The Perfect Summer Driving Playlist | Phil Gilbert Toyota

Is Driving with Music Better?

Whether you’re visiting relatives for Christmas or driving to the beach with friends, summertime is driving time.

Before we get started, it’s worth asking the question – is driving with music better than driving without it?

Thankfully the answer is yes. According to a recent study, drivers’ minds tend to wander without any music. Despite this, it is still important to choose the right tunes for different driving situations. Here are our recommendations:

City Driving – Keep Calm

When driving through cities or towns, choose music that keeps you focused, but calm. Driving in built up areas requires far higher levels of alertness. The best kind of music for city driving is relaxing and not too fast – the tempo should roughly match your heartbeat, about 60-80 beats per minute (bpm). 

The Classical Solution

Classical music is a good choice for city driving, but be sure to avoid the intense, high-speed pieces.

Instead focus on music that is relaxing, with moderate tempos, such as Erik Satie’s Trois Gymnopedies or Claude Debussy’s Claire de Lune. Modern minimalist composers such as Phillip Glass or Max Richter can also provide a classic tune that’s perfect for driving to.

Low-Key Pop

To mix up your playlist, add in some pop and rock tunes.

Think of songs with lower tempos and steady feels. Some tried and true choice are Coldplay’s The Scientist, the Crowded House classics Four Seasons in One Day and Don’t Dream It’s Over, and The Ship Song by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Alternatively, John Lee Hooker’s entire back catalogue will do the job admirably.

Ridin' Down the Highway

Out on the highway, attention to every little detail becomes less important than just staying awake and motivated. When it comes to highway music, you can have a lot more fun!

AC/DC are an obvious choice for all patriotic Aussies. They have a solid back-catalogue of hits that seem custom-written for highway driving; many of them even reference it! Highway to Hell is a perfect choice, although you’ll want to ignore lyrics like ‘No stop signs or speed limit, ain’t nobody gonna slow me down!’

The Doors also have a lot of great driving songs, the best being Five to One and Roadhouse Blues. The latter even contains some helpful advice: ‘Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel.’ If you’re after a more contemporary soundtrack, try some post-millennium classics like Kendrick Lamar’s King Kunta, Jet’s Are you Gonna Be My Girl or anything at all by Reignwolf or Wolfmother.

Get Curating!

Have fun putting together your playlists for this summer. If your adventure involves a Toyota, get in touch with us about a vehicle service to make sure it’s road-trip ready. We also offer a free Accident Assist program when you buy your car from Phil Gilbert Toyota. Get in touch today to learn more.