10 Essential Feel-Good Jams For Your Next Roadtrip | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

10 Essential Feel-Good Jams For Your Next Roadtrip

A collection of upbeat tunes to make the drive fly by.

125
10 Essential Feel-Good Jams For Your Next Roadtrip
Nich Hance McElroy

As of recent, I have been keeping a running list of songs that fit well for drives to anywhere. While these collections all have different vibes, they maintain that same ambient, yet engaging sound. For this article's sake, I have narrowed down the songs into smaller playlists. This first list contains more upbeat jams that will add to any road trip.

1. "Dark Days" by Local Natives

A captivating song to start off the list, which features both male and female vocals. Local Natives captivating lyrics read, "Dark days in the summer / In the rain the water's fine / It was wild combination / Either that or right down the line." This line, and perhaps this song, alludes to the foggy memories of summers past, where emotions were mixed in a messy search for truth.

2. "Clean" by The Japanese House

With unique, yet beautiful vocals, singer Amber Bain, too, speaks of memories and emotions past, and how it has formed the speaker into who they are presently. Bain sings, "All the things I tried to say remain within / I'm cooling in the clay / I've always been molded this way."

3. "School Friends - Ansible Remix" by Now, Now


An extremely powerful song, "School Friends" tells the tale of the tireless, tiresome cycle of using someone, and discarding them for another. Lead singer Cacie Dalager sings, "She'll be invisible like you want her / She'll try to do everything just right for you / You have a girlfriend but she's not your girlfriend / You just like her where she's at."

4. "Between Friends" by Japanese Wallpaper

Another compelling ballad of love and hurt, Japanese Wallpaper expresses the confusion found in the blurred lines of friendship versus lovers. The lyrics describe, "Cause you’re gone, my friend / And I know, cause you’re gone / If you wanna be my friend / Stop trying to be my lover."

(Expletive warning)

5. "Milan" by High Highs

"Milan" is contains both beautiful and ethereal sound, while maintaining thoughtful lyrics, . The lyrics read, "I know you're gonna leave me / I know / Whatever way the wind blows / Tied up with twine, we fell in the sea / We will never be, never be." This song speaks of the mourning of a love lost, and the longing for what may never be.

6. "Jamz" by Sales


A highly engaging and elevating song, "Jamz" allows the listener to let go with simple lyrics and catchy rhythm. The lyrics read, "before / lo-fi / i want time and / my life's so low."

7. "Drag" by Day Wave

One of my personal favorites from the list, "Drag," while a truly upbeat jam, maintains lyrics that hit hard. Jackson Philips, the face behind Day Wave writes, "And I know that I'm too hard to find / That I don't make time / And I'm just like that / Hold me back / I don't wanna be a drag." His lyrics reflect regret, locked with the feeling of being a burden; he wishes not to hold back those he loves.

8. "Wanderlust" by Paperwhite

A song perfectly placed for any road jam, the lyrics accurately sing, "Taken by wanderlust / I can feel my heart beating / Driven by wanderlust / I just wanna wake up dreaming." "Wanderlust" wonderfully captures the eagerness for adventure.

9. "Never Going Home" by Hazel English


Darker lyrics hide behind another catchy song in "Never Going Home." Hazel English equates the feeling of love, or perhaps needing someone, with an addiction. She writes, "There is no wait / I've got to satiate / This burning feeling in my throat / I'm not playing it safe / And it's getting late."

10. "Favourite Day" by Bombay Bicycle Club


And lastly, Bombay Bicycle Club blissfully concludes with "Favourite Day." They write with such beauty, saying, "We can find some common surface / to put all our worries on / We can pour them out, or let them drip / then split them one by one / They can dry out, let them lie out / in the eyes of the morning sun." These lyrics capture the desire for freedom and resolution.

And that's a wrap, for now. Hopefully this little collection adds to wherever your destination lies.

Listen to the entire playlist here!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Gilmore Girls
Hypable

In honor of Mother’s Day, I have been thinking of all the things my mom does for my family and me. Although I couldn’t write nearly all of them, here are a few things that moms do for us.

They find that shirt that’s right in front of you, but just you can’t seem to find.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons To Thank Your Best Friend

Take the time to thank that one friend in your life you will never let go of.

429
Thank You on wooden blocks

1. Thank you for being the one I can always count on to be honest.

A true friend will tell you if the shirt is ugly, or at least ask to borrow it and "accidentally" burn it.

2. Thank you for accepting me for who I am.

A best friend will love you regardless of the stale french fries you left on the floor of your car, or when you had lice in 8th grade and no one wanted to talk to you.

Keep Reading...Show less
sick student
StableDiffusion

Everybody gets sick once in a while, but getting sick while in college is the absolute worst. You're away from home and your mom who can take care of you and all you really want to do is just be in your own bed. You feel like you will have never-ending classwork to catch up on if you miss class, so you end up going sick and then it just takes longer to get better. Being sick in college is really tough and definitely not a fun experience. Here are the 15 stages that everyone ends up going through when they are sick at college.

Keep Reading...Show less
kid
Janko Ferlic
Do as I say, not as I do.

Your eyes widen in horror as you stare at your phone. Beads of sweat begin to saturate your palm as your fingers tremble in fear. The illuminated screen reads, "Missed Call: Mom."

Growing up with strict parents, you learn that a few things go unsaid. Manners are everything. Never talk back. Do as you're told without question. Most importantly, you develop a system and catch on to these quirks that strict parents have so that you can play their game and do what you want.

Keep Reading...Show less
friends
tv.com

"Friends" maybe didn’t have everything right or realistic all the time, but they did have enough episodes to create countless reaction GIFs and enough awesomeness to create, well, the legacy they did. Something else that is timeless, a little rough, but memorable? Living away from the comforts of home. Whether you have an apartment, a dorm, your first house, or some sort of residence that is not the house you grew up in, I’m sure you can relate to most of these!

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments