clothing. In the audience was former Australian PM John Howard who that same year had refused to apologise to Indigenous Australians and the Stolen Generations. ‘Beds are Burning’ is John Howard’s favourite Midnight Oil song.

‘True Blue’ – John Williamson

‘True Blue’ is slang for authentically Australian, and no song captures that spirit better than country-folk musician John Williamson’s song ‘True Blue’. The song uses colloquialisms such as ‘smoko’, ‘fair dinkum’, and ‘she’ll be right’, and poses the rhetorical question about whether the concept of mateship still exists in Australia. Mateship is a core value of every Australian and is highly regarded in the sporting community, which is why the song is often performed at sport events. John Williamson performed the song twice at Steve Irwin’s public memorial as it was the Crocodile Hunter’s favourite song and is fitting, considering Steve’s true blue character.

‘I’ve Been Everywhere’ – Lucky Star

Written by Geoff Mack in 1959, before being popularised by Lucky Star in 1962, ‘I’ve Been Everywhere’ originally listed Australian towns, primarily those along the east coast; however, the songs popularity spawned versions from America , Britain, Canada, New Zealand as well as Asian and European versions. Many American states also have their own local version, and it’s even been adapted for beer. Everyone from Johnny Cash to Rolf Harris have recorded the song, and it’s been sampled by Rihanna, used in The Simpsons and several advertising campaigns including one from Google. The Australian version is made up of four verses and lists over 80 towns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvBpLbNik_U

‘Power and the Passion’ – Midnight Oil

Political rock group Midnight Oil’s second single from their 1982 album, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, mentions the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis and dismissal of former Australian PM Gough Whitlam as well as the Pine Gap spy base in Alice Springs . The lyrics also describe ‘Smiling zinc cream’, and ‘Breathing eucalypt’, and uses slang including ‘Daytime telly’. ‘Power and the Passion’ alsoincludes the only drum solo studio recording from the band, and the song has been played at 2005’s WaveAid and 2009’s Sound Relief as well as on every Midnight Oil tour since 1982.

‘Working Class Man’ – Jimmy Barnes

Jimmy Barnes signature song ‘Working Class Man’ was written by Journey keyboardist Johnathan Cain and appears in the end credits of Ron Howard’s 1986 film, Gung Ho. The song spent 14 weeks on the Australian charts and seven weeks on the New Zealand charts and was performed at the 2000 Sydney Olympics’ Closing Ceremony. The song is about Jimmy Barnes’ loyal, hardworking audience and makes reference to Elvis, Vietnam and Uncle Sam, allowing for the content to become relatable throughout the world, despite the song’s iconic Australia status.

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Twelve amazing australian road trip songs.

So you’ve finally plucked up the courage to go on that Australian road trip you’ve been talking about. Whether you’re driving across the Nullarbor or traversing the Gibb River Road , you’re most likely going to be driving thousands of kilometres and will want some musical entertainment. Don’t worry fam, we got you. Here’s 10 amazing Australian road trip songs.

Daughters of the Northern Coast – Australian Crawl

This may be the perfect song for that Australian road trip you’ve been planning. Even the name of the band says it. You could pick just about any of their songs, but this one stands out above the rest for the sheer amount of Australianness in the lyrics.

Purchase Daughters of the Northern Coast on Amazon music

Jump In My Car – Ted Mulry Gang

With lyrics bordering on drunken hook up, a guitar riff that came right out of the 60’s and plenty of references to the eponymous car, this Australian classic is a sure fire hit for driving down those long cross country roads. Crank the volume up and the windows down for best effect.

Purchase Jump in my Car on Amazon music

Take Me Home Country Roads – John Denver

Although this is firmly American in tone, it just fits so well with the Australian outback. They’ve got their own strong country music, and in terms of style it’s not wildly different from their American counterparts, so don’t feel too guilty for bringing a little of the states with you. Every time he sings ‘West Virginia’ just replace it mentally with the current state or territory you’re in and you’ll be good.

Purchase Take Me Home Country Roads on Amazon music

How Soon Is Now? – The Smiths

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIldaw6QgzA

Now as a huge Smiths fan, I may be a little biased here, but I can’t go on any road trip without at least a couple of their songs on my playlist. While the Smiths aren’t normally noticed for their driving music appeal, this song has such a strong energy that you’ll find it impossible not to speed up a little bit every time that guitar scream comes in. Actually, maybe don’t listen to this one then. Lyrically, the line ‘I’m human and I need to belong’ is very evocative of how the original colonist/exiles must have felt.

Purchase How Soon is Now on Amazon music

I Fought The Law – The Clash

Speaking of the transported prisoners that served their sentence in the land down under, there couldn’t be a more fitting song. It’s upbeat energy, almost cheerful lack of regard for consequences and strong rhythm make it one of the perfect songs for an Australian road trip.

Purchase I Fought the Law on Amazon music

Down Under – Men At Work

It’s all there in the title really. You’ll probably get laughed at for playing it, but so what? Sometimes it’s fun to be completely silly, and these guys knew how to do exactly that.

Purchase Down Under – Men at Work on Amazon music

Motorcycle Emptiness – Manic Street Preachers

There are two reasons why this song should be on your Australian road trip playlist. First off is the rather harrowing lyrics that bring to mind a lot of Australia’s history – although they weren’t directly referencing it. The second reason is that it’s just an amazing song to have while the landscape whips past you and you thunder towards the horizon.

Purchase Motorcycle Emptiness on Amazon music

Wide Open Road – The Triffids

A huge song for a huge country. It’s a little more downbeat than some of the other songs we’ve had here, which make it good for the late evening when you’re winding down a little and looking for a place to stop for the night.

Purchase Wide Open Roads on Amazon music

Route 66 – Depeche Mode

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqrKxBhKdFM

Australia has its very own Route 66, so it’d be rude to drive down it and not play this song. This song is full of classic Depeche Mode riffs, gated reverb snares and interesting fills. Honestly it’s just such a fun song to drive to that you should listen to it anywhere you can go at a decent speed.

Purchase Route 66 on Amazon music

Electricity – Suede

Although the song has absolutely nothing to do with Australia, road trips or anything else, it has such a powerful surging feel to it that makes it perfect for the road. If you’ve ever had a problem with getting bored or tired while driving, whack this on and your energy just jumps up straight away – which will happen quite a lot when you’re driving through the outback. It’s beautiful, but it’s very much a desert like any other.

Purchase Electricity on Amazon music

Follow The Sun – Xavier Rudd

With the gentle didjeridoo sounds and Xavier’s beautiful voice, this song is reflective of lots of Aboriginal music. It’s a chilled out piece, with a gentle beat, and mimics what a lot of road-trippers in Australia are doing – following the sun! It’s a fantastic song to put on when you’re beginning a morning drive.

Purchase Follow the Sun on Amazon music

Australia Street – Sticky Fingers

A legendary Australian band, Sticky Fingers really make you appreciate this wonderful island continent. It’s an upbeat tune, guaranteed to have every passenger singing along!

What would be on your ultimate Australian road trip playlist?

There’s a lot of British and a little bit of American music on here. However, Australia is a great combination of the two cultures. You have a massive deep south type landscape, California-esque beaches and it’s the only other country a Brit feels at home, so it makes sense for the music for that Australian road trip to reflect this a little. Still, if you prefer to go native with your music, then don’t let us stop you!

This is a guest post by Zac Green from popular music blog ZingInstruments.com

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Don’t you want to pin me baby, don’t you want to pin me oh-ohhhh…

Going on a road trip in Australia? You'll no doubt be wanting a great playlist full of Australia-specific songs. This guide provides you with some amazing songs for your Australia road trip playlist, as well as inspiration for artists as you build your personal collection. Click through to find out! #australia #music

One thought on “ Twelve Amazing Australian Road Trip Songs ”

Hi Claire Your blog is really helpful. We leave on our Nullarbor trip 2 sept traveling over the Blue mountains, 1st stop Cobar, Peterborough, Ceduna, Madura, Kalgoorlie where we stay 2 nights, Rockingham where we stay a week, Margaret River staying a week, Albany 3 days, Esperance 3 days. Then we head back to Ceduna onto the Nullarbor again to SA/Victoria along the Great Ocean rd.

What do U think? Will take us 6 days on the 7th day we’ll be in Rockingham.

We r staying in motels, cabins ad we r not young.

Just thought I’d share our excitement with you.

Comments are closed.

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100 BEST Travel Songs for the Ultimate Travel Playlist

We hope you are reading this post because you’re all set for your big road trip along the Great Ocean Road and are looking for a cracking road trip playlist – but even if you are not and just want to put together the ultimate travel playlist of the best travel songs to remind you of past adventures, we’re here for you.

We’re pretty sure we have collated a list of the BEST travel songs (including songs about adventure, songs about traveling, so no matter if you prefer classics like Steppenwolf’s Born To Be Wild or something a little more mellow like Adele, we’ve got you covered with our countdown of the top 100 travel songs – (and we’ve even including a whole section on Australian travel & road trip songs, because Australia is home to some of the best adventures) to help you create the ultimate travel playlist.

Table of Contents

100 BEST Travel Songs to help you put together the Ultimate Travel Playlist!

Classic travel songs you won’t be able to help but sing along to.

I’m So Excited – The Pointer Sisters When you hit the road and put your foot on the gas we can’t think of a better song get to you in the road trip spirit.
Start Me Up – The Rolling Stones And I can’t Get No Satisfaction – two of the best road trip songs on the planet!
Don’t Stop Me Now and/or Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen Who could stop you when you’ve got these epic rock songs pounding out your speakers?! (I’d vote for both too!)
Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac The perfect lyrics for your adventurous road trip, especially when it’s time to throw caution to the wind and go your own way Stevie Nicks style !
Paradise City – Guns N’ Roses You know it’s time for this hard rock classic when you’ve finally found your paradise city during your travels.
Born to be Wild – Steppenwolf We mentioned this hit in our intro to this guide and we’ll mention it again because it’s a true classic, has a fantastic driving beat and your playlist wouldn’t be complete without it.
Midnight Train to Georgia – Gladys Knight and the Pips This Motown classic is a perfect addition to every travel playlist
What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong As a smooth sounding reminder that the world really is wonderful.
Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond Altogether now.. Sweet Car-o-line Ba Ba Bah….
Hotel California – The Eagles “On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair..” will you end up in your own Hotel California ?! (this is also one of my favorite songs of all time – those guitar riffs!)
I Love Rock n Roll – The Black Jets Not only is this a great sing-along but if you do love rock n roll it’s going to be your fave road trip hit
I Drove all night – Roy Orbison We’re not suggesting you drive all night but for when there’s a long road ahead, this song is here for you.
Waterloo – Abba How could we compile a classic travel playlist without a bit of Abba!?
A Boy Name Sue – Johnny Cash This sing-a-long know-all-the-words song has been the soundtrack to many a travel adventure.
Summer Loving – Grease When the sun is shining and you have a travel buddy to sing along with, Grease is our go-to soundtrack.
We Didn’t Start The Fire – Billy Joel Or New York State of Mind – If you don’t know the words to these epic songs, now is the time to learn!
Here I Go Again – Whitesnake
When the Going gets tough – Billy Ocean You are likely to feel the pressure on any road trip, we feel you! So when the going gets tough, whack this song on the stereo.

Photo of the wing mirror of of car reflecting legs crosses out of the window

Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd This 1974 hit is an obvious choice for your all-American road trip / adventure.
California Dreaming – Mamas and the Papas Another American classic deserving of top travel song status.
Heaven Is A Place On Earth – Belinda Carlisle The no.1 song to put on when you finally come across your true heaven on earth
I Get Around – Beach Boys Such a perfect road trip song & an epic addition to a summer road trip playlist.
Like a Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan
River Deep, Mountain High – Tina Turner What road trip would be complete without a bit of Tina Turner, especially when you have some winding roads to tackle.
ABC – Jackson 5 It’s a feel-good classic we all love and one nobody can resist singing along to.
Redemption Song – Bob Marley & The Wailers
One Night in Bangkok – Murray Head One night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster..
Take me Home, Country Roads – John Denver Something a little nostalgic for when it’s time to head on home.
Highway to Hell – ACDC We hope you don’t end up on the highway to hell, but rocking out to this would certainly make the journey more fun!
Life is a Highway by Tom Cochrane Although I am partial to the Rascall Flatts version myself. Both because it’s Disney & Country; and I’m a Disney geek who loves country music at heart.
Midnight Rider – Allman Brothers Band
In the Air Tonight – Phil Collins A song to pop on when you need something a little more soothing to leave you feeling chilled out when the traffic is getting to you this beautiful love song is just what you need.
Little Red Corvette – Prince You can’t have a road trip playlist without including a song about a little red corvette – I mean, what an epic car for a road trip!
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John Or literally any other Elton John song! Three of my faves are Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, Crocodile Rock & Sacrifice

Camervan with the back doors open looking out into the forest. Mans legs wearing pink shorts pointed towards the open doors with a guitar sitting against the side of the vehicle on the right and the door framed by fairy lights

Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen No matter how far you are going, this Bruce Springsteen classic is one of the great driving songs for any length of journey. Baby you were born to run!!
Ticket To Ride – The Beatles Any Beatles song is great travel fodder, so I’d also go ahead and include Hey Jude, Yellow Submarine or She Loves You too!
You’ve got a Friend – James Taylor An epic travel song that often rounds out a night of drinking at the end of a group trip.
Small Town – John Mellencamp
I’m Gonna Be (I would walk 500 Miles) – The Proclaimers Ok, so not quite a song about driving – but if you’re going to walk 500 miles, that’s dedication to a road trip!
On The Road Again – Willie Nelson For car and road puns, this Willie Nelson song is pretty self explanatory!
American Pie – Don Mclean “A long long time ago, I can still remember, how that music used to make me smile…” and I know you know the rest of the words!
Livin’ on a Prayer or It’s my Life – Bon Jovi (or Always , or I’ll Be There for You , or You Give Love a Bad Name – so many Bon Jovi anthems make for amazing travel songs!)
Tush – ZZ Top
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John Or literally any other Elton John song! Three of my faves are Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, Crocodile Rock & Sacrifice, oh and The Way You Look Tonight (there’s more, I could easily get carried away here)
Fast Car – Tracy Chapman Smooth and sultry, Tracy’s voice can help pass the time in the car – even if your only in the parking lot!
Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey Perfect for any occasion, this ultimate travel song should be included on any playlist on the planet!
Always On My Mind – Elvis Presley Ok, so this may not be a true travel song, but it reminds me of Practical Magic, which in turn reminds me of America – where I have travelled a lot.
Leaving on a Jet Plane – John Denver Could this be the ultimate song about traveling? All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go…
Africa – ToTo Because we all bless the rains down in Africa
Hit the Road Jack – Ray Charles A classic, this is the perfect song to play on a roadtrip.
Running on Empty – Jackson Browne Although I hope your vehicle doesn’t end up running on empty!
Free Fallin’ or Running Down a Dream – Tom Petty No playlist would be complete without these two Tom Petty classics.
American Woman – Lenny Kravitz Even if its just for the riff at the beginining.
Walking in Memphis – Marc Cohn What I wouldn’t give to touch down in the land of the delta blues in the middle of the pouring rain!

Modern-day Travel songs that will make you turn up the volume

It’s a Beautiful Day – Michael Buble Because what day isn’t a beautiful day when you’re on a travel adventure of a lifetime!
Road Trippin’ or Californication – Red Hot Chili Peppers An obvious choice for your travel and road trip playlist but it’s a soothing hit that is one for when you just need to chill out and reflect
Happy – Pharell Williams It was the biggest song of the year and still doesn’t fail to make us feel anything but happy!
On Top Of The World – Imagine Dragons This song will have you singing out to the steering wheel as you cruise down the road on a summer day. It’s perfect, happy, feel good, road trip music.
Can’t Hold Us – Macklemore For when you are getting pumped for a night on the town after a long days adventuring
Save The World Tonight – Swedish House Mafia For all the dancing in the car vibes, this is one of those road trip songs to sing your heart out to!
Freedom – Kygo, Zak Able Because it’s available on Instagram and travel bloggers use it in stories and reels, it achieved practically instant travel song status.
Rolling In The Deep – Adele Sing your heart out with Adele by your side as you hit the highway. This is one of my best road trip songs!
Galway Girl or Castle on the Hill – Ed Sheeran Oh Ed how we love you, especially when we are driving down those country lanes, or going strong in the bar at last orders!
All the Small Things – Blink 182 Depending on how old you are, this hit may already be a classic… but who cares, it’s a top song to sing your heart out to.
The Dog Days Are Over – Florence + The Machine When you need a release and need that little bit of inspiration during your road trip, Florence is there for you.
Monster – The Automatic We hope you won’t come across a monster on your road trip but you know what song to play if you do!
Truckin – Grateful Dead
Stole the Show – Kygo ft. Parson James To be honest any Kygo song is an ideal chillout option for your road trip playlist but we love this one as a feel-good number.

Silhouette on a Couple on the beach with the sun setting behind them. The woman on the right is holding a guitar, the man is sat looking at something in his hands

Single Ladies – Beyoncé For when you’re on a road trip with the girls, it’s the one and only Queen Bey all the way!
California Gurls – Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg “You could travel the world but nothing comes close to the golden coast”
Where The Streets Have No Name by U2
Gold Digger – Kanye West Or for another of Kanye Wests hits, you could substitute this for Jesus Walks
Shotgun – George Ezra When it’s time to ride shotgun, put on some George Ezra – it’s the perfect sing-a-long song for a girls road trip.
I Will Wait – Mumford and Sons Embrace your inner folk when you sing along with Marcus Mumford & Co.
Oops!…I Did It Again – Britney Spears We certainly won’t be apologizing for including Britney in our playlist because a road trip isn’t worth going on without her.
Havana – Camila Cabello Havana-oo-na-na – tell me you didn’t sing that?!
Shut up and Drive – Rhianna You tell them RiRi!
Let Me Ride – Dr Dre It’s a road trip anthem, and what road trip playlist would be complete without a bit of 90s rap?!
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper Heading out on an adventure with your girls? This is the song for you.
Keep the Car Running – Arcade Fires
Cruel World – Lana Del Rey A 90s classic, I dare you not to sing-a-long!
A Thousand Miles – Vanessa Carlton Because you could indeed be driving a thousand miles, and who wouldn’t want to sing about that?!
Everyday is a Winding Road – Sheryl Crow Because songs about the open road to nowhere make perfect sense on any road trip playlist!

