Statistically speaking, the average truck driver is expected to travel an average of two to three thousand miles a week, but we’re pretty sure that you already knew that. With that said, that’s a LOT of driving, and everybody knows that the best way to pass time on the road is with some great tunes. With an office full of avid music listeners here in Fremont, we have taken great pleasure in providing a list of our top tips for putting together the best playlists for your long hauls this summer. So, without further ado, here are our suggestions for assembling the ultimate playlist for the road this summer!
- Start Soft: Sometimes it’s nice to ease into your playlist, and few things can serve as a better start to your playlist than some 60’s and 70’s soft rock. Of course, the Beatles and the Stones have plenty of tunes, like Here Comes the Sun and Wild Horses, that fall into this category, so it’s hard to go wrong with either of those. However, groups like Creedence Clearwater Revival and Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young, depending on the era), as well as the Eagles have tons of soft rockers that would also serve as an excellent start to your playlist. CCR’s Lookin’ Out My Back Door is a great song with a straight ahead beat, catchy chorus, and a charming old country twang. While it’s a pretty easy, laid back track, it also really drives, and features strong, feel good melodies that you’ll be singing the rest of the day. We would also recommend Southern Cross by Crosby, Stills & Nash as some of us humbly feel that this song is truly the best CSN has to offer. The lyrics, which are emotional, are supported by a strong ‘A’ major chord progression, and are furnished with gorgeous vocal harmonies from the trio. The Eagles’ Take It Easy and Already Gone are two other great picks for a soft start to your playlist.
- If It’s In A Vietnam Movie, It’s Game: We’re not entirely sure why, but flicks about Vietnam almost always seem to have some of the best soundtracks. Jam packed with the likes of CCR, Jimi Hendrix, and the Stones, they are always a great place to look for tunes for your playlist. Fortunate Son is, of course, a staple in almost any Vietnam-era movie. Hendrix’s Purple Haze and All Along The Watchtower are two other necessities – filled to the brim with groove and bluesy soul, you will never regret adding either of these tunes to your playlist. And don’t forget the bluesy, yet eerie, The House of the Rising Sun by The Animals. Any of these would make for excellent selections. Just remember, if you can find it in a Vietnam movie, you probably can’t go wrong with it.
- Two Words: We have two words for you…Van Halen. Why? Well, it a (good) career spanning from the late 70’s to the early 90’s, meaning that Van Halen has plenty of records to choose from, each one packed with quality tracks. From David Lee Roth’s sleaze-infused boogies off of their eponymous 1976 debut record to Eddie Van Halen’s iconic drill vs guitar intro to For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, Van Halen is guaranteed to pump you up while you drive. Honestly, you’d be doing yourself a disservice not to include at least one track from each album, although I’m The One, Unchained, 5150, and Top of the World are few great places to start.
- Get HEAVY: Answer this: what is better to drive to than some good, old fashioned heavy metal? That’s right… nothing. Whether you’re into heavier music or not, there’s definitely some place for little bit of metal in your playlist. It’s never a bad choice to start with the classics, so Ozzy, Metallica, Megadeth, and Iron Maiden are probably a good jumping off point. As far as Mr. Osbourne is concerned, anything that involves the late Randy Rhoads is probably worthy of a spot in your playlist – we would suggest adding Mr. Crowley or Over the Mountain. In terms of thrash metal, both Metallica’s Master of Puppets and Megadeth’s Rust In Peace deserve to be added, in their entirety, to your playlist.
- Variety: Our fifth, and final, tip would be to try to keep diversity in mind while assembling your playlist. Variety is one of the most important aspects to having a strong, dynamic playlist, so try to include songs from as many different bands and genres as you’re comfortable with.
Hopefully these tips for putting together the best trucking playlist for this summer will work for you!. Happy trucking!