Road Trip Records: A playlist for the long journeys

Hitting the road? Make sure you’ve got the essentials: a full tank, plenty of snacks, and a banging playlist. With these road trip records, your voice will be hoarse by the time Google Maps tells you that you’ve arrived! 

‘Feet Don’t Fail Me Now’ – Joy Crookes 

Starting strong, this 2021 single will have everyone belting at the top of their lungs. A lively guitar riff carries you smoothly through the song, while Crookes provides crooning vocals that rival the illustrious Amy Winehouse herself. Even if not all of your passengers are familiar with every line, don’t fret! With a chorus this catchy, you’ll all be word-perfect by the end of the song. Therein lies the beauty of ‘Feet Don’t Fail Me Now’, behind all the jazzy drums and sweeping string arrangements is an indelible melody that never gets old!  

‘Me and Your Mama’ – Childish Gambino 

In one of the most beautiful pieces of psychedelic rock ever recorded, Gambino once again reveals his musical genius. This song on full blast, an empty motorway – preferably devoid of speed cameras – on a balmy night can only be described as a transcendent experience. But once that beat drops and Gambino’s hair-raising vocals pick up, keep a close eye on your speed dial! This heavenly track will make you feel like your car could grow wings and take off (or, in the case of a friend of mine, overtake an eighteen-wheeler on a bend! Yikes!).

‘Isn’t She Lovely’ – Stevie Wonder  

Let’s chill out for a minute. Not every road trip needs a stretch of hair-raising highway. So, if cruising along country roads crooning to a certified classic under clear skies of blue is more your speed, give this track a listen. Simply roll down those windows, whip out your sunnies, and let Stevie Wonder’s inimitable harmonica whisk you away to somewhere absolutely “lovely”. 

‘Ventura Highway’ –  America, George Martin 

With mellow vocals, a driving beat, and a positively chirpy acoustic guitar, America delivers the perfect tune for zipping down open roads towards a slowly sinking sun. What makes this song such a crowd pleaser has to be, what I like to call, its ‘karaokeability’. There are no extravagant runs, no sweeping changes of key, or ridiculously high notes (I’m looking at you, Ms. Grande). As an added bonus, half the lyrics are simply “do do doo” so everyone can join in, whether they’re folksy or not! 

‘A Company’  – Human Tetris  

Few feelings compare to tearing down an empty motorway at night. Dodging between the strips of orange light spewed from the occasional streetlamp or watching as the cat’s eyes wink and then vanish into the gloom. There is no band I would rather have with me as a constant companion on these late-night escapades than Human Tetris. This Russian, post-punk group envelopes a sharp and driving drum beat in gliding synth melodies. The monotonous delivery from lead vocalist Arvid Kriger adds to the dream-like quality of ‘A Company’ and makes it the perfect pick for a late-night drive in the big city. This band is also an absolute must-listen for fans of Molchat Doma whose harrowing synth-rock sound conquered ‘gym-tok’ in 2020. 

‘NUEVAYoL’ – Bad Bunny  

There is a Bad Bunny ban in my friend’s car for the simple reason that whenever the smooth sounds of salsa start playing; the man is too busy grooving to focus on his driving. However, if you think you can multitask, ‘NUEVAYoL’ will absolutely raise the roof of any car, no matter the size. Thanks to Bad Bunny’s explosive beats, even the dreariest backroads of Coventry can feel like the Puerto Rico coastline. You’ll surprise yourself with just how many shapes you can throw even in the confines of a car-seat. 

‘The Chain – Live 1977’ – Fleetwood Mac

If you haven’t blessed your ears with this live recording of one of the most iconic rock songs of all time, do yourself a favour and play it next time you go for a spin. Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham provide some of the most emotive vocals of their career, and Buckingham’s era-defining guitar solo shines through in this recording. The four-minute duration allows the song to build still more intensity than its original release: the guitar solo is fleshed out, Mick Fleetwood’s drum-roll is extended and, of course, that legendary bass line has a chance to take centre stage. A hauntingly evocative track like this one will surely be the crown jewel of any good road-trip playlist.  

‘What You Know’ – Two Door Cinema Club   

You wouldn’t be remiss in saying that I’ve saved the best for last. Two Door Cinema Club delivers a punchy, post-punk banger that you simply can’t resist belting out. Day or night, rain or shine, that synth-ridden beat drop can turn any Fiat 500 into a mini club! This song is also very aptly named, because ‘What You Know’ will most certainly be all the lyrics after just one listen! Make sure to roll down those windows, crank that aux, and prepare to scream out of the sunroof, because this tune is the ultimate crowd pleaser! 

Well, there you have it, a condensed list of tried-and-true road-trip records. There are, of course, hundreds more tunes that it feels almost criminal not to include. I’ve done my utmost to cover as many different flavours of road-trip as possible. So, from prowling the motorway at midnight to dashing down a deserted country road, you can be sure that this playlist has got you covered: