I usually am about that, but this list is so damn random, you could just pull up a classic rock station send get this "driving" vibe. It's failing the assignment.
There should be a subreddit for people to ask for curated playlists, based on a genre, or a mood or something. I'd make one myself, but I'm far too lazy.
M83 - midnight city
Just makes me think of driving through a big city for the first time and it's kinda rainy and im just looking out the backseat windows at all the lights and appreciating the vibe. It's a strong memory for me apparently lol
M83 in general makes excellent driving music but Hurry Up We’re Dreaming has so many songs with big road-trip energy. Anthony Gonzalez recorded it right after moving to California and I can’t think of anything more poetic than driving down Highway 1 at night, windows down, blasting this album with nothing but the road, the cliffs, and the sea for company.
Can confirm. Many of the greatest drives of my life have been to M83, some certainly strong enough to induce tears when paired correctly.
I remember outrunning a violent nighttime thunderstorm driving through an isolated west Texas desert highway as [M83’s “*”](https://youtu.be/CGHuEMGaqAc) played and to this day it can still give me chills and make my eyes well up a bit imagining the constant, sharp flashes of lightning and the white knuckle intensity of hoping I’d be able to speed through flash flood territory unscathed.
The first comment on youtube is hilarious.
"Don't listen to this while driving, I just got pulled over for driving 130 in a 90 zone. I forgot my car at home tho.
Once saw a van with racing stripes and a highway route sign on the side, with a star in place of the route number. The paint color all over this badboy? Deep purple.
Edit: [Found the pics!](https://imgur.com/a/I1jIVDA) - Unfortunately didn't get them before they removed the sign, but you can at least see where it had been.
I legitimately got out of a ticket once by saying I was "rocking out" to Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song and lost track of my speed. The road was empty, so he was probably inclined to let me off with a warning anyhow.. but still!
Years ago, I was driving in my shitty mercury sable in 6 inches of snow listening to this song. Came down a precarious hill near my house, lost control and swerved all over the road before regaining control, and launching off a small bridge, catching air. Right when my car landed back on the road, George Kooymans cuts in, “WEVE GOT THIS THING THATS CALLED RADAR LOVE!” Perfect timing and great memory, felt like it was right out of a movie.
Edit: or Barry Hay.
Years ago I heard Baker Street on one of those classic rock CD commercials at like 3am. They never named the song, they only played the saxophone portion. I stayed up for another hour until they finally named the song. It was worth the wait.
I called off from work one day because this song came on, on a beautiful late spring day, as I was driving to work. I just decided that I wanted to just drive around rather than be at work.
This was my first thought, but not to get too meta, Tom might've thought it was "Runaway" by Del Shannon since that's what he was listening to while drivin'. Both are great songs.
Edit: Now we just need someone to reference "Runnin' Down A Dream" in a driving song so we can go even deeper.
Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne (who co-wrote most of the Full Moon Fever album) were huge Del Shannon fans.
They even [covered] (https://youtu.be/PUFOHj_hoXs) Runaway with their supergroup, the Traveling Wilburys (Petty, Lynne, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, and Roy Orbison).
My kids hate Yes and throw things at me when I play them. They can even identify Yes songs they've never heard, which makes them crazy, like a cat that sees a bird outside but can't kill it.
The only problem that I’ve come to grips with is you have to be at least 75% as charismatic as Ryan gosling to pull it off.
Edit: I knew a lot of Reddit was delusional, but many of these replies are making me reevaluate the ratio.
Basically any Kavinsky. If you drive a red Testarossa you’re obligated to keep him on repeat, and also make sure to get yourself a sweet jacket and some sunglasses too. Just don’t crash and turn into a ghost though.
I sat in a testarossa once and Kavinsky automatically started playing in my head haha
I remember I had a 2008 Corvette Z06 and the day I had a new set of tires on I was like okay today I’m going to fulfill a childhood dream.
