The Ultimate Road Trip Playlist — 50 Best Road Trip Songs
No road trip is complete without a playlist of songs that capture the spirit of traveling on the open road. So we’ve compiled a list of the 50 best road trip songs. In order to make this be-all end-all totally definitive list that all other lists look up to, the songs had to meet the following criteria:
a.) encompass the excitement and freedom of road tripping
b.) make the time pass faster
c.) keep you awake without the assistance of questionably legal pills named “No Doze”
d.) contain lyrics so singable that you’ll legitimately consider trying out for the next “American Idol”
e.) keep you distracted long enough to make you forget you need to pee (which subsequently means stopping at a heinous rest stop where the bathroom stalls are tagged with death threats and truckers hit on you)
f.) drown out the sound of your annoying friend who complains about a developing deep vein thrombosis from being crammed in the backseat (tough it up!)
Get ready for car-aoke ’cause here’s The Ultimate Road Trip Playlist…
50. I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – The Proclaimers (3:37)
49. Blitzkrieg Bop – The Ramones (2:14)
48. California – Phantom Planet (3:14)
47. Take It Easy – Eagles (3:30)
46. Cruisin’ – Smokey Robinson (4:27)
45. Hotel California – Eagles (6:30)
44. Around the World – Daft Punk (7:07)
43. Running On Empty – Jackson Browne (4:55)
42. The Waiting – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (3:58)
41. Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd (4:45)
40. Life In the Fast Lane – Eagles (4:45)
39. Free Fallin’ – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (4:15)
38. Low Rider – War (3:11)
37. Ramblin’ Man – Allman Brothers (4:58)
36. Panama – Van Halen (3:31)
35. Mr. Blue Sky – Electric Light Orchestra (5:06)
34. Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car – Billy Ocean (4:44)
33. Walking On Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves (4:00)
32. Electric Avenue – Eddy Grant (3:44)
31. Road Trippin’ – Red Hot Chili Peppers (3:24)
30. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 – Nat King Cole (3:00)
29. Paradise City – Guns N’ Roses (6:46)
28. No Particular Place to Go – Chuck Berry (2:41)
27. Beautiful Day – U2 (4:08)
26. Slow Ride – Foghat (8:14)
25. Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi (4:11)
24. Runnin’ Down a Dream – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (4:23)
23. Already Gone – Eagles (4:18)
22. Drive My Car – Drive My Car (2:25)
21. Free Ride – Edgar Winter Group (3:17)
20. Magic Carpet Ride – Steppenwolf (4:27)
19. Here I Go Again – Whitesnake (4:36)
18. Holiday Road – Lindsey Buckingham (3:11)
17. Hit the Road Jack – Ray Charles (1:57)
16. Up Around the Bend – Creedence Clearwater Revival (2:41)
15. Start Me Up – The Rolling Stones (3:33)
14. Everyday Is a Winding Road – Sheryl Crow (4:16)
13. I Can’t Drive 55 – Sammy Hagar (4:12)
12. Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen (4:29)
11. Take the Long Way Home – Supertramp (5:08)
10. Roam – The B-52′s (4:57)
9. Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac (3:38)
8. Baba O’Riley – The Who (5:08)
7. Free Bird – Lynyrd Skynyrd (9:09)
6. Highway to Hell – AC/DC (3:28)
5. I’ve Been Everywhere – Johnny Cash (3:19)
4. On the Road Again – Willie Nelson (2:32)
3. Born to Be Wild – Steppenwolf (3:30)
2. I Get Around – The Beach Boys (2:14)
1. Life Is a Highway – Rascal Flatts (4:37)
By the time you’ve played every song on this list, you’ll be 3 hours, 30 minutes and 28 seconds closer to your destination. Which means you’ll likely play this entire list four or five more times before you get to where you’re going. But at least these songs aren’t one and done.
What songs do you have on your ultimate road trip playlist?
