100 Best Road Trip Rock Songs

I have been an online writer for over five years. I am passionate about books, philosophy, music, and the music industry.

Road trips are a great way of having fun with friends. However, when you are driving alone, you need to be extra alert. A number of accidents take place on the highway because drivers feel tired and fall asleep while driving. No matter what, you need to keep your eyes on the road at all times. A great way to get rid of that drowsy feeling while you are at the wheel is by listening to music. Long road trips can be both mentally and physically demanding on the driver. Listening to music while driving keeps you energized. While there are different types of music you can listen to, your safest bet is rock music.

The list below showcases an epic number of rock songs for road trips. You can use these songs to make your personal playlists for a long journey. If you love listening to rock music on road trips, then you will have something to say. Feel free to express your views and opinions in the comments section.

Top 10 Best Road Trip Rock Songs

1. “It’s My Life”—Bon Jovi
2. “Born to Be Wild”—Steppenwolf
3. “Highway Star”—Deep Purple
4. “Paranoid”—Black Sabbath
5. “Jumpsuit”—21 Pilots
6. “Highway to Hell”—AC/DC
7. “Kryptonite”—3 Doors Down
8. “Sweet Home Alabama”—Lynyrd Skynyrd
9. “Here I Go Again”—Whitesnake
10. “Welcome to the Jungle”—Guns N’ Roses

What Are Road Trip Songs?

Songs that are ideally suited for long drives are typically categorized as road trip songs. Pop songs, country songs, and rock songs are often people's favorite genres to listen to on road trips. These playlists are often a mixed bag of classics and new songs. Songs with catchy verses and choruses (accompanied by groovy instrumentation) are favored during road trips because of their vibe and energy.

Best Road Trip Rock Songs #11-20

11. “Bulletproof”—Godsmack

12. “When the Curtain Falls”—Greta Van Fleet

13. “Back in Black”—AC/DC

14. “In the End”—Linkin Park

15. “Roadhouse Blues”—The Doors

16. “I Really Wish I Hated You”—Sum 41

17. “Whole Lotta Love”—Led Zeppelin

18. “Smoke on the Water”—Deep Purple

19. “The Mountain”—Three Days Grace

20. “Run”—Foo Fighters

Why You Should Listen to Rock Songs on Road Trips

If you are traveling in a group, it makes sense to take turns driving. However, when you travel alone, you have to find ways to keep yourself pumped up at the wheel. Long road trips can be very exhaustive for the driver. The loud strains of rock music bring about an adrenaline rush like no other. Listening to rock songs helps you get rid of the tiredness and mental fatigue associated with long distance driving. The best way to concentrate on the road and shake of that dreaded sleepy feeling is with a loud dose of rock music.

Best Road Trip Rock Songs #21-40

21. “The Way You Used to Do”—Queens of the Stone Age

22. “Unsainted”—Slipknot

23. “Holy Diver”—Dio

24. “Devil”—Shinedown

25. “I Only Lie When I Love You”—Royal Blood

26. “Might Be Right”—White Reaper

27. “Are You Ready”—Disturbed

28. “Highway Tune”—Greta Van Fleet

29. “Sweet Child O’ Mine”—Guns N’ Roses

30. “Rock You Like a Hurricane”—Scorpions

31. “Dance Macabre”—Ghost

32. “Sultans of Swing”—Dire Straits

33. “Take It Easy”—The Eagles

34. “Between Angels and Insects”—Papa Roach

35. “Red Cold River”—Breaking Benjamin

36. “Waking Lions”—Pop Evil

37. “Blow”—Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton and Bruno Mars

38. “I Want to Break Free”—Queen

39. “Bring Me to Life”—Evanescence

40. “Hardwired”—Metallica

What Type of Rock Songs Should You listen to While Driving?

While there are different types of rock songs you can listen to while driving, it’s wise to have a playlist of songs that have an anthemic feel. Songs with a strong chorus often get you singing along or humming the tune as you drive. Hard rock songs and heavy metal songs with a lyrical message are perfect for road trips.

Rock songs with catchy riffs are uplifting and great mood changers, especially when you are feeling drained or depleted during a long drive. Uptempo rock songs are better suited for long road trips because of their high-octane intensity. While driving, you are likely to feel sleepy during the wee hours of the morning or in the afternoon just after lunch. During these hours, it is recommended that you listen to rock songs that pump you up.