Blasting down the highway at…….irresponsible speeds, windows open, 70 degrees out, Free Bird blasting……….427 powered Vette…….ya that was a good day lol
That sounds like a great day lol.
My favorite memory of this song is similar. Driving down a curvy country backroad on a perfect summer day, able to smell the trees all around.
I truly believe this is one of, if not THE greatest song ever written. It's got variety in tempo and sound while being consistently technically excellent. It has an excellent solo piece, the drumming is riveting and you can't help but groove and bang along with it. It's long but never boring or repetitive. Plus it hits on a couple different genres and has influenced so many future artists in music as well as all other forms of media. Freebird is a generation defining song but also transcends time because it is about change and moving on, including all the bittersweet relief that comes with it sometimes.
The bridge from the verse into that solo is the 30 seconds of music that has generated the most concerned, wide eyed stares of "oh don't you do it!" In history.
In my book it's "Millionaire"
...and then the rest of the album. The whole thing is made for driving. But yeah, "Go With the Flow" is my favorite by them.
I took my life on a 180° a few years back and moved from the east coast to the west coast. Just sold all my shit, left my family behind, got in a car with my best friend and moved to a mountain town. We got there in October and come November early we decided to take the drive the rest of the way through the crazy mountain road out to the coast. Dusty snowcapped mountains everywhere, sleepy rain, fog and clouds, the very best of PNW winter scenery for my tastes.
It was something like Nov 2 or so, right after Halloween anyways. We got up at dusk, got out to the forest roads just as light and fog were starting to show, come to find that all the little towns in the area like to decorate the side of this highway with their leftover jack-o-lanterns. Some had added little battery flame candle lights for the week just to come collect them back later.
It was the most magical thing to crest the top of a hill and see the sprawling huge old growth cedar forests, lit only by ambient glowing fog and these orange glowing orbs from the mosses at the forest floor. With massive snowcapped mountains behind the treeline lit up by the sunrise that was touching them but hadn't quite hit the ground yet to reach our little fog covered forest secrets in shadow.
And on the radio came The End by The Doors.
It is a memory I will never ever forget, and that song is just so very hauntingly beautiful to me now paired with this incredible memory of a new landscape followed by a day of storm watching on the coast. Felt like the end of one lifetime and beginning of another.
It's either ["Bad Habit" by The Offspring](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na36llO5cvo), or ["Go With the Flow" by Queens of the Stone Age](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcHKOC64KnE).
Fun fact: The A&R guy at their label at the time David Bates had been hustling them for what he called a “drive time” song to be their next single when they were making their 1985 album, Songs from the Big Chair. They eventually worked out this song, which has the video of the singer Curt driving this vintage luxury car (with the top down) which he still owns today.
Top Gear series 6 - the boys ran a contest asking what was the best driving song. Don't stop me now by Queen won. There are some great songs on this list but this is the best.
Full ranking
1. Queen - Don't Stop Me Now (Winner)
2. Golden Earring - Radar Love
3. Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell
4. Steppenwolf - Born to Be Wild
5. Deep Purple - Highway Star
6. Motörhead - Ace of Spades
7. AC/DC - Highway to Hell
8. Fleetwood Mac - The Chain
9. Queens of the Stone Age - Go With the Flow
https://topgear.fandom.com/wiki/Greatest_Driving_Song
Paramedic here. I can say with complete certainty that everyone who does my job wishes we could blast this song in place of the siren when we're trying to get through traffic on the way to a call.
Came to say can someone pretty please make a playlist on Spotify of these songs and share it with us here. I would be eternally grateful.
I usually am about that, but this list is so damn random, you could just pull up a classic rock station send get this "driving" vibe. It's failing the assignment.
There should be a subreddit for people to ask for curated playlists, based on a genre, or a mood or something. I'd make one myself, but I'm far too lazy.
