There’s nothing better than country songs as you drive down the wide-open road.
It doesn’t matter if you’re on a family vacation or a long-time RVer. We can all appreciate good music to pass the hours.
So today, we’re sharing ten of our favorite go-to tunes for the road.
Let’s go!
A Playlist of Country Songs For Your Next Road Trip
Listening to a good book or your favorite podcast can only get you so far. Sometimes you just want easy music to take you through those mindless hours on the road. Country music provides the perfect feel-good vibe for the long haul.
The great thing about country songs is that most singers are usually in an octave we can all reach. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got that perfect pitch or just want to belt it out behind the wheel. Country music has a simple story and a repeatable chorus we can all sing.
We’ve put together a list of some of our favorites in no particular order. We hope you enjoy them too.
#1 I’ve Been Everywhere by Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash made I’ve Been Everywhere a smash hit in 1996. Australian Geoff Mack first wrote and recorded the song in 1959.
On his album, American II: Unchained, Cash revived the song. It became classic Americana, inspiring wanderlust across the U.S. and even Canada. Listen closely, and you’ll hear Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers backing up Cash in this song.
If you live in your RV or are a nomad, you probably have been everywhere.
#2 The Road Goes on Forever by Robert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen wrote his country song, The Road Goes On Forever, and released it on his 1989 album West Textures. The song features two misfits, Sonny and Sherry, living on the wrong side of the law.
As the story of misadventures unfolds through the lyrics, one line rings true, “The road goes on forever, and the party never ends.” Keen didn’t realize how impactful those two simple thoughts would be when he wrote them.
For many, this is life on the road. The lingering lyrics are even found on gravestones.
#3 On the Road Again by Willie Nelson
This is a great song to start your next trip, the ageless Willie Nelson song, On the Road Again. Nelson released the song in 1980. It was almost instantly his biggest pop hit.
The song is about a musician’s life on the road. It was written as the theme song for the movie Nelson also starred in, Honeysuckle Rose. The executive producer, Jerry Schatzberg, approached Willie with the song idea while the two were on a flight. Nelson wrote the lyrics on a barf bag.
The beat behind the straightforward lyrics is a “train beat.” We sing along every time. We can feel this song so much now that we’ve settled down.
Pro Tip: If you love attending music festivals, the Fairhope Music Festival is the Ideal Fall Road Trip to Alabama.
#4 A Thousand Miles From Nowhere by Dwight Yoakam
A Thousand Miles From Nowhere is a Dwight Yoakam hit released in 1993. The song is about dealing with the aftermath of a breakup. Time doesn’t matter because he is sad, lonely, and lost.
Despite the song’s melancholy, it’s an easy listen. You’ll hum along with the road as you drive. The chorus just tumbles out as you sing along.
With this country song, we just want to “get there” yet still have miles of road to go.
#5 Days Go By by Keith Urban
Need to perk up? Days Go By is an upbeat song co-written and released by Keith Urban. The song spent four weeks as number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
The lyrics, “So you better start living right now,” speak to us. If you want to live the RV life, there’s no better time than the present.
The song has just the right tempo, and you’ll want to put it on repeat. Careful now, don’t tap your foot while it’s on the gas pedal.
#6 Red Dirt Road by Brooks & Dunn
Red Dirt Road, written and recorded by Brooks & Dunn, makes our list of greatest country songs about the road. We love the wonderful story the song tells.
The lyrics are a flip on country music’s often sad tale of loss and heartache. The duo sings about happy memories growing up on a red dirt road. Beer, church, a car wreck, and love all create the foundation for that perfect country tune.
The guitar riffs are excellent. We can see the love happening and totally relate to the red dirt road reference.
#7 East Bound and Down by Jerry Reed
East Bound and Down is a song by Jerry Reed and Deena Kaye Rose. Fun fact, Reed recorded it as part of the soundtrack for the infamous movie Smokey and the Bandit. Reed jumps right into the song with his signature fingerstyle guitar playing.
The East Bound and Down lyrics are CB radio jargon: “I’m finished transmitting, but still listening to the channel.” We’re still listening to this fast-paced Reed tune.
We agree with one YouTuber’s comment, “Little known fact: Every time you play this song while driving, the accelerator will be stuck at full throttle.”
Pro Tip: In addition to not having the perfect road trip playlist, these are 7 Deadly Sins of Road Trips.
#8 Take Me Home (Country Roads) by John Denver
Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert, and John Denver wrote Take Me Home, Country Roads about West Virginia. The song is a symbol and the official state anthem of West Virginia.
Denver’s easy-listening voice just melts over us as the symbolism of home gets us a little teary-eyed. It’s still one of Denver’s most popular hits.
Are you tired and finally headed home? Or do you finally feel like you’re wheeling home as you head toward your favorite campsite?
Country Roads is certainly a sing-along road song.
#9 Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker
Darius Rucker didn’t write Wagon Wheel, but his version has more than 369,699,000 YouTube views and counting! Bob Dylan and Ketch Secor co-wrote the song, and Rucker put a country spin on it.
The song tells the age-old story of a guy trying to see his gal. Rucker puts a relaxing strum on his guitar as he makes it so easy for us to repeat the famous chorus. This is another country song about the road we have on repeat.
You’ll want to clap along to this one, but don’t take your hands off the wheel.
#10 Highway Vagabond by Miranda Lambert
We can’t leave out the ladies. Miranda Lambert’s Highway Vagabond opening lines fit the nomad lifestyle all too well.
"I wanna go somewhere where nobody knows. I wanna know somewhere where nobody goes."
Interesting fact, Lambert sings over Middle Eastern-inspired instrumentation. We love a steady background beat. And really, when we’re on the road, aren’t we all vagabonds? This is a must for the country songs about the road list.
Drive On Down the Road with These Great Country Songs
Few can resist a good beat and an easy chorus. Country music provides just the right mood to carry you down the road for miles. A good country tune will keep you going whether you need to stay alert or pass time with the family. It might be fun too.
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