What makes a song good to drive to? A nice, slow jam that eases your mind? A hard-charging rocker that makes you yell, "Get outta my way, old lady!"
The industrious folks at Volvo have spent millions in market research and have compiled a suggested list of songs that make perfect driving music. Included are six ABBA songs as well as AC/DC's classic Highway To Hell.
It should be noted that Volvo had a very good reason for choosing ABBA. "We are Swedish, right'," the company said in a statement. (At one stage in the '70s, ABBA was reoprtedly a bigger Swedish corporation than Volvo in terms of export value.)
Volvo's list of good driving songs
Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run
ABBA - SOS
Led Zeppelin - Ramble On
Janis Joplin - Me And Bobby McGee
ABBA - Dancing Queen
Johnny and June Carter Cash - Jackson
ABBA - Take A Chance On Me
Meatloaf - Paradise By The Dashboard Light
ABBA - Mamma Mia
Steppenwolf - Born To Be Wild
AC/DC - Highway To Hell
War - Low Rider
Jackson Browne - Runnin' On Empty
The Allman Brothers Band - Southbound
ABBA - Waterloo
Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Blues
The Beach Boys - Little Deuce Coupe
ABBA - Knowing Me, Knowing You
The Beatles - Drive My Car
Willie Nelson - On The Road Again
We'd say there's a song that fits just about every motoring situation. Notably absent from the list is Sammy Hagar's ode to unchecked speed, I Can't Drive 55.
Draw your own conclusions. And add your own suggestions...
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Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar World, Guitar Player, MusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.