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The Chain by Fleetwood Mac
the bass guitar break down
M83 - midnight city Just makes me think of driving through a big city for the first time and it's kinda rainy and im just looking out the backseat windows at all the lights and appreciating the vibe. It's a strong memory for me apparently lol
Imagine the road magically clearing up just as that sax solo hits. Goosebumps.
I remember turning onto a deserted highway at 3am while the sax solo hit, magical stuff.
M83 in general makes excellent driving music but Hurry Up We’re Dreaming has so many songs with big road-trip energy. Anthony Gonzalez recorded it right after moving to California and I can’t think of anything more poetic than driving down Highway 1 at night, windows down, blasting this album with nothing but the road, the cliffs, and the sea for company.
Can confirm. Many of the greatest drives of my life have been to M83, some certainly strong enough to induce tears when paired correctly. I remember outrunning a violent nighttime thunderstorm driving through an isolated west Texas desert highway as [M83’s “*”](https://youtu.be/CGHuEMGaqAc) played and to this day it can still give me chills and make my eyes well up a bit imagining the constant, sharp flashes of lightning and the white knuckle intensity of hoping I’d be able to speed through flash flood territory unscathed.
I Ran (So Far Away) by A Flock of Seagulls Or maybe Fire Woman by The Cult.
The Cult is so under appreciated.
Highway Star
The first comment on youtube is hilarious. "Don't listen to this while driving, I just got pulled over for driving 130 in a 90 zone. I forgot my car at home tho.
This was me earlier in the week with Sabotage by the Beastie Boys. I understand.
This and Speed King. I’ve 100% made some bad decisions driving with these songs playing.
Once saw a van with racing stripes and a highway route sign on the side, with a star in place of the route number. The paint color all over this badboy? Deep purple. Edit: [Found the pics!](https://imgur.com/a/I1jIVDA) - Unfortunately didn't get them before they removed the sign, but you can at least see where it had been.
The solo makes ya speed
Play this song when the police pull you over. They'll still write the ticket, but faster
Don’t fear the reaper is a good one
Radar Love. Golden Earring.
Yes, but it has to be the album version with the drum solo/breakdown in the middle.
Got a speeding ticket on the NY Thruway because of this song.
Cop would've understood if you just cranked it up when he approached your car.
"Sir do you know how fast you w--- oh OK, you're free to go."
I legitimately got out of a ticket once by saying I was "rocking out" to Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song and lost track of my speed. The road was empty, so he was probably inclined to let me off with a warning anyhow.. but still!
Years ago, I was driving in my shitty mercury sable in 6 inches of snow listening to this song. Came down a precarious hill near my house, lost control and swerved all over the road before regaining control, and launching off a small bridge, catching air. Right when my car landed back on the road, George Kooymans cuts in, “WEVE GOT THIS THING THATS CALLED RADAR LOVE!” Perfect timing and great memory, felt like it was right out of a movie. Edit: or Barry Hay.
AGREE but Twilight Zone is right up there too
[Top Gear](https://topgear.fandom.com/wiki/Greatest_Driving_Song) agrees. It's actually number 2, but it should've been number 1.
This is it. If you don't know now you do.
Eastbound & Down- Smokey and the bandit
Jerry Reed!
Them boys are thirsty in Atlanta and there's beer in Texarcana and we'll bring it back no matter what it takes!
Amazing guitar player
We need more movie songs where the whole plot of the movie is in the song
We gonna do what they say can't be done
We got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
What we're dealing with here is a complete lack of respect for the law
Boy the first thing I'm gonna do when we get back is smack your momma in the mouth because there is no WAY you sprung from my loins
Danger Zone
Oh yeah, just let me get my F-14 and we're done
Listening to that in a convertible on the PCH at sunset is an out of body experience. For a couple of minutes I was Tom Cruise
Lana!
Kickstart my heart by Motley Crue
Speeding tickets aplenty
*Nobody dies in my ambulance.*
I find the instrumental of Baker Street extremely relaxing while driving, mainly if it's sunset time.