Australian Road Trip Songs for your Great Ocean Road Playlist

Great Ocean Road Day Tour - Bunyip Tours

Working Class Man – Jimmy Barnes No Australian Road Trip Playlist would be complete without some Jimmy Barnes, and you should definitely expect some more in this section!
Run To Paradise – The Choirboys OK, so this song may be about people on the northern beaches getting drunk, smoking dope, surfing and not working – but it’s got a cracking title line you’ll just love singing along to!
Sounds of Then – GANGgajang The ultimate song about the sights and sounds of an Australian summer.
The Horses – Daryl Braithwaite It’s practically unaustralian to not know the words (or at least the chorus!) to this song.
Great Southern Lands – Icehouse Sunset + the ocean + this song = paradise.
Solid Rock – Goanna Inspired by Uluru, another great icon of Australia.
Down Under – Men at Work So, do YOU come from a land down under?!
Scar – Missy Higgins Like Jimmy Barns and Daryl Braithwaite, no Aussie travel playlist is complete without a bit of Missy Higgins
These Days – Powderfinger This was the last song they played at their last gig in 2010 and Australians still talk about it.
Jump In My Car – Ted Mulry Gang Although English Born (in fact he’s from my own hometown!), Ted lived in Australia most of his life, and so this driving anthem sits in the section as the honourable Aussie. This song was also covered by The Hof ‘ so there’s that as well.
You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC Another band who’s providence is disputed – the brothers are Scottish born, but the band was formed in Sydney – either way, this is a rock anthem that takes driving to the next level.
In the Summertime – Thirsty Merc Summer rays and laid back days, this summer sing-a-long song has to be included on your Australian travel playlist.
You’re the Voice – John Farnham If you only take one iconic Australian song from this list. Make it this one.

So how did we do? Aren’t these just the best travel songs for the perfect travel playlist!? Whether we’ve reminded you of some amazing driving songs and road trip classics or introduced you to some brand new travel songs, we hope they are just the start of your next amazing adventure!

We hope you enjoyed our guide to the Best Travel Songs. Do you already have a travel playlists in mind that we have added to? Are you journeying around your home-country or exploring pastures new? Tell us in the comments below, along with your all-time favourite travel song and if it’s not already on our list, we cant wait to hear it!

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20 best Aussie road trip songs

Quality tunes are as essential as good snacks on a road trip. Here are the best upbeat songs to bop along to behind the wheel – and trust us, your passengers will thank you.

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TAKE A LISTEN

To listen open up Spotify on your device and scan the picture above for the complete playlist or click here .

20. “YOU’RE THE VOICE” – JOHN FARNHAM If anyone in the car doesn’t like this tune, the next round of snacks is on them.

Take a listen to our ultimate Aussie road trip playlist here.

I found the best cake shop on the Great Ocean Road

Every Great Ocean Road trip should start with a magical slice of sponge.

Can we please discuss the rules around road tripping music

Getting behind the wheel for the Easter long weekend? It’s time to have ‘the talk’.

I found Australia’s best pie

Forget Goulburn's Trapper's Bakery and Victoria's Country Cob Bakery: I've found a new contender for Australia's best pie, and it's in the last place you'd expect.

I found Australia’s most underrated beach road trip

This Australian road-trip expert reveals the secret spot with campgrounds right on the beach, spectacular scenery, and barely a tourist in sight.

The 10 Road Trip Songs That Define Australia

These ten songs define australia and are perfect for your next outback road trip..

Whether you’re headed up the east coast or through the red center, no Aussie road trip is complete without a custom playlist. Our list includes rock classics, forgotten gems, social protest anthems, and tunes about mateship. So wind down your car windows and sing the lyrics proudly for these are the songs that define our great southern land.

‘Sounds of Then (This is Australia)’ started off as a poem by GANGgajang front man Mark Callaghan as he recalled his family’s move from England to Queensland. After the move, his parents divorced, and this along with the culture shock meant that Callaghan’s first few years in Australia were incredibly difficult, and the song is about remembering that period through sounds, smells and sensations and the power that music has in triggering lost memories. The song reached number 35 on the Australian Singles Chart and was used in 1996 by the Nine Network. Visually provoking lyrics such as ‘Out on the patio we’d sit, and the humidity we’d breathe, we’d watch the lightning crack over canefields,’ prompt recognisable scenes of summer in Australia, and the songs charm lingers 31 years on.

STARCRAFT POP TOP

Journey pop top, all-terrain pop top, all terrain, basestation, jrv campervan, optimum campervan, all terrain campervan, conquest motorhome, optimum motorhome, best aussie road trip songs.

There are a few things that make a good road trip – great company, plenty of snacks and a fantastic playlist.

While each person has their own music preferences, there truly is no better way to explore all our country has to offer than to do it while belting out some Aussie tunes.

To inspire you, we’ve selected ten of our favourite Aussie songs from across the decades that are perfect for your next RV trip.

Down Under – Men at Work

One of the most iconic Aussie songs out there, Down Under truly sums up the Australian spirit and is a must for your road trip playlist.

You’re the Voice – John Farnham

You’re the Voice, otherwise known as the unofficial Australian Anthem, is sure to get big cheers – no one can resist belting this tune out.

Khe Sanh – Cold Chisel

One cannot have an Australian playlist without including Khe Sanh. It was the very first Cold Chisel single and remains one of the most popular.

Big Jet Plane – Angus & Julia Stone

While you might be travelling in an RV rather than plane, the mellow style of brother sister duo, Angus and Julia Stone is perfect for a cruisey trip, preferably by the seaside.

In The Summertime – Thirsty Merc

If the name of this one doesn’t get you excited, the lyrics sure will. It sums up the ultimate summer – perfect for your next warm weather trip.

Never Tear Us Apart – INXS

This 1980’s hit is one of the most well-known songs by the band and is ideal for a family singalong.

The Horses – Daryl Braithwaite

Another one for the whole family, this banger by Daryl Braithwaite is perfect to sing with the windows down – preferably on the way to go horse riding.

Dance Monkey – Tones & I

A favourite from Aussie artist Tones & I, Dance Monkey is incredibly catchy and fun, making it a must add to your playlist.

These Days – Powderfinger It is not an Aussie playlist without at least one Powderfinger song, so last but certainly not least is Powderfinger hit, These Days, one of the most popular and endearing tracks by the band.

What are your favourite Aussie road trip songs? Let us know via Facebook or Instagram!

Jayco E-Newsletter

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

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

Road Trip Songs For Your Road Trip Playlist

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

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

10 Best Road Trip Songs of All Time

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

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

Best Classic Road Trip Songs

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

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

80s Road Trip Songs

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

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

90s Road Trip Songs

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

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

Modern Road Trip Songs

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

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

Road Trip Playlist on Spotify

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

What are your favorite road trip songs?

Need some road trip inspiration?

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

The Ultimate USA Travel Bucket List: 125+ Best Places to Visit in USA

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!!

Australian Road Trip Playlist: Our Top 10

Written By Bastian Graf

A road trip without the right tunes is just a commute. Music makes any trip more memorable and what better way of exploring Australia than cruising in a campervan while belting out some top Aussie tunes.

10. AC/DC – Highway to hell

If you’re hitting the road early, we can guarantee that a bit of AC/DC will have you wide-awake and revved. Just watch your speed!

9. Jet – Are You Gonna Be My Girl?

Fans of early ’00s alt. rock, denim and tambourines – we got you covered.

8. Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning

If you haven’t tried out some lead singer Peter Garrett-style dance moves around the campfire (or at least in the privacy of your own campervan) you haven’t really had the complete Australian road trip experience.

7. Silverchair – Straight Lines

After a four-year hiatus from the music scene, Silverchair returned with this beauty. Just try and drive in straight lines while listening.

6. Powderfinger – (Baby I’ve Got You) On My mind

There were far too many Powderfinger songs to choose from this popular Aussie rock band, but in the end we had to narrow it down to one. And what a choice!

5. Hunters and Collectors – Throw Your Arms Around Me

Taking the pace down a notch, this 1984 classic is perfect for a sunset drive.

4. Crowded House – Don’t Dream it’s Over

Whether you’re travelling Australia in sunshine or rain, the heat of summer or even during winter, this song should be on your playlist. Although not technically from Australia, they have been adopted by their Tasman cousins (sorry Kiwis).

3. INXS – By My Side

Probably the biggest band to come out of Australia – INXS is an Australian institution and loved by generations.

2. Cold Chisel – Khe Sanh

Although a song about the Vietnam province, this song will always be a favourite in campervans and motorhomes on the road.

1. Men at Work – Down Under

Yes, we had to. We’ve written before about the many benefits of travelling Australia in a campervan, but one we may have forgotten is that no one else has to know about this guilty pleasure!

No matter where the open road takes you, having the right road trip playlist is an essential ingredient to making your Australian holiday or backpacking experience truly memorable. It doesn’t matter if you’re travelling with friends or going it alone, great Australian music always makes for the best company.

For more information on car, campervan and motorhome rentals , contact us or get a quick quote today.

About the Author

Bastian Graf

Bastian is the Sales & Marketing Manager here at Travellers Autobarn. He holds a Master of Commerce in Marketing and International Business Management, and 20+ years experience in campervan hire, road trips and travel.

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Wake Me Up" by Avicii

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

"Night Moves" by Bob Seger

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

"Fly Like an Eagle" by Steve Miller Band

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

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

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

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

"Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line

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

"Take It Easy" by the Eagles

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

"Riptide" by Vance Joy

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

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

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

"Malibu" by Miley Cyrus

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

"Life in the Fast Lane" by Eagles

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

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

"Hey, Soul Sister" by Train

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

"September" by Earth, Wind & Fire

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

"Burn The House Down" by AJR

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

"Carry On Wayward Son" by Kansas

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

"Dancing In The Moonlight" by Jubël featuring NEIMY

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

"Road Trip (2020 Version)" by Convent Bonfires

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

"Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey

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

"Circles" by Post Malone

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

"Feel This Good" by Jackopierce

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

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

"Big Yellow Taxi" by Lennon & Maisy

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

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

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

"Layla" by Eric Clapton

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

"Higher Love" by Kygo & Whitney Houston

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

"Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty

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

"More Than a Feeling" by Boston

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

"Hello Darlin'" by Conway Twitty

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

"Fast Car" by Jonas Blue & Dakota

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

"Sun Models" by ODESZA featuring Madelyn Grant

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

"Jack & Diane" by John Mellencamp

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

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A black car parked on a dirt cul-de-sac overlooking a desert valley

90+ Best Road Trip Songs for Your Travel Playlist

Travelling by road can be both wonderful and tiresome–that’s why you need a great soundtrack to keep you singing along! Here I’ve compiled some of the best road trip songs from rock to hip hop; 1950’s through to now—there’s a little something for everyone. You can take this as one, mega, road trip playlist or use the themed sections to find exactly the kind of music you are after. Scroll to the end to get a link to my Spotify Road Trippin’ playlist with all these tunes.

Press skip, and get to your favourite selection:

Press skip and get to your favourite selection:

Old-school road trip songs, 1990-forward road trip songs, all american road trip tunes, all australian road trip songs, car-themed tracks, girls road trip songs, country road trip songs, get this list on spotify.

Disclosure: I may earn compensation from the purchase of any product or service linked on this website, at no extra cost to you. I only link to products I use and love, therefore feel comfortable recommending.

All the classic, pre-1990’s tracks about driving, cars, trucking and travelling by road.

Cruisin’ – Smokey Robinson
Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac
Take the Money and Run – Steve Miller Band
Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
Danger Zone – Kenny Loggins
Born to be Wild – Steppenwolf
I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – The Proclaimers
Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now – McFadden & Whitehead
Hit the Road Jack – Ray Charles
Truckin’ – Grateful Dead
Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
Here I Go Again – Whitesnake
Where the Streets Have No Name – U2
Ride Like the Wind – Christopher Cross
Life is a Highway – Tom Cochrane
Willin’ – Linda Rondstadt
Roadhouse Blues – The Doors
I Drove All Night – Cyndi Lauper
Road to Nowhere – Talking Heads
Radar Love – Golden Earring
Is Your Mama Gonna Miss Ya? – Bryan Adams
Keep on Truckin’ – Eddie Kendricks
Running on Empty – Jackson Browne

Post-1990, road-trip-ready tracks for passing the time and getting your groove on.

Window Seat – Erykah Badu
Tints – Anderson .Paak ft. Kendrick Lamar
Ain’t it Fun – Paramore
Old Town Road – Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus
Shut Up and Drive – Rhianna
Car Wash – Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott
On The Road – Bonfire Set
A Thousand Miles – Vanessa Carlton
Home – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Runaway Baby – Bruno Mars
Keep the Car Running – Arcade Fire
One For the Road – Arctic Monkeys
The Distance – Cake
Road Trippin’ – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Slow Ride – Kenny Wayne Shepard
Send Me on My Way – Rusted Root
Your Turn to Drive – David Bowie
Let Me Ride – Dr Dre
Anywhere – Passenger
Remember That Night? – Sara Kays

Best destination-themed road trip songs for journeys across the US.

Californication – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Graceland – Paul Simon
America – Simon and Garfunkel
Route 66 – Chuck Berry
Nutbush City Limits – Tina Turner
Save Me, San Francisco – Train
Louisiana Bayou – Dave Matthews Band
Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton
The Beehive State – Randy Newman
Texas Sun – Khruangbin and Leon Bridges
Dear Chicago – Ryan Adams
Leaving Las Vegas – Sheryl Crow
Empire State of Mind – Jay Z ft Alicia Keys

Mustang convertible with top down on a long desert road

Did you know Australia is approximately the same size as the 48 contiguous US States?! So when it comes to epic road trips and songs to match we can hold our own.

Follow the Sun – Xavier Rudd
Weather With You – Crowded House
One Way Road – John Butler Trio
St Kilda to Kings Cross – Paul Kelly
Great Southern Land – Icehouse
Drive – Shannon Noll
Road to Gundagai – Slim Dusty
Chained to the Wheel – The Black Sorrows
The Car Song – Cat Empire
Sounds of Then – Gang Gajang
Flame Trees – Cold Chisel
Tenterfield Saddler – Peter Allen
I’ve Been Everywhere – Lucky Star
Solid Rock – Goanna
Highway to Hell – AC/DC

The best road trip songs with the word “car” in the title; along with odes to specific makes and models; and stories all about cars.

Camaro – Kings of Leon
Paradise by the Dashboard Light – Meatloaf
Fun, Fun, Fun – The Beach Boys
Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car – Billy Ocean
Black Devil Car – Jamiroquai
Little Red Corvette – Prince
Fast Car – Tracy Chapman
Shelby ’68 – Kylie Minogue
Two Dope Boyz (In a Cadillac) – OutKast
Mercedes Benz – Janis Joplin
Mustang Sally – Wilson Pickett
Drive My Car – The Beatles
Stickshifts and Seatbelts – Cake

Fiercely feminine road trip tunes, including some great artists old and new!

Roam – The B-52s
Every Day is a Winding Road – Sheryl Crow
Everywhere – Fleetwood Mac
Drive All Night – Joss Stone
Where You Lead – Carol King
Pink Cadillac – Natalie Cole
I Love It – Icona Pop ft Charli XCX

Best road trip songs for country music lovers.

On The Road Again – Willie Nelson
Take Me Home (Country Roads) – John Denver
I’ve Been Everywhere – Johnny Cash
King of the Road – Roger Miller
Ramblin’ Man – Allman Brothers
Wagon Wheel – Darius Rucker
Days Go By – Keith Urban
Red Dirt Road – Brooks & Dunn
Highwayman – Highwaymen

If you have a favourite road trip song not listed here – drop me a line in the comments. See this post for international travel music and you will find themed playlists accompanying most of my road trip itineraries featuring artists from, and songs about each destination.

Peace, love & inspiring travel,

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History Fangirl

The Ultimate History Travel Blog Since 2015

101 Perfect Road Trip Songs for an Epic Road Trip Playlist!

Last Updated on: 17th March 2023, 02:59 pm

Looking for a great road trip playlist? Well, look no further! This list includes my personal favorite road trip songs, recommendations from road trip experts, catchy hits, and a few surprises.

This road trip playlist spans decades, genres, and countries, so there’s something here for everyone! Save this post so you can play these road trip songs on your next road trip!

Can’t read now? Pin for later!

Best Road Trip Songs for a Road Trip Playlist

The Top 50 Road Trip Songs

Here are fifty amazing road trip songs. See below for fifty more and a free Spotify road trip playlist that you can save and play on Spotify!

Road Trippin’ (The Red Hot Chili Peppers)

A true classic road trip song from the Chilli Peppers’ 1999 album ‘Californication’, which tells the story of the band’s road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway. Sung by lead vocalist Anthony Kiedis, with John Frusciante and Flea providing acoustic guitars and backing vocals, the song projects those chilled out, positive vibes and the freedom anticipated from life on the road.

The single was only released in Europe, with two versions released in the UK, and later the third version in Australia. The video wasn’t released to a US audience until the ‘Greatest Hits’ album was released in 2003. -Jenny from Peak District Kids

American Girl (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)

It’s hard to believe this classic American rock song never even charted when it was released on the band’s 1976 debut. It was also the last song the band ever performed together live, over forty years after they originally released it.

Super Bass (Nicki Minaj)

This song was on Minaj’s 2011 debut album. While she has become a staple featured artist on numerous songs over the past decade, this is the best of her songs for simply singing along.

Super Bass has been listed on numerous songs of the summer compilations, including this one by Rolling Stone.

Born to Run (Bruce Springsteen)

Born to Run was released in 1975 on the eponymous album by Bruce Springsteen. This was the song and album that made “the Boss” a mainstream hit, and it is considered to be one of the greatest albums ever recorded.

It’s a love song sung by a hot-rod riding tough guy to a woman named Wendy. The protagonist implores Wendy to leave their hometown and hit the road with him, saying “we gotta get out while we’re young, ’cause tramps like us, baby, we were born to run”. This sentiment will resonate with anyone who’s ever had the urge to get behind the wheel and head out of town for new adventures. -Wendy Werneth from The Nomadic Vegan

I’m Gonna Be [500 Miles] (The Proclaimers)

Any fans of the tv show How I Met Your Mother know this is the ultimate road trip song, especially if your tape deck is broken and it’s the ONLY song your car will play.

Even if you aren’t a HIMYM acolyte, any song that literally lists the miles one needs to traverse automatically deserves a spot on your road trip playlist.

Come on Eileen (Dexy’s Midnight Runners)

Come on Eileen by Dexy’s Midnight Runners is hands-down the best road trip song that there is. This alternative song was originally released back in 1989 and was written by Billy Adams, Kevin Rowland, and Jim Paterson.

There is yet to be a cover as good as the original. From the amazing tune of the song to the gradual pacing throughout, Come on Eileen is one song that will have everybody in the car singing, no matter their age. -Krystianna from Volumes and Voyages .

A Horse with No Name (America)

A Horse With No Name is a song from the band America and is probably one of the most famous songs of the 70s. When you listen to it, all you want to do is sing along. It’s a perfect song for an amazing road trip across the USA in an old hippie van. So next time you are traveling don’t forget to add it to your playlist! -Robin from Everything Yoga Retreat

Love Shack (The B-52s)

This 1980s classic hit by the B-52s is so popular that it’s been featured in shows and movies as well as getting its own parody on The Simpsons, “Glove Slap.”

Of course, the eponymous Love Shack was an actual shack that only got destroyed in 2004. So you really could “get away” for decades.

This infinitely groovy song is easy to sing along with, and of course you have to shout out at the end, “Tin Roof Rusted.”

Toxic (Britney Spears)

This Grammy award-winning song is catchy AF. While it might not be Britney Spears’s most famous or most popular track, it’s the grown-up tune your road trip playlist.

The video was deemed too racy for MTV to play during the day. In fact, it was once voted the sexiest music video of all time.

America (Simon & Garfunkel)

This song about two hitchhikers mentions American highways by name (hello, New Jersey turnpike) so it’s almost like it was written to make this list. And even though the track is over fifty years old, it still describes an angsty beauty that resonates today.

Back to You (Bryan Adams)

A perfect song for a road trip is the toe-tapping ‘Back To You’ performed by Canadian artist Bryan Adams. The song – which was co-written by Eliot Kennedy – features several lyrics about travel but is mostly about the yearning desire and wish to be somewhere else.

The acoustic version of the song is particularly good! The strong pulse of the song and its catchy melody make ‘Back To You’ a great road trip song for playing loudly and singing along to. -Sinead from Map Made Memories

9 to 5 (Dolly Parton)

If you are on a road trip, you get a chance to escape your 9 to 5 job, at least for a few days. But that doesn’t mean that you won’t enjoy singing along with Dolly Parton complaining about how much corporate America sucks the life out of you. Even if you like your job, there’s always something to angry sing about!

Burning Down the House (Talking Heads)

While there are a few Talking Heads songs that would fit right in on a playlist for a road trip, but it’s this Parliament-Funkadelic inspired new wave hit that was the bands highest charting single.

Run Run Run (The Velvet Underground)

This song about the dark side of New York City is nonetheless fun to sing along with, perhaps because it isn’t structured like other more conventional songs. It also works as somewhat of a time capsule. At over fifty years old, it chronicles an NYC that in many ways no longer exists.

Society (Eddie Vedder)

As an avid traveler, I love to be on the road most of the time and one of my favorite road trip songs is “Society” which is sung and composed by Eddie Vedder. The song was selected for a soundtrack for the popular travel film Into The Wild . In fact, Eddie Vedder has written a few more songs for the same film which narrates an epic travel journey.

The song depicts a journey of a young curious man, who after graduating decides to quit the materialistic conventional world and leave for a lifelong road trip into the wild. As the song goes, the lyrics beautifully articulate his intent to chase his grand vision to live in the wild, which is much larger than usual life he had been living so far.

In fact, the lyrics make one appreciate the beauty of road trips even more. -Debjani Lahiri from THE VAGABONG .

Ramblin’ Man (The Allman Brothers)

The most traditionally successful of all the Allman Brothers’ songs, this 1970s hit was inspired by (though not a cover of) a 1950s Hank Williams song. Its country flavor and peripatetic main character make it the perfect road trip song, especially if you’re out on the road alone.

Fell in Love with a Girl (The White Stripes)

This fun alternative song is less than two minutes, but you can belt along to it the entire time since the lyrics come at a steady clip. Fun and unassuming, this song was actually proclaimed by Rolling Stone as one of forty songs that changed the world.

Hold On (Wilson Phillips)

Considered one of the greatest girl group songs of all time, this 1990s hit is beloved by fans of the movie Bridesmaids . It’s the ultimate sing-along song for your girls’ trip.

Life is a Highway (Rascal Flatts)

The song Life is a Highway was originally recorded in 1991 by Tom Cochrane. It is an uptempo country song about the journey of life. The song ultimately ended up not being a huge hit for the member of Red Rider. The song was then updated with a more modern sound in 2005 by Rascall Flatts for a Disney blockbuster movie.

The song premiered as the leading single for the well-known and popular movie, Cars . The updated version flew to the top of the charts with over 4 million downloads.

It is a fun road trip sound because you can’t help feeling happy and singing along. The lyrics are relatable, especially during a road trip. The song is all about riding out life and exploring different stops. Isn’t that what road trips are all about. It’s about taking everything that comes, exploring, uncertainty, and adventure. -Corritta from It’s a Family Thing .

Crazy in Love (Beyonce)

No road trip playlist is complete without some Beyonce, and what better than Beyonce’s first solo single (featuring Jay-Z, of course). And since it’s Queen B, the song of course hit number one.

See if you know all the lyrics, including Jay-Z’s verse.

Keep the Car Running (Arcade Fire)

This 2007 single was listed by Rolling Stone as one of the best of the year. If the road is starting to wear on you, this song will fit your mood. Seemingly upbeat, yet the lyrics are worn-down, perfect for a long trip with lots of stops.

I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Whitney Houston)

This 1987 Grammy-Award winning hit is a Whitney Houston classic, and no road trip play list should fail to have some Houston to belt while hitting the road. This synth-pop chart topper continues to make lists of the best dance songs. You’ll need this kind of energy after a long day on the road.

Rocky Road to Dublin (The Dropkick Murphys)

Rocky Road to Dublin needs to be on every list of epic road trips. Originally written by D. K. Gavan and popularised by Harry Clifton in the 19th century, this Irish song became an instant hit with street performers all over Ireland.

Not only is this slip jig (a particular style of Irish dance) particularly catchy because of its fast beat and crescendo, this song is also about traveling and the adventures, experience, insights, and hardship that it might bring. If you want to enjoy a traditional rendering of the song, check out the version of The Dubliners or The High Kings.

For all of those who like a bit more punk during their road trip, listen to the version of The Dropkick Murphys (which was used for a scene in Sherlock Holmes). -Emer and Nils from Let’s Go Ireland

Don’t Stop Believin’ (Journey)

While it’s possible that this Journey hit has been overplayed in the past decade thanks to major 80s nostalgia, I’m more of the belief that when it comes to “Don’t Stop Believin’,” the limit does not exist.

This 1980s rock song has also received a renaissance thanks to its appearance in a pivotal Sopranos scene. However, you don’t need an HBO subscription to appreciate just how great it feels to sing this song at the top of your lungs with the windows down.

Down by the Water (The Decemberists)

Named by NPR as one of the top 100 songs of 2011, this Grammy-nominated indie rock song is pure modern Americana. It’s also catchy and singable, borders on country music without crossing over into it, and features not just the Decemberists but also the work of indie darling Gillian Welch.

I Like It (Cardi B, Bad Bunny, J Balvin)

Every year there’s an acknowledged song of the summer, and every song of the summer has an honorary spot on the best road trip playlists. Not only do they harken back to great summer road trips of the past, but they also are designed to be the perfect accompaniment to hot days and long nights.

What makes I Like It a step above other songs of the summer is a few special elements. First, as a Latin trap song, it’s both familiar and yet different than what else was out at the time.

Writing for Rolling Stone , Brittany Spanos proclaimed that it “sounds like it was chemically concocted in a mad scientist’s lab to be 2018’s reigning song of the summer…Everything about this song is perfect for summer: the trap-meets-salsa beat, features from two of reggaeton’s biggest stars, a sample of Pete Rodriguez’s half-century-old boogaloo hit “I Like It Like That.”

And of course, who doesn’t want their road trip to include getting to shout our that you’re “‘Bout my coins like Mario.”

Breeze (Xavier Rudd)

Xavier Rudd is an Australian artist, known for his interesting culturally mixed style. He is one of the rare musicians who brings together European and Aboriginal culture from Australia in his music and lyrics.

Any instrument you can think of, he plays it! Guitar, keys, drums, and didgeridoo. Listening to the song Breeze is a bit like having a wave of freedom and fresh air going through your body. The lyrics will transport you to the most beautiful and relaxing places. It’s a beautiful and inspiring song, perfect for any road trip.

If you want to discover more road trip songs by Xavier Rudd, you can listen to Follow the Sun and Spirit Bird. -Pauline from BeeLoved City

Old Town Road [Remix] (Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus)

What might appear corny at first is actually subversive and brilliant and was created by one of the most prominent Black country artists of the past few decades.

The 2019 song of the summer, it was the first hit of the Tik Tok era and one of the only country trap songs to gain international acclaim. And it didn’t just get everyone’s attention, it became the Longest-Running No. 1 in Hot 100 History.

And the fact that Lil Nas X did that while being a Gay, Black country music artist is astonishing enough, but he also did it by reaching listeners in new ways and on new platforms. Or maybe that’s just how much extra hard he had to work to get the recognition that his song deserved.

Fast Car (Tracy Chapman)

Another genre-crossing Black artist, Tracey Chapman’s rock anthem to cars lead to adulthood, freedom, and ultimately responsibility was included on Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday tribute.

Rolling Stone listed the song in the top two hundred greatest songs of all time, and it received Grammy award nominations and MTV Music Video nominations the year it came out.

Of course, today we mostly think of it as just an amazing song, connecting the open road with the need to “be someone” and a hope for things to get better.

Mustang Sally (Wilson Pickett)

This 1960s rhythm and blues classic is an ode to buying a woman a car and then her not letting you ride in it. (Or maybe “ride in it?). I honestly had no idea until I starting writing this post just how crazy this scenario was, but I guess it was the sixties.

Setting aside the narrator’s belief that he deserves a ride (or “ride), I think I am going to love singing this song out loud even more. Just because you buy me a car don’t mean I got to let you ride in it. Call this an accidental women’s empowerment song?

Oklahoma - Big sign by the roadside of Highway 1 at the Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area and campsite at the Ouachita National Forest in Muse, Oklahoma.

Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)

Nothing beats this Queen classic for a rockin’ road trip tune everyone can sing along to. Its catchy melodies and operatic high notes through to air guitar riffs will have you all chanting out loud and swaying along with an unmistakable head bop! One of the greatest rock songs of all time, this fun, quirky, and high-energy hit that will definitely help you pass the miles and put smiles on everyone’s faces. -Keri Hedrick from Our Globetrotters

Umbrella (Rhianna)

Rhianna belongs on this list, as she belongs on every list. And when considering the Rhianna cannon, I find that my favorite to sing when I’m a little horse and want to shout into open windows on the highway is “Umbrella.” And since that’s an important component of the criteria for this list, well then this is the song that wins.

It’s strange to think this quintessential Rhianna track was actually written for Britney Spears. What would the world be without Rhianna’s performance in this video? I shudder.

Immigrant Song (Led Zepplin)

This 1970’s Led Zeppelin Viking metal song includes one of the most fun and ridiculous screams and ample opportunities to shake your fist into the air.

While the opening lyrics might seem inventive to say the least:

We come from the land of the ice and snow From the midnight sun, where the hot springs flow The hammer of the gods

Robert Plant once let people know, saying “We weren’t being pompous … We did come from the land of the ice and snow. We were guests of the Icelandic Government on a cultural mission. We were invited to play a concert in Reykjavik.”

This is the perfect song to sing on a road trip in an old van, a la School of Rock. Bonus points if your road trip is around Iceland.

…Baby One More Time (Britney Spears)

The song that introduced us to Britney Spears is perhaps one of the catchiest of all time. It’s almost impossible to believe the track was written for the Backstreet Boys and TLC. How could anyone else be the voice behind the classic lyrics?

So Good (B.o.B.)

“So Good” by B.O.B is an upbeat song perfect to raise your mood during a road trip. Not only will it make you want to dance, but it also serves as a great reminder of how good it is to be able to explore the world. It tells you not to rush, but take it slow and soak up the sun. So as the song says, “Pack your bags real good baby, cause we’ll be gone for a while.” -Dan Bagby from CabinCritic.co

Woman Jumping on Highway sign for Route 66 on asphalt of country road

Raspberry Beret (Prince and the Revolution)

While I do enjoy the Yo La Tengo cover, nothing can ever even approach the majesty of a Prince tune, even one as unassuming as his rendition of “Raspberry Beret.”

Reaching number 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100, the song may tell the tale of a bike ride and boy’s first encounter with a girl, it’s the perfect song to take out on the open road.

Party in the USA (Miley Cyrus)

While the song may start out in an airport, any fan of the movie Pitch Perfect knows this song deserves to be sung a capella on your team bus on the way to a music competition.

Even if you have no idea what I’m talking about, this is a song about playing “my song.” It’s meta without taking itself seriously.

Vogue (Madonna)

When you’re in a car bopping along, you want to dance. Yet, you’re in a car, so your hands have to do the dancing. And while the eponymous dance is much more than hand movements, the Vogue is the perfect dance to imitate while in the passenger’s seat. If you’re the driver, keep them on ten and two.

Movin’ Right Along (Alkaline Trio)

A road trip song that’s perfect for driving with kids or being a kid at heart while you drive is Movin’ Right Along. The song was released as part of The Muppet Movie soundtrack in 1979.

It features Kermit the Frog and Fozzy Bear singing a fun and playful song while driving across the country. The lyrics are clever and the tune is catchy so it’s a perfect addition for the soundtrack of any road trip.

Movin’ Right Along was given an updated cover by Alkaline Trio, a band that clearly enjoyed the song in their own childhood because they nail the original zaniness of the track. -Derek and Mike from Robe Trotting

You Can’t Rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd (Roger Miller)

Roger Miller, a homegrown Oklahoma legend, created some of the best songs honky-tonk road trip songs of the 1960s. So much so that’s it’s hard to narrow down to just one or two for this list.

If you haven’t heard of Roger Miller, you’ve probably still heard his music since he recorded three of the songs on Disney’s animated Robin Hood, including the sad-but-lovely “Not in Nottingham.” His character, Allan-a-Dale narrates the movie, and Miller’s animated performance is unforgettable.

When selecting from Miller’s catalog for this list, I went with my personal fave. For me, “You Can’t Roller-skate in a Buffalo Herd” is one of the most fun, and since you’ll see lots of bison and buffalo on certain road trips from Oklahoma City, I think it’s fitting for this website that we have at least one buffalo-themed road trip song on this list.

Hit the Road Jack (Ray Charles)

This Grammy award-winning Rhythm and Blues song is not about how great it is to be on the road, but rather about telling a man to hit the road and “don’t you come back no more.”

So if you happen to be on a road trip because your girl has kicked you to the curb, then the song is the perfect one to narrate your journey. Otherwise just enjoy the irony while singing this American classic at the top of your lungs.

USA - Oklahoma - Scenic descent from Mt Scott, Oklahoma A scenic view descending the twisting road from Mt. Scott, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma

No Diggity (Backstreet)

This 1996 Grammy award-winning R&B hit ended the Macarena’s reign at the top of the charts, yet it still sounds relevant today. It’s hard to believe the two songs are even from the same era.

Between the fun of singing the lyrics to attempting both rap verses, there’s so much to keep you entertained during your long drive.

Khawabon Me Parinde (Mohit Chauhan)

Khwabon Ke Parindey (the birds of dreams) from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (You Live Only Once ) is a beautiful road trip song written by Javed Akhtar and sung by Mohit Chauhan and Alyssa Mendonsa. The song plays while three main characters (Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar) are on a road trip to Seville, Spain.

This song with a perfect road trip vibe makes for the best road trip songs of all time. You can listen to it (on repeat) over and over and never get bored. Yes, it’s that soothing and meaningful. This one song perfectly epitomizes the theme of the movie ZNMD – Seize the day! -Anjali from Travel Melodies

One Week (The Barenaked Ladies)

There’s a certain glee you feel when you master all the lyrics to this fun song. The Barenaked Ladies can sing ballads, but they also can go fast, as evidenced by their popular title track for the tv show The Big Bang Theory.

Packed with pop culture references, it’s not enough just to get the lyrics right, you also need to figure out what they’re referencing. It’s both a perfect nineties time capsule and a timeless classic.

I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)

Some songs are meant to be sung loud, and “I Will Survive” might be the most important of this subgenre. While there are some great covers, like the one by Cake, it’s the disco beats and perfection of Gaynor’s vocals that make this one of the most important songs in American music history.

Think I’m being hyperbolic? In 2016, the Library of Congress voted to have Gaynor’s original recording preserved in the National Recording Registry, citing its “culturally, historically, or artistically significant” importance.

Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (Wham!)

Fans of the movie Zoolander will instantly think of the movie’s amazing-yet-tragic model gasoline fight set to this song. If you’re running out of energy, this purposefully energetic pop song can wake you right up, no gasoline fight required.

Oklahoma - Driver view of 2-lane curved road beside large rock cliff

Doo Wop [That Thing] (Lauryn Hill)

Lauryn Hill’s first song from her debut album premiered at the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, starting her solo career off with a bang. It went on to win Grammy and MTV Video Music awards, cementing Hill as a superstar.

