This week’s blog post, I want to tackle an issue that is very near and dear to my heart, that being music. Music has always been a huge part of my life, and I’ll often listen to music in any given situation. However, I’ve realized that I spend the majority of my time listening to music in the car, and if you’re anything like me, you too are blasting your tunes to and from school, work, practice, lunch, or wherever you may be heading. I’ve got a special playlist that I like to play pretty much any time I get in the car, and today’s post will cover some of the best songs on the playlist. That being said, my taste in music may not be popular, and I may get some hate for these takes, but this is my blog and I’ll do as I please. Without further ado, here are Gabe Bresnick’s top 5 songs for your rides.
#5
“This Love”, Maroon 5.
“This Love” originally came out 2004, and features the incredibly talented Adam Levine on vocals. The song’s lyrics (as most songs do) tells the story of a rocky relationship that the narrator has a hard time moving on from. While I enjoy the story it tells, this song secures its #5 spot with its expertly crafted bridge that’s easy to belt out when nobody’s around. If I was doing a top 10, Maroon 5 would be on this list at least 2 more times, but I had to pick one song, and “This Love” was the first to come to mind.
#4
“Handclap”, Fitz and the Tantrums
“Handclap” is just one of those songs that gets everybody going. Up-tempo, simple lyrics, and listener engagement solidify its position at #4. It is nearly impossible to attend any middle or high school dance without hearing this song at least once, and it works even better in the car. I have distinct memories of driving carpool and everybody singing along and clapping, and I’ll be the first to admit that the hands come off the wheel to clap for this song. Regardless, “Handclap” is a no-brainer for #4.
#3
“The Nights”, Avicii
“The Nights” is such a good song; upbeat with positive lyrics about making the most of your life, strong instrumentals during vocal breaks, just the perfect package. The song came out in 2014, but is still a solid option for the car, and I’d go as far to say that it’s Avicii’s best song. I’ve put it at the #3 spot for because of the forward pushing backbeat and the ethereal synth that make it a song that pairs perfectly with flying down a two-lane road with the windows down. I absolutely love Avicii’s work and I hope that he found peace in his next life.
#2
“Drive By”, Train
I’ll be honest, choosing songs started to get really tough right about now. There are so many good choices, but at the end of the day, the #2 spot undoubtedly goes to “Drive By”. Train is a band I have like for a very long time, and have some amazing songs like, “Hey Soul Sister”, “Save Me San Francisco”, and “50 Ways to Say Goodbye”, but “Drive By” for me will always be Train’s #1. The catchy chorus and the driving tempo mixed with verses that are in between sung and spoken make for a great song for the car, especially when you’ve got your buddies in the backseat. As hard as this choice was, I feel confident with “Drive By” in the #2 spot.
Honorable Mentions
Choosing only 5 songs without listing some other bangers would have been impossible, so here’s some other songs to give a listen:
“Rocketeer”, Far East Movement
“Glad You Came”, The Wanted
“Maps”, Maroon 5
“Replay”, Iyaz
“Everybody Talks”, Neon Trees and
“Runaway Baby”, Bruno Mars.
Any and all of these songs are great for a drive, especially with the windows down in the summer. That being said, there can only be one champion, and while this is my opinion, I think that you’ll be able to see where I’m coming from. My #1 song for the car is…
#1
“Some Nights”, fun.
This song is so good. The lyrics tell the story of a young man who doesn’t know his place in the world, and has these intense feelings of being lost “some nights”, as he asks himself, “What do I stand for?. This is not only relatable but powerful, as the song continues, he decides that he found his purpose and his place in the world with the lyric “Man, you wouldn’t believe the most amazing things that can come from some terrible nights”. These lyrics can be interpreted by nearly everyone as all people have felt the sense that they don’t know who they are in the world, and the song shows that it’s okay to be lost and that terrible nights can lead to amazing things. Not only are the lyrics expertly written, but this song is musically incredible. It doesn’t follow the common ABABCB song form (Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus), but rather has multiple different forms, all of which flow seamlessly together. There are long parts, and quieter parts that build back up. All together, Nate Ruess and fun. have created, in my opinion, the best song for car rides. I can honestly say that I listen to this song at least 3 times a week, and I’m still not bored of it. For me, it’s perfect.
That being said, I’d love to hear any other ideas in comments of great songs for the car, and who knows, maybe I’ll make a new playlist. I’m running out of words here, but thank you for reading and I hope to see you again in the future.
-Gabe Bresnick
This was really entertaining to read. I am wondering how many songs are on your special playlist that you like to play every time you get in the car. I am guessing that it is really long. I think I have heard all of the songs on your top 5 and all of the songs on your honorable mentions. All of the songs that you listed are kind of similar to each other, which is not a bad thing, just something I noticed. They are all good songs, I would be happy if I was in a car listening to your playlist. I liked how you kept emphasizing that these are songs that you would listen to with your “windows down in the summer”. Those five words paint a really fun picture in my head, bringing back good memories. I already can’t wait for summer nights again, this post got me excited.
This blog post really had me engaged. I was unfamiliar with a few of the songs so I went on apple music to give them a listen. I was very impressed, especially by “Drive By” by Train. If I was a car with this playlist playing I would be satisfied ,however I did notice that the majority of the songs sounded very alike. This is not a bad thing however depending on the mood, especially if you’re in a bad mood, this could be something to consider. Lasty, I liked how you had different different artists for each song recommendation and how some of the songs seemed fairly underground. This was a good way of making the reader have to do some research and hopefully introduce them to something new, just like how you introduced me to new songs and added new music to my playlist. Thanks Gabe for the interesting read.
Well, I am fan of Train and Maroon 5. Thanks for sharing your playlist and the specifics of why they are on their. Also, a fan of Fun. I like Nate Ruess. I think he has a great voice. Train is so clever in their song writing. Thanks for sharing.
Hey Gabe, great post. Personally, I feel like I got into listening to music pretty late. I didn’t exactly find my music taste until high school and even then it feels like it changes every year. While writing this comment, I’ve queued your top 5 and I’m a fan. These songs aren’t the same kind of music I listen to right now, but I definitely see the appeal. Regrettably, I also don’t drive, but I can clearly see the driving vibe in these songs and do not doubt your list at all. A lot of these songs I’ve heard before but just didn’t know the name of, but these were definitely timeless classics. In terms of my own recommendations, I’ll be the first to admit that my music taste is all over the place. I like sad songs, hype songs, singer-songwriter songs, and so many other genres. Because of this, my shuffle button is always a huge emotional gamble. But, admittedly, Olivia Rodrigo’s Vampire has made its way into my car song rotation.