Over spring break, I took a six-hour car ride with a friend across Pennsylvania. To me, the most important job on a road trip — besides driving, of course — is curating the music. Having this privilege is sacred, and when put on aux, you must have a fire queue lined up, including any and every genre of music. With this in mind, I’ve compiled a wide range of songs that I would include as a part of my perfect road trip playlist.
- “NOKIA” by Drake
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Starting with an absolute banger, this Drake hit is guaranteed to kick off the road trip with some great energy. Say what you want about Drake, but this man has the formula down for writing a perfect hype song. With hours left in your car ride, “NOKIA” is sure to keep your spirits high and get you in a good mood for the rest of your trip.
(P.S. Don’t be fooled by this pick; team Kendrick always!)
- “Diet Mountain Dew” by Lana Del Rey
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I had to include my girl Lana in this mix. It was hard to choose only one Lana Del Ray song for this list, but “Diet Mountain Dew” is one of my all-time favorites from her. The vibes of this song are unmatched, and watching the sunset from the car while listening to Lana Del Rey has to be a top-five moment for me. “Diet Mountain Dew” offers a nice mix of upbeat but chill energy — perfect for a road trip.
- “Pink Matter” by Frank Ocean
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In my opinion, Frank Ocean has the ideal discography for a road trip. The serene energy his songs bring is perfect for a long car ride, especially in its final stretch. Frank Ocean is one of my favorite artists, and “Pink Matter” is my current fixation song by him at the moment. He’ll always make it into the queue, without a doubt.
- “luther (with sza)” by Kendrick Lamar & SZA
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I think many of us can agree that this duo physically cannot produce a bad song together. I love Kendrick, and I love SZA, but together, they’re golden. “luther (with sza)” is one of my favorite collaborations of theirs, and watching their Super Bowl Halftime Show performance honestly reignited my obsession with this song. It’s great for a fun atmosphere in the car, and if you’re driving with someone else, you can both have a different part to sing! I love a good duet moment.
- “Fast Car” by Luke Combs
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Though I’m not a huge country fan, I can still appreciate a good country tune. This cover holds a special place in my heart because one of my best friends and I listened to it nonstop on a drive to Penn State.
I have to say, driving through the mountains with this song playing in the background, I honestly understood the hype for country music. Even if you’re not the biggest country music fan, some country songs are vital on a road trip, and this one isn’t an exception.
- “Northern Attitude (with Hozier)” by Noah Kahan & Hozier
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Hozier’s yell in this song is currently trending on TikTok, and for good reason. I loved this track when Noah Kahan first released it, but adding Hozier to it made it all the better. In my opinion, Noah Kahan is a great artist to listen to in the car, especially during those quiet hours. I might be biased as a Pennsylvanian due to the Pennsylvania of it all, but driving through the mountains with this song in the background? Unbeatable.
- “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” by The Smiths
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Everyone knows that the best time and place to yearn is during a long car ride (extra points if it’s raining, too). This song by The Smiths, or any song of theirs for this matter, is perfect yearning material and will get you in your feels. After all, a road trip can be perfect for people who have never gotten over anything in their lives!
- “Teenage Dream” by Katy Perry
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I had to include at least one throwback into this playlist, and “Teenage Dream” is simply a classic. This song has been releasing good vibes since 2010, and it’s almost guaranteed that everyone in the car will know all the lyrics. If you’re feeling extra crazy, you could always listen to the Glee version, too!
These are a few songs that I would include on my perfectly curated, well-rounded road trip playlist. Being trusted with aux is an honor, so make sure you bring the vibes, keep the energy right, and don’t let your fellow passengers down!
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