This song is uplifting, beautiful, singable, and positive – all great traits in a road trip song. It also stylistically fits in with nearly every decade of American music, a truly timeless classic.

Into the Great Wide Open (Tom Petty)

Into the Great Wide Open is the perfect road trip song for your cross country adventure. The song was written and performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and appeared as the third track on their 1991 album of the same name.

I nto the Great Wide Open is a song about endless possibilities and the excitement that comes with going after your dreams. It makes you feel anything is possible, which is exactly what you want when hitting the open road. -Eden from Rock a Little Travel

July, July (The Decemberists)

Opening with the promising lyric, “there is a road that meets the road that goes to my house,” the song “July, July” is an ode to mysterious stories, ghosts, and strangeness. Yet, the heat of summer is think in this song, and its upbeat tune hides its darkness.

Of course, any song named after one of the most popular months for road tripping is going to get consideration for this list, but what puts it over the top for me is its forward-looking nostalgia. The narrator reminds the audience that “…we’ll remember this when we are old and ancient, though the specifics might be vague…” just like all important road trips.

Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes)

As someone who has driven to (okay, mostly past) Wichita many a time, I can’t express how much joy I get at singing the lyrics “I’m going to Wichita, far from this opera forevermore…”

This unexpected sports anthem is also wildly popular nearly twenty years after its release, due to its military imagery and near marching beat. I’m sure the White Stripes never imagined it would be chanted at stadiums when they recorded it. Perfect for any road trip heading to a sporting event, whether you’re going to Wichita or not.

Mr. Blue Sky (ELO)

This 1970s prog rock gem is fantastical and robotic, yet its actually an ode to an open sky – the perfect fodder for a road trip! Like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Mr. Blue Sky” has multiple parts and approaches the operatic at times, making it even more appealing to sing along to as you travel.

De Donde Vengo Yo (Choc Quib Town)

One of the breakout songs from the Colombian hip-hop group Choc Quib Town, “De Donde Vengo Yo” is a song that is full of the raw, electric energy, that the group is famous for.

The best thing about this song? During your road trip, whenever you are dizzy or a little low on energy, put it on and it will wake you up with its zazzy beats and Afro-Latin rhythms right away. Soon you will be singing along (or trying to do so if you don’t speak Spanish). -Deb from The Visa Project

Oklahoma - Country road in Oklahoma with white clouds against a blue sky.

My Sharona (The Knack)

This 1979 ode to the songwriter’s girlfriend asks proclaims “Ooh, you make my motor run, my motor run,” and if that wasn’t sign enough that this song belongs on a road trip playlist, I don’t know what is.

This song bops along at a fast clip, perfect for dancing along in your seat.

Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver)

“Take me Home, Country Roads”, John Denver’s signature song is one of the most beloved country songs of all time. If you are driving through the scenic beauty, majestic mountains, or to the countrysides, playing this song will bring the feelings of home and belongings.

For a traveler, the world is home. But the place where the soul is raised is always special. This song is a tribute to every traveler’s almost heaven ‘Home’! This classic song was written by Bill Danoff and his wife Taffy Nivert.” -Nishu Barolia from Tannedtravelgirl

Behind the Wheel (Depeche Mode)

Behind The Wheel is a very popular song written by Martin Gore and sung by the deep voice of the stage wonder that is Dave Gahan. This is reason enough for this legendary 1987 single by Depeche Mode to be considered one of the best singles of all time. However, Behind The Wheel is also one of the most epic road trip songs ever.

Both the song’s lyrics and its official video evoke memories of unforgettable moments on the road while fueling the ever-burning lust for brand new road trip adventures to strange uncharted lands at the same time. -Maria & Katerina from It’s All Trip To Me

On the Road Again (Willie Nelson)

On the Road Again by Willie Nelson is a really great upbeat song to get you in the spirits of traveling. It’s the perfect fun, campy song to play on your road trips as you get to get on the road again!

Originally sung by Willie Nelson, you can find lots of different versions from rock to pop and even Alvin & The Chipmunks. Next time you’re on the road, check out your favorite cover of On The Road Again . -Sara from Awesome Gift Guides

Route 66 (Chuck Berry)

Probably the epitome of the American road trip tune, Route 66’s lyrics are literally a catalog of the cities on the original American highway that ran from Chicago to Los Angeles.

Route 66 was written as a 12-bar blues in 1946 by the actor Bobby Troup while he and his wife were on their way to Los Angeles to try their hand as LA songwriters. The song was first recorded in a smooth pop version by Nat King Cole in 1946 and became a hit on both the pop and R&B charts.

Later versions turned it more into a rocker and it was covered by both Chuck Berry and the Rolling Stones. If you want jazzier versions try those from Diana Krall or Brian Setzer. -Tom Bartel of Travel Past 50

Route 66 badge hanging on a car mirror of a classic car

Home (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero)

With a catchy tune guaranteed to get stuck in your head, “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros is an upbeat love song perfect for the end of a road trip.

The song feels like that perfect summer day you spent with someone you loved and will conjure up the best feelings from the adventure you just had.

Blast this right when you cross your county line, grab your significant other’s hand, and sing along to tell them that “home is wherever I’m with you.” -Ale from Sea Salt and Fog

Don’t Stop Me Now (Queen)

One of Queen’s most popular songs, Don’t Stop Me Now, was released in 1978 as part of their album Jazz and as a single in 1979. It also forms part of the band’s Greatest Hits album which was released in 1981.

It has been covered by McFly, Foxes, and The Vandals. This is one of the ultimate feel-good songs and is perfect for long drives – especially if it happens to be a road with some bends.

For maximum effect, it should be played at volume with the windows rolled down and everyone singing at the tops of their voices! -Emma from Wanderlust and Wet Wipes

The Long Way Around (The Chicks)

The Dixie Chicks single, “The Long Way Around,” was released on January 8th, 2007. It was a critical and commercial success, on their first album released after their criticism of the president at the time and the backlash that occurred.

“Take the Long Way Around” embraces non-conformity and doing things your own way. There are some anthemic qualities that make you want to blast the volume up to 11. If you put this song on your road trip playlist, it will stay there. -Theresa Ladner from Adventures in Middle-Aged Travel

Ghost Riders in the Sky (Johnny Cash)

The next song on your road trip playlist should definitely be “Ghost Riders in the Sky” by Johnny Cash. Roll the windows down, crank up the volume, and sing at the top of your lungs as the miles fly by.

Play it at night as your day winds down as the perfect wake-you-up song. Written in 1948 by Stan Jones, it has been performed by dozens of artists including Elvis Presley and The Chicks. Perhaps the most famous is Johnny Cash’s 1979 rendition, which remains popular today. -Heather from Oregon Outdoor Family

Sweet Child O’ Mine (Guns N Roses)

Sweet Child o’ Mine is a song by American heavy metal band Guns N’ Roses. It charted as a US hit single in August 1988. The lyrics were written by the band’s lead singer, Axl Rose, and the song featured in Guns N’ Roses debut album, Appetite for Destruction . Sweet Child o’ Mine has been covered many times, most notably by the likes of Sheryl Crow, Anastacia and Texas. It makes a brilliant road trip song as it’s nostalgic with a cracking guitar solo and lyrics you can unselfconsciously belt out while driving along. -Nikki from Gin and Cocktails .

Africa (Toto)

“Africa” by American band Toto is a timeless road-trip classic that has stayed popular since its release in 1981. Its sultry base ascending into a powerful crescendo makes it a feel-good tune.

Toto band members – David Paich and Bobby Kimball – wrote the song from the view of a boy telling a story about Africa from what he has seen on TV and what he has read.

It is meant as an analogy of the nostalgia you can feel for a place that you have never actually visited.

“Africa” peaked in the 1980s and was top of the charts around the world. Toto gained five platinum discs for the recording.

It was covered by American band Weezer in 2010.

Forty years on and “Africa” is still as popular today as when it was released and is regarded as a cult classic by all generations. -Angie of Where Angie Wanders

Ei Path Jodi Na Shes Hoy

“El Path Jodi Na Shes Hoy” is a Bengali song that means “If the road does not end.” The song is popular with Bengalis in West Bengal as well as worldwide.

The song is from a movie named Saptapadi (1961), directed by Ajoy Kar, Lyricist Gauriprasanna Mazumder. The song is sung by Hemanta Mukherjee and Sandhya Mukherjee. This song was shot while they are on a road trip with a bike. -Ruma from The Holiday Story

Thinking of a Place (War on Drugs)

“Thinking Of A Place” is an 11-minute musical epic and embodies classic Americana at its best, featuring absolutely everything from guitar and harmonica solos to murmuring synthesizers.

The song takes you on a joy ride as it builds to a number of crescendos, before moving into a psychedelic odyssey and then almost fading out, all the while carrying the listener along on a wave of nostalgia for a trip that hasn’t even happened yet.

“Thinking Of A Place” is all about a journey, both literally and figuratively: as the lyrics say, “I’m thinking of a place and it seems so very real”. Utterly sublime. -Sasha from Mog and Dog Travels

Free Road Trip Playlist on Spotify

Here is this playlist on Spotify. You can follow it in your Spotify app and play it on your trip, or you can bookmark this post and play from here.

More Great Road Trip Songs for Your Road Trip Playlist

Here are the rest of the songs that make my top 101 road trip songs on this playlist:

Apesh*t (The Carters)

Hurtin’ Me (Stefflon Don Ft. French Montana)

If She Wants Me (Belle & Sebastian)

Waterloo (ABBA)

Wagon Wheel (Old Crow Medicine Show)

Here I Go Again (Whitesnake)

Feel Good Inc. (The Gorillaz)

Boasty (Wiley Ft. Steflon Don and Idris Elba)

Roadrunner (The Modern Lovers)

Running on Empty (Jackson Brown)

Jolene (Dolly Parton)

American Idiot (Green Day)

Summertime Sadness (Lana Del Ray)

Island in the Sun (Weezer)

Proud Mary (Tina Turner)

Uptight (Stevie Wonder)

Where It’s At (Beck)

It’s the End of the World As We Know It (R.E.M.)

Homeward Bound (Simon & Garfunkel)

Walk It Talk It (Migos Ft. Drake)

Jack & Diane (John Cougar Mellencamp)

We Didn’t Start the Fire (Billy Joel)

Me Gusta (Shakira)

1979 (The Smashing Pumpkins)

The Way (Fastball)

Black Beatles (Rae Srummond)

Under Pressure (Queen and David Bowie)

Basket Case (Green Day)

Whatever You Like (T.I.)

If I Had a Million Dollars (Barenaked Ladies)

Little Red Corvette (Prince)

King of the Road (Roger Miller)

Linger (The Cranberries)

I’ve Been Everywhere (Johnny Cash)

Little Deuce Coup (The Beach Boys)

Down on the Corner (Credence Clearwater Revival)

Juice (Lizzo)

Bailando (Enrique Iglesias)

Truckin’ (The Grateful Dead)

Me and Bobby McGee (Janis Joplin)

Flashlight (Parliament-Funkadelic)

How We Do [Party] (Rita Ora)

Cracklin’ Rosie (Neil Diamond)

She’s a Lady (Tom Jones)

One Headlight (The Wallflowers)

Blinded by the Light (Mannfred Mann’s Earth Band)

Pin these Road Trips Songs for Your Next Trip!

In this Article:

2 thoughts on “101 Perfect Road Trip Songs for an Epic Road Trip Playlist!”

Lovely collection of all the beautiful road songs. Some of them are new findings. Will look forward to hearing!

Thank you! And thanks for your suggestion!

60 Best Road Trip Songs to Rock the Drive

Written By: The Planet D

Updated On: March 16, 2023

Our list of the best road trip songs from the classics to today. We do a lot of road trips have rounded up the best driving songs to help you pass the time.

Nothing makes driving better than a good road trip playlist. And we’ve compiled the ultimate road trip playlist for your next overland adventure.

Table of Contents

The Best Road Trip Songs

1. sympathy for the devil by the rolling stones.

number one road trip song | sympathy for the devil

If you are looking for a song to drive to with a lot of groove, Sympathy for the Devil is just the ticket. We’ve been lucky enough to see the Rolling Stones in concert three times. Dave even met the band way back in 2003 when he shot a media blitz they did in Toronto.

This is by far our favorite Rolling Stones song for a road trip . Even if we have to get out of the car soon, we’ll leave the engine running until the final chord is played!

Get it on Amazon for just $1.29 / Buy the Rolling Stones Greatest Hits on Amazon

2. Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd

best road trip songs | sweet home alabama

I didn’t know a lot about Lynyrd Skynyrd until I watched the documentary Muscle Shoals . It’s a music biography about one of the most innovative sound studios of the 60s featuring the Rolling Stones and Lynard Skynyrd.

But I have always known the song Sweet Home Alabama, and there is something about this song’s beat that make it the perfect driving song.

In Sweet Home Alabama, there’s a stanza saying: “ Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers And they’ve been known to pick a song or two “

Watching Muscle Shoals makes us want to get in the car and drive to Alabama to see the famous studio for ourselves!

Purchase Sweet Home Alabama for $1.29

3. Little Red Corvette By Prince

songs to. drive to - little red corvette

One of the best driving songs ever is Little Red Corvette by Prince. Who wouldn’t want to be driving a red corvette through the streets. The song is filled with metaphors, but when I sing it, I just think about driving.

It is sad to see another legend lost, but his music lives on. Buy Little Red Corvette $1.29

Pick up a copy of Prince’s Greatest Hits , you won’t be disappointed. But there are some tributes happening on Spotify now.

4. Another One Bites the Dust by Queen

the best song to drive to | another one bites the dust

Queen is my ultimate favourite band. Metallica is Dave’s. I could have just said, “ buy Queen’s greatest hits and you’ll have the perfect Road Trip playlist”.

However, I can only choose one, and if you want a song that picks you up when you’re feeling a little groggy on the road, Another One Bites the Dust does the trick. Man, I love the bass in this song.

If you watch the Queen Documentary on the BBC , you’ll learn that the Bass Player, John Deacon, actually wrote some of Queen’s biggest anthems, like this one, You’re my Best Friend and I Want to Break Free.

Get Another One Bites the Dust on Amazon just $1.29 / Watch Bohemian Rapsody

Start Planning our own road trip with National Geographic’s World Atlas available on Amazon

5. Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars

While spending a summer in Spain and driving around Costa Brava this Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars tune was was our go-to road trip song. We called it the song of summer and whenever it came on, we’d jive and jam in the car.

Dave and I love to sing during a road trip and this one makes you want to wail at the top of your lungs. “We’re gonna Uptown Funk you Up!”

Download Up Town Funk on Amazon

6. Home for a Rest by Spirit of the West

This roadtrip song by Canada’s Spirit of the West always makes me want to go to London, England, and hang out in the pubs. I think about all the travels we have done, and when we do come home, we really do need a rest.

Travel is exhausting and when you add pub crawling to the mix, it is doubly exhausting. Spirit of the West captured the spirit of travel beautifully with this perfect driving song.

“ You’ll have to excuse me I’m not at my best, I’ve Been Gone for a Month, I’ve Been Drunk Since I left. These so called vacations will soon be my death, I’m so sick from the Drink, I need home for a rest …”

Download now on Amazon

7. Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers

How does one choose a favourite Red Hot Chili Pepper’s song? They have so many great albums. But Californication is the perfect tune for a road trip. Heck, even the video is all about driving.

I used to say, “How can anyone not name Red Hot Chili Peppers as one of the greatest bands of all time?” I mean, everything is perfection. Anthony Kiedis is a poet, Flea is a master on the bass, and John Frusciante creates the most memorable and intricate guitar riffs out there today. Plus, how can you forget Chad Smith on drums. He’s quiet and unassuming in real life, just like his music: Subtle and creative. Plus, he looks exactly like Will Ferrel.

You’ve got to read Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis – this book will blow your mind about everything he and the band have gone through. Buy the album Californication . The entire disc is perfection.

8. 500 Miles by The Proclaimers

one of the best road trips songs | 500 miles

There’s nothing really amazing musically about this song by the Scottish Band, the Proclaimers, but when it comes to road trip music, it has the perfect beat. When comes up on the playlist, everyone stops to sing along. This song was made to be a song to drive to!

It’s one of those songs that you can’t help but love. Even if you hate it! I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) must be included on your Road Trips Songs playlist, it would be criminal to leave it out. Check out our guide to the North Coast 500

Buy it on Amazon for $1.29 / Rent Benny and Joon where the song was featured

9. Take it Easy by The Eagles

road trip music | all of hotel california

Remember when Elaine’s boyfriend refused to speak to anyone when Desperado came on the radio during a classic Seinfeld episode ? When it comes to the Eagles, Hotel California is our song. But when it comes to road trip songs by The Eagles, Take it Easy is Number one. See a great California Road Trip at 17 Mile Drive in Monterey

“ Well I’m a runnin’ down the road trying to loosen my load I’ve got seven women on my mind”

This song was meant for driving. It’s seriously all a bout driving.

If you happen to be going on an Arizona Road Trip, be sure to stop on the corner of Winslow Arizona like in the lyrics “ Well, I’m a standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona . Such a fine sight to see .”

Don’t speak to me, don’t even look at me when Hotel California comes on because I am going to sing along and play air guitar to that classic solo.

Get it now on Amazon / Get the Hell Freezes Over Tour where the Eagles come together live.

10. Running on Empty by Jackson Browne

best song for a road trip | carry on my wayward son

I bet you didn’t know that Jackson Browne played a huge role in making the Eagles famous. He was roommates with Glen Frey and Don Henley at one point.

Heck, for the longest time when I was a kid, I thought Running on Empty was performed by the Eagles. They have similar sounds because Jackson Browne actually co-wrote a lot of the Eagles songs. How do we know all this? We watched the Eagles documentary.

Anyway, back to the song. Running on Empty is a road trip song, period. Come on, the album cover has a road on it!

Buy Running on Empty on Amazon / Rent the movie The Eagles History to see the role Jackson Brown played in their success.

11. Paradise by the Dashboard Light by Meatloaf

Who doesn’t love Meatloaf? Paradise by the Dashboard Light was the song of the 70s. There are so many layers to this song and right from that first guitar lick, you can’t help but get ready to start singing along in the car.

Dave and I love it when it breaks into a duet and we sing back and forth. We start screaming until our vocal chords nearly break. After that song, you almost have to pull over for a break. It’s that intense. For us, it’s one of the most fun songs to drive to on our playlist.

Get the album Bat Out of Hell . Every song is great.

A great one day drive that we highly recommend is the Hana Highway on Maui. Make sure you have your road trip songs picked out because radio service in limited.

12. Take the Money and Run by Steve Miller Band

“T his here’s the story ’bout Billy Joe and Bobby Sue “.

The Steve Miller Band’s Songs were made to sing along to. Dave and I love to harmonize to their music. It’s just so easy to hear the thirds and fifths. The reason we chose Take the Money and Run is that ” They’re headed down south and they’re still running today .”

We don’t plan on shooting anyone and taking their money, but we do plan on traveling forever. It’s in our blood and even if we do settle down a bit, something tells me we’ll always be on the move. Dave and I moved to Vancouver in 1992 and we’re still moving today. Maybe not running, but definitely at a steady pace.

Get Steve Miller’s Take the Money and Run

13. Born to be Wild by Steppenwolf

born to be wild | mos tpopular road tripping song

It’s probably the first and most cliché road trip song that anyone thinks of. Considering the lyrics start with:

“ Get your motor running Head out on the highway .”

So, really any road trip playlist would be remiss by not including it. It’s a good one to get the energy up when hitting the open road.

Add it to the list from Amazon

14. I’ve Been Everywhere by Johnny Cash

I love this song by the Man in Black. If you are looking for a song to drive to that is challenging to learn, this is it! It’s all about the places he has been crisscrossing through North America on his tour bus.

I originally only had this song in our travel songs playlist, but I realize that not everyone checks out both articles, so I had to bring it over here. You can’t ever leave out Johnny Cash man.

Get motivated on Amazon

15. On the Road Again by Willie Nelson

On The Road Again is the quintessential song about road tripping. But, his laid back style of singing will make for a relaxed road trip moment and be sure to keep you within the speed limit. It’s a fitting song for this list because after all “I just can’t wait to get on the road again.”

Buy it now $1.29

16. Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

Everybody loves Bruce Springsteen and Baby we were born to run, is one of the great songs to drive to. This entire song is about driving and running. It’s about getting out of the small town trap and getting to the place you want to be.

The Boss is a great lyricist using car metaphors to tell his story. This driving beat will make you want to get behind your engine and run too.

Buy it on Amazon

17. Graceland by Paul Simon

When Paul Simon’s Graceland came out I went nuts for the rhythms inspired by his trip to Africa. When I went to Kenya for the first time , I was totally blown away that I stayed at the same lodge that he and Carrie Fisher stayed at during that exact trip. But that’s another story.

Graceland is an awesome song that fits with driving through America’s southern states. Who wouldn’t want to take a road trip to Elvis’s Graceland?

Get it now to see what I’m talking about

18. Life is a Highway by Tom Cochrane

We always love including Canadians. Tom Cochrane’s rock anthem “Life is a Highway” was playing across radio stations throughout the summer that Dave and I met.

We’d drive down the road belting out “ life is a highway, I wanna drive it all night long .” It has a great driving beat and the lyrics are easy to learn. It’s perfect for a road tripping son.

get it on Amazon

19. Love Shack by the B52s

You can’t have a party without The B52s. I’ll never forget seeing them in concert. I had no idea who they were a friend invited me and I’m glad he did.

We arrived at Massey Hall in Toronto where the crowd was filled with people sporting beehive hairdos and wardrobes straight out of Austin Powers.

Once the music started, we rushed the stage and there I stood at the very front listening to the best party tunes I’ve ever heard. When choosing road trip music, be sure to include Love Shack!

Get Love Shack on Amazon

20. Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys

It was after watching Love and Mercy and The Wrecking Crew that we realised just what a genius Brian Wilson is. We even had the opportunity to see the Beach Boys live (sans Brian Wilson) at a private party in Orlando a few years ago.

They made a lot of good lighthearted songs like California Girls, Surfin’ USA and Kokomo, but it’s Good Vibrations that really shows the depth and musicality of the band’s genius. This song has the vibe that both Dave and I love for a road trip. I’m pickin’ up Good Vibrations.

Listen now on Amazon

21. Back in Black by ACDC

You may be thinking “No way, Highway to Hell is the ACDC song that fits in the road trip play list”. You may be correct, but doesn’t Back in Black have an awesome beat. That guitar at the beginning just rocks.

It’s no wonder Marvel’s Iron Man used it as the song for their opening scene as Robert Downey Jr. was driving with a band of army guys (and gal) from his arms dealing display in Afghanistan .

Ever since then I’ve associated Back in Black with driving. Sure, he was in a Humvee and I’m usually in a mini compact economy car, but hey, I feel tough when that tune is playing.

Start making your own road tripping playlist for just $1.29 / Buy it on Amazon

22. The Way by Fastball

Don’t you ever want to just hit the road without ever knowing the way. That’s what this song is about. One of my favorite lyrics in the song is “an exit to eternal summer slacking, but where were they going without ever knowing the way.” So let’s. go wander the highway while listening to The Way.

23. Lose Yourself by Eminem

great rocking songs for driving | eminem

I once sang this song in Belize with the local crime lord. I didn’t know it at the time, but after I got off the karaoke stage, where I was joined by a random man who had a big grin on his face, I was told, he was that man. Woah.

The friends you make when you sing Eminem. But this song rocks. Dave and I saw 8 Mile in the theatre and were totally impressed with Mr. Marshall Mathers’ acting ability.

We promptly bought the soundtrack and learned the lyrics to this song.

It’s one of those songs where, once you learn the lyrics, you never forget them because they are so fast and furious, you fall over yourself trying to say them with him!

Listen to Lose Yourself now / Get the Movie 8 Mile on Amazon Prime

24. Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac

A road trip song playlist wouldn’t be complete without Fleetwood Mac and this song has the groove for driving.

“Let’s all sing it together….You can go your own way, Go your own way You can call it another lonely day You can go your own way”

25. See You Again by Wiz Khalifa, Charlie Puth

Why this song wasn’t nominated for an Academy Award was beyond me. Everyone was shocked when actor Paul Walker was killed in a car crash. He died during the filming of Furious 7.

I never did see the film, but this song played during his final scene in the movie, which I read all about. It seemed to be a beautiful send off to him and whenever I hear it, it still brings a little tear to my eye.

This is a great song for a road trip and is fitting since it’s the title theme for a movie about fast cars.

Buy this song on Amazon $1.29 / Watch all the Fast and the Furious Movies in this Box Set.

26. Jack & Diane by John Mellencamp

best songs for a long drive | jack and dianne

John Cougar was the first musician I ever saw live. My brother and now sister in law brought me to a show at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton and I couldn’t get enough of his music after that.

I loved his rockabilly sound and to this day, the minute those first five chords ring out over the car stereo, I start rockin’. Jack and Diane is probably his best song and is all about two American kids living in the heartland .

Check it out on Amazon $1.29

27. Drive My Car by The Beatles

Baby you can drive my car, yes I’m gonna be a star. Have you watch Carpool Karaoke with Paul McCartney and James Corden yet? It is awesome and yes, they do sing the quintessential Beatles road tripping song as they drive around Liverpool checking out Paul’s old haunts.

28. You Oughta Know by Alannis Morisette

road tripping music playlist |. you oughta know

The feminism anthem of the 1990s was written and performed by a Canadian. We owned the album Jagged Little Pill and there isn’t a bad song in the bunch.

But it’s You Oughta Know that is one of the best road trip songs on the album. The staccato speech at the beginning gets you hooked for the driving beats ahead making it one of the best driving songs out there.

“I – Want – you – to – know. That – I’m – happy for you. I – wish – nothing – but – the – best – for – you both.”

Was this sone about Joey from Full House? We’ll never know. But you oughta know

Buy the album Jagged Little Pill, it’s a good one!

29. Sweet Child O’Mine by Guns n’ Roses

best music playlist for a road trip | guns n roses

Okay, Dave and I are huge Guns n’ Roses fans. When choosing road trip songs, GnR is right at the top.

We know every word, and both of us immediately stop talking and start singing and playing air guitar. (Or if Dave’s driving, air drumming on the steering wheel.) Guns n’ Roses’ music holds up after all these years and they have many songs made for passing the time on long drives.

Download Sweet Child O’ Mine on Amazon

30. Coming to America by Neil Diamond

During our cycling road trip through Africa . I had Neil Diamond’s Greatest Hits on my playlist. Whenever I was feeling exhausted or just overwhelmed with the scope of the day’s ride ahead, I’d put on Neil Diamond’s mix of mellow and fun tunes. It was “Coming to America” that picked me up the most. It’s just so motivating.

The driving beat makes you feel that you can do anything. It’s all about traveling far and coming to America. I’m not even American, and it inspires me. This song captures what America used to be to so many people. Let’s hope they get there again.

Buy on Amazon Now

Enjoy reading about our road trip through the Causeway Coast at The Best Things to do in Northern Ireland

31. Carry on Wayward Son by Kansas

If you are a fan of Supernatural , (the TV series) you’ll recognize this song from the recaps they do at the beginning of most seasons. This song by Kansas has stood the test of time, not only because of Supernatural, but it was huge during the Guitar Hero days.

When they belt out their harmonies at the beginning followed by the hard drums and guitar solo, you can’t help but bounce to the beat. It’s no wonder this song is featured on Supernatural, Sam and Dean are always driving from town to town in Dean’s 1967 Chevy Impala

32. Hello by Adele

Who doesn’t love Adele’s velvet voice? Sure, “Hello” isn’t a fast-paced tune, but it is an excellent road trip song. Why? Because you can howl, scream and holler along.

Turn the stereo up to 11 and belt out those notes along with Adele. Don’t worry, everyone in the car will be singing along, so nobody will hear you scream “ Hello from the outside “.

Buy Hello to Add to your Road Trip Songs playlist $1.29

33. The Nights by Avicii

The best road trip songs are upbeat and easy to sing to. If you agree with that definition, The Nights is definitely a perfect tune for your playlist.

It’s easy to learn the lyrics and a lot of fun to sing a long with. The song is by the Swedish DJ Avicii, but it feels more Celtic to me. It was an awesome tune on our playlist for our road trip through Ireland last year.

You can buy the single on Amazon

34. The Distance by Cake

going the distance | best road trips music

Man, Cake has some great road trip songs. They have a super sense of humour and their music is just simply a lot of fun. I could choose a couple of their songs for our road trip playlist, like Short Skirt Long Jacket or the hilarious Sheep go to Heaven, but Going the Distance is the song that was made for a road trip.

Because that’s in essence what you are doing when driving, right? “You’re going the distance, and you’re going for speed.”

Add Going the Distance to your Road Trip Playlist

35. More Than a Feeling by Boston

more than a feeling boston | road trip music

Lead Singer Brad Delp had one of the best voices in Rock n’ Roll. Dave and I love great vocalists and Boston’s songs were meant to wail to. He could reach the high notes with such clarity and there’s nothing more satisfying when out for a long day on the road than reaching those notes in the car and pretending to be a rock star. This is the song to do that to.

Buy More than a Feeling on Amazon

36. American Pie by Don McLean

classic road tripping music | don mclean

When on a long road trip, there’s nothing better than a really long anthem-like song to come on. The miles seem to just fall away on the road. American Pie is one of those songs. A song that cuts nearly 10 minutes out of your road trip, as you sing along with each verse.

There’s something about knowing all the lyrics of American Pie that makes you feel like you are smart or something. When you know every word, it’s impressive to others. Well, at least Dave and I impress ourselves and that’s all that matters since we’re usually the only two in the car!

Download the ultimate road trip song on Amazon

37. American Woman by The Guess Who

Let’s stay with the American theme and go with this American classic, written by Canadians! When Dave and I got free tickets to see The Guess Who from his friend who ran their lighting, we weren’t sure what to expect. Weren’t these some old guys that sang songs we’ve never heard of? Boy were we wrong.

Burton Cummings’ voice is outstanding and Randy Bachman can make his guitar sing. But you’d also be surprised how many songs you know by the Guess Who. They had hit after hit.

American Woman has been deemed an American Anthem, but what’s funny about it is that the entire song disses on America.

“ I don’t need your war machines, I don’t need your ghetto scenes”. Colored lights may hypnotize Sparkle someone else’s eyes”

Listen closely and you’ll see that they’re telling America to stay away from them!

Get American Woman on Amazon 1.29

38. All About the Bass by Meghan Trainor

When I first heard Meghan Trainor’s voice I was hooked. It’s so clear and fun. Have you seen her sing on Jimmy Fallon with the Roots playing kids school instruments as back up? It’s amazing. That’s how you know someone can sing: When they’ve got nothing backing them up but a kazoo and they sound awesome.

This tune is so much fun. We’re also fans of Your Lips Are Movin’ by her as well. Meghan Trainor’s tunes were made for road tripping.

Get this road trip song on Amazon

39. Africa by Toto

best songs for traveling in a car | toto

Let’s slow This Road Trip Songs Playlist down a little now. Africa by Toto didn’t mean a lot to me until I went to Africa. They capture it beautifully in the song and it’s so soothing to listen to.

Wild dogs really do cry out in the night and yes, Kilimanjaro does rise like Olympus above the Serengeti. When Africa comes on, it makes me want to book a flight to Tanzania or Kenya.

These countries are two of our favorite places in the world and we could go back again and again. But until we do, there’s always Toto there to remind us of how much we love it.

Download on Amazon

One of our favorite road trips where we had the tunes cranked was definitely a drive along the Cowboy Route in Southern Alberta.

40. Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey

Journey may have had a resurgence thanks to Glee, but we have always loved them. Open Arms is actually my favourite by them, but it doesn’t exactly fit the bill as one of the best road trip songs of all time. It’s more of a love ballad. We were both huge fans of Separate Ways, but perhaps the synthesizer is a little dated.

Don’t Stop Belivin’ is definitely the Journey song that was made for driving. Heck it’s even about taking a journey. “Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit . He took the midnight train going anywhere”.

Buy the song on Amazon / Rent the movie Don’t Stop Believin ‘, it’s so inspiring!

41. I Bet My Life by Imagine Dragons

Imagine Dragons are quickly becoming one of our favourite bands of the 2000s. They are so versatile, with so many hits you don’t even realise they are the same band. They are the same guys that sing Radioactive, Demons and It’s Time. All songs are so different.

But it’s I Bet My Life that makes us want to bop our heads to the beat. We drove a lot through Europe last year and this was one of the big road trip songs for us to listen to.

Buy I Bet My Life for just $1.29

42. Dream On by Aerosmith

aerosmith dream on | songs for road tripping

This song starts off slow and builds to a screeching point with Steven Tyler wailing “ Dream On, Dream On, Dream On, Dream Until Your Dreams Come True! “

You don’t want to be in the car with Dave and I when this song is on. Both of us are yelling at the top of our lungs and banging our heads to the beat. When Dream on comes on the radio, there’s no talking to either of us until the song is over.

Buy AeroSmith’s Greatest Hits

You don’t have to be in a car to appreciate good music. We had our playlist going like made in our Bluetooth helmets during our tour around Lake Superior on motorcycles.

43. Rock Star by Nickelback

Hey, don’t hate on Nickelback okay? Everyone loves to hate this band, and yet they still have tons of top hits and sold out shows. Yes, Chad Kroeger’s hair sucks with his long bleach blond locks and dark roots and his goatee does not fit his face, but Nickleback has some pretty memorable tunes.

I remember listening to them sing live from “The Edge Studios” in Toronto for the first time when they belted out How you Remind Me. That song was their breakout hit, but you gotta listen to Rock Star. The lyrics of this song are hilarious and it was made for singing along to in the car.

Give Rock Star a chance now

44. Hey Ya by Outkast

hey ya outkast is a great song for driving

I love the positive beat of this song. Sure it may or may not be a break up song, I can’t be sure about the lyrics – is it about breaking up or staying together? Who cares, it’s gone a cool vibe.

The video is so much fun and when this tune comes on, you instantly feel good. Andre3000 was named one of the best rappers of all time, and yet it’s this little ditty that we love for a road trip. My Baby don’t mess around.

Hey Ya on Amazon

45. Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks

The ultimate female rock voice is Stevie Nicks. This has been one of my favourite songs for years. I could only wish that I had a Rock n Roll voice. Mine was stuck in the pop world, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t daydream about rocking it like Stevie on the big stage one day.

This rock song is great for anyone. Even Dave rocks out to it when I turn it on. It may have never made it to the top 10 when it was released in 1981, but this is the most memorable of all her songs and over time has gained more fame and glory than it had during its original release.

Give it a shot and listen to it!

46. I Wanna Be Sedated by The Ramones

This is the easiest song to sing along to. It repeats and repeats but the beat keeps on going. When we’re on a super long road trip, we agree, Twenty, Twenty, Twenty-Fours hours to go! I wanna be sedated. Get the Ramones on your road trip playlist now. They’ll have you Ba ba baba, baba ba baba along all night long!

Purchase I Wanna Be Sedated

One of our latest road trip adventures took us to Fraser Island in Australia . We spent 3 days driving through the sand dunes and scenery of this amazing destination.

47. Redemption Song by Bob Marley

Bob Marley is another artist where we could just put on his greatest hits and make that a road trip playlist. But the self imposed rules of this article was to choose only one song per artist.

Yes, he has more up-tempo songs that could fit the genre better, but we feel that sometimes you gotta slow down when choosing a road trip song and let the mellow feeling takeover as you drive the open road.

Redemption Song is the perfect song for that occasion. It’s one of those songs where you can put your vocal skills to the test and sing with feeling.

Download Redemption Song for 1.29 on Amazon

48. Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie

Sticking with slow songs, Dave and I love this one by Death Cab for Cutie. It’s a love song and we love a good love song. Hey, we’re both romantics at heart. One of my favourite lines is:

“You and me have seen everything to see From Bangkok to Calgary The soles of your shoes are all worn down “ That’s how Dave and I feel, we’ve seen it all together and we love doing so.

