There's nothing quite like hitting the open road with nothing but good vibes, the windows down and your favorite songs driving you onwards.
In fact, the right playlist can make or break a road trip, so it's worth getting it right - especially if you have a few friends with different music tastes. Well - we've got you covered with this extensive list of 101 best road trip songs that are truly timeless.
So buckle up, roll down the windows and get ready to sing along to these must-have tracks.
101 Road Trip Song List
- "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen
- "Life is a Highway" by Tom Cochrane
- "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver
- "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by The Proclaimers
- "Route 66" by Chuck Berry
- "Hit the Road Jack" by Ray Charles
- "On the Road Again" by Willie Nelson
- "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey
- "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
- "Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac
- "California Dreamin'" by The Mamas and the Papas
- "Running on Empty" by Jackson Browne
- "Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty
- "Hotel California" by Eagles
- "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman
- "All Along the Watchtower" by Jimi Hendrix
- "Thunder Road" by Bruce Springsteen
- "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Guns N' Roses
- "Little Red Corvette" by Prince
- "Walking in Memphis" by Marc Cohn
- "King of the Road" by Roger Miller
- "Ventura Highway" by America
- "Take It Easy" by Eagles
- "American Girl" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- "Rocky Mountain High" by John Denver
- "The Joker" by Steve Miller Band
- "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys
- "Radar Love" by Golden Earring
- "Life in the Fast Lane" by Eagles
- "Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith
- "Roundabout" by Yes
- "Drive" by The Cars
- "Layla" by Derek and the Dominos
- "Every Breath You Take" by The Police
- "No Scrubs" by TLC
- "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac
- "Smooth" by Santana feat. Rob Thomas
- "More Than a Feeling" by Boston
- "Start Me Up" by The Rolling Stones
- "All Summer Long" by Kid Rock
- "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC
- "Stuck in the Middle with You" by Stealers Wheel
- "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down
- "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond
- "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac
- "I'm a Believer" by The Monkees
- "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon
- "Jump" by Van Halen
- "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
- "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson
- "Bennie and the Jets" by Elton John
- "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield
- "Sweet Jane" by The Velvet Underground
- "Scar Tissue" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
- "Dream On" by Aerosmith
- "Life During Wartime" by Talking Heads
- "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
- "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi
- "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones
- "Blister in the Sun" by Violent Femmes
- "Running Down a Dream" by Tom Petty
- "Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffett
- "Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf
- "Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits
- "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles
- "Roadhouse Blues" by The Doors
- "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison
- "One Headlight" by The Wallflowers
- "Sweet Disposition" by The Temper Trap
- "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears
- "Shut Up and Drive" by Rihanna
- "Just What I Needed" by The Cars
- "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel
- "Rock and Roll All Nite" by Kiss
- "Born on the Bayou" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
- "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
- "The Weight" by The Band
- "Take Me Out" by Franz Ferdinand
- "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
- "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men
- "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Guns N' Roses
- "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John
- "Hey Ya!" by Outkast
- "My Sharona" by The Knack
- "Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones
- "Come Sail Away" by Styx
- "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire
- "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol
- "Can't Stop" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
- "All I Wanna Do" by Sheryl Crow
- "How Far We've Come" by Matchbox Twenty
- "Rock the Casbah" by The Clash
- "We Built This City" by Starship
- "Jumpin' Jack Flash" by The Rolling Stones
- "Rock You Like a Hurricane" by Scorpions
- "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica
- "Wanted Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi
- "The Boys of Summer" by Don Henley
- "Take It to the Limit" by Eagles
- "Ramble On" by Led Zeppelin
- "Take It Easy" by Eagles
6 Tips For Creating A Road Trip Play List Everyone Will Love
1. Consider Your Audience
To please everyone is a hard task. However, understanding the music tastes of those who you're going to be sitting with for hours on end can really help you choose the right kinda music. Generally, the classics listed in this article are a great place to start, but you might want to add in some specialty songs you know your friends or family will love.
2. Mix It Up
Keeping the genre open and with variety will help keep the drive get monotonous and, excuse the pun, one track.
3. Consider The Mood
The type of road trip you're going on may dictate the genre and vibe of songs you should choose. While most road trips are fun, adventurous and freeing, some may be a little less so. If you're traveling with your great-grandma, the vibe may call for something totally different.
4. Don't Ignore The Classics
The beauty of timeless music is everyone knows the songs... whether you like or loathe them, once they get going, you cannot help to singalong. So throw in some classics and they'll work a charm.
5. Consider The Trip Length
Make sure your playlist isn't too short for your road trip. If you're building a playlist on a platform like Spotify, you can see how many hours and minutes of music your playlist adds up to. Ideally, you'll want to aim for about double the amount of minutes of music in relation to your travel. This will help account for skipping songs, listening to songs while not driving and so on. Also, remember if you have a return drive, to add in those hours too.
6. Download Your Playlist To Play Offline
Whether or not your road trip is going rural or not, it's a great idea to download the playlist to ensure the music won't stop when you lose signal.
