There’s something magical about a good song and an open road. Whether it’s your commute, a cross-country adventure, or just a joyride to clear your head, the right track turns the ordinary into a movie scene. Over the last 50 years, artists from every genre have gifted us songs made to be turned up loud and sung into the wind. These are 20 of the best to keep you company when the road calls your name.
Radar Love – Golden Earring
The drums pound like tires on pavement and the lyrics are about a driver reading love in the airwaves. It’s pure highway hypnosis in the best way.
Shut Up and Drive – Rihanna
A turbo-charged pop banger with rock guitars and attitude to match. It turns your car into a runway at 60 miles an hour.
Running Up That Hill – Kate Bush
A song that feels like movement itself—moody, mysterious, and made for dusk-lit roads and open skies.
Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
This is Freddie Mercury in full motion, and you’ll want to match that energy with every green light.
Drive – Incubus
Laid-back, thoughtful, and strangely empowering. Perfect for those stretches of road that feel a little like life metaphors.
Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
A synth-soaked ride into the night. It makes city streets feel like you’re in your own music video.
Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
This is more than a driving song—it’s a mission to escape, to feel alive, to turn up the volume and never look back.
Fast Car – Tracy Chapman
Quiet and powerful, it’s the soundtrack for anyone who’s ever driven with a dream in the rearview mirror.
Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac
Bittersweet and bold, it makes any road feel like a route to reinvention.
Midnight City – M83
Euphoric and cinematic, it’s best played when the sun’s down and the lights blur through your windshield.
Life is a Highway – Tom Cochrane
No road trip playlist is complete without it. It’s joy on four wheels.
On the Road Again – Willie Nelson
A gentle, timeless reminder that motion is medicine. Classic country contentment.
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
You’ll be dancing in your seat—and probably at the next gas station.
Danger Zone – Kenny Loggins
Your car becomes a fighter jet. Goosebumps guaranteed.
Mr. Brightside – The Killers
For full-volume singalongs and dramatic glances at the rearview mirror. Essential emo energy.
Paper Planes – M.I.A.
Play this when the GPS is off and you’re chasing vibes more than directions.
Take It Easy – Eagles
Windows down, elbow out, letting the breeze carry your worries away.
Levitating – Dua Lipa
Pure feel-good pop that lifts your mood as much as your RPM.
Superstition – Stevie Wonder
That clavinet groove was made for motion. A masterclass in funk-fueled freedom.
Heroes – David Bowie
As the road stretches ahead, this makes you feel limitless—even if just for one more mile.
The perfect road trip doesn’t start with a destination—it starts with a playlist. Whether you’re cruising alone or with the crew, let these songs guide your wheels and your soul.