Tags: Music
madcabby 
denidela 
Jetpacker 
Peter 
alie 
Randal 
Jenny 
Dominique 
Julie 
Mat 
Robin 
Brianna 
Fonz 
Paul 
jake 
Paul 
Kat 
morgan 
Anthony 
talldudeguy 
Tony 
Connor 
Neil UK 
Josh 
Jon 
Brian from BC 
My addition for #51 is “I can see for miles” by The Who. Great post – thanks. I liked it so much I posted a link to it on my blog – http://dbhas.info/9jY4Lu
What a great list – I plan to actually make myself a playlist of most of these for my iPod! Fun
#52 Radar Love – Golden Earring
Some of my fave road trip songs: I really love Siouxsie & the Banshees’ versions of “The Passenger” and “This Wheel’s On Fire.” Also consider “Autobahn” by Kraftwerk and “Around the World” by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Don’t forget “Postcards from Paradise” by Flesh For Lulu, and “Around the World in a Day” by Prince!
Great suggestions, everybody! We haven’t heard of most of these songs. Always looking to expand that iPod playlist for the road.
What? No “Truckin”…no Grateful Dead? Getoutatown!
Chelsea Dagger by the Fratellis!
C’mon…Queen – Don’t stop me know.
Awesome suggestions — keep ‘em coming!
I actually have “Don’t Stop Me Now” on my iPod, but it’s more of a workout anthem than a roadtrip anthem for me.
Hey! Great list! Here are a few that I can think of: “No Sleep Til Brooklyn” – Beastie Boys, “I Woke Up In a Car” – Something Corporate, “On the Open Road”-A Goofy Movie Soundtrack <–cheesy, but fun to sing along to. =)
Oh & “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey!
If you’re gonna have Life is a Highway, use the original by Tom Cochrane. It is so much better than the Rascal Flatts remake!
I know it’s blasphemy, but I’m impartial to the Rascal Flatts version despite not liking country music.
But, really, Life Is Highway is such a good song that you could go with any version… as long as Marilyn Manson doesn’t come out with a rendition.
Hey Soul Sister – Train
Down – Jay Sean
When I Look At You – Miley Cyrus ( Yeah, i know what your thinking : WTF?!? Miley Cyrus…Really?… But it’s actually a really good road trip song)
Numa Numa Yei – Ozone
Oh and also:
A Thousand Miles- Vanassa Carlton
Bubbly – Colbie Caillat
Catch A Wave – Beach Boys
Locked In Love – Jason Derulo
Mr. Blue Sky – Electric Light Orchestra ( BEST ROAD TRIP SONG EVERRR!!)
*** This is not a road trip song but check out Dj Earworm he is AMAZING with songs!!! ***
How about Turn the Page by Bob Seger ? This song is about being on a road and I think it is just perfect.
Thanks for the suggestions Mat and Julie!
I guess we really will have to expand this list to 100 songs.
Nice list especially the top ten count down AC/DC, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the beach boys and who doesn’t like Life is a highway, I even admittedly enjoy playing the opening riff and solo on guitar to it.
One suggestion is “Key to the highway”. Many versions I’d say either the Derek and the dominoes version or BB king with Eric Clapton.
Both different takes both good.
Sorry to double post but if it’s raining and your driving late at night, try some Ray Charles can’t go wrong with Hit the Road Jack or Georgia on my mind.
I do a lot of road trips, up and down England to watch West ham United away as far north as Middlesbrough and Sunderland and I live in London 560 miles which on our roads is over 10 hours of driving. I’ve probably got in excess of 60 CD’s in my glovebox held in two neat little football design padded cases. Rock.blues,pop,classical,Jazz you name it.
You drive 10 hours to watch your team play?! Now that’s dedication! You could get through our whole playlist three times!
Notice that as the years go by, there are less good road trip songs? I wonder if it’s because people fly instead of drive, and they’ve forgotten the discovery and enjoyment and freedom of the open road. Not that I’d know. Jackie does all the driving. I do all the sleeping.
