Whether you’re driving across the country or jumping on a long haul flight, it’s always a great idea to be traveling with a soundtrack for your trip. Carefully-selected tunes which will set the mood. But now that summer is here, which songs can make up that perfect playlist?
“Summer travel songs should get you thinking about wide open blue skies, a beating sun and cocktails on the beach. They should be a toe tapping accompaniment to lapping waves or be redolent with the sounds of exotic destinations.”
With that in mind, here are a few suggestions of must-haves for your travel playlist – 18 infectious tunes that invoke a sense of summer. Some of them are currently topping the charts, some are classic tunes, but they all have one thing in common … I can’t get them out of my head!
Let me know if you have any songs to add in the comments. And at the end of the post, enter to win an iTunes voucher worth £50 courtesy of the new “Sounds like Summer” track creator!
Walking on Sunshine – Katrina & The Waves
Life Is A Highway – Tom Cochrane
Can’t Stop the Feeling! – Justin Timberlake
Ludacris – Rest Of My Life ft. Usher, David Guetta
I’ve Lived – One Republic
Shut Up and Drive – Rihanna
This is What You Came For – Calvin Harris & Rhianna
Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Elle King, Ex’s & Oh’s
Avicii – Wake Me Up
Me Too – Meghan Trainor
If it Aint Love – Jason Derulo
Sitting on Top of the World – Delta Goodrem
Happy – Pharrell Williams
Livin on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
Titanium – David Guetta ft. Sia
Everyday is a Winding Road – Sheryl Crow
Summer – Calvin Harris
WINNER of a £50 iTunes Voucher:
Lindy! (DJ name: LindyLoves)
Competition is CLOSED
To celebrate the launch of their new “Sounds like Summer” track creator, First Choice are giving away an iTunes voucher worth £50.
How to enter: Use the Summer Soundboard to create a summer track which invokes a sense of travel. You can build your own track using drums, synth and special guest artist samples, and browse other people’s tracks for inspiration. It’s fun! Once your masterpiece is finished, give it a title, share it, and leave a comment here with the link to your share!
Rules: Share your track on either Facebook, Twitter, or your blog, with a short blurb explaining the story behind it. Mention your DJ name and song name, tagging #soundslikesummer. Leave the link to your blog or social media post in the comments section of this post to enter.
Competition closes: August 10 2016 at 11.59pm AEST (Sydney time). Winner will be chosen randomly and announced on this post. Winner will be contacted via the email address provided when submitting their comment.
Full Terms and Conditions
The winner will be prized with an iTunes voucher worth £50. Anyone can enter – there are no restrictions on location.
This prize has been donated by First Choice who may change the conditions of their prizes at any time. We have done our best to cover all conditions, but ultimately hold no responsibility for any change, interruption or termination of the prizes. No claims on the part of the participants shall arise in these cases.
The winner will be selected at random and informed via email. Failure to claim the prize within one week of this email may lead to a new winner being drawn. You will receive your prizes directly from the sponsor. All prizes are as stated and no cash alternative will be given or exchange. Competition closes at 11.59pm on Wednesday August 10 2016 at 11.59pm AEST (Sydney time).
Participation is free and at the participant’s own risk. All costs, taxes and fees arising in connection with the winning of a prize are in the sole responsibility of the winner. There is no right of appeal. We shall be entitled to exclude individual participants from this and future competitions if there are justified reasons, such as violation of conditions of participation.
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43 Comments
This seems like a fun thing to do and I will definitely look into creating my summer tracks. I loved the selection of songs you posted and some will probably be included in my list. Although I can see a few country songs added as well. Thanks for sharing!!!
Glad you enjoyed the post Joella! Definitely check out the summer soundboard and comment back here once you’ve made your track :) Happy travels!
I love katsina and the waves and it was a Eurovision Song Contest winner for us Brits
It’s a classic!!
Great song list! Some of these I have never heard of, going to give them a listen now.
Thanks Jen! Hope you enjoy our picks!
