The ultimate Route 66 music playlist

Over the years, I’ve amassed on my iPod more than 200 songs for road trips. These are songs are mostly about driving, along with tunes about the towns and places along the Mother Road.

This list, along with an excellent one compiled by the Federal Highway Administration, should give you music download ideas for your next Route 66 journey. If you got other good tunes to recommend, submit a comment.

The list goes in no particular order. The links go to YouTube videos where you can hear (and often see) the song performed in its entirety. Any song with an asterisk has been directly inspired by Route 66 or one of its landmarks.

Happy song-hunting.

UPDATE: I’ve provided download links to as many songs as I could. The downloads come from Amazon.com, which are compatible with iPods and other MP3 players. Most downloads are 99 cents each; a few that are more expensive or cheaper.

UPDATE: I also have a Spotify playlist of many of these songs:

16 thoughts on “The ultimate Route 66 music playlist

  1. This is a great playlist. . . but Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” isn’t really about travel or driving. 🙂

  2. First of all, sorry for my english.

    What do you think of this one : Highway to Hell, AC/DC (a classic one)
    I also love “Lost Highway”(already in your playlist) but the cover of H.Williamns’s song made by Coldplay

  3. For the hard rockers: White Zombie’s Thunderkiss ’65 and the first one on my playlist: Jude Cole’s Start The Car

  4. There’s a song that I just learned about called “Bye Bye Route 66” by Devonsquare. It’s about how the towns along Route 66 have disappeared because of US 40

  5. My window faces the south,,,,commander cody. Trucker’s Cafe…Ian and Sylvia. Mama Hated Diesels…Commander Cody. Big Wheel Keep on Turnin,..Merle Haggard

  6. OMG! that is a comprehensive playlist, Didn’t know about “8 milkes a gallon” and I love it. However I prefer the Maines brothers version of Amarillo highway.

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