Best Road Trip Rock Songs #41-60

41. “Listen to the Music”—The Doobie Brothers

42. “Paradise City”—Guns N’ Roses

43. “All Right Now”—Free

44. “Enter Sandman”—Metallica

45. “Painkiller”—Judas Priest

46. “You Really Got Me”—The Kinks

47. “Every Breath You Take”—The Police

48. “Run to the Hills”—Iron Maiden

49. “Summer of 69”—Bryan Adams

50. “Ace of Spades”—Motorhead

51. “Let You Down”—Seether

52. “Snuff”—Slipknot

53. “When I See You Smile”—Bad English

54. “Livin’ on a Prayer”—Bon Jovi

55. “Walk on Water”—Thirty Seconds to Mars

56. “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing”—Aerosmith

57. “Mama, I’m Coming Home”—Ozzy Osbourne

58. “Faithfully”—Journey

59. “Give It Away”—Red Hot Chili Peppers

60. “Creep”—Radiohead

Rock Songs After a Stopover

On long road trips, it is important to take breaks. When you take a break on a long journey, make sure you do a few stretches to relax your stiff muscles. It’s best to listen to rock love songs when you need to relax. If you like listening to rock ballads, the best time to listen to these songs is in the mornings or evenings. You have to realize that the mellow nature of ballads can relax and calm the mind. If you are weary or tired after driving for long hours, avoid listening to love songs or romantic ballads. These songs will only make you feel relaxed, cozy, and sleepy. Drive safe! There’s something waiting to be discovered on your next road adventure. Cheers!

