18 must-have songs for your road trip playlist this summer

Gabbi ShawJun 18, 2020, 22:05 IST

Road tripping.jacoblund/Getty Images

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, summer travel will look different this year, as more people will forego planes and trains for road trips.
As any experienced road-tripper will tell you, picking the music is one of the most important parts.
Insider picked 18 songs that are perfect for any adventure, from "Drive My Car" by The Beatles to "Ride Wit Me" by Nelly.

As summer approaches, it normally would mean that summer vacations are also on the horizon. This year, however, due to COVID-19, social distancing, and self-isolating, it seems like road-tripping will be the way to go for many people.

Crafting a road trip playlist is something of an art form, and can really make or break the hours (or days) spent inside your car. We've created a playlist of 16 songs that are all about driving, traveling, the open road, and adventure — and two that are just mandatory road trip songs.

Keep scrolling to see the 18 best songs for your next road trip.

Some songs demand to be blasted right at the beginning of a road trip — AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" is one of them.

AC/DC. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

On the other hand, some songs need to be listened to while staring out of a rainy car window, like "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson.

Kelly Clarkson. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp

No song is more enthusiastic about a long drive than Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again."

Willie Nelson. Shelly Katz/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images

No road trip playlist is complete without the Nat King Cole Trio's ode to the most famous highway in the US: "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66."

The Nat King Cole Trio. Metronome/Getty Images

Either Tom Cochrane's original version, or the cover by Rascal Flatts, of "Life Is a Highway" is a must-have —maybe both!

Tom Cochrane. Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images

"Little Red Corvette" by Prince will make you feel cool, no matter what car you're driving.

Prince. Richard E. Aaron/Redferns/Getty Images

The Beatles had no shortage of songs about traveling, driving, and cars. "Day Tripper" is one of the two best ones.

The Beatles. John Pratt/Keystone/Getty Images

"Drive My Car" is the other.

The Beatles. Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone/Getty Images

From one British boy band to another ... "Ready to Run" by One Direction also deserves a spot for all the millennials and Gen-Z kids getting dragged along on the trip.

One Direction. Debra L Rothenberg/FilmMagic/Getty Images

"Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant will make you feel like you're flying down the highway.

Eddy Grant. Hayley Madden/Redferns/Getty Images

So will Matthew Wilder's '80s bop, "Break My Stride."

Matthew Wilder. Walt Disney Television/Getty Images

One of the most famous odes to getting the heck out of Dodge is Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run."

Bruce Springsteen. Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty Images

The opening saxophone riff to "Run Away With Me" by Carly Rae Jepsen will have you already planning your next road trip, just to listen to this song with the windows down again.

Carly Rae Jepsen. Michael Tullberg/Getty Images

The opening saxophone riff to "Run Away With Me" by Carly Rae Jepsen will have you already planning your next road trip, just to listen to this song with the windows down again.

Nelly's iconic hit "Ride Wit Me" was made for cruising.

Nelly. Johnny Louis/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Even if you're in a minivan, "Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf will make you feel like you're riding down the highway on a motorcycle, like in "Easy Rider."

Steppenwolf. Gems/Redferns/Getty Images

Rihanna telling you to "Shut Up and Drive" will motivate you to power through those last 50 miles like no other song.

Rihanna. Christopher Polk/Getty Images for CBS Radio Inc

While Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" isn't technically about driving, a road trip, or traveling, no road trip playlist is complete without it. It demands to be listened to on the highway at full volume.

Katy Perry. Rich Fury/Getty Images

While Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" isn't technically about driving, a road trip, or traveling, no road trip playlist is complete without it. It demands to be listened to on the highway at full volume.

The same goes for The Killers' "Mr. Brightside." It's appropriate in all situations, including a road trip.

The Killers. Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images for Governors Ball

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18 must-have songs for your road trip playlist this summer

Some songs demand to be blasted right at the beginning of a road trip — AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" is one of them.

On the other hand, some songs need to be listened to while staring out of a rainy car window, like "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson.

No song is more enthusiastic about a long drive than Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again."

No road trip playlist is complete without the Nat King Cole Trio's ode to the most famous highway in the US: "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66."

Either Tom Cochrane's original version, or the cover by Rascal Flatts, of "Life Is a Highway" is a must-have —maybe both!

"Little Red Corvette" by Prince will make you feel cool, no matter what car you're driving.

The Beatles had no shortage of songs about traveling, driving, and cars. "Day Tripper" is one of the two best ones.

"Drive My Car" is the other.

From one British boy band to another ... "Ready to Run" by One Direction also deserves a spot for all the millennials and Gen-Z kids getting dragged along on the trip.

"Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant will make you feel like you're flying down the highway.

So will Matthew Wilder's '80s bop, "Break My Stride."

One of the most famous odes to getting the heck out of Dodge is Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run."

The opening saxophone riff to "Run Away With Me" by Carly Rae Jepsen will have you already planning your next road trip, just to listen to this song with the windows down again.

Nelly's iconic hit "Ride Wit Me" was made for cruising.

Even if you're in a minivan, "Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf will make you feel like you're riding down the highway on a motorcycle, like in "Easy Rider."

Rihanna telling you to "Shut Up and Drive" will motivate you to power through those last 50 miles like no other song.

While Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" isn't technically about driving, a road trip, or traveling, no road trip playlist is complete without it. It demands to be listened to on the highway at full volume.

The same goes for The Killers' "Mr. Brightside." It's appropriate in all situations, including a road trip.