Few things say summer like hopping in the car, cranking up some tunes, and heading out on the road, top down or windows open, to check out the beauty that is a road trip across America. Some snacks, some friends, a tank of gas, and maybe a map is all you need. Well, that and the good music. Here are ten albums, in no particular order, that will rock and roll you down the highway on that upcoming summer road trip.
1. You cannot go on an American road trip without some of the Boss on hand. Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA is him at his original, rocking best. The tunes keep you moving and can really set a tone for the start of a great trip. Just see if you aren't all singing along to "Glory Days".
2. While you cannot go wrong with any Black Sabbath, Ozzy's first solo album Blizzard of Ozz has some great tracks for driving. "Crazy Train", "Mr. Crowley", and "Goodbye to Romance" have awesome beats and riffs, and they are certainly the kind of thing to wake up a sleepy set of passengers. Just watch that lead foot during the driving guitar solos.
3. If you want to bring it back down a little and still keep things rocking, Pearl Jam's debut "Ten" has the classic songs everyone knows, yet still has the edgy feel of the early band. The cool thing is, everyone can join the singalong, because no one really knows the lyrics.
4. In the same vein of somber but still jamming, bring along Green Day's American Idiot. There's a little something for everyone on this, classic grunge, harder driving riffs, and their more touching, reflective tunes. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "Wake Me Up When September Ends" will probably be played more than once on a long trip.
5. Debuts are usually a band's best work, and few are better examples than Appetite for Destruction by Guns N Roses. While 80's hair isn't everyone's tastes, the songs on this album are enough to get anyone moving in their seat for sheer nostalgia value alone. "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Paradise City" cannot be sat still through.
6. For something a little more new and poppy, try Daft Punk's Random Access Memories. The electronica is fun, and this band really knows how to put together music that makes you want to move. Everyone knows "Get Lucky", and it is the perfect song to roll out at the start of your trip. There are also some surprises on this album for those who only know Daft Punk's more popular tracks.
7. Something out of the wayback that you kids may not know is Bob Seger's Running Against the Wind. This album was at number one when it came out in 1980. It has a mix of soft rock ballads and classic rock jams. "Against the Wind", the titular song, is one of the most perfect driving tunes, and "Her Strut" is a lesson in classic rock guitar.
8. There are few greater American balladeers than John Cougar Mellencamp. His album, American Fool, has some of his best. Songs like "Hurt So Good", "Jack & Diane", and "Hand to Hold On To" are rock anthems that should be cranked and sung along to multiple times on any blue-blooded road trip.
9. For a little more hipness, bring along Pharrell Williams' Girl. Not only is "Happy" guaranteed to get everyone awake and clapping along, but there are some awesome smooth grooves on some of the other tracks. "Come Get it Bae" has a funky rhythm that will definitely have your team trying to keep the beat.
10. One bonus of selecting Foo Fighter's In Your Honor is that it is a two disc album. One has some of their classic, hard rocking tunes like "Best of You", "DOA", and "No Way Back". The other has a more mellow selection of acoustic songs, like "Miracle" and "Friend of a Friend". They are classic grunge, but from the later phase, and they are songs that will have you tapping on the steering wheel.
There are plenty more to choose from, of course. Your tastes may vary. But if you are headed out for a summer road trip across the USA, you will definitely want to have plenty of rocking tunes to keep you up and keep you driving.
Article by: Jessica Kane is a writer for SoundStage Direct, the number online source for the best vinyl records and turntables.
(Photo by davebloggs007 via Flickr)
2. While you cannot go wrong with any Black Sabbath, Ozzy's first solo album Blizzard of Ozz has some great tracks for driving. "Crazy Train", "Mr. Crowley", and "Goodbye to Romance" have awesome beats and riffs, and they are certainly the kind of thing to wake up a sleepy set of passengers. Just watch that lead foot during the driving guitar solos.
3. If you want to bring it back down a little and still keep things rocking, Pearl Jam's debut "Ten" has the classic songs everyone knows, yet still has the edgy feel of the early band. The cool thing is, everyone can join the singalong, because no one really knows the lyrics.
4. In the same vein of somber but still jamming, bring along Green Day's American Idiot. There's a little something for everyone on this, classic grunge, harder driving riffs, and their more touching, reflective tunes. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "Wake Me Up When September Ends" will probably be played more than once on a long trip.
5. Debuts are usually a band's best work, and few are better examples than Appetite for Destruction by Guns N Roses. While 80's hair isn't everyone's tastes, the songs on this album are enough to get anyone moving in their seat for sheer nostalgia value alone. "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Paradise City" cannot be sat still through.
6. For something a little more new and poppy, try Daft Punk's Random Access Memories. The electronica is fun, and this band really knows how to put together music that makes you want to move. Everyone knows "Get Lucky", and it is the perfect song to roll out at the start of your trip. There are also some surprises on this album for those who only know Daft Punk's more popular tracks.
7. Something out of the wayback that you kids may not know is Bob Seger's Running Against the Wind. This album was at number one when it came out in 1980. It has a mix of soft rock ballads and classic rock jams. "Against the Wind", the titular song, is one of the most perfect driving tunes, and "Her Strut" is a lesson in classic rock guitar.
8. There are few greater American balladeers than John Cougar Mellencamp. His album, American Fool, has some of his best. Songs like "Hurt So Good", "Jack & Diane", and "Hand to Hold On To" are rock anthems that should be cranked and sung along to multiple times on any blue-blooded road trip.
9. For a little more hipness, bring along Pharrell Williams' Girl. Not only is "Happy" guaranteed to get everyone awake and clapping along, but there are some awesome smooth grooves on some of the other tracks. "Come Get it Bae" has a funky rhythm that will definitely have your team trying to keep the beat.
10. One bonus of selecting Foo Fighter's In Your Honor is that it is a two disc album. One has some of their classic, hard rocking tunes like "Best of You", "DOA", and "No Way Back". The other has a more mellow selection of acoustic songs, like "Miracle" and "Friend of a Friend". They are classic grunge, but from the later phase, and they are songs that will have you tapping on the steering wheel.
There are plenty more to choose from, of course. Your tastes may vary. But if you are headed out for a summer road trip across the USA, you will definitely want to have plenty of rocking tunes to keep you up and keep you driving.
Article by: Jessica Kane is a writer for SoundStage Direct, the number online source for the best vinyl records and turntables.
(Photo by davebloggs007 via Flickr)
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