The Most Popular Road Trip Songs, According to Spotify

Over the past year, road trips have increased in Google search interest by 31.67%. When it comes to planning a road trip, music is what completes the journey and makes your excursion a memorable one.

So whether you’re driving for a few hours or a few days, GoodBye Car has analysed 100 playlists on Spotify named ‘road trip’ and has found the 10 most recurring songs.

10. Oasis - Wonderwall

With over one billion streams on Spotify, Wonderwall is Oasis’ top-performing song, so it comes as no surprise the English rock band, fronted by Liam and Noel Gallagher, has made it onto the top 10 road trip songs.

Wonderwall is also a huge favourite with those that enjoy bringing out the guitar at every opportunity and is maybe the perfect sing-along tune for all occasions. I said maybe...

Occurring in: 18 Playlists

Youtube video link: Oasis - Wonderwall (Official Video)

9. Eagles - Take it Easy

Take it Easy is evidently a very popular song choice for road trips, with the song being The Eagles' first debut single, released on May 1, 1972. Songwriter Glenn Frey says the message of the song is “You shouldn’t get too big too fast.” Wise words indeed.

The song’s story is about someone travelling around the southwest as a job, like a trucker, so it’s no wonder ‘Take it Easy’ has made it to the top 10 road trip songs on Spotify. It’s a match made in heaven.

Occurring in: 18 Playlists

Youtube video link: Eagles - Take It Easy

8. Fleetwood Mac - Dreams

From their best-selling album ‘Rumours’, Dreams was Fleetwood Mac’s number one song released in 1977. Surprisingly the song was written in just 10 minutes by Stevie Nicks. Even more of a shock is that when she first played the track to the rest of the group, they weren’t too keen on it!

Even as a beloved song, its reputation grew further in 2020 after it was included in a viral TikTok video, as Nathan Apodaca played the tune as he was skateboarding to work, due to his truck breaking down. Let’s hope that there are no mechanical issues on your next road trip...

Occurring in: 19 Playlists

Youtube video link: Fleetwood Mac - Dreams (Official Music Video)

7. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody

Is this the real list, or is this just fantasy? Bohemian Rhapsody was the first single released from Queen’s fourth studio album, A Night at the Opera, and is often considered to be their greatest masterpiece.

Written by the legend that is Freddie Mercury in 1975, it truly has a unique sound. Mixing an intro, a ballad segment, an operatic passage, some hard rock and a reflective coda, it’s fun to sing along to and it’s no surprise to learn it’s the UK’s third best-selling single of all time. It even reached Christmas number one twice!

Occurring in: 20 Playlists

Youtube video link: Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody (Official Video Remastered)

6. Tom Petty - Free Fallin’

Free Fallin’ by Tom Petty is undeniably a song you must sing along to whenever it comes on the radio. One of Tom Petty’s biggest hits, it’s an escapist’s ode to Los Angeles, California, with several references to the city throughout the 4 minutes 14 seconds runtime.

The song itself was thought of, written, and recorded in the space of two days by Petty and his writing partner Jeff Lynne. It’s ideal for a road trip as it’s got an upbeat tone and describes driving down some of LA’s most famous roads.

Occurring in: 20 Playlists

Youtube video link: Tom Petty - Free Fallin'

5. The Killers - Mr Brightside

Often considered to be the UK’s unofficial national anthem, Mr Brightside is a song that brings everyone together, whether it’s the last song at a party or when travelling on a long journey.  Released over 12 years ago, this song was The Killers’ first ever recorded song for their 2002 demo and was later rerecorded and released as a single in 2004.

It was actually named as the “Song of the Decade” by Absolute Radio and XFM, and broke the record for the longest-charting single in the UK charts, with 278 weeks (over 5 years)! Unsurprisingly, it’s been a smash-hit on all streaming services too. Personally, it’s a slight shock not to see it higher on this list.

Occurring in: 20 Playlists

Youtube video link: The Killers - Mr. Brightside (Official Music Video)

4. Bon Jovi - Livin’ On A Prayer

Livin’ On A Prayer is Bon Jovi’s second consecutive single to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart, released in 1986 as the second single from Slippery When Wet. The powerful song has topped fan votes and lists ever since, proving a true favourite for karaoke enthusiasts all over the globe.

It wasn’t a huge hit with the group themselves initially, as unlikely as that sounds. Jon Bon Jovi was not keen on the original recording but was convinced to give it another shot by lead guitarist Richie Sambora. Thanks, Richie!

Occurring in: 21 Playlists

Youtube video link: Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer (Official Music Video)

3. Eagles - Hotel California

Released in 1976, Hotel California is without a doubt a classic road trip song, so it comes as no surprise that it made it to the top three. Beautifully paced with memorable, story-telling lyrics, The Eagles really did land a smash hit with this one.

What the song is truly about has long been the subject of discussion and remains open to interpretation to this day. Just remember: you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

Occurring in: 22 Playlists

Youtube video link: Eagles - Hotel California

2. TOTO - Africa

Africa is the third single from TOTO’s 1982 album, titled TOTO IV, and captured the imagination of music fans everywhere. It’s a very unique sounding song but was put together rather quickly. David Paich claims he completed the melody and lyrics for the chorus in around 10 minutes.

The meaning of the song is surrounding the love of the continent itself, rather than any kind of personal romance. It’s been featured on all kinds of modern media, such as Family Guy and Stranger Things, and passed one billion plays on Spotify in 2021 too.

Occurring in: 23 Playlists

Youtube video link: Toto - Africa (Official HD Video)

1. Journey - Don’t Stop Believing

Don’t Stop Believing is a classic from the ’80s, and is a phenomenon that is loved by people of all ages. The song made a reappearance in the charts back in 2007 when it was used to soundtrack the final scene of the final episode of The Sopranos. In 2008, it became the most downloaded 20th-century track on iTunes.

Another reinvention came with the song’s appearance on the popular show Glee and has been described as the “perfect rock song” by AllMusic, and it would appear that the public agrees! On your next road trip, be sure to play this at full volume for the start of your… Journey.

Occurring in: 26 Playlists

Youtube video link: Journey - Don't Stop Believin' (Official Audio)