Always Look on the Brightside: Killers Tune Named Biggest Road Trip Banger

Whether you're the driver or a passenger, road trips are fun for everyone.

They’re often the start point to many people’s holidays, as motorists head off to see friends or family, explore a treasured destination, or enjoy a long weekend away. 

Whether you’re cruising along the coast or through the rolling hills of the countryside, car journeys are good for your soul. 

This is especially true if you pair that journey with a playlist of stone-cold classic tracks. A top selection of tunes can turn that daunting long drive into a fun journey.

To help you put together the perfect road trip playlist, cinch, leading experts in online car trading, has revealed the most listened-to tracks at the wheel, based on how many times each song appears on any driving-related Spotify playlist.

So, what are the essential tunes for a Tesla, bangers for the BMW, audio for your Audi? Let’s take a look.

10. Blinding Lights – The Weeknd

Released at the end 2019, Blinding Lights by The Weeknd was the best-performing single in 2020 and became an instant classic. 

Blinding Lights features 269 times across all driving-related playlists on Spotify.

It’s a song that talks about driving to a person you really long to see. So, if you’re en route to meet a friend or partner, Blinding Lights is the car song for you.

9. Party in the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus

Party in the U.S.A. made its debut in 2009 and has been an ever-present on playlists and DJ sets ever since. 

As for Spotify and road trips, Miley’s iconic hit appears 272 times across all car-related playlists. 

It’s also the most-featured track in Spotify rundowns for songs to sing while on the road (175 times). So, turn up the volume and party in your car!

8. Someone You Loved – Lewis Capaldi

The self-styled ‘Scottish Beyonce’ Lewis Capaldi touched many people’s hearts with Someone You Loved. 

Released in November 2018, it rapidly shot to the top of the UK charts and was crowned Song of the Year at the 2020 Brits.

Almost five years on, Someone You Loved is still responsible for a few tears. If you’re looking for an emotional song to drive to, this may be the one for a blue day. 

Appearing 284 times in car-related playlists, this tune sits at number eight in our pick of the Spotify pops.

7. I Ain’t Worried – OneRepublic

I Ain’t Worried by American band OneRepublic stands seventh, as it features 291 times across all driving-related playlists. 

This 2022 carefree tune is one of the most loved tracks in the recent action film Top Gun: Maverick, starring Tom Cruise.

If you’re on a road adventure, a Hollywood-movie song like I Ain’t Worried can help you clock up the miles in style.   

6. Unholy (feat. Kim Petras) – Sam Smith

In the first five months after release, the Sam Smith and Kim Petras tune racked up an unholy 150 million views on YouTube and more than 900 million plays on Spotify. 

Thanks to its resounding success, it’s no wonder that Unholy is a must for motorists. 

On Spotify it appears 298 times in car-intended playlists, meaning that it’s a popular go-to song when behind the wheel.

5. As It Was – Harry Styles

We’re driving from one triumph to the next here. The fifth most popular tune on Spotify car-related playlists is As It Was by the untouchable Harry Styles. 

As of December 2022, his hit had been streamed 1.5 billion times on Spotify, making it the most played song on the platform.

As It Was has sneaked its way into driving-related playlists 314 times, fitting a variety of moods. Whether you’re in high spirits or in a reflective mood, this is the right tune to keep you company in the car.

4. Riptide – Vance Joy

Not many songs give off road-trip vibes more than Riptide. Released in 2013 by Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy, this melodic track narrowly misses out on a podium place. 

Riptide features in 336 at-the-wheel playlists on Spotify, and in 107 road trip-related ones – and we can see why. 

It’s not difficult to imagine yourself cruising along coastal routes on the notes of this feel-good song as the sun begins to set.

3. Flowers – Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus books her place in our top 10 for the second time, with this being her most recent offering. Flowers, released at the start of 2023, smashed the Spotify record for the most-streamed track in a single week. 

As well as appearing 363 times in all car-related rundowns, it’s the most popular tune on ‘drive to work’ playlists across Spotify (featuring 110 times). 

Carrying an empowering message behind its lyrics, Flowers can give you all the motivation you need to nail the day ahead. 

2. Yellow – Coldplay 

Yellow was the song that truly opened the door to success for Coldplay. The hit made its debut in June 2000 and since then, the British band has sold more than 75m records and won numerous awards. 

Some 23 years later, Yellow is still in the hearts of music lovers and motorists alike and sits in second place in our road-trip playlist top 10. It features 369 times across all driving-related playlists on Spotify.

Whether you’re driving along the motorway or covering more scenic routes, Yellow is likely to add a touch of colour to your car journey.

1. Mr. Brightside – The Killers

When it comes to absolute classics, Mr. Brightside would give any evergreen tune a run for its money. 

It's spent an incredible 260 weeks in the UK’s Top 100 chart; perhaps no surprise, then, that it also tops our list.

Mr. Brightside appears 414 times in all driving-related Spotify playlists and is by far the most frequent tune in the ‘road trip’ category (165). With its upbeat rhythm and ‘killer’ chorus, it’s a great tune to sing at the top of your lungs. 

Ultimately, The Killers are a faithful, entertaining companion for your next unforgettable adventure on the road. 

And there you have it – the most popular songs across all driving-related playlists on Spotify. Has your favourite tune made it onto the list? 

If you’re struggling to find tracks to sing along to, check out your fellow motorists’ choices and hit the road in style. 

Sources:
https://www.thetravel.com/reasons-why-road-trips-are-good-for-the-soul/
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/nov/24/the-weeknds-blinding-lights-dethrones-the-twist-as-all-time-no1-billboard-single
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a33771295/the-weeknd-blinding-lights-lyrics-meaning/
https://eu.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/story-behind-the-song/2018/06/15/party-usa-miley-cyrus-jessie-j-story-behind-song/698120002/
https://www.brits.co.uk/news/brits-2020-winners
https://open.spotify.com/track/3nqQXoyQOWXiESFLlDF1hG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq9gPaIzbe8
https://planetradio.co.uk/northsound/entertainment/music/sam-smith-kim-petras-unholy/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/63818744
https://www.billboard.com/music/lyrics/miley-cyrus-flowers-lyrics-1235203011/
https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/it-was-all-yellow-story-behind-song-that-set-coldplay-on-path-to-stardom-500930
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-56601090

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