No summer vacation is complete without a few road trip tunes. We asked our fellow Impacters about their favorite songs for any long summer journey. Whether your planning a long drive, flying 12 hours to study abroad, or sitting on the train headed across the country, check out our Impact 89FM Summer Road Trip playlist.
NEEDTOBREATHE
“Drive All Night” (Live From The Woods)
Apart from the obvious text of the song, this reminds me of my most recent cross-country road trip. It was the last day, and my best friend and I were planning on hauling from Colorado to Des Moines for a stopover night of rest before we got back to Michigan. About halfway through the morning, we decided we might as well just drive all night and get home, rather than have to put up camp all over again. I feel like this song embodies that spirit of spontaneous decision making with the best of friends by your side, and that’s what road trips are all about.
By Joel D.
Major Lazor & DJ Snake (feat. MØ)
“Lean On”
This song reminds me of being a trip with some friends and reminiscing about the past while looking towards the future. It’s really upbeat and easy to dance along to which is the kind of songs you need to listen to when on a roadtrip!
By Tori B.
Sufjan Stevens
“Chicago”
A song that always puts me in the greatest of moods. The beat behind it makes you feel as if you’re gliding across the miles. By the end of it I find myself singing along at the top of my lungs.
By Pomo
Inner Wave
“Diamond Eyes”
This is the go to for drives within my summer “travel trio”. None of us could tell you what Pablo Sotelo is really saying, but we’ve each mastered the instrumentals! The song itself is an epic journey, I believe, that takes place in an old mansion with an organ, funkadelic interior design, and possibly an aquarium. I suppose everyone’s journey is different.
By Audrey M.
Quantic & Nickodemus (feat. Tempo & The Candela Allstars)
“Mi Swing Es Tropical”
I first heard this song off the soundtrack of Jon Favreau’s comedy, Chef. It re-entered my life when I was going through my friend’s Spotify during a serious lull while driving to Toronto. The infectious joy of this track energized the crew as we rolled into the city.
By Audrey M.
Blackbear
“My Heart is Lost”
Besides the fact that this song makes me feel the summer vibes the song describes riding in the back of a Cadillac around Los Angeles, listening to music and feeling the wind through your hair. Although the central theme discusses love and his heart being lost, it describes all of the summer adventures in the city.
By Abbey R.
The Courtneys
“90210”
This song is the essence of the west coast! Every time I hear this song I instantly want to hop in my car and ride the wave that is Route 66 all the way down to SoCal. The Courtneys’ sound is one best categorized by what I would call beach tunes crashing into a wall of punk rock.
By Meghan Z.
Wilco
“Via Chicago”
Another song about Chicago on this list! But, as opposed to Sufjan’s “Chicago”, this song is relatively downbeat. With a slow tempo and surreal murder ballad lyrics, this doesn’t seem like the best road trip song. But put it on late at night when you’re alone on the road driving back from Chicago to Michigan (as I did) and tell me it doesn’t blow your mind while leaving you feeling a little weird for the rest of the ride home.
By Joey S.
Paul Simon
“Graceland”
Paul Simon’s Graceland inspires you to take a road trip to the heart of rock and roll. While speaking in his world-weary, college-educated vocabulary, Simon speaks of travelling to where he can feel a true homecoming after the loss of love, a true road trip for the soul. We all have our Graceland, a place we can drive to when we need to escape on the road.
By Joey S.
