No road trip is complete without the proper music to make the miles more manageable
By Ryan K Boman, Editor in Chief | May 26, 2026
You know the feeling. You’ve been drivin’ all night, and your hand’s wet on the wheel. You need a little something to fuel you up so you can continue on whatever journey your own. And whether you’re on a Highway to hell or just getting your kicks on Route 66, there’s always a tune for your travels
Playing music in the car goes back nearly 100 years – when cars were first accessorized with AM radios. Most of the stations then were focused on information, but as time passed, that little squawking box became like an extra passenger with you on your path. By the 1950s and 60s, kids were blaring Billboard hits, like Ike Turner’s ‘Rocket 88‘ and Charlie Ryan’s ‘Hot Rod Lincoln‘.
Today, we have satellite radio and a playlist that includes anything we want at the simple touch of a button, so the possibilities for being your own driving DJ are endless. I often wonder if other people do what I have done in the past: Plan an entire playlist for a long journey… designed to coincide with wherever I was on my travels. (Guess that’s why I was cruising to ‘Amarillo by Morning‘ as I traversed North Texas back in the mid-90s.)
Just don’t let the music control your mood too much behind the wheel. And trust me, sometimes it does. You don’t want to end up being the guy who crashes his car because he was too busy playing the air guitar or closing his eyes to hit that perfect note that no one else will ever hear.
Instead, music in the car should be like having a co-pilot who knows how to croon. Much like it accentuates so many other parts of our lives, those soothing sounds or raucous rockers help take a little bit of stress and boredom out of any expedition. And it’s okay, now and then, to put the top down and sing at the top of your lungs while filling them with plenty of fresh air in the process.
If you were Born to Run, then you know the sentiment of their story and the rhythm of its reasoning. For you, choruses in the cabin were part of every family passage on Holiday Road. Later in life, it symbolized a ride down the Boulevard of Broken Dreams after a heartbreakingly bad breakup. And if you’re on your way to an important job interview, there’s nothing like a spin of ‘Runnin’ Down a Dream.’
So, the next time you hop in the driver’s seat to go to Goreville or just the grocery store, always remember three important steps: Buckle your seatbelt and fire up your ride. Then? JUST PUSH PLAY.