Top 10 Songs From The ‘80s To Accompany You On A Road Trip

The list wouldn’t be complete without a pit stop with the “King of Pop.” One time, at a concert in Mexico, fans went wild just at the sight of a silhouette of him on stage. Michael was indeed treated like royalty wherever he went. 

Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ didn’t receive the same amount of love as Thriller and other tracks, yet it was still a gigantic hit, and the fact that it hasn’t been rinsed so many times makes it a perfect addition to any road trip playlist. 

Right from the start of this track, you know it’s perfect for a long drive. You can even play it on a loop without getting sick of the melody. The sound of the synthesized guitar can entice you into thinking that you’re in a sci-fi action movie, and the next thing you know, you’re headbanging to the beat of the drums (just don’t get too deep into it if you’re the one driving).

I Ran is so emblematic of the ‘80s that it transcends the decade, still getting heads bopping to this day. It has been featured in a whole range of films, most notably Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters. Thanks to these film introductions, it wins new fans every day and is a commonly streamed song on popular music apps.

Prince’s album, Purple Rain, dominated the charts, its tracks spending more time on top than those of any other artist from 1980 to 1999. Considering the widespread love this music icon enjoys, this dominance is no surprise. Prince crafted many great tunes, each one capable of shooting you into full-on party mode, even on a long trip in your car.

Despite its simple lyrics, When Doves Cry is one of Prince’s most iconic tracks. 

A lot of people shun this genre, but trust us, everyone needs to douse their ears in some epic ‘80s hair metal at least once in their lives. If you haven’t given yourself the chance, try listening to the great hits of the bands Dokken, Poison, Warrant, and Bon Jovi, all of whom saturated the radio waves of the ‘80s. Indeed, their tunes are still regularly rinsed and repeated by classic rock radio stations the world over.

Motley Crue, an American rock band formed in 1981, is one fine example of a group that embodied the slogan, sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. Their song Wild Side, from the album Girls, Girls, Girls, is one of their signature tracks.

Africa is inarguably one of the greatest songs of the ‘80s. Still played on radios and in clubs up until this day, the tracks have also been remade and remixed by a plethora of people; proof of its legendary status. You’ll also find it popping up in all sorts of shows and movies, including Stranger Things and Family Guy. 

One of the most recent covers came from the band Weezer who were campaigned by their fans to cover the ‘80s classic hit. 

The music video for Take On Me is one of the most memorable of all time. But the song itself can instantly put you in the best of moods while on the road, especially if it’s a long drive and you’ve got nothing else to keep you occupied but the endless stream of highway lines. The catchy melody is enough to kill even the most profound boredom, and you might end up surprising yourself by happily bopping your head and singing along instead of losing your cool in heavy traffic.

If you’re an advocate of this track, we can’t blame you. After all, it was crafted by two of the most iconic artists of the decade (and indeed the century). Under Pressure is that song you can’t help but dance or headbang to. It was such a massive knockout that legendary lads from Queen were duty-bound to perform it for fans at every concert until Freddie Mercury’s passing.

If you think about it, with 7.7 billion people on this planet, odds are that Under Pressure is always playing in a car somewhere, the driver and passengers all singing their hearts out in unison.

Sweet Child O’ Mine is one of Guns N Roses’ signature hits, there’s no denying it. That intro just instantly shifts your mood up a gear as Slash’s expert guitar playing streams from the stereo. This was actually a collaborative effort by the band, with Izzy creating the riffs and Axl penning the lyrics in just an hour. Though they may have created it in a flash, this song emerged as one of the decade's best and deserves a special spot in your ‘80s playlist.

Guns N Roses was a band that perfectly merged ‘70s and ‘80s glam rock with heavy metal to stir up a whole new movement. Prior to dissolving in the early ‘90s, they truly had the world in their hands.

There is an old joke among heavy metal enthusiasts: “what has five arms and stinks?”The answer is Def Leppard (a three-piece band whose drummer only had one arm). Since it’s just a joke, it doesn’t literally mean Rick Allen and Def Leppard stink. On the contrary, the trio formed one of the most iconic bands of the ‘80s.

Pour Some Sugar On Me is a fun song that often gets played at parties before dessert is brought out. On your road trip playlist, it can act as a perfect reminder to give yourself a bit of sweet sustenance to get you through the rest of the drive.

Madonna isn’t the “Queen of Pop” for nothing. The megastar released four sellout albums during the ‘80s alone. Her musicality spans cultures, genres, and decades. So much so that even the most hardcore metal enthusiast would still rock out to Lucky Star, even if it was on the down-low.

Since we’re looking exclusively at the ‘80s, you’ve got ten enormous hits from Madonna’s four albums of the decade. Realistically, you could just have an entirely Madonna-dominated playlist to bop to while on the road. Roll your windows down and don’t be surprised if the people in nearby cars join you in the singalong fun. Blast Get Into The Groove or Holiday and you’re bound to make new pals.