The beauty of road trip music is that it can encompass pretty much any genre. You've got your classics like Johnny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere" and Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car," as well as songs that embrace the joy of the long drive.
Some tracks romanticize automobile-centric cities like Los Angeles (LL Cool J's "Going Back to Cali," Anderson .Paak's "Tints"), while others are just tailor-made for the open road (Dolly Parton's "9 to 5," Tom Cochrane's "Life is a Highway"). These 50 tracks will give you a head start on assembling a great road trip playlist, something that will help your next car journey be smooth sailing, even if you hit a few potholes along the way.
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1
"Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf
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There's no better song to jump-start your road trip than Steppenwolf's "Born to be Wild." Though the 1967 rock 'n' roll ditty is commonplace on movie soundtracks today, its opening lyrics will inspire you take to the open road with a carefree spirit: "Get your motor runnin', head out on the highway. Looking for adventure in whatever comes our way."
Two of California's most gifted vocalists pay homage to to their home state's vaunted car culture on "Tints," which also explores how celebrity can turn one into a target. Musically, the bouncy funk beat from .Paak himself and Om'Mas Keith is perfect for gliding down the PCH.
With its catchy and upbeat tune, ironically this iconic track in which Dolly croons about the woes of an 8-hour work day, will make your drive seem like nothing.
Throw it back to 1988 and groove along to this soulful song that's sure to clear your mind as you get closer to your destination. Some would say with... every little step?
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14
"Cruisin'" by Smokey Robinson
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As the Motown legend croons on the soulful 1979 track, "let the music take your mind" off whatever problems you may have before getting in the driver's seat. It's a mellow groove that'll get you to bob your head and snap your fingers while passing traffic lights and open fields.
Don't worry when passersby and drivers in the next lane do a double take as you mouth the lyrics to this 1978 karaoke favorite. It's a universally loved power ballad celebrated for its encouraging message of independence after heartbreak.
Madonna's foray into country and dance music was a breath of fresh air in 2000. And when "Don't Tell Me" shuffles on your playlist, you'll be tempted to pull over and belt out every note to this catchy tune.
Ready to sit back and unwind? Cue up DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith's quintessential hip-hop summer jam. It's an absolute must to keep you distracted, instead of counting the miles you have left to go.
For a touch of nostalgia, play the Smashing Pumpkins's signature "1979," which is an ode to the angst and confusion every teenager experiences. It isn't a fast-paced song, making it ideal to rocking out to while on cruise control.
Hey, if it's good enough for five best friends to sing along to while driving—remember that scene in White Chicks?—then it's certainly good enough to blast in your car. Bonus points for keeping one hand on the steering wheel while miming Vanessa Carlton's piano playing with the other. Safety, first, of course.
Michelle is the Culture & News Writer for OprahMag.com, where she writes about celebrities (she considers herself an expert on Beyoncé and Reese Witherspoon), plus the latest in pop-culture news, binge-worthy TV shows, and movies. The transplanted Southerner turned ambitious New Yorker lives her best life by listening to hip-hop and Pod Save America, watching The Office on repeat, quoting Oprah-isms, eating dessert before dinner, and avoiding avocado. Seriously, she doesn’t get the hype.
It should say, “Michelle is the former Culture & News Writer for Oprahmag.com...”