On the Road: The Soundtrack to your Summer!

Summer is approaching and we want you to hang out of your car window on a hot night listening to exhilarating harmonies with the wind through your hair. We all know that 2020 has us beat, and we dream of the day we get to run barefoot with the silky soft ocean sand or the sharp grass and the unrefined pavement between our toes again. No matter the case, the freedom that we’ll all have from leaving the house after plenty of months inside will feel surreally infinite. It will be like the countless amount of last days of school we’ve had, but will never amount to the same because this is something that only happens once. For that, we put together this playlist for all of your summer road trips, but dedicated especially to the first time you get the taste of freedom again. Wherever you go, you deserve it. 

1.The Weekend- Priory 

Everyone transforms into a different person on a Friday night after work- one that is both adventurous and relaxing. Priory takes this to another level with their drum beats that make it feel as though your heart is beating out of your chest. The song is rebellious, but in a classically tuneful way, sending a message that everyone recognizes at some point in their lifetime: taking risks breaks free from reality. Their lesson is essential to summer road trips. After all, how did you get on the road to begin with? 

2. It’s Never Enough- Audiodub 

Yes, one of the many playful songs from the awful but eye catching Netflix show, Outer Banks. The reggae beat leaves our bodies feeling fluid, wanting to dance more than anything. It’s beachy and preachy, allowing us to think both about how the lyrics apply to our lives and how the guitars somehow balance that out so we can have fun with it. Audiodub’s voice is unique, you’ll never hear anything like it. It’s best for all of your summer road trips, especially if you are going to the beach. In the midst of all this chaos going on in the world, this song allows you to “get lost in thought.” 

3. Ends of the Earth- Lord Huron 

I listen to Lord Huron’s Ends of the Earth during all of my summer road trips and often find myself looking at where the east coast meets the horizon, contemplating the person I’m meant to be. The lyrics are undeniably poetic, leaving you on a powerful cliffhanger as the band sings, “what good is living a life you’ve been given if all you do is stand in one place?” The entire song’s ambience pushes you to be a hopeless wanderer. The only way to find yourself is getting lost traveling. You’re not meant to stand, you are meant to move. Beautifully composed, you will never feel the same after you listen to the song. The song is the whispers inside your brain, calling for you to explore the unknown. 

4. Stolen dance- Milky Chance 

The quirky melody that Milky Chance possesses is wildly weird, but leaves you attracted to the beat. You can’t leave the room when you hear it, and you are left thinking both about any long distance relationships you might have and the future nostalgia that you have with your friends. Important especially for the times we are living in now, this song is a soulful reminder to dance together when we are apart from each other. 

5. Stay a Little Longer- Brothers Osborne 

This song is the perfect feel good for all of your summer romances and relationships. It’s meant for late night adventures, even if they’re a bit on the risky side. The guitar solo is powerful and their voice is both tough and tender. Everyone longs for the day they can be touched again and this song is a marvelous rendition of transferring what we feel into words. The moment I hear this song is always the first taste of summer. The deep connections you get with music that you don’t get with anything else- that’s how you’ll feel when you hear this song. 

6. Try a Little Tenderness- Otis Redding 

Yes, the song from the classic scene in Pretty in Pink when Ducky (John Crier) dances in the record store for Andy (Molly Ringwald) in an attempt to get her to reciprocate the feelings he has for her. The song makes us want to dance the way that Ducky did, both playfully with a touch of sentimentality. We want to sing like Otis Redding, so in the car while we loudly sing this song, we try to be Otis Redding. No one will ever amount to the empowering singer, but one thing remains true: while we drive on our road trip, we all will attempt to “try a little tenderness” in these chaotic and complicated times.