The UK’s Ultimate Driving Playlist
14 August 2024 | 
Phil Evans
UK road trips are a fantastic way to enjoy the summer weather, visiting the many great locations nationwide. There are several ways to keep ourselves entertained on the road, but what’s better than a road trip playlist? We decided to survey 2,000 UK drivers to find out what makes the ultimate driving playlist, so your summer road trip has the perfect soundtrack.
Most Popular Road Trip Songs
Receiving votes from 27% of our survey takers, Bob Marley and the Wailers’ ‘One Love’ has been crowned the ultimate driving song! Following this with 26% of votes was the 1988 classic ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’ by Scotland’s The Proclaimers, a song fitting for a road trip.
Plenty of classics followed, with ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ by Guns N’ Roses (25%), ’Heart of Glass’ by Blondie (24%), ‘Eye of the Tiger’ by Survivor (24%) and ’Born to Run’ by Bruce Springsteen (23%), all coming next in the playlist. After even more classics, including Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’ (23%), some modern tracks broke into the playlist, with The Weeknd’s ‘Blinding Lights’ (17%), Beyonce’s ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ (17%) and Katy Perry’s ‘Firework’ (16%) making their way in.
The Full Ultimate Driving Playlist, According to British Drivers:
- #1 ‘One Love’, Bob Marley and The Wailers – 27%
- #2 ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’, The Proclaimers – 26%
- #3 ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’, Guns N’ Roses – 25%
- #4 ‘Heart of Glass’, Blondie – 24%
- #5 ‘Eye of the Tiger’, Survivor – 24%
- #6 ‘Born to Run’, Bruce Springsteen – 23%
- #7 ‘Running Up That Hill’, Kate Bush – 23%
- #8 ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’, John Denver – 22%
- #9 ‘Jamming’, Bob Marley and The Wailers – 22%
- #10 ‘Every Breath You Take’, The Police – 21%
- #11 ‘Born to be Wild’, Steppenwolf – 21%
- #12 ‘Stayin’ Alive’, The Bee Gees – 21%
- #13 ‘Take It Easy’, The Eagles – 21%
- #14 ‘Mr Blue Sky’, Electric Light Orchestra – 21%
- #15 ‘Another One Bites The Dust’, Queen – 21%
- #16 ‘Fast Car’, Tracy Chapman – 20%
- #17 ‘Don’t Stop Believin’, Journey – 20%
- #18 ‘Man! I Feel Like A Woman’, Shania Twain – 20%
- #19 ‘Love Shack’, B-52s – 19%
- #20 ‘Road to Nowhere’, Talking Heads – 18%
- #21 ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’, Toploader – 18%
- #22 ‘Here I Go Again’, Whitesnake – 18%
- #23 ‘Blinding Lights’, The Weeknd – 17%
- #24 ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’, Sophie Ellis Bextor – 17%
- #25 ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’, Beyonce – 17%
- #26 ‘Firework’, Katy Perry – 16%
- #27 ‘YMCA’, Village People – 15%
- #28 ‘Where The Streets Have No Name’, U2 – 15%
- #29 ‘Upside Down’, Diana Ross – 15%
- #30 ‘Hit the Road Jack’, Ray Charles – 15%
Over half (57%) of our surveyed drivers said they create a road trip playlist for the drive. The most popular genres of choice are pop (59%), rock (40%), dance (28%) and R’n’B (28%)!
Generational Song Preferences
Our survey revealed some differences in preferences between generations too. Unlike older Brits, Gen Z’s votes went towards contemporary hits such as Beyonce’s ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ (27%), Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Espresso’ (22%), Kesha’s ‘TikTok’ (22%) and Taylor Swift’s ’Style’ (22%). A fifth (20%) of Gen Z also voted for ‘Toxic’ by Britney Spears, a timeless hit that has again caught traction after the singer’s autobiography was released last year.
What is the UK’s Attitude towards Road Trips?
It seems that UK drivers are keen to get on the road this year. Nearly half (49%) of British drivers said that a road trip with loved ones is one of the best things to do during the summer. Over a third of respondents also stated that they already have a road trip booked for the summer, with the average distance of the planned trips coming in at 225 miles!
Over half of the drivers surveyed said that road trips make the best memories and that a road trip in the UK is just as good as taking a holiday abroad.
Spending time on the road, heading to scenic destinations with loved ones is known to be a therapeutic experience. Helping to calm our nerves and boost serotonin levels, road trips are great for having fun with friends and family, but are also great for boosting our mental health.
Road Trip Pastimes
Despite many of our respondents looking forward to their road trips with their playlists at the ready, 73% of drivers admit it’s a challenge to keep the kids entertained during long journeys. In modern times, technology has become the primary way to keep the young ones entertained, as 76% of drivers admit to relying on technology to keep everyone happy.
Although tech is at the forefront of distractions, nostalgic road trip games still help pass the time. 72% of drivers are embracing classic games, with eye spy being most popular (49%), followed by the licence plate game (26%) and ‘who can stay quiet the longest?’ (23%) all being enjoyed by families during journeys.
Road Trip Superstitions
Our survey also revealed that many British drivers have their superstitions when it comes to getting behind the wheel. While superstitions may seem like nonsense to some, to many, these small actions help them feel a sense of security before setting off.
Just over a third (33%) of respondents always step into their car with their right foot first. 27% of drivers never look back at the house, the same amount of drivers also pack a lucky charm for the journey. Others like to wear a specific t-shirt, knock on wood before leaving and avoid the number 13!
Car Sharing on a Road Trip
Road trips are a fantastic way to spend time with loved ones this summer. However, leaving the brunt of the driving to one person can be a lot to ask. With GoShorty’s short-term car insurance, car sharing is made easy. Our flexible insurance model allows you to book insurance by the hour! This means drivers can get insured just for the road trip, so you can take turns during the journey, allowing everyone to take a break without having to stop the car.