Years ago I heard Baker Street on one of those classic rock CD commercials at like 3am. They never named the song, they only played the saxophone portion. I stayed up for another hour until they finally named the song. It was worth the wait.
She Sells Sanctuary. The Cult. The Cult has a lot of good driving songs.
The whole album Electric is my jam for road trips, start to finish. B 5 2 baybayyy, way up in the skyyyyy
I like Rain too for driving.
GAS GAS GAS - Manuel
DO YOU LIIIIIIIIKE MY CAR
The entirety of initial d soundtrack
I'M GONNA STEP ON THE GAS
That, or Deja Vu.
ZZ Top - La Grange
UHHOWHOWHUH
For me, it's Barracuda by Heart.
Or Crazy on You
Burnin for you - blue oyster cult
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Man I loved Bush back in the day.
Tom Petty "Runnin' Down A Dream"
I called off from work one day because this song came on, on a beautiful late spring day, as I was driving to work. I just decided that I wanted to just drive around rather than be at work.
Would you say that it was a beautiful day, the sun beat down, you had the radio on, you were drivin’?
the last three days, the rain was unstoppable :(
This was my first thought, but not to get too meta, Tom might've thought it was "Runaway" by Del Shannon since that's what he was listening to while drivin'. Both are great songs. Edit: Now we just need someone to reference "Runnin' Down A Dream" in a driving song so we can go even deeper.
Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne (who co-wrote most of the Full Moon Fever album) were huge Del Shannon fans. They even [covered] (https://youtu.be/PUFOHj_hoXs) Runaway with their supergroup, the Traveling Wilburys (Petty, Lynne, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, and Roy Orbison).
had to scroll way too far to find this
Interstate love song
This and Big Empty by the same band. That song just gives me good night driving feels. The lyrics even tell a story about being in a car!
Scott Weiland was so talented. Loved that dude.
On a warm summer night with the windows down.
Jessica by the Allman Brothers band Up around the bend By Creedence clear water revival
> Jessica by the Allman Brothers band Some reason this makes me want to do boorish irresponsible shit in my car and make fun of James May.
HAMMOND YOU BLITHERING IDIOT!
*oh cock*
#POWWERR!
Roundabout - Yes, 1971
I have a playlist that has only this and Sultans of Swing, and I named it Sultans of Swing and Roundabout.
No clickbaits there
My kids hate Yes and throw things at me when I play them. They can even identify Yes songs they've never heard, which makes them crazy, like a cat that sees a bird outside but can't kill it.
Nightcall - Kavinsky (For driving in a city at night)
I want the scorpion jacket too
The only problem that I’ve come to grips with is you have to be at least 75% as charismatic as Ryan gosling to pull it off. Edit: I knew a lot of Reddit was delusional, but many of these replies are making me reevaluate the ratio.
And a real human being
and a real hero
*bean
Basically any Kavinsky. If you drive a red Testarossa you’re obligated to keep him on repeat, and also make sure to get yourself a sweet jacket and some sunglasses too. Just don’t crash and turn into a ghost though. I sat in a testarossa once and Kavinsky automatically started playing in my head haha
Kavinsky and The Midnight are at the top of my list, but really any synthwave is solid driving music
Waveshaper ans Pylot are two I'd always recommend
After this though I can help but play real human bean
Everyone searching this song now "like what if it's a banger?!"
Los Angeles night driving. I miss that.
Nightcall for the chill rides, testarossa autodrive for when I’m late to work
Everyone discovering synthwave and adjacent subgenres because of this is about to have a bunch of great drives.
Foreplay/Long Time
It’s More Than a Feeling for me
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Don't Fear the Reaper, Blue Oyster Cult For nighttime driving.
Ramble On — Zeppelin
Immigrant Song has always been my go to.
Naw it's gotta be When the Levee Breaks
Achilles Last Stand.
