30 Best Classic Road Trip Songs of All Time [Driving Playlist]

Ah, there’s nothing quite like the great American road trip.

Miles of sprawling pavement ahead, a blank canvas for new experiences, and a mind free of thought. Whether driving solo, with your pet, friends, or family, traveling the long road to our destination is one of the few scenarios free of concern. Preparing for these getaways is just one aspect.

When you opt to drive instead of flying (or otherwise), you create an opportunity to consume scenery, relax a little, and spend some quality time with yourself, or whoever might be accompanying you as you stock up on gas station snacks and hit the road.

Road trips are fun and they most certainly can certainly be adventurous.

However, they are also long and without proper planning and creating the right environment. If you don’t give yourself enough time, stock up on essentials, and properly plan, road trips can become tedious and seem to drag on forever. This is where solid tune selection plays a major role.

Having playlists stockpiled with the best songs for road trips will be your saving grace.

Few elements are capable of enhancing your adventure than having an arsenal of the best road trip songs by your side. Music is universal and the road trip music you pick is going to be important for the quality and comfort of your drive. As with music in general, road trip music can unite, spark memories, and inspire creative thoughts. To avoid frustrations of frequently being asked (whether internally or externally) “Are we there yet?”, queue up the music by adding our 30 all-time favorite road trip songs to your driving playlist.

Side Note: If driving with kids, consider conjuring up their own in-ear tunes. While most of these tracks may be recognizable to the older generation, some toddlers may prefer ‘Let It Go’ from Disney’s Frozen over Lyndyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ (but you never know!).

Of course, every musical palate varies and there is a never-ending abundance of tracks to be added on this list based on preference.

These are just a few all-time classic road trip songs known for bringing the nostalgia.

Connect with us on Spotify for more road trip music and driving playlists.

1. Queen – Radio Gaga (1984/Classic Rock)
2. Guns N’ Roses – Welcome to the Jungle (1987/Heavy Metal)
3. No Doubt – Don’t Speak (1996/Pop)
4. Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance With Somebody (1987/Dance-Pop)
5. Pharrell – Happy (2013/Soul/Neo-Soul)
6. George Michael – One More Try (1988/R&B)
7. Gwen Stefani – Holla Back Girl (2004/Pop)
8. C+C Music Factory – Everybody Dance Now (1990/Dance/Pop)
9. Ariana Grande – One Less Problem (2014/Dance-Pop)
10. Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run (1975/Rock)
11. U2 – Where the Streets Have No Name (1987/Rock)
12. Grateful Dead – Truckin’ (1972/Country-Rock)
13. Santana – Maria Maria(1999/Latin Pop)
14. Talking Heads – Road to Nowhere (1985/Pop-Rock)
15. Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera – Moves Like Jagger (2011/Dance-Pop)
16. Eddy Grant – Electric Avenue (1982/Funk)
17. Lionel Richie – All Night Long (1983/Pop)
18. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Free Fallin’ (1989/Rock)
19. Del Amitri – Roll to Me (1995/Pop-Rock)
20. R.E.M. – Losing My Religion (1991/Alternative Rock)
21. Jon Bon Jovi – Shot Through the Heart (1986/Rock)
22. Hootie & The Blowfish – Only Wanna Be With You (1995/Rock)
23. Prince – Little Red Corvette (1999/Pop)
24. Whitesnake – Here I Go Again (1987/Rock)
25. Iggy Pop – The Passenger (1977/Punk)
26. Michael Jackson – Bad (1987/Pop)
27. Maroon 5 – Sugar (2014/Pop)
28. Elton John – Rocket Man (1972/Rock)
29. The Jackson 5 – ABC (1970/Classic Soul)
30. Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sweet Home Alabama (Country Rock)

What are some of your all-time favorite road trip songs that you think should be added to our list?

Share with us in the comments below!