I really enjoy this list. My friend and I are hitting the road in a month and I was searching for essential songs I overlooked for our start-off mix… A lot of the songs on my list aren’t exactly roadtrip songs but songs that more or less encapsulate our reasons for going. And some just make you feel like your going somewhere…
Anyway, here are a few suggestions, even if some are a stretch… They’re all new(er), so it adds a bit to the classic list.
“Travel Light” -Jeffrey Lewis and Diane Cluck, “Roll Bus Roll” -Jeffrey Lewis & the Junkyard, “My Rollercoaster” – Kimya Dawson, “Keep the Car Running” – Arcade Fire, “Here Comes Your Man” -Pixies, “So Long” -Willy Mason, “Boot Camp” -Soundgarden, “Strange Town” -the Jam, “Father to a Sister Thought” or “Folk Jam” or more obviously “Roll with the Wind” by Pavement… “Radar Detector” -Darwin Deez… “Barnacled Warship” -Johnny Flynn… A lot of these songs, won’t be on my mix but… they’re all pretty fun. Oh yes, and “our most brilliant friends” by Slow Club, because it does make me feel like going somewhere….
Hey Brianna — thanks so much for the contribution! We haven’t heard many of these songs, so they’re going on the iPod for our next Vegas road trip… which seems to be a monthly occurrence.
Ok, here ya go:
Midnight Train to Georgia – Gladys Knight and the Pips
Ventura Highway – America
Highwayman – Highwaymen (Cash, Jennings, Nelson, Kristofferson)
When the Levee Breaks – Led Zeppelin
Pink Cadillac – Bruce Springsteen
Dancing in the Dark – Bruce Springsteen
Hollywood Nights – Bob Seger
(pretty much anything by Bob Seger actually)
Pretty good list. I particularly like Baba O’Reilly and Hotel California, and some CCR and ELO are always great.
If current musical artists (can they be called that?) made songs about road trips today, what would the songs be called?
“Changing Lanes Without Using My Turn Signal” maybe?
Would the modern version of Pink Cadillac be “Lowered champagne colored IS 350 with bangin’ rims”?
Very good list – I have many of the same songs on my road trip mix. You gotta add Golden Earring’s “Radar Love” and Deep Purple’s “Highway Star” – must have driving tunes (in my opinion)!
Can I also suggest: Bachman Turner Overdrive’s “Roll on Down the Highway”, the Doobie Brother’s “Rockin’ Down the Highway”, ZZ Top’s “Im Bad, I’m Nationwide”, and Molly Hatchet’s “Flirtin’ with Disaster”. Those southern rockers know how to make driving music.
For fun…How ’bout Jerry Reed’s “East Bound and Down” from Smokey & the Bandit, the Playmates’ “Beep Beep” or Comander Cody’s “Hot Rod Lincoln”.
Such a great song for a road trip
The Mamas & The Papas – California dreamin
@Paul: see, why don’t people make music like that anymore? It was all about the joy of the open road, no fear of getting nailed by a drunk driver, no talk of lowered cars and fancy rims, no mention of biker gangs stalking people for miles. It was good times back then.
@jake: I think we need to do a straight up list on road trip songs only about California. There’s so many and they’re all good. I guess it’s because songs about Idaho aren’t as catchy.
Jetpacker – to add to your list of modern day road trip songs, if they existed, how ’bout…
Road Rage Blues (middle finger remix)
Take the Wheel While I Text
Passing Lane? They’re All the Same!
Around the World to the Left (your turn signal’s on)
With a Future So Bright, Who Needs Headlights?
Oh yeah…another great car themed song is the Ides of March’s “Vehicle”. Montrose’s “Bad Motor Scooter” is another good one. I could go on…This is kinda fun.
haha, I think more songs need a middle finger remix. Especially anything by the Jonas Brothers.
If you’re on a bike, it doesn’t get any better than
Roll Me Away by Bob Seger
Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
How is that not there? It’s no. 1 on my list!
You have life is a highway by RASCAL FLATS as #1?!?!?! ARE YOU INSANE???? Rascal Flats mutilated, destroyed and raped that song. Please to Tom Petty and every music fan a favor and change that please. Otherwise its a good list.
If you do us a favor and try to convince Tom Petty that he wrote that song instead of Tom Cochrane, then we’ll consider it.
Great list! Going up to the mountains this weekend and found/remembered some great songs here.
Didn’t see it above, but I’ve always liked Open Road
Song ~ Eve 6
Follow you Down by Gin Blossoms
Interstate Love Song by STP
Both absolutely necessary!
Here’s a few…
Roller by April Wine
Dreaming by Blondie
Freeway Jam by Jeff Beck
You may feel your foot getting heavier when listening to:
Achilles’ Last Stand by Led Zeppelin
Two additions from me: Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival and Send Me On My Way by Rusted Root
This is my list of favorite “Road Trip” songs? http://www.mikesroadtrip.com/top-20-road-trip-songs
Warning, this song will make you drive faster:
Black Betty by Ram Jam
A song that really gets the blood pumping:
Cold Hard Bitch – Jet
Lame.
No “Interstate Love Song”.
No ZZ Top.
No Waylon Jennings. Hell, not even “Pancho and Lefty”.
And Rascal Flat’s cover of “Life is a Highway”? COME ON!
Thanks for this awesome playlist! It inspired to write my own playlist post.
http://www.wearesolesisters.com/2010/12/travel-with-it-thursday-music-heals-my.html#more
I do the 10hr roadtrip about 3 times a year. My roadtrip playlist has 400 songs and counting. Your excellant list provides a great start. Here are a few more:
ZZ Top – Head’s In Mississippi
Jerry Jeff Walker – LA Freeway
War – Lowrider
Ozzy Osbourne – Mama I’m Coming Home
Canned Heat – On The Road Again
Hank Snow – I’ve Been Everywhere ( the definitive version)
Gary Lee & Showdown – The Rodeo Song
Doobie Brothers – Rockin Down The Highway
A few more songs (for the road, so to speak)
Trooper – The Boys In The Bright White Sportscar
John Fogarty – Hot Rod Heart (in fact the entire Blue Moon Swamp album is good for road)
Steve Earle – Hillbilly Highway
Steve Earle – Guitar Town
Suzi Quatro – Devil Gate Drive (I love Leather Tuscadaro)
The Road Hammers – I’m A RoadHammer (it is a trucker song but don’t u want to be a roadhammer sometimes?)
Sniff n The Tears – Driver’s Seat
Roxette – Joyride
Hoyt Axton – Everybody’s Going On The Road
Eddie Rabbitt – Driving My Life Away
Nazareth – Shanghai’d in Shanghai (from 1974)
Nazareth – Keep on Travellin (from 2008 album The Newz)
Diesel – Sausalito Summernight
Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow – Cruisin
Stampeders – Carry Me
Stampeders – New Orleans
Stampeders – Hit The Road Jack ( Wolfman Jack version)
Rednex – Wild and Free
Sonny Landreth – C’est Chaud
These last 2 are not as singable as the previous but are fun listen:
Southern Culture On the Skids – Fried Chicken and Gasoline
Ray Wylie Hubbard – Choctaw Bingo (with lyrics like “Strap them kids in,give em a little bit of vodka, in a cherry coke, we’re going to Oklahoma, to the family reunion, for the first in years” over 8 minutes of dysfunctional fun
You should now have enough songs to go twice as far. Ciao
Stampe
“Can’t Hardly Wait” The Replacements
Sa-weet suggestions Brian, Frank and Jon! Now we wanna go on a road trip just to listen to music.
Just added to my list
The Vengaboys – We Like To Party (six flags theme song)
hey! now i know that nobody said anything about him, but we need more bon jovi!!! what about : Lost Highway” ??? thats a perfect roadtrip song. and i also agree about ” Life is a Highway” we need the origanl!!!!
**If you love Bon Jovi, check out the new hit called “Let The Sunrise Say Goodbye” from HWY-99 … now available on iTunes and YouTube ~ a great road trip song !!!
Where are Bob Segers “Turn the Page” or “Roll Me Away”?