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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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Megan is an Australian Journalist who has been travelling and blogging since 2007, with the main aim of inspiring others to embark on their own worldwide adventure. Her husband Mike is an American travel photographer, and together they have made the world their home.

Committed to bringing you the best in adventure travel from all around the globe, there is no mountain too high, and no fete too extreme! They haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on their list.

Follow their journey on Facebook, TwitterYouTube, Pinterest and Instagram.

    21 Comments

  1. 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!!!

  2. I love katsina and the waves and it was a Eurovision Song Contest winner for us Brits

  3. Great song list! Some of these I have never heard of, going to give them a listen now.

  4. 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!

  5. 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!

  6. 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:)

  7. 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!

  8. I would add some U2, especially the Streets Have No Name

  9. 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!

  10. Love them and would add Albatross by Fleetwood Mac

  11. This is a different playlist! I’ve never seen one with these songs! Very fun!

  12. 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!

  13. 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 :)

  14. I created a song and tweeted it. I’m not sure ti worked properly though! Fun idea, nonetheless.

  15. Believe my song sounds like the ones from Ross from Friends. lol
    BTW great tunes selection !

  16. Club Tropicana

  17. Excellent song choices! Especially “I Lived” by One Republic. I’m listening to that one a lot at the moment.

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