Folks, this past weekend in New York City it hit nearly 80 degrees out. That’s a little bit horrifying to have happened in March, but it was at least a nice day to be out on my motorcycle — or to be out in your car with the windows down, the wind in your hair, and some fantastic tunes on your stereo. What’s better than a chance to just enjoy the weather behind the wheel of your favorite car. Really, the hardest part can be deciding the music. So, today, we ask: What’s your favorite summer driving song?
Personally, I’m not much of an ‘individual songs” girl — I’m more of a playlists and full albums listener — but I certainly have some favorites when they show up. For summer, I lean fully into upbeat alt/pop stylings: Walk the Moon, The Wombats, Fitz and the Tantrums, Passion Pit. I spent years deeply invested in college radio, to the detriment of my actual college education, and it clearly shows in the tracks I still listen to. If I had to pick a single favorite summer vibes track, though, it may “Jenny” by Walk the Moon.
I like something I can bop around in my seat to
A summer drive track should be fun to sing along to, fun to dance to, something that makes you do more than just drum your hands on the wheel. Anything with handclaps fits the bill here well — special shoutout to “Handclap” by Fitz and the Tantrums for delivering exactly what it says on the tin. A great summer drive song will put a grin on your face, if the beautiful weather and your favorite driving road hadn’t done that already.
Walk the Moon’s “Jenny” — really, the band’s whole self-titled album — is my pick for the best summer driving track. What’s the highlight of your personal good weather, good vibes cruising playlist? Leave your answer below, and we’ll collect our favorites later on in the week. Maybe you’ll even contribute to some of the Jalopnik staff’s personal summer drive playlists.