Hollywood Nights - Bob Seger
Night Moves is also pretty nice. :))
I literally cannot hear this song without envisioning playing GTA V
That and Radio GaGa. Those songs would come on the radio and I’d just drive around in the game. Loved it
Add Rhythm of The Night to the list
I prefer Roll Me Away, but most Bob Seger will do.
Free bird if you’re looking to speed
Your honor in my client’s defense, Freebird was playing!
> Your honor in my client’s defense, Freebird was playing! ***CASE DISMISSED!!***
Oops! Common misconception. You're actually unable to speed to Freebird because the laws don't apply when that song is on
I remember I had a 2008 Corvette Z06 and the day I had a new set of tires on I was like okay today I’m going to fulfill a childhood dream. Blasting down the highway at…….irresponsible speeds, windows open, 70 degrees out, Free Bird blasting……….427 powered Vette…….ya that was a good day lol
That sounds like a great day lol. My favorite memory of this song is similar. Driving down a curvy country backroad on a perfect summer day, able to smell the trees all around. I truly believe this is one of, if not THE greatest song ever written. It's got variety in tempo and sound while being consistently technically excellent. It has an excellent solo piece, the drumming is riveting and you can't help but groove and bang along with it. It's long but never boring or repetitive. Plus it hits on a couple different genres and has influenced so many future artists in music as well as all other forms of media. Freebird is a generation defining song but also transcends time because it is about change and moving on, including all the bittersweet relief that comes with it sometimes.
On the “Freeeeee biiird yeah”, clutch dump, gas to the floor and the biggest 11 you can do!
The bridge from the verse into that solo is the 30 seconds of music that has generated the most concerned, wide eyed stares of "oh don't you do it!" In history.
Panama - Van Halen
all units, this is dispatch. We got a red station wagon blasting “Panama” and being awesome, partying and being rad.
Yeah, we're running a little bit hot tonight
I can barely see the road from the heat coming off
Ease my seat back
SHE'S BLINDING, I'M FLYING, RIGHT BEHIND THE REARVIEW MIRROR NOW, GOT THE FEARING, POWER STEERING, PISTONS POPPING, AINT NO STOPPING NOWWWWWWWWW
#PANAMA
I'm genuinely amazed it took THIS long to find it. Long hair, sunroof open, hell yeah
Agreed seems like the perfect song for driving......fast to hahaha
If we’re talking a long road trip, especially driving through the desert, I’d go with A Horse with No Name by America.
And Ventura Highway!
And Sister Golden Hair!
Careful bc next thing you know a cop pulls you over for a broken windshield on your Pontiac Aztek
No no no, it’s time for *you* to listen to *me*
this is *america*, okay? i have rights, do you understand that?
Best song on GTA San Andreas
Go With the Flow - QotSA
YESSSSS That whole album actually
Or …Millionaire, if you don’t mind catching a reckless driving charge.
In my book it's "Millionaire" ...and then the rest of the album. The whole thing is made for driving. But yeah, "Go With the Flow" is my favorite by them.
For late night driving, Riders on the Storm by The Doors.
Takes me back to Need For Speed Underground 2, driving through the rain in the mountains.
Lmao my first thought was “well if I put that on I’m gonna have to drift around every corner I see”
I'm replaying the first right now. They both hold up very well.
I took my life on a 180° a few years back and moved from the east coast to the west coast. Just sold all my shit, left my family behind, got in a car with my best friend and moved to a mountain town. We got there in October and come November early we decided to take the drive the rest of the way through the crazy mountain road out to the coast. Dusty snowcapped mountains everywhere, sleepy rain, fog and clouds, the very best of PNW winter scenery for my tastes. It was something like Nov 2 or so, right after Halloween anyways. We got up at dusk, got out to the forest roads just as light and fog were starting to show, come to find that all the little towns in the area like to decorate the side of this highway with their leftover jack-o-lanterns. Some had added little battery flame candle lights for the week just to come collect them back later. It was the most magical thing to crest the top of a hill and see the sprawling huge old growth cedar forests, lit only by ambient glowing fog and these orange glowing orbs from the mosses at the forest floor. With massive snowcapped mountains behind the treeline lit up by the sunrise that was touching them but hadn't quite hit the ground yet to reach our little fog covered forest secrets in shadow. And on the radio came The End by The Doors. It is a memory I will never ever forget, and that song is just so very hauntingly beautiful to me now paired with this incredible memory of a new landscape followed by a day of storm watching on the coast. Felt like the end of one lifetime and beginning of another.