I love making playlists. I think I’d include some laid back beachy vibes like Jack Johnson. Just we had some sun in London to accompany that summer feeling!
Totally agree with you on Jack Johnson – hope summer is a good one for you in London this year!
Some of these songs are certainly on my running playlist! It’s winter here in New Zealand so I’m not calling it my summer playlist quite yet, but these are all great choices!
Never too early to start compiling :D
Great list! Hoops by the Rubens has been stuck in my head most of this summer – love your tips! Livin on a prayer is perfect for any season:)
Thanks Laura! I haven’t heard Hoops by the Rubens yet – will Youtube it now … thanks for the tip!
You made some fun choices! Rihanna would always go on my summer playlist. I would probably also add some Springsteen because I’m an East Coast girl!
Thanks Stella! Rhianna has so many fab tracks to choose from, it wouldn’t be a summer playlist without at least one! I could definitely deal with some Springsteen on my playlist too!
https://twitter.com/scthraw/status/761187855733497856
Thanks Stuart! Entry noted :) … watch this space for the winner announcement on Wednesday :)
I would add some U2, especially the Streets Have No Name
Great choice! Totally agree :)
You’ve got a great list! I’ll definitely be listening to them this summer– and maybe even in an airport soon.
And, thanks of the info on making my own tracks!
Thanks Jess! Glad we could provide some playlist inspiration for your next trip :)
Love them and would add Albatross by Fleetwood Mac
Haven’t heard that one before – checking it out now … thanks Mary!
Done
https://www.mappingmegan.com/best-songs-for-summer-travel-playlist/
I think you need to create a song using soundboard and share tracks title and your Dj name :) Sharing Megans post under her post wont entitle you to win a competition ;)
Hi Israr, as Emily mentioned, to have an entry count you need to create a song via the soundboard and post the link to where you have shared your track.
Good luck!
This is a different playlist! I’ve never seen one with these songs! Very fun!
Glad we could provide something you hadn’t seen before Paige :) Happy travels!
Hi Megan,
Great competition! I’ve already entered and created my ultimate summer hit! Please see my blog post here:http://www.eat-train-dressup.com/summer-memories/
EVERYONE YOU NEED TO CREATE YOUR SONG, WRITE A BLOG POST/OR SHARE ON SOCIAL AND THEN COMMENT WITH YOUR LINK TO ENTER THE COMPETITION.
GOOD LUCK!
Thanks for the link Anna – entry noted! Watch this space after Wednesday for when we announce the winner – happy travels!
What a great playlist! I’m terrible with music and always end up listening to the same songs over and over again, so thank you :)
Thanks Cass! Happy travels!
What a great playlist! I had a lot of fun using the Summer Soundboard, my DJ name is LindyLoves and my track is called Summer Sounds. You can hear the track I created on my blog post, here: http://www.lindyloves.co.uk/summer-travel-playlist-win-a-50-itunes-voucher :)
Thanks Lindy! Entry noted – will post the winner after the comp closes end of Wednesday :) Glad you had fun with the soundboard! :)
I created a song and tweeted it. I’m not sure ti worked properly though! Fun idea, nonetheless.
Glad you enjoyed using the soundboard Janet! Share a link to your tweet here to have your entry count in the comp :)
I loved playing about and making my own tune. I’ve wrote a blogpost here about it: http://www.rachelnicole.co.uk/2016/08/sounds-like-summer.html xo
Thanks Rachel! Glad you had fun using the soundboard! Your entry is noted – we will draw and announce the winner soon! Happy travels :) X
Believe my song sounds like the ones from Ross from Friends. lol
BTW great tunes selection !
Bahaha love it! I love friends so I know exactly which episode you’re talking about. Share the link here before the comp ends to have your entry count :)
Club Tropicana
Thanks for the tip Mel! Will have to check that one out :)
Excellent song choices! Especially “I Lived” by One Republic. I’m listening to that one a lot at the moment.
Thanks Zascha! Glad you enjoyed the post – “I Lived” by One Republic is probably one of my favorites – I play it when I need to feel uplifted and inspired :)