The government may be advising against all but essential travel at the moment, but that doesn’t mean your car journeys have to be boring. Whether you’re driving to work or caring for an elderly family member, for many of us, driving is a time to switch off and enjoy some ‘me time’ – and what better way to relax behind the wheel than to put on your favourite driving playlist.
Most motorists listen to music in the car, be it on the radio, through their phone or via a good old CD player. And that got us thinking: what are the nation’s all-time favourite driving songs? Those anthems you want to belt out like no one’s watching?
To find out, Redex has analysed thousands of drivers’ Spotify playlists to see what songs we have in common when we drive. The results were pretty interesting, and we’ve pulled together a list of the nation’s favourite driving songs to provide a little inspiration for your first post-lockdown road trip.
What Are Our Favourite Driving Songs?
Music streaming services like Spotify have become the go-to for many drivers, and they give a great insight into the songs we like listening to most at the wheel. Looking at the top 100 songs for driving on Spotify, there’s a huge mix of both old and new tracks, ranging from classic singalongs to modern chart-toppers.
According to Spotify, here are the top 10 driving songs British motorists love to listen to in the car.
Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, The Weeknd – it seems we can’t get enough of chart pop behind the wheel, with the top 10 driving songs playlist featuring some of the biggest hits in the world right now. But what about further down the list? Which classic tracks do we still enjoy singing along to in the fast lane?
Looking at the top 100, it appears some classic songs never lose their appeal, as Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams and a-ha’s Take On Me both make the list. There are lots of other driving anthems on the list, too, from the Eagles’ iconic Hotel California to AC/DC’s made-for-driving Highway to Hell.
What Makes a Great Driving Song?
As well as showing us the songs that people love to listen to while driving, Spotify can also tell us a lot about the types of songs that are best for driving, based on factors such as tempo, positivity and volume. With this kind of info, you could effectively create a playlist that’s perfectly attuned to your preferred driving music – whether you like things loud and upbeat, or softer and more relaxing.
But what exactly makes the perfect driving song? Well, according to the top 100 driving songs on Spotify, there’s around a 50/50 split between tracks based on how positive they are – with some having positive sentiment and others negative. That said, what is clear is that many prefer songs that get them moving, with most songs on the list having a high ‘danceability’ rating.
Looking at all the tracks in the top 100, most prefer ‘loud’ music for singing along to. The average BPM (or beats per minute) for driving songs is around 115 – so it’s clear most motorists like a lively beat they can tap their clutch foot to.
The Best Songs for a Post-Lockdown Road Trip
Compared to everyday driving, our musical preferences shift for road trips, with nostalgic classics overtaking the chart-topping hits we listen to on the daily commute. We love listening to songs that remind us of the open road, and that bring a little joy and positivity to those tailbacks and long motorway stints.
With this in mind, here’s a look at the top 10 list of songs that are perfect for a post-lockdown road trip.
From Sweet Home Alabama to Fortunate Son, we’re suckers for the golden oldies when it comes to road trip tunes. Classic tracks like these are reminiscent of the great American road trip – perfect for those leisurely jaunts up the A1.
Positive Driving Songs to Lift Your Spirit
We understand that times are tough and that many people are looking for little things to help cheer them up. If you’re still driving during the coronavirus lockdown, there are ways you can adapt your usual car music to help boost your mood at the wheel.
Below, we list 10 of the best driving songs to help cheer you up while driving.
Prefer to create your own positivity-inspired driving playlist? According to Spotify data, we like our positivity playlists at a faster tempo when driving, with an average BPM of 119. We also tend to opt for loud, high-energy songs which are good to dance to and great for helping you stay positive on your essential drives.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this rundown of the nation’s favourite driving anthems. What are your favourite driving songs? And what music do you like for boosting your positivity? Let us know over on the Redex Club Facebook page.
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