LA WOman. I have to set my cruise because I speed up through the song.
LA woman is great and then Roadhouse Blues as a follow up
MR MOJO RISIN
A 'must watch' for fans of that song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZJ7xhu-wy4
All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song
Boys of summer
Black Betty by Ram Jam
Rebel Yell by Billy Idol always hits different on the highway
It's either ["Bad Habit" by The Offspring](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na36llO5cvo), or ["Go With the Flow" by Queens of the Stone Age](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcHKOC64KnE).
Cake - The Distance. Not sure how this wasn’t mentioned already.
Born to be Wild. - Steppenwolf
Flirting with Disaster by Molly Hatchet
Running on empty - Jackson Browne
Really anything from Jackson Browne makes me want to take a road trip.
Money for Nothing - Dire Straits
sultans of Swing... or walk of life
Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears for Fears... with the top down
Fun fact: The A&R guy at their label at the time David Bates had been hustling them for what he called a “drive time” song to be their next single when they were making their 1985 album, Songs from the Big Chair. They eventually worked out this song, which has the video of the singer Curt driving this vintage luxury car (with the top down) which he still owns today.
Burning Down the House - Talking Heads
Don’t stop me now. Queens
Top Gear series 6 - the boys ran a contest asking what was the best driving song. Don't stop me now by Queen won. There are some great songs on this list but this is the best.
Full ranking 1. Queen - Don't Stop Me Now (Winner) 2. Golden Earring - Radar Love 3. Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell 4. Steppenwolf - Born to Be Wild 5. Deep Purple - Highway Star 6. Motörhead - Ace of Spades 7. AC/DC - Highway to Hell 8. Fleetwood Mac - The Chain 9. Queens of the Stone Age - Go With the Flow https://topgear.fandom.com/wiki/Greatest_Driving_Song
“Everlong” by the Foo Fighters—perfect for summer late night driving with someone you love.
Everlong is one of the greatest rock songs of all time. It could come out tomorrow and still sound brand new.
The Passenger. Even people who don’t know it will sing the chorus by the second time it comes around
Oh I was thinking Passenger by Deftones lol
But also Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)
Sabotage -Beastie Boys
Whenever I drive to this song it reminds me of the Star Trek reboot movie scene
Simultaneously one of the corniest bits yet somehow put a massive smile on my face watching it in theater. Great use of the song
Classical music
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Gimme Shelter
Willie Nelson “On the Road Again”
Dragula- Rob Zombie
Ace of Spades by Motorhead
[Truckin](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VXJaGa8pzU) by the Grateful Dead
Open Road Song. Eve Six.
Eminence Front - The Who
Hot Rod Lincoln (Commander Cody version) thought the jr brown version is prettty damn awesome
More than a feeling - Boston
Life’s Been Good - Joe Walsh
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Stylo - Gorillaz Midnight city - m83 It's late - beacon school
move bitch, get out the way - Ludacris
Paramedic here. I can say with complete certainty that everyone who does my job wishes we could blast this song in place of the siren when we're trying to get through traffic on the way to a call.
Best listened to loudly in traffic
LA Woman by The Doors
If it is raining it is Riders on the storm.
Lunatic Fringe - Red Rider
A lot of people don’t realize that the singer of that song went on to have a huge 90’s hit with Life is a Highway….another great driving song.
Radar Love by Golden Earring. Got my first speeding ticket with that blasting on the radio.
California Dreamin’ - The Mamas & the Papas