Download this now for your Road Trip Song Playlist on Amazon

49. Life’s Been Good by Joe Walsh

Another very long tune. Life’s Been Good is a great road trip sing-a-long song. It goes on for a whopping 8 minutes. Do you know how many km you can cover when driving at 100km (or if you’re like most people, 120km) per hour?

That’s right, 15km will fly right by! How does Life’s Been Good fit with a road trip? Well, he does sing, “ My Maserati does 185, I lost my license, now I don’t drive. ” Best lyrics ever!

50. Shelter from the Storm by Bob Dylan

shelter from the stone | music on the road

Well, since we’re in the vein of 1960s music icons. We must include a little Bob Dylan. You see, you want your road trip playlist to be versatile. You can’t stick with one genre or one decade. It needs to span many years and cover all music types.

That way you never get bored. Shelter from the Storm is one of Bob’s greatest hits and he’s had many.

You may choose one of his more famous songs like Blowin’ in the Wind, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door or Mr. Tambourine Man, But listen to Shelter from the Storm. This is a great song.

Purchase Shelter From the Storm Now

51. Piano Man by Billy Joel

I’ll never forget locking up Sherry Ott’s phone (of Ottsworld’s ) during the Mongol Rally. She and Rick had to listen to our playlist the rest of the 10,000 km and she mentioned, if only we had some Billy Joel. I love Billy Joel, so I felt the same way!

We didn’t have Spotify then, so we couldn’t just magically download Billy Joel in the Gobi desert, but I do agree, he makes for some great road trip music. Yes, he has a lot of hits, but Dave and I both love Piano Man.

It’s another long anthem type song that lets you sing along forever. With verse after verse our voices grow stronger and more powerful in the car until we’re both belting out “Sing us a Song You’re the Piano Man!” no you’re the piano man!

Get it on Amazon

52. Old Man by Neil Young

From Piano Man to Old Man. Niel Young is another iconic Canadian in our list. I could do a Canadian version of Road Trip Songs, but I am afraid half of you wouldn’t know the songs I am talking about.

Anyone else out there know of The Tragically Hip’s Fireworks ? Our Lady Peace’s Starseed or Blue Rodeo’s Bad Timing ? Didn’t think so.

But we the world knows Neil Young. Even the younger generation knows him thanks to Jimmy Fallon. Old Man is our favourite. What’s yours?

Listen to Old Man Now

Watch Jimmy Fallon and Neil Young on YouTube

53. Lust for Life by Iggy Pop

In the 1990s, I didn’t know a lot about punk rock. Dave and I were into Grunge at the time. But when we went to go see Trainspotters at the theatre, we were introduced to Lust for Life by Iggy Pop.

If this doesn’t get you rocking in the car, nothing will. It is the perfect way to end our road trip songs playlist with an upbeat tune that was made for road tripping.

Lust for Life is on Amazon for just $1.29

54. Radar Love by Golden Earring

Whenever the popular rock and roll radio station in Toronto does a traffic update, they play this song. They also play “I’m a highway star” but Radar Love has the much better groove. I love adding grooving songs to drive to on my playlist.

55. Route 66 by Nat King Cole

It’s a classic and an oldie but goodie. All kinds of people have covered Route 66 but nothing compares to the velvet voice of Nat King Cole. So add this classic road song to your playlist and get your kicks on Route 66.

56. Mustang Sally in the Commitments

When I was younger I was in a band that had the feel of the movie The Commitments. I loved singing back up vocals to Mustang Sally, “Ride Sally Ride. This song has a cool groove that gets you in the mood to drive. (Among other things)

57. The Air Tonight by Phil Collins

Who doesn’t love that drum solo by Phil Collins in the Air Tonight. I’ll never forget hearing it for the first tim eon Miami Vice when Crocket and Tubs were driving down the strip of Miami. Man, this is the best grooving driving song out there.

58. Castle on the Hill by Ed Sheeran

road trip songs set in europe - castle on a hill

Ed Sheeran is awesome. There isn’t a song of his I don’t like. But when it comes to songs about driving, this is it. I love the lyrics:

“I’m on my way Driving at ninety down those country lanes Singing to “Tiny Dancer” And I miss the way you make me feel, and it’s real We watched the sunset over the castle on the hill.”

Dave and I totally sing to Tiny Dancer when driving and we always think about driving those back roads in Ireland. How can the locals possibly go 90 on narrow winding roads, and yet they do. they really do! Get Castle on a Hill now

59. Boys of Summer by Don Henley

califonria road trip songs | boys of summer

I admit, I bought a pair of RayBans just because of these lyrics… “Driving in your car with those Wayfarers on baby.”

When I listen to the Boys of Summer, I envision beautiful people driving up and down the sunset strip in Los Angeles. I always have and still do. Check out our guide to the Ultimate California Road Trip

60. Where the Streets have No Name by U2

And let’s end with a song that actually has a street in the name. Well, the Streets have no name here. U2s anthem is the perfect ending to our road tripping song. From the Joshua Tree, that takes us through the California desert, the Streets Have No Name, is a song that will hypnotize you as you get lost in Bono’s dreamy vocals. Just make sure to keep your eyes on the road!

So there you have it. This is our list of our favorite road trip songs. So are you ready to hit the road with the best playlist ever?

We have this on our playlist, what’s on yours? Have you ever taken a road trip going anywhere?

Do you have a song that needs to be included when you go traveling? We’d love to hear in the comments below.

Best Travel Songs Playlist – It’s different from this!
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Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil are the owners and founders of The Planet D. After traveling to 115 countries, on all 7 continents over the past 13 years they have become one of the foremost experts in travel. Being recognized as top travel bloggers and influencers by the likes of Forbes Magazine , the Society of American Travel Writers and USA Today has allowed them to become leaders in their field.

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81 thoughts on “60 Best Road Trip Songs to Rock the Drive”

Where Chris Rea? There should be at least one song if not 3

Interesting list you have here. I have some recommendations here if you don’t mind.

Raspberries – Go All the Way Jason Isbell – Super 8 Big Star – In the Street Crack the Sky, the best band to come out of Baltimore – Nuclear Apathy Wishbone Ash – (In All My Dreams) You Rescue Me The Bottle Rockets – Radar Gun Danny O’Keefe – Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues Cross Canadian Ragweed – Fightin’ For

Thanks for the nice collection, will definitely try this!!

Thank you so much for sharing this playlist. I really loved it.

Very nice collection thanks for sharing!!

Blatantly missing: “Roll on Down the Highway” – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Great selection. Along with ‘Go Your own Way’ and ‘Life is a Highway’, I’d add ‘Peaches’ by Justin Bieber

Nice One! Amazing Playlist! Really love This, thank you for sharing this lovely playlist.

Awesome Playlist !! Love It

Thanks for the song list now it will be very easy for me to go on a road trip.

thanks for the list of songs. I loved the ‘boys of summer’ song so much. Every time when I drive I always play this song.

Superb Collection..i definitely tryy all songs..i am planning to go out . i hope it helps for me. Thank you

Thank you very much for this playlist. I really loved it.

Superb Collection.. Thanks for the lovely post

fantastic article thanks for sharing, I appereciate your work

Thanks so much! Do you have a favourite song to add?

Most of these songs and genres that aren’t rock should be left off the list completely. The best road songs are real rock hands down. The best road song ever is Judas Priest’s “Heading Out To The Highway”. The live version of the Priest Live album from 1987.

You reminded me of songs that I love but forgot about. Thanks for making this playlist, I will definitely be listening to some old favorites as well as some ones you’ve recommended…Old is gold

Thanks for this article but there are many tracks apart from these to make the highway journey a perfect experience.

You reminded me some of the songs that I love but forgotten about it. Thanks for reminding me again, I will definitely be listening to some old favorites as well as someones you’ve recommended. 🙂

Great collections thank you so much for sharing this article.

Really a great collection of songs thanks for sharing hopefully it will help me next time i go out.

Thank you for this wonderful list. It really helped me a lot during my road trip.

Amazing article I really loved it. Thanks for sharing this amazing content.

Hey there Thanks for the Wonderful Playlist.

This is an excellent list. I have a trip to plan here shortly. Hopefully everyone can agree on this playlist.

Yes.. This is an excellent list of songs for road trip

Superb Collection. Thanks for sharing it.

Superb Collection..i definitely tryy all songs..i am planning to go out . i hope it helps for me.

You reminded me of songs that I love but forgot about. Thanks for making this playlist, I will definitely be listening to some old favorites as well as some ones you’ve recommended…Old is gold

Awesome and ‘d add Big Sugar’s “Please Let Me Sleep In Late or My Heart Refuses To Pound”.

The requirement for any good road trip is, as everyone knows, a killer soundtrack. And summer is the optimal time to hit the road and go on an adventure. Whether you’re embarking on a solo trip or gathering 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.

Hey, nice post loved it.

You reminded me of songs that I love but forgot about! Thanks for making this playlist, I will definitely be listening to some old favorites as well as some ones you’ve recommended!

Awesome playlist! Added some of these for my next road trip, thankyou so much sir ??

Awesome playlist! Added some of these for my next road trip 🙂 Thanks for the post!

really nyc playlist

awesome..amazing man..!!

Thank you so much!! You don’t know how you helped me. But you helped me a lot. Usually, I get bored while going for a long ride but now it is gonna Amazing. Thank you again.

Hi, You have put together a great collection of songs. It’s true music and travel if combined together can make any trip a great one. I have although written a similar article on my blog but being an Indian I love Bollywood songs. Lately, I have added some modern International songs too on my playlist and I am loving those. I have noticed that you have added many classic old songs, I have listened to a few of them on YouTube and I found them pretty great. Thanks for sharing your list of songs with us. You can check out mine too. It’s a bit different from yours.

Great collection. There is so much good music out there, old and new, the challenge always seems to be keeping the list to a manageable number. Quite a few caught me by surprise. I was a long haul truck driver for many years, and a big music fan, but you learn something new every day. A running joke in my house is that I have been more places with Melissa Etheridge than I have with my wife of 36 years. Submitted for your consideration: You can sleep while I drive-Melissa Etheridge. Radar Love-Golden Earring Roll Me Away- Bob Seger In The Air Tonight- Phil Collins Uneasy Rider-Charlie Daniels Here I go Again-Whitesnake Eastbound and Down-Jerry Reeves This Flight Tonight-Nazareth Fly At Night-Chilliwack The Load Out-Jackson Browne Several dozen more than you will have space for.

Superb Collection..i definitely try all songs..i am planning to go out . i hope it helps for me.

Thank You So Much For The Playlist. Now I Am Gonna Rock The Long Drive.

What an Amazing Wonderful Collection Realy I Love IT 🙂

Great collection man..Enjoy

Nice playlist. I’d include America’s Ventura Highway.

was going to put I’ve Been Everywhere Man on the list and then I decided against it because I have it on another music list on this site. I linked to it in this article and I thought, uh oh, I can’t repeat songs too muc

wonderful collection

Thank you so much for the playlist. I loved all of them. Now am ready to hit the long roads.

I can’t argue with most of the selections on the list, but there are a few blatant omissions:

Born To Be Wild Radar Love Twilight Zone

I don’t know how any music list (regardless of theme) can be complete without a single song by Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Rush, or the Boss, let alone missing all of them???

I love music so much.this is the best article ever about road trip songs playlists. Thank you for nice article.

Excellent collection of songs! I truly needed to recommend this to these amazing people who have done great road trips I’m in touch with and will do in future. One of their trips was 20,000 Kms. Will share it ahead!

Thank you for the great road trip list. It was great.

Thanks Dev & Deb !! You made my day…!! By reading your article I found so much happiness because in coming days I’ll go on long tour with my new car & these road trip songs will rock it all the way … !! 🙂

– Jenny Diana

Jessica by the Allman Brothers is one of the best for me. In the movie of my life, it’s the music that would playduring the scenewhen I take a long road trip or move cross-country. 😛

Great addition, I’ll have to add it to my Spotify.

Ooooooh, so many. Led Zep’s Dazed and Confused (26 minute version), Hendrix’ Voodoo Chile, a lot of Buddy Guy. Yesterday I heard B-52s “Planet Claire”–that is a serious jam.

I am so happy to spend my time here, i am always search exactly like this blog. Thanks for sharing us.

Great choices and I love that you included a Canadian. Life is a Highway. Woot!

Awesome and ‘d add Big Sugar’s “Please Let Me Sleep In Late or My Heart Refuses To Pound”.

Great selection. Along with ‘Go Your own Way’ and ‘Life is a Highway’, I’d add ‘Dance the Night Away’ by Van Halen

Superb!! Never gonna to forget this one!!

I Wanna Be Sedated BY The Ramones

Amazing this post, thanks for share it.

Amazing this one thanks for share it.

Fantastic list, thank you! One addition comes to mind right away: “Life is a Highway” by Tom Cochrane. I mean, it actually has the word highway in it. Classic.

That’s a great addition. I was actually thinking about that song. I love him because he’s also Canadian and I like adding Canadians to the list. But I then decided to leave him out because for me, he was oversaturated (in our neck of the woods anyway) and that song was totally overplayed and now I just can’t listen to it anymore. But most people love it!

I would add “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac.

Great choice! How could I forget that one!

thank you! One addition comes to mind right away: “Life is a Highway” by Tom Cochrane.

LOVE THESE!! Couldn’t agree more about Paradise by the Dashboard Light. I love Meat Loaf, LOL. He was my first concert at age 8 😀 and we played “I Would Do Anything For Love” at our wedding hahaha. Great pics. I love any Bob Dylan or Johnny Cash as well—perfect for an All-American road trip. Also 80’s rock.

Road trips are the best!!

I loved that I would do Anything for Love. It was a great comeback song for him. So what wouldn’t you do? Haha, He says, I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that. HAha. I always think about what is that? 🙂 I was going to put I’ve Been Everywhere Man on the list and then I decided against it because I have it on another music list on this site. I linked to it in this article and I thought, uh oh, I can’t repeat songs too much.

Very good article…this is a very unique article for me. I have never seen this kinda article on any sites… REALLY VERY NICE..CHEERS

Thanks Jessica. We love music so much we decided that we had to put together a list of our playlists. So there you go!

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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!

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Best Road Trip Songs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

20 Rock Classics- the BEST Road trip Rock songs

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

Best Driving Songs- All-American road trip songs

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

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

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.

Sharing is caring!

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Best car interior accessories (for the perfect road trip)

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 !!

The Best S Club Songs: 10 Pop Classics

What is bebop deconstructing jazz music’s most influential development, ‘dancing queen’: abba‘s disco anthem becomes their only us no. 1, ‘new bottle old wine’: the gil evans classic that gets better with age, doing all right: queen’s london marquee club launch of 1973, ‘in the land of grey and pink’: caravan evoke a ‘middle earth sunset’, how lucinda williams wore her pain on her sleeve with ‘world without tears’, empire of the sun return with new single ‘changes’, st. vincent announces uk, european ‘all born screaming’ tour dates, ringo starr announces new single ‘february sky’, keith leblanc, drummer and nine inch nails producer, dies at 70, melissa aldana releases new album ‘echoes of the inner prophet’, the libertines’ new album ‘all quiet on the eastern esplanade’ is out now, nirvana’s ‘dumb’ video nominated for webby award, 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.

Published on

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”.

‘Take Me I’m Yours’: Squeeze Make A Chart Start

The 15 most famous alter egos in music history, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Best Road Trip Songs of All Time

Don’t get us wrong: we adore the city. However, often a day trip to a local summer music festival isn’t enough to satisfy the desire for liberation. It’s time to get on the road for a road trip, a classic Western tradition. Of course, you can’t drive in total silence – well, you can, but the idea gives us a flat—so we’ve put together a list of the best road trip tunes to get you started.

We have the best summer songs to keep your motors purring, whether you’re going on a weekend getaway or taking on an outdoor trip near NYC. Play some Boss, Dead, and Prince classics, as well as some Whitesnake (and there’s plenty more where that came from). So grab your car keys, call a couple of your favorite road trip companions, roll windows down, and turn up the music. It’s time to hit the road.

“Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen

“Born to Run,” like Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.,” is darker than it appears. The throaty passion of Springsteen’s voice, the liberating wail of Clarence Clemons’ sax, and the sheer propulsive force of the E Street Band’s backup band bring to life a potent mix of rebellion, sex, disgust, and determination. Brought to life by the throaty passion of Springsteen’s voice, the liberating wail of Clarence Clemons’ sax, and the sheer propulsive force of the E Street. This would be nice after winning best aussie online casino jackpot and jamming this song in your car.

“Little Red Corvette” by Prince

It isn’t necessary to get a bachelor’s degree. This ditty has nothing to do with cars, as far as I can tell. Coupés are women, horsepower is a pack of Trojan condoms, and gas is stamina in the sheets in Prince’s world. The beat is slow, with synthetic drums ringing in the background, just as the Purple One advises his one-night stand to take it easy and extend their relationship to two, three, or even four nights.

If you aren’t into best road trip songs, you can try out blackjack en argent reel to motivate you while trying to win some real money jackpot from online blackjack.

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150+ Road Trip Songs: Your Ultimate Driving Playlist

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The Best Road Trip Music

A road trip wouldn’t be a road trip without a good old sing along. Whilst on the road, regardless of how you sound, singing at the top of your lungs is just de rigueur – in fact, it’s road trip law!

There are so many amazing songs to choose from that I’ve had a great time compiling our playlist of road trip songs. I’ve been transported back through time to my favourite memories and karaoke nightmares, and been introduced to some fantastic new songs.

Forget about the 100 best road trip songs, we’ve broken down the top 150+ of the best songs for road trips! Each category has its own amazing road trip playlist, and there is also a combined Spotify ultimate playlist for a road trip, with four hours of travelling songs. So, warm up those pipes and get ready to belt out some fantastic tunes on the open road!

