Driving & Cruising Playlists

What constitutes a great driving song?  In my mind, it’s one that really makes you want to “get at it”.  You’ll feel the urge to go a little faster, you’ll be more focused on the car and traffic; you’re into the song.  You’ll hug the road a little tighter.  The song has a strong beat and a fast pace.  It’s a song that brings back pleasant memories.  

There are songs that you haven’t heard before that become instant hits.  They fit your patterns for driving songs and become part of your playlists.  For me, “Lit Up”, by Buckcherry is a prime example.  I was on my way home from work when this came on the radio, and I was an instant fan.  Need to be careful when it’s played cuz of the lyrics, but it’s a winner in my mind.

I’m going to make a distinction between “driving” and “cruising” in creating two separate playlists.  There will be overlap, however, the Driving playlist will have a more individual and personal appeal, while the Cruising one will have a broader focus and appeal.  Another differentiation would be that the Driving playlist is more along the lines of twisting & turning on the roads through the mountains, whereas Cruising is more like cruise control on the prairies, or doing laps on the strip.  I’m interested in your opinions on the distinction.

Personally, I’d have the Driving playlist on when I’m driving alone; Cruising would be when I’m on the road with family and/or friends.  Of course these playlists work just fine when you’re cruising the back deck, too!

Driving Playlist

Cruising Playlist