Best Road Trip Rock Songs #61-80

61. “More Than Words”—Extreme

62. “Breaking the Law”—Judas Priest

63. “My Sacrifice”—Creed

64. “I Love Rock 'n’ Roll”—Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

65. “Symphony of Destruction”—Megadeth

66. “Poison”—Alice Cooper

67. “Wake Me Up When September Ends”—Green Day

68. “The Final Countdown”—Europe

69. “Africa”—Toto

70. “Smells Like Teen Spirit”—Nirvana

71. “Walk This Way”—Aerosmith

72. “Is This Love”—Whitesnake

73. “Interstate Love Song”—Stone Temple Pilots

74. “We Will Rock You”—Queen

75. “Eye of the Tiger”—Survivor

76. “The Flame”—Cheap Trick

77. “With Arms Wide Open”—Creed

78. “Chop Suey!”—System of a Down

79. “Square Hammer”—Ghost

80. “I Want to Know What Love Is”—Foreigner

Best Road Trip Rock Songs #81-100

81. “Jump”—Van Halen

82. “Black Hole Sun”—Soundgarden

83. “Rock N’ Roll All Nite”—Kiss

84. “(I Can’t Get No Satisfaction)”—The Rolling Stones

85. “We Are the Champions”—Queen

86. “Heathens”—21 Pilots

87. “Iris”—Goo Goo Dolls

88. “My Generation”—The Who

89. “Jeremy”—Pearl Jam

90. “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”—Starship

91. “Pour Some Sugar on Me”—Def Leppard

92. “Gimme All Your Lovin’”—ZZ Top

93. “My Name Is Human”—Highly Suspect

94. “Take Me Down”—The Pretty Reckless

95. “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2”—Pink Floyd

96. “You Shook Me All Night Long”—AC/DC

97. “Come as You Are”—Nirvana

98. “Walk”—Pantera

99. “November Rain”—Guns N’ Roses

100. “Iron Man”—Black Sabbath

More Awesome Rock Songs for Road Trips

• “A Reason to Fight”—Disturbed
• “Crazy Train”—Ozzy Osbourne
• “Betray and Degrade”—Seether
• “Hallowed Be thy Name”—Iron Maiden
• “Miles Away”—Winger
• “Sharp Dressed Man”—ZZ Top
• “Monsters”—Shinedown
• “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”—The Darkness
• “The Sky Is a Neighborhood”—Foo Fighters
• “Never Fade”—Alice in Chains
• “Every Rose Has its Thorn”—Poison
• “Steambreather”—Mastodon
• “Bored to Death”—Blink- 182
• “Unity”—Shinedown
• “Karma Police”—Radiohead
• “Always”—Bon Jovi
• “Californication”—Red Hot Chili Peppers
• “The Death of Me”—Asking Alexandria
• “Make It Stop (September’s Children)”—Rise Against
• “Hysteria”—Def Leppard
• “Closer”—Nine Inch Nails
• “I Remember You”—Skid Row
• “Bed of Roses”—Bon Jovi
• “Trenches”—Pop Evil
• “We Will Still Not Go Quietly”—Sixx:A.M.
• “Baba O’ Riley”—The Who
• “The Boys Are Back in Town”—Thin Lizzy
• “One Finger and a Fist”—Drowning Pool
• “The Logical Song”—Supertramp
• “Slow Ride”—Foghat
• “There’s No Going Back”—Sick Puppies
• “Free Bird”—Lynyrd Skynyrd
• “Still Loving You”—Scorpions
• “Take Out the Gunmen”—Chevelle
• “Blitzkrieg Bop”—The Ramones
• “Still Breathing”—Green Day
• “Rotting in Vain”—Korn
• “Two Princes”—Spin Doctors
• “Living After Midnight”—Judas Priest
• “Take Me to Church”—Hozier
• “Alive”—Pearl Jam
• “Words as Weapons”—Seether
• “Black Velvet”—Alannah Myles
• “Let Yourself Go”—Green Day
• “Say It Ain’t So”—Weezer
• “Lights Out”—Royal Blood
• “Bird of Paradise”—Snowy White
• “We’re Not Gonna Take It”—Twisted Sister
• “Rooster”—Alice in Chains
• “Torn to Pieces”—Pop Evil

• “Everlong”—Foo Fighters
• “Don’t Wanna Fight”—Alabama Shakes
• “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)”—Meat Loaf
• “Still Got the Blues”—Gary Moore
• “Nothing Else Matters”—Metallica
• “Plush”—Stone Temple Pilots
• “Not Again”—Stained
• “All the Small Things”—Blink 182
• “You Give Love a Bad Name”—Bon Jovi
• “Sick of It”—Skillet
• “Thunderstruck”—AC/DC
• “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”—The Rolling Stones
• “Somebody Else”—1975
• “Hunger Strike”—Temple of the Dog
• “My Demons”—Starset
• “Linger”—The Cranberries
• “Throne”—Bring Me the Horizon
• “Seek and Destroy”—Metallica
• “Hold On”—Alabama Shakes
• “Love Is on the Way”—Saigon Kick
• “Heaven Knows”—The Pretty Reckless
• “Centuries”—Fall Out Boy
• “Shepherd of Fire”—Avenged Sevenfold
• “Left Hand Free”—alt-J
• “Never Say Goodbye”—Bon Jovi
• “Feel Invincible”—Skillet
• “I Am Machine”—Three Days Grace
• “Don’t Stop Believin’”—Journey
• “Carrie”—Europe
• “Back to the Shack”—Weezer
• “Man in the Box”—Alice in Chains
• “Supersoaker”—Kings of Leon
• “American Dreams”—Papa Roach
• “This Is the Time (Ballast)”—Nothing More
• “Paranoid Android”—Radiohead
• “Champagne Supernova”—Oasis
• “Atlas, Rise!”—Metallica
• “The Devil in I”—Slipknot
• “Help Is on the Way”—Rise Against
• “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”—Green Day
• “The Otherside”—Red Sun Rising
• “Island in the Sun”—Weezer
• “Won’t Get Fooled Again”—The Who
• “Never Never”—Korn
• “Bully”—Shinedown
• “Jekyll and Hyde”—Five Finger Death Punch
• “Gotta Get Away”—The Black Keys
• “Million Miles an Hour”—Nickelback
• “Bloody Mary (Never Endings)”—Silversun Pickups
• “Ants Marching”—Dave Matthews Band

