Why Your Soundtrack Matters
The year is 2005. I’m on a road-trip with two other guys from Virginia to Alabama. We’re driving down there in 10hrs, staying two days, and then driving back. Today I would tell you that 10hrs isn’t too bad of a drive. It’s just a single day of driving. I’ve driven much, much farther on a road trip, with my longest drives being within the last two years. In 2020 on a five-week roadtrip, I drove from Salt Lake City, UT to Jackson, WY to Kalispel, MT to Lake Tahoe, CA to San Jose, CA to Los Angeles, CA to Springdale, UT, and back to Salt Lake City. In 2021 I drove from Virginia to California in five days. Both of those were over 50hrs of driving, each.
But that drive in 2005 felt longer. One simple reason. It was the music in the car. We had a pretty basic rule that I believe many people follow on road-trips, or at least, follow before having kids. The driver gets to choose the music. In my family, we still drive by this rule, even though it makes my kids frustrated sometime because they don’t want to listen to my music. They just have to get over it.
Now I’m a musician, and I can generally find something to like or respect about most music genres. I believe (and I hope others can affirm) myself to be open minded about music. That said, there are some genres that I just can’t get into. I think that’s true for all of us. Music is incredibly subjective, and as unique to an individual as a fingerprint. You’d be hard pressed to find two people with the same top-ten bands or musicians on their list.
So in the car from Virginia to Alabama and back, when my friend drove, we were listening to metal. Christian metal. Bands like Zao, Demon Hunter, and Norma Jean. Again, I’m open minded to music. But I cannot stand metal. Sorry metalheads. Not only did he spend his driving time playing his metal bands, he’d turn the radio up so it was loud and proud.
Of course, I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want to be that guy. I just went with it. And I counted the mile-markers, counting down the 700 mile drive each way. All of that said, here are three things to consider when you hop into the car to share the road with your friends.
#1: Pick a genre that is easy to listen to.
Some genres are just easier than others. Unless everyone is likeminded and shares the same affections for your favorite artists, maybe stick to music that is chill in the background. I avoid genres that generate a lot of opinions, like mainstream pop, rap, and country. Instead, find genres that aren't so pure and bring other genres together. Why is Lo-Fi so universally loved? It’s because it's a blend of hiphop and jazz.
There are so many genres, and if you were to sort your top 10 favorite bands or musicians and write the genre they are beside them, you will find some themes for yourself. For sure, share the bands you love with your fiends! But remember that you’re not listening to music alone in your car, and you want to make the trip pleasant and fun for everyone. So just keep that in mind when you’re picking out your music.
#2: Keep the volume lower than you would when you drive alone.
When you’re sharing a long drive, it’s not realistic that everyone is going to be talking the entire time. There are going to be plenty of moments and stretches of highway where you’re just taking in the road, scrolling on your phone, or just zoning out. It’s kind of nice when the music in the car isn’t distracting to those experiences. Keep it lower so everyone can talk when they want, or zone out when they way. No one wants to constantly be touching the dial every time someone wants to saw something. Instead, just keep it comfortable in the background.
The music isn’t the hero of your shared road trip. The people and experience are.
#3: Use playlists that make the drive fun.
This is the best one, in my opinion. Find playlists that make sense for your group. My favorite playlist to drive to when it’s a bunch of Millennials is my Millennial Nostalgia playlist on Spotify, which is hits and deep cuts from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. I love being surprised by what comes on next, and cranking the radio up (violating #2) when Fantasy by Mariah Carey comes on, or The Way by Fastball. And who doesn’t want to get Rick-Rolled going 85mph across Nebraska?
I was recently in the Grand Canyon and had my mom with me. We drove from the Grand Canyon to Las Vegas in a convertible on Route 66, listening to a Route 66 playlist on Spotify. This is way more fun from my mom than me listening to every Penny and Sparrow record over and over, like I normally do when I drive alone.
This blog is specifically about roadtrips with others. When driving alone, do whatever you want! But if you’re sharing the car with friends, be sensitive to their experiences as well. Your shared experience is why your soundtrack matters so much.