Classic Road Trip Songs

No matter what year you were born, or your musical taste, most of you will have heard and know the lyrics to these classic rock songs, making them really good songs to drive to. From Hotel California to Space Oddity, these are some of the greatest songs, by the greatest artists of all time. They also include some of the best guitar solos ever recorded. A great addition to any road trip playlists.

The Eagles – Hotel California
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sweet Home Alabama
Tom Petty – Free Fallin
AC/DC – Highway to Hell
The Beatles – Here Comes The Sun
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising
The Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the Devil
The Kinks – You Really Got Me Going
Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way
David Bowie – Space Oddity
Don McLean – American Pie
Bob Segar – Old Time Rock & Roll
Abba – Waterloo
Elton John – Rocket Man
The Doors – Light My Fire
Bob Dylan – Like A Rolling Stone
Ray Charles – Hit The Road Jack
Allman Brothers Band – Midnight Rider
Willie Nelson – On The Road Again
Aretha Franklin – Respect
Billy Joel – Piano Man
Chuck Berry – Johnny B. Goode
The Beach Boys – Surfin U.S.A
Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl
Bachman Turner Overdrive – Taking care of Business
Johnny Cash- Ring of Fire
Simon & Garfunkel – Mrs Robinson
Led Zepplin – Kashmir
Nina Simone – Sinnerman
Golden Earring – Radar Love
Jackson Browne – Stay

Get the classic road trip songs playlist here

Ashphalt road with yellow markings going towards large mountains range with car in the far distance and trees along either side of the road.

DJ’s & Collaborations

Some of the best songs for driving are collaborations. Two or three amazing artists bringing together their unique sounds can result in pure magic, and these are a great addition to any chill road trip songs playlist.

David Guetta ft. Sia – Titanium
Calvin Harris ft. Rag’n’Bone Man – Giant
Dr. Dre, Eminem ft. Skylar Grey – I Need a Doctor
Dua Lipa and Elton John – Cold Heart
Rihanna and JAY Z – Umbrella
Robin Shultz and Lilly Wood- Prayer in C
David Guetta ft. Estelle – One Love
Calvin Harris ft. Dua Lipa – One Kiss
Beyonce and JAY Z – Crazy in Love
Diddy Dirty Money and Skyler Grey – Coming Home
Sigma ft. Paloma Faith – Changing
David Guetta ft. Becky Hill, Ella Henderson – Crazy What Love Can Do
Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris – We Found Love
Rudimental and John Newman, Alex Clare – Not Givin In
Sean Paul and Dua Lipa – No Lie
Ed Sheeran and Khalid – Beautiful People
JAY Z and Alicia Keys – Empire State of Mind
Blackstreet, Dr Dre and Queen Pen – No Diggity
Santana and Rob Thomas – Smooth
Kanye West, Rhianna and Paul McCartney – FourFiveSeconds
Nelly and Kelly Rowland – Dilemma
Eve and Gwen Stefani – Let Me Blow Ya Mind
Rudimental and John Newman – Feel The Love
The Chainsmokers and Coldplay – Something Just Like This
Amy Winehouse and Mark Rowland – Valerie
Eminem abd Dido – Stan
Run D.M.C and Aerosmith – Walk This Way

Get the alternative road trip songs playlist here

Road Trip Songs from the Twenties (2020 – 2022)

There is a bigger selection of all types of music than ever before, and a lot of the new artists are very exciting. However, Kate Bush and Running Up That Hill making a comeback after 30 years just goes to show that there’s room for everyone. Use these songs to help create your modern road trip playlist.

Lizzo – About Damn Time
Doja Cat – Say So
Tones and I – Dance Monkey
Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill
Adele – Easy On Me
Charli XCX – Yuck
Gayle – abc
Charlie Puth – Light Switch
Florence + The Machine – King
Harry Styles – As It Was
Beyonce – Summer Renaissance
The Weekend – Out Of Time
Camilla Cabello – La Buena Vida
Jessie Ware – Free Yourself
Amber Mark – Bliss
Ellie Goulding – Easy Lover
Dua Lipa – Love Again

Get the twenties playlist here

white campervan on a great road with pine trees and mountains surrounding the road

Late Noughties (2011-2019) Road Trip Songs

In 2011 Spotify really started to take off, gaining over 1 million subscribers. This new way of listening allowed you to play music your own way, whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted, and changed the way we buy and listen to music forever. Creating a songs playlist of your favourites led to people discovering new music, which they wouldn’t have heard otherwise. These are some of the best road trip songs of the 2000s.

Adele – Rolling in The Deep
Paloma Faith – Crybaby
Robin Thicke – Blurred Lines
Mumford & Suns – I Will Wait
Rag’n’Bone Man – Human
The Weekend – Blinding Lights
Mr. Probz – Waves
Klangkarussell – Sonnentanz
Parov Stelar – The Sun
Arctic Monkeys – I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
Rihanna – Diamonds
Lorde – Royals
Jess Glynn – Hold My Hand
The Chainsmokers – Don’t Let Me Down
Bruno Mars – 24k Magic
Pharrell Williams – Happy
Twenty One Pilots – Stressed Out
Coldplay – Viva La Viva
Mylie Cyrus – We Can’t Stop
Harry Styles – Adore You
Sia – Chandelier
Robyn – Dancing On My Own
Ed Sheeran – Shape of You

Get the late noughties playlist here

The Early Noughties (2000-2010) Best Driving Songs

Anything goes as far as music from the early noughties, there wasn’t a particular genre that stood out and no new genres really emerged. Still, we had some fantastic music from really iconic bands. Include these great tunes on your road trips songs playlist.

Coldplay – Yellow
The Killers – Mr. Brightside
Muse – Uprising
Florence + The Machine – You’ve Got The Love
Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire
Alicia Keys – Fallin’
Gnarls Barkley – Crazy
Nelly Furtado – I’m Like A Bird
India.Arie – Video
Lady Gaga – Just Dance
Eminem – The Real Slim Shady
Keane – Somewhere Only We Know
Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
Coldplay – Clocks
Black Eyed Peas – Where is the Love
Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars
Stereophonics – Dakota
Madonna – Hung Up
Kaiser Chiefs – I Predict A Riot
The Fratellis – Whistle For The Choir
Kelly Rowland – Work
The Strokes – Last Night
Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out
Green Day – Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Get the early noughties playlist here

Grab our road trip packing list, road trip checklist & road trip planner when you subscribe for our monthly newsletter, cool road trip remixes.

If you fancy listening to something a bit different, check out these fantastic remixes on SoundCloud.

Moby – Almost Home – Vijay & Sofia Zklatko Remix
Tracey Chapman – Stand By Me – Fabien Lanciano Remix
Calvin Harris & Disciples – How Deep is Your Love – Chris Lake Remix
Chaka Khan – Ain’t Nobody – Laurent Wild & The Discoh Family Edit
Hall and Oats – I Can’t Go For That – Pomo Remix
Clean Bandit – Rather Be – JackLNDN Remix
Chic ft. Sugarhill Gang – Good Times Vs Rappers Delight – Jet Boot Jack Remix
Dusty Springfield – Son of a Preacher Man – Bergeque Edit
Sia – Cheap Thrills ft. Sean Paul – Bruno Torres Remix
The Chainsmokers & Halsey – Closer – R3hab Remix
Wiz Khalifa Ft. Charlie Puth – See You Again Bauke Top Remix
Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing – lg Oliver Remix
Fleetwood Mac – Dreams – Gigamesh Edit
Sade – Smooth Operator – Dj S Bootleg Dance Remix
Naz – Old Town Road – B.R.T Official Remix
Snow Patrol – Mysterious ways
Parra For Cuva – Wicked Game

Get the cool remixes playlist here

An overhead image of a car on a sandy beach with trees.

Best 90’s Road Trip Songs

The nineties were one of the most inventive and creative periods for music. The decade saw grunge really take off in the USA and the battle of Brit pop in the UK. These different genres still influence music today. So if you’re going on an American road trip or to drive through Europe, add these songs to create your perfect road trip songs playlist.

Nirvana – Smells like Teen Spirit
Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Under the Bridge
Pearl Jam – Even Flow
Faithless – Why Go?
Alanis Morissette – Ironic
The Cranberries – Linger
The Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony
R.E.M – Losing My Religion
TLC – Waterfalls
Blur – Park Life
Oasis – Don’t Look Back In Anger
Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do
Natalie Imbruglia – Torn
Fugees – Killing Me Softly With His Song
4 Non Blondes – What’s Up?
Radiohead – Creep
No Doubt – Don’t Speak
The Goo Goo Dolls – Iris
Sixpence None The Richer – Kiss Me
Lenny Kravitz – Are you Gonna Go My Way
Guns N’ Roses – Don’t Cry
The Cure – Friday I’m in Love
Weezer – Buddy Holly
Ace of Base – All That She Wants
10,000 Maniacs – These Are Days
The Commitments – Mustang Sally
George Michael – Freedom! ’90
Fatboy Slim – Praise You
Tom Cochrane – Life is a Highway

Get the 90’s road trip songs playlist here

winding road across islands and sea in Norway

Best 80s Road Trip Songs

The eighties are one of my favourite eras for music, it was also when MTV started and launched the music video, I’ll never forget the first time I saw the video for Thriller, it was pretty epic! The likes of punk rock, new wave and out and out pop gave us some of the greatest tunes ever. Add these tunes to your song list.

A-ha – Take on Me
Culture Club – Karma Chameleon
Bon Jovi – Livin’ On A Prayer
Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams
Madonna – Like A Virgin
Bryan Adams – Summer Of ’69
Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Wanna Fun
Michael Jackson – Thriller
Tears for Fears – Shout
Toto – Africa
Katrina & The Waves – Walking on Sunshine
U2 – With or Without You
Guns N’ Roses – Paradise City
Soft Cell – Tainted Love
Tracy Chapman – Fast Car
Simple Minds – Don’t You
The Human League – Don’t You Want Me
Bruce Springsteen – Born in the U.S.A
Prince – Little Red Corvette
The Clash – Rock the Casbah
Men At Work – Down Under
Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Relax
Duran Duran – Girls on Film
Spandau Ballet – Gold
Chris Isaak – Wicked Game
Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls
New Order – True Faith
Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance with Somebody
Pat Benatar – Heartbreaker
The Boomtown Rats – I Don’t like Mondays
The Police – Message in A Bottle
The Bangles – Manic Monday
The Proclaimers – I’m Gonna Be / 500 miles
Wham – Club Tropicana
Phil Collins – In The Air Tonight
The Communards – Don’t Leave Me This Way
The B-52’s – Love Shack

Get the 80s road trips songs playlist here

Woman hanging out of RV window wearinh mirror shades

Best Driving Power Ballads

Everyone loves a power ballad! These emotionally charged love songs are just begging you to belt them out at the top of your lungs! Anytime you are going to travel, include these on your road trip songs playlist.

Foreigner – I Want To Know What Love Is
Bryan Adams – Everything I Do
Journey – Don’t Stop Believin
Cutting Crew – I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight
Heart – Alone
Guns N’ Roses – November Rain
Boston – More Than a Feeling
Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse of the Heart
Richard Marx – Right Here Waiting
REO Speedwagon – Can’t Fight This Feeling
Meatloaf – Paradise By The Dashboard Light
Foreigner – Waiting for a Girl Like You
Berlin – Take My Breath Away
Europe – The Final Countdown
Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over
Poison – Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Survivor – Eye of the Tiger
Starship – Nothing’s Going to Stop Us Now
Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes – The Time of My Life
Alannah Myles – Black Velvet

Get the driving power ballads playlist here

Disco Road Trip Songs

Disco disco disco – if these tunes with their rhythmic beats don’t get you singing and moving to the music then nothing will. Keep an eye on that speed limit in case you get carried away! Perfect for those summer road trips.

Abba – Dancing Queen
Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
Earth Wind and Fire – Boogie Wonderland
Bee Gees – Stayin’Alive
Diana Ross – Upside Down
The Trammps – Disco Inferno
Donna Summer – Hot Stuff
The Pointer Sisters – I’m So Excited
Earth Wind and Fire – Let’s Groove
Chic – Le Freak
Cool and The Gang – Celebration
Lipps Inc – Funky Town
Chaka Khan – I’m Every Woman
Earth Wind and Fire – September
The Emotions – Best of My Love
Cheryl Lynn – Got to Be Real
The Jacksons – Blame it On the Boogie
Peaches and Herb – Shake Your Groove Thing
Kylie Minogue – Can’t Get You Out of My Head
Scissor Sisters – I Don’t Feel Like Dancing
Barry Manilow – Copacabana

Get the disco road trip songs playlist here

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Your Ultimate Driving Playlist

Get every single one of these amazing road trip songs bundled into an ultimate road trip songs playlist to keep you singing along for nearly four hours!

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10 of Australia’s most iconic road trips

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Feel the freedom of the open road with these unmissable road trips.

By Leah Dobihal and Carly Spek

There’s no shortage of adventure on the spectacular Legendary Pacific Coast between Sydney and Brisbane , boasting the wineries of the Hunter Valley , the sparkling beaches of Port Stephens , the hippie-chic scene of Byron Bay and the glitz of the Gold Coast . It’s a wind-the-windows-down kind of road trip that embraces Australia’s coastal beauty and laid-back vibes, even passing one of the most iconic road trip pit stops: the Big Banana .

Clarkes Beach, Byron Bay, NSW © Kate Nutt, Destination NSW

Drive the Legendary Pacific Coast Touring Route

From world-class wine to sparkling beaches and ancient rainforest walks, the New South Wales Legendary Pacific Coast is a drive to be savoured.

Read time • 8min

Sea Cliff Bridge, Clifton, NSW © Destination NSW

Coastal drives fit into a road trip category of their own, with the endless ocean on one side and sweeping landscapes on the other. One of Australia’s most spectacular coastal drives is New South Wales’ Grand Pacific Drive . Beginning just south of Sydney , the road clutches the coastline, unfurling onto the Sea Cliff Bridge, which seemingly levitates above crashing waves. Along the way, visit a dramatic blowhole in Kiama, stroll along the bone-white shores of Hyams Beach and witness ancient history .

Greenfield Beach, South Coast, NSW © Destination NSW

Sydney to the Sapphire Coast road trip

With pockets of paradise like Eden and Merimbula, the Sapphire Coast in New South Wales is so much more than just a whale-watching mecca.

Read time • 6min

Kata Tjuta, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, NT © Tourism NT/Lola Hubner

The central Australian outback is a place of transformation. Ancient ochre landscapes, dynamic cultures and starry skies create an energy unique to Australia’s red heart. Driving the Red Centre Way, a loop beginning and ending in the outback town of Alice Springs , means meeting Australian icons at every turn. Ulu r u, Kata Tju t a and Watarrka National Park are the heavy hitters, but don’t overlook the dramatic gorges and cool swimming holes of Tjoritja (the West MacDonnell Ranges).

A woman walking on top of Kings Canyon at sunrise © Tourism NT/Mitchell Cox 2017

Alice Springs to Uluru: a 7-day road trip

Tour the ancient landscapes of Central Australia on this iconic Aussie road trip through Alice Springs, Kings Canyon and Uluru.

Back Country Bliss Adventures, Daintree Rainforest, QLD © Back Country Bliss Adventures

Not all great drives are long drives, even in a place as big as Australia. From the tropical city of Cairns to the wilds of Cape Tribulation, the Great Barrier Reef Drive offers more than its fair share of wonders. Where else can you stand on the border of two World Heritage Listed sites ? Or spot the vibrant colours of both cassowary birds and coral? Amid your travels between the reef and the Daintree Rainforest , you can chill beneath palms, search for tree kangaroos and snorkel over the kaleidoscope of colours and creatures on the reef .

Aerial view of beach, Port Douglas, Queensland © Tourism Australia

14-day Tropical North Queensland Drive

Drive from Cairns to Townsville via Cooktown, through World Heritage-listed reef and rainforests to golden outback savannah, taking in tropical Queensland at its finest.

Read time • 11min

Breakways, Coober Pedy, SA © FROSAT / Singing Bowl Media

Meandering all the way from Adelaide to Darwin , the Explorers Way passes through a tapestry of ancient gorges, weathered peaks and red rock canyons. In South Australia’s outback, you’ll find the natural wonders of the 600-million-year-old Flinders Ranges as well as the underground city of Coober Pedy. After crossing the border into the Northern Territory , you’ll soon see the majestic Ulu r u and Kata Tju t a appear ahead as the earth turns red beneath your tyres.

Twin Falls, Kakadu National Park, Top End, NT © Tourism Northern Territory

14 days along the Explorers Way

This 14-day adventure takes you down the centre of Australia, from Darwin to South Australia. Along the way you'll explore striking landscapes from wetlands to deserts, as well as outback towns, world-class wineries and beautiful beaches.

Read time • 10min

From snow-capped mountains to sapphire-blue bays, Tasmania is overflowing with natural beauty. Take in Tassie’s coastal wonders as you follow one of the island’s grandest road trips – the Great Eastern Drive . Head north from Hobart to the Bay of Fires , where the beaches are white, the air is clean and the scenery is magnificent. Wander around the sandstone ruins of the World Heritage-listed Port Arthur convict settlement one day and find yourself admiring the perfect curve of Wineglass Bay the next.

Spring Beach, Orford, TAS © East Coast Regional Tourism Organisation, Lisa Kuilenburg

5 days on Tasmania’s Great Eastern Drive

Sample the splendours of Tasmania’s stunning east coast, from seafood and wine to lush rainforest and powder-white beaches.

Read time • 5min

Head of Bight, Eyre Peninsula, SA © Adam Bruzzone/South Australian Tourism Commission

If experiencing Australia’s wide-open spaces is on your wishlist, set your sights on the Nullarbor Plain , located along the Great Australian Bight. There are incredible experiences to be found as you drive along the open road, from wandering the wild coast of South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula to hitting the holes on the world’s longest golf course . Add in caves, old gold mining towns, the remains of a space station that crashed to Earth and character-rich roadhouses, and the Nullarbor becomes a bucket list Aussie road trip.

Eyre Highway, Nullarbor, SA © Greg Snell, Tourism Australia

Driving across the Nullarbor Plain

Widen your horizons driving the Eyre Highway across the vast Nullarbor Plain, four times the size of Belgium.

