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There’s something magical about a road trip. Not the traffic, not the gas station snacks (okay, maybe those too), but the playlist, that sacred lineup of songs that turns a simple drive into a full-blown concert tour.

My 8-hour travel playlist isn’t just music, it’s an experience. It’s a genre-jumping, mood-swinging, nostalgia-triggering masterpiece. From powerful worship songs to 90s rap beats that still go hard, every track has one job: to turn my car seat into a stage and make me feel like the lead act on a sold-out tour across America.

So, What’s On the Playlist?

Let me break it down by vibe and era:

🎤 Today’s Christian Music

Because sometimes I need to belt out “Oceans” or “Gratitude” like I’m crying out on a mountaintop. These songs center me. They remind me why I keep going, even when I’m stuck behind an 18-wheeler doing 63 in a 70.

👢 80s, 90s & Today’s Country

Yes, it’s a wild shift from praise to twang, but don’t judge me. Reba, Garth, George, Carrie, Zach Bryan, and Zac Brown Band give me the soul, sass, and Southern storytelling I crave. And when I sing “Colder Weather” or “Fancy,” believe me, I hit every note like my life depends on it.

🎸 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s & Today’s Rock

If you’ve never screamed “Don’t Stop Believin’” at 75 mph, have you even lived? This section of the playlist includes Queen, Aerosmith, Foo Fighters, Bon Jovi, and Imagine Dragons, because there’s no such thing as too many air guitar solos in a GMC.

🎤 Old School Rap (With a Sprinkle of Today)

I may not look like someone who can rap “Regulate” by Warren G or throw down with Missy Elliott, but give me a steering wheel and a straightaway, and I become Snoop. No shame in the head bob or the look I get from other drivers at stoplights.

🎷 A Little Bit of Jazz

When I need to breathe, I let the horns and piano slow me down. A little Miles Davis, a touch of Norah Jones, and suddenly the traffic feels like background noise.

🎤 And the Performances? Oh, Honey…

This is not passive listening. This is a show.

My car seat transforms into center stage. That little red straw in my cup? It’s not a straw, it’s a microphone. And when the chorus hits? I’m standing (well, marching) in my seat like “I would walk 500 miles” isn’t just a song, it’s a mission.

Sometimes, I’m Celine Dion, with every ounce of heartbreak and wind-blown drama. Other times, I’m Zac Brown, barefoot and sipping beer on a beach I haven’t seen since 2024. And then there are the moments I channel Snoop Dogg, spitting bars like I invented rhythm.

Now, when I’m alone, it’s Grammy-level. *Tears, high notes, jazz hands, *whatever it takes. But when my husband is in the passenger seat, it’s a different story. He just stares.

Not in awe. More like mild concern.

Especially when I rip the straw out of the cup, hold it like a mic, and start full-body swaying like I’m about to win “The Voice.”

And when I belt “THIS IS ME” from The Greatest Showman, he just grips the armrest like the car might take off.

But I know I’m not alone.

Some of you are singing in your showers, nailing key changes in your living room, and crushing Adele ballads while folding laundry. We are the unsung stars of Domestic Stadium Tours, and our car is our main stage.

The Best Part?

It’s all about you in that moment.

You get to pick the songs.

Repeat them if you want.

Cry if you need to.

Laugh so hard you almost miss your exit.

It’s your ride. Your playlist. Your concert.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what your soul needs.