• “Runaway Train—Soul Asylum
• “Figure It Out”—Royal Blood
• “Lola Montez”—Volbeat
• “The Adventures of Raindance Maggie”—Red Hot Chili Peppers
• “Seven Nation Army”—The White Stripes
• “Roots”—Sepultura
• “The Violence”—Rise Against
• “Little Monster”—Royal Blood
• “Guilty as the Same”—Linkin Park
• “Love Bites”—Def Leppard
• “Killing in the Name”—Rage Against The Machine
• “Semi Charmed Life”—Third Eye Blind
• “Hail to the King”—Avenged Sevenfold
• “Never Tear Us Apart”—Inxs
• “Sick”—Adelitas Way
• “Addicted to Pain”—Alter Bridge
• “Still Swingin’”—Papa Roach
• “Zombie”—The Cranberries
• “Panama”—Van Halen
• “I Don’t Want to Be Here Anymore”—Rise Against
• “X Ambassadors”—Renegades
• “Bang Bang”—Green Day
• “Face Everything and Rise”—Papa Roach
• “Painkiller”—Three Days Grace
• “Shut Up and Dance”—Walk the Moon
• “Ironic”—Alanis Morissette
• “Lift Me Up”—Five Finger Death Punch
• “Sweet Emotion”—Aerosmith
• “I Can’t Drive 55”—Sammy Hagar
• “Do Me a Favor”—Stone Sour
• “Something From Nothing”—Foo Fighters
• “Days Go By”—The Offspring
• “Enemies”—Shinedown
• “Scar Tissue”—Red Hot Chili Peppers
• “Panic”—Sublime With Rome
• “Just Take My Heart”—Mr. Big
• “Runaways”—The Killers
• “Face to the Floor”—Chevelle
• “Burn It Down”—Linkin Park
• “Ex’s & Oh’s”—Elle King
• “Love Bites (So Do I)”—Halestorm
• “The Wire”—Haim
• “Love of a Lifetime”—Firehouse
• “July Morning”—Uriah Heep
• “Edge of a Revolution”—Nickelback
• “Sea of Love”—The National
• “Been Away Too Long”—Soundgarden
• “Deep Six”—Marilyn Manson
• “Sunset in July”—311
• “1000hp”—Godsmack

• “Lydia”—Highly Suspect
• “Moth Into Flame”—Metallica
• “Failure”—Breaking Benjamin
• “Rebel Yell”—Billy Idol
• “Safari Song”—Greta Van Fleet
• “Freak on a Leash”—Korn
• “Shake Me Down”—Cage the Elephant
• “Hard to Handle”—Black Crowes
• “Dog on a Leash”—Adelitas Way
• “Goodbye to Romance”—Ozzy Osbourne
• “Fever”—Black Keys
• “Bullet With Butterfly Wings”—The Smashing Pumpkins
• “Killing in the Name”—Rage Against The Machine
• “Feel Like Makin’ Love”—Bad Company
• “The Vengeful One”—Disturbed
• “Under Cover of Darkness”—The Strokes
• “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due”—Megadeth
• “Wonderwall”—Oasis
• “Until It’s Gone”—Linkin Park
• “Adolescents”—Incubus
• “Rope”—Foo Fighters
• “Coming for You”—The Offspring
• “The Anthem”—Good Charlotte
• “Another Day”—Dream Theater
• “Heaven”—Bryan Adams
• “Chalk Outline”—Three Days Grace
• “Shine”—Collective Soul
• “Country Song”—Seether
• “Door to Door Cannibals”—Chevelle
• “I’ll Be There for You”—Bon Jovi
• “Total Eclipse of the Heart”—Bonnie Tyler
• “Basket Case”—Green Day
• “Cut the Cord”—Shinedown
• “Waiting for a Girl Like You”—Foreigner
• “Could Have Been Me”—The Struts
• “Oh Love”—Green Day
• “Lost in the Echo”—Linkin Park
• “No More Mr. Nice Guy—Alice Cooper
• “Wind of Change”—Scorpions
• “Up All Night”—Blink 192
• “This Love”—Pantera
• “Welcome to My Life”—Simple Plan
• “Paradise (What About Us?)”—Within Temptation
• “Detroit Rock City”—Kiss
• “Black Dog”—Led Zeppelin
• “Follow Me Down”—The Pretty Reckless
• “Lightning Crashes”—Live
• “Dark Horses”—Switchfoot
• “What You Want”—Evanescence
• “Same Damn Life”—Seether

© 2019 Ansel Pereira