Read time • 9min

Gibb River Road, Kimberley, WA © Tourism Western Australia

The centre of the Kimberley is as vast and majestic as its famous coastline. The Gibb River Road , which stretches from Derby (near Broome ) to almost as far as Kununurra , is a legendary outback route for good reason. Offering secluded gorges, rocky ridges and that indescribable open-road feeling, it’s a drive that will transform you with each passing kilometre. Head off in a 4WD to explore bulbous boab trees, glimpse the rugged Cockburn Range and soak in glassy waterholes.

View of Branco's Lookout in El Questro Wilderness Park © Mia Glastonbury

Gibb River Road: a 12-day adventure

Journey across one of the country’s greatest 4WD adventures through Western Australia’s captivating Kimberley wilderness.

Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand National Park, WA © Tourism Australia

The route between Perth and Esperance truly has it all: blindingly white beaches, strikingly clear water, some of the tallest trees in the world and premium wineries. Lose yourself in the natural beauty, seclusion and tranquillity of the South West Edge road trip. Pay a visit to Lucky Bay’s beach-loving kangaroos, bounce along a walkway suspended in the treetops at the Valley of the Giants and join an expedition to see killer whales (between late January and April). And that’s just the start.

Couple sunbathing on the beach next to 4WD at Cape Le Grand National Park © Australia's Golden Outback

Western Australia's South West: 14 day road trip

Experience the extraordinary landscape of the South West in one great road trip.

Read time • 16min

The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s most thrilling drives, studded with dramatic views of rugged coastline. Take it slow and enjoy the breathtaking views along this iconic stretch of road before heading inland to discover dense forests and misting waterfalls. Seize the chance to marvel at the famous 12 Apostles’ towering limestone rock formations – stunning at any time of day, but especially as the setting sun turns the cliff face a fiery red.

12 Apostles, Great Ocean Road, VIC © Visit Victoria

6 days on the Great Southern Touring Route

Take a road trip along Victoria’s eye-popping southern coastline, through Aboriginal history and into sparkling spa country. It’s nature, nurture and wonder all the way.

6 Best Road Trip Songs to Rock Your Long Drives

Road trip songs , everybody certainly loves the city life, but some weekend-tripping might be all you need to satiate the liberatory feel. it is a fact that killer soundtracks are a necessary requirement for any good road trip. from the random backseat sing-alongs to well-known anthems, the best road trip songs bring forth the feeling of utmost freedom that is most often a car ride away., bbefore getting down on our selected road trip playlist, it is important to mention the number one rule of any road trips. the driver should always be in charge of the music. any member willing to relinquish the opportunity to read, eat, or sleep should captain the car tunes as well. the playlist should be a mix of everyone’s taste and timeless. that said, check out the following best road trip songs for road tripping enthusiasts. , top songs to include in your road trip playlist , 1. bruce springsteen – “born to run” .

Born to Run by Springsteen should probably be among the first road trip songs to hit play once you get i nto that car . The song embeds deep poetry , which combines disgust , rebellion , sex and sheer determination that is brought to life by the amazing Springsteen throaty voice coupled with E Street band’s backup . The feeling brought by this song is probably what everyone feels when preparing for any pedal to metal escape .

2. U2 – “Where the Streets Have No Name”

This track is another perfect anthem to kickstart your trip . Therefore , it should probably be among the top 5 songs in your road trip playlist .

The whispers , sound of organ build-ups to the unveiled spiritual beacon , this song is a good choice , especially if you are wandering along the California desert (We have a whole blog about California Roadtripping, btw, check that out in CampstarTrends.com )

By the time Bono’s vocals set in, which is approximately 40 seconds following Clayton’s baseline kick-in, you will probably be in your top gear waiting to sing along “I want to run, I want to hide, I want to tear down the walls holding me inside….”

3. White Snake – “Here I Go Again”

Yes, you are on the go . Don’t take this litera ll y though , did you recently had a break up ? If so, you definitely need this road trip more than anyone else , and White Snake’s song got you covered . Make up your mind , waste no time, tease your hair down and crank up the car’s volume to this 80s hit . Make sure that your arose spirits don’t get shut by traffic snarl-up . It is a good road trip song when hitting an open road .

4. Youngblood Hawke – “We Come Running”

The driving beat and unmatched build-up of this pop gem from Youngblood Hawke is another good choice of road trip songs to include in your road trip playlist. The song spells out directly, inviting listeners to go for the open door. Well, it is a good song for those rediscovering their passions on the trip.

5. The Killers – “Mr. Brightside”

The bombast, killer riffs, melodies, and pomp from this tune is a perfect way to set your road-tripping psyche free. This song from The Killers debut album, Hot Fuss, is a rare road trip song but can get you through traffic blues.

6. Nirvana – “Breed”

Just like Nirvana’s Appetite for Destruction and Nevermind, the song Breed features in various road trip playlists. This standout song sounds like “burning rubber” with the blast of machine-gun intensity. The Breed will definitely have everyone banging their heads on the backseat.

A memorable road trip goes beyond finding a good destination. Friends, food, a perfect camping destination, some couple of drinks and good songs are a perfect recipe for an exceptional road-tripping escapade. Find inspiration about destinations in our section on the blog and book you campsite or RV through our website Campstar.com

P.s. before you go: we made the playlist available for you on spotify yaay so make sure you check it out campstar roadtrip songs and feel free to add your own selection of roadtrip jams. you can also leave it the comments here and we will do it for you. what other songs do you think would make the cut for an awesome road trip playlist, you may also like, lavender road trip in provence: exploring the aromatic..., beginne deine nordische reise mit campstar und tt-line., the principles of responsible van living, barrier-free vans: towards a better accessibility, surfing in australia: the ultimate guide, australia in campervan, wild camping in australia: the ultimate guide, rv pitch or campsite all you need to..., camping alone as a woman – how to..., campstar goes europe #euro2021, leave a comment cancel reply.

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Entertainment

Tones and I announce 2024 Australia and New Zealand Tour

Spotify’s most streamed female artist Tones and I is touring Australia and New Zealand in 2024.

Tones And I appears on the Life Uncut podcast

Madonna loses it mid-concert: ‘Respect me’

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Tones and I is hitting the road in 2024 and will be playing venues across Australia and New Zealand in August and September.

The Melbourne musician is the most streamed female artist on Spotify reaching 3 billion streams with her song Dance Monkey.

It has been three years since the artist’s last headline tour when she received acclaim for her “electric live performances and masterful song writing.”

She also supported P!nk at a 20-date stadium tour across Australia and New Zealand earlier this year.

Tones and I said the support and love from Australia and NZ had been incredible.

Tones and I announces an Australia and New Zealand tour in 2024. Picture: Supplied.

“My live show is something I hold very close to my heart and is the best representation of who I am,” she said.

“I’m so grateful to be embraced by people around Australia and NZ. I hope people leave feeling part of something.”

The tour kicks off in Sydney on August 23, followed by shows in Newcastle, Auckland, Brisbane, Townsville, Fremantle before finishing in Melbourne on September 7.

Fans can expect to hear new material with Tones and I performing songs from her sophomore album, including Dreaming and I Get High along with favourites Dance Monkey, Fly Away, Cloudy Day and Never Seen The Rain.

Tones and I is the most streamed female artist on Spotify reaching 3 billion streams with her song Dance Monkey. Picture: David Swift

Since exploding onto the music scene in 2019 as a busker from Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula, Tones and I has smashed records and won multiple awards.

She surpassed 10 billion streams, earned five ARIAs, and reached multi-platinum heights around the world.

Her breakout hit Dance Monkey went platinum six times in the US, and has held held a spot in the Top 10 Most-Streamed Song of All-Time on Spotify.

If you want to catch Tones and I presale tickets to the Australia and New Zealand Tour will be available to My Live Nation members on Friday.

Vodafone customers and Mastercard holders in Australia and New Zealand will have a chance to secure presale tickets from Wednesday.

Tickets to the public go on sale next week from 12pm Monday, April 15.

Madonna lost her temper again during her latest concert, declaring she wouldn’t continue with the show until she got some respect.

The mere mention of Taylor Swift had a stadium full of country music fans erupting in boos during a fellow superstar’s show.

J Lo launched her new album to much fanfare weeks ago - now, she’s been forced to make some hasty career changes.

International edition
Australia edition
Europe edition

Vegyn: The Road to Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions review – steely relentlessness and glossy melodies

(PLZ Make It Ruins) An engaging, 90s trip-hop-inspired turn from the English producer combines fractured storytelling and long instrumental passages

T hirty-year-old English producer Joe Thornalley (son of ex-Cure bassist Phil) is best known for working with Frank Ocean, back when the singer made albums. Thornalley’s second Vegyn outing develops the chilly, dance-adjacent sound he debuted on Only Diamonds Cut Diamonds . This time, we get more singers and better-structured songs. Nothing as pretty as 2019’s Debold , but it feels like his most accessible project so far – far more engaging than Headache , his recent AI-performed side hustle.

The preponderance of sharp drum breaks on The Road to Hell… is reminiscent of 90s trip-hop – the brighter, trancey west-coast US productions, rather than smoky Brooklyn-via-Bristol beats. It gives his work a steely relentlessness that plays nicely against a glossy melody, especially on Léa Sen’s lovely Turn Me Inside and John Glacier’s murmuring, insistent A Dream Goes On Forever. Ambitious single Halo Flip is a good bellwether for the album. If you enjoy its combination of fractured storytelling and long instrumental passages, you’ll appreciate the consistent quality of the simpler songs around it.

Electronic music
The Observer
Dance music
album reviews

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IMAGES

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The 10 Best Songs For a Road Trip
52 Songs About Road Trips
100 Best Road Trip Songs For Your Next Family Driving Adventure
Our Top 10 Songs For Any Road Trip (Includes Spotify Link)
Top 10 Road Trip Songs

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Songs to play on a road trip ~ Songs to sing in the car & make your road trip fly by

COMMENTS

Australian songs for the ultimate road trip playlist
The best Aussie music for each state of your road trip Victoria. Travelling through the Garden State? Whether you're going down the famed Great Ocean Road, taking a trip to the High Country or rocking on to the Murray River, here's some iconic Victorian artists to get you from Melbourne to Mildura: . Kylie Minogue - Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia's highest-selling female ...
The 10 Road Trip Songs That Define Australia
Political rock group Midnight Oil's second single from their 1982 album, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, mentions the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis and dismissal of former Australian PM Gough Whitlam as well as the Pine Gap spy base in Alice Springs. The lyrics also describe 'Smiling zinc cream', and 'Breathing eucalypt', and ...
Twelve Amazing Australian Road Trip Songs
Jump In My Car - Ted Mulry Gang. With lyrics bordering on drunken hook up, a guitar riff that came right out of the 60's and plenty of references to the eponymous car, this Australian classic is a sure fire hit for driving down those long cross country roads. Crank the volume up and the windows down for best effect.
100 BEST Travel Songs for the Ultimate Travel Playlist
Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd This 1974 hit is an obvious choice for your all-American road trip / adventure.; California Dreaming - Mamas and the Papas Another American classic deserving of top travel song status.; Heaven Is A Place On Earth - Belinda Carlisle The no.1 song to put on when you finally come across your true heaven on earth; I Get Around - Beach Boys Such a perfect ...
20 best Aussie road trip songs
11. "SCAR" - MISSY HIGGINS. This easy-listening banger is the perfect tune for when the voyage is feeling a little long. 12. "I'VE BEEN EVERYWHERE" - LUCKY STARR. Even if you haven't been to Tullamore, Seymour, Lismore, Mooloolaba, Nambour, Maroochydore, Kilmore or Murwillumbah, this is an essential for the road. 13.
The 10 Road Trip Songs That Define Australia
Released in May 1978, 'Khe Sanh' tells the story of an Australian-Vietnam veteran dealing with post-traumatic stress and struggling to re-integrate into civilian life.The song was written by pianist Don Walker at Sweethearts café in Kings Cross, New South Wales, and although every Australian knows the lyrics, 'well the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone,' when it was released ...
Best Aussie Road Trip Songs
Down Under - Men at Work. One of the most iconic Aussie songs out there, Down Under truly sums up the Australian spirit and is a must for your road trip playlist. You're the Voice - John Farnham. You're the Voice, otherwise known as the unofficial Australian Anthem, is sure to get big cheers - no one can resist belting this tune out.
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.
Australian Road Trip Playlist
3. INXS - By My Side. Probably the biggest band to come out of Australia - INXS is an Australian institution and loved by generations. 2. Cold Chisel - Khe Sanh. Although a song about the Vietnam province, this song will always be a favourite in campervans and motorhomes on the road. 1. Men at Work - Down Under.
The Ultimate Road Trip Playlist According to Travelers, Editors, and
First, we looked at Spotify data to identify the most popular songs for driving, according to the top 100 road trip playlists. Next, we surveyed our TripSavvy readers to get their take. After that, our editors weighed in on their favorite songs. In the end, we were left with 29 carefully curated high-vibe songs that create the ultimate travel ...
90+ Best Road Trip Songs for Your Travel Playlist
1990-forward road trip songs. Post-1990, road-trip-ready tracks for passing the time and getting your groove on. Window Seat - Erykah Badu; Tints - Anderson .Paak ft. Kendrick Lamar; Ain't it Fun - Paramore; Old Town Road - Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus; Shut Up and Drive - Rhianna; Car Wash - Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott
101 Perfect Road Trip Songs for an Epic Road Trip Playlist!
Come on Eileen (Dexy's Midnight Runners) Come on Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners is hands-down the best road trip song that there is. This alternative song was originally released back in 1989 and was written by Billy Adams, Kevin Rowland, and Jim Paterson. There is yet to be a cover as good as the original.
60 Best Road Trip Songs to Rock the Drive
The Best Road Trip Songs. 1. Sympathy For The Devil by the Rolling Stones. If you are looking for a song to drive to with a lot of groove, Sympathy for the Devil is just the ticket. We've been lucky enough to see the Rolling Stones in concert three times. Dave even met the band way back in 2003 when he shot a media blitz they did in Toronto.
100+ Best Road Trip songs (to sing along with as you drive!)
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.
250 Best Road Trip Songs (With Genre-Orientated Playlists)
Here is quick access to the best Country Road Trip Songs on Spotify. Jesus Take The Wheel, Carrie Underwood. Ring of Fire, Johnny Cash. Always on My Mind, Willie Nelson. Jolene, Dolly Parton. 9 to 5, Dolly Parton. Islands In The Stream, Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers. Coward Of The Country, Kenny Rogers.
Roadtrip Playlist
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Best Road Trip Songs: 25 Tunes For Highway Driving Vacations
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 ...
The Best Road Trip Songs of All Time
The Best Road Trip Songs of All Time: Don't get us wrong: we adore the city. However, often a day trip to a local summer music festival isn't enough ... Transport - Getting Around Australia; Things To Do; Travel Destinations; Accommodation. Accommodation NSW; Accommodation QLD; Accommodation VIC; Accommodation WA; Accommodation NT ...
150+ Road Trip Songs: Your Ultimate Driving Playlist
Two or three amazing artists bringing together their unique sounds can result in pure magic, and these are a great addition to any chill road trip songs playlist. David Guetta ft. Sia - Titanium. Calvin Harris ft. Rag'n'Bone Man - Giant. Dr. Dre, Eminem ft. Skylar Grey - I Need a Doctor. Dua Lipa and Elton John - Cold Heart.
30 Of The Best Songs About Road Trips
7. "Highway To Hell" By AC/DC. Not only is "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC a staple rock and roll song. It's also one of the best anthems for a road trip, the way it captures the spirit of hitting the open road. Listening to this song gives you the feeling of freedom and being on an adventure.
100 Best Road Trip Songs For Your Next Family Driving Adventure
Here are the perfect songs for your next road trip, with great songs to take you from the parking lot to the country roads, on a classic sing along, with the car window down and a long journey ahead: Drive My Car - The Beatles. Road Trippin' - Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Highway To Hell - ACDC. Fast Car - Tracy Chapman.
The best Australian road trips
Where: New South Wales. Coastal drives fit into a road trip category of their own, with the endless ocean on one side and sweeping landscapes on the other. One of Australia's most spectacular coastal drives is New South Wales' Grand Pacific Drive. Beginning just south of Sydney, the road clutches the coastline, unfurling onto the Sea Cliff ...
6 Best Road Trip Songs to Rock Your Long Drives
5. The Killers - "Mr. Brightside". The bombast, killer riffs, melodies, and pomp from this tune is a perfect way to set your road-tripping psyche free. This song from The Killers debut album, Hot Fuss, is a rare road trip song but can get you through traffic blues. 6.
Tones and I announce 2024 Australia and New Zealand Tour
The Melbourne musician is the most streamed female artist on Spotify reaching 3 billion streams with her song Dance Monkey. It has been three years since the artist's last headline tour when she ...
Vegyn: The Road to Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions review
An engaging, 90s trip-hop-inspired turn from the English producer combines fractured storytelling and long instrumental passages Damien Morris Sun 7 Apr 2024 10.00 EDT

Australian songs for the ultimate road trip playlist

The best Aussie music for each state of your road trip

New South Wales

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‘Down Under’ – Men at Work

‘Great Southern Land’ – Icehouse

‘Beds are Burning’ – Midnight Oil

‘True Blue’ – John Williamson

‘I’ve Been Everywhere’ – Lucky Star

‘Power and the Passion’ – Midnight Oil

‘Working Class Man’ – Jimmy Barnes

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Daughters of the Northern Coast – Australian Crawl

Jump In My Car – Ted Mulry Gang

Take Me Home Country Roads – John Denver

How Soon Is Now? – The Smiths

I Fought The Law – The Clash

Down Under – Men At Work

Motorcycle Emptiness – Manic Street Preachers

Wide Open Road – The Triffids

Route 66 – Depeche Mode

Electricity – Suede

Follow The Sun – Xavier Rudd

Australia Street – Sticky Fingers

What would be on your ultimate Australian road trip playlist?

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Australian Road Trip Playlist: Our Top 10

10. AC/DC – Highway to hell

9. Jet – Are You Gonna Be My Girl?

8. Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning