Buzz
Embarking on a road trip is a cherished American tradition, much like curating the perfect playlist. Even with an array of podcasts and audiobooks at your fingertips, long car rides with family or friends often turn into lively sing-alongs. For those seeking musical ideas before setting off on a summer adventure, here are Spotify's top picks for road trip songs.
To determine the most-played tracks during highway drives, Big Domain examined 50 Spotify playlists titled with “road trip.“ The vacation rental platform discovered recurring themes, such as ’80s power ballads and 2000s pop hits.
Journey’s “Don't Stop Believin’” tops the list of road trip favorites, with Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama“ coming in second. Millennials might prefer cruising to Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros’ “Home“ or The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside.“ While most songs evoke nostalgia, newer tracks like The Weeknd’s 2020 hit “Blinding Lights“ also made the cut.
If you’re in charge of the music for your upcoming car journey, explore the complete list of top road trip songs below for ideas. (You can even grab the entire playlist from Spotify—your fellow travelers won’t suspect a thing.) If your route isn’t finalized yet, take a look at these captivating roadside attractions in every state.
- “Don't Stop Believin’” // Journey
- “Sweet Home Alabama“ // Lynyrd Skynyrd
- “Riptide“ // Vance Joy
- “Home“ // Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
- “Livin’ On A Prayer“ // Bon Jovi
- “Mr. Brightside“ // The Killers
- “Pumped Up Kicks“ // Foster The People
- “Counting Stars“ // OneRepublic
- “Africa“ // TOTO
- “Blinding Lights“ // The Weeknd
- “Hey, Soul Sister“ // Train
- “Party In The U.S.A.“ // Miley Cyrus
- “Royals“ // Lorde
- “Shotgun“ // George Ezra
- “All Star“ // Smash Mouth
- “Free Fallin’” // Tom Petty
- “Ophelia“ // The Lumineers
- “Payphone“ // Maroon 5
- “Stolen Dance“ // Milky Chance
- “Sucker“ // Jonas Brothers
- “The Middle“ // Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey
- “Watermelon Sugar“ // Harry Styles
- “We Are Young“ // fun., Janelle Monáe
- “Break My Heart“ // Dua Lipa
- “Brown Eyed Girl“ // Van Morrison
