With summer 2024 well underway, vacation season is in full swing here in Canada. Whether you’re embarking on a cross-country adventure or a quick weekend getaway, there’s nothing quite like a summer road trip. From cruising along coastal highways to exploring scenic countryside routes, a killer playlist is essential to set the mood and keep the good vibes flowing.
This year, a fresh wave of new music has emerged, offering the perfect soundtrack for those roadie adventures. From upbeat pop anthems to feel-good country singalongs, here are the top 10 new releases that will make your road trip playlist unforgettable. Buckle up, turn up the volume, and let these tunes be the soundtrack to your summer journey.
Billie Eilish – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER”
Kicking it off with one of today’s biggest artists, Billie Eilish is likely to be found on many a summertime playlist. Her new album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, dropped on May 17th, right in time for us to listen on repeat and pick out our personal favs to sing along to all season long.
While several songs on the new album are worthy of an epic road trip playlist, “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” is without a doubt a standout. Dreamy and sweet, this romantic tune will have you floating on a cloud and hit you right in the feels, especially with Billie’s rare (and stunning) belting moment towards the end.
Tommy Richman – “DEVIL IS A LIE”
When you hear the name Tommy Richman, your mind may go to his global hit “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” which came out earlier this year. With good reason – it was the longest running #1 song on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart, sitting in the top spot for eight straight weeks.
However, if you haven’t heard his brand new single, “DEVIL IS A LIE”, which has been climbing the charts since its release in June 2024, we recommend you check it out. As the only writer credited on the track, Richman creates an honest and raw song with a catchy beat that brings that 90s/early 00s vibe we all know and love.
Post Malone (feat. Morgan Wallen) – “I Had Some Help”
In case you haven’t heard, rapper and pop star Post Malone has forayed into the world of country music – and is absolutely killing it. After featuring on “LEVII’S JEANS” from Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER album earlier this year (also a great place to find inspo for your playlist), he released instant hit “I Had Some Help” with Morgan Wallen, breaking Spotify’s single-day country streaming record with almost 14 million streams.
It has remained at the top of the charts since, currently sitting in the coveted #1 spot of the Billboard Hot 100. If that wasn’t enough to solidify Post Malone’s standing as a bona fide country artist, his newly released single “Pour Me A Drink” featuring none other than country legend Blake Shelton ought to do it.
Taylor Swift (feat. Post Malone) – “Fortnight (BLOND:ISH Remix)”
While we’re on the topic of Post Malone, you have surely heard him on the first track of Taylor Swift’s latest hit album, THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT. The question is, have you heard the cool dance remix by Canadian producer and DJ BLOND:ISH?
A slightly sped-up version of the original, the track combines Swift and Malone’s moody vocals with a late-night club beat that will have you swaying in your seat. Even if you’re not a hardcore Swiftie, we promise you this tune will feel good bumpin’ on those car radio speakers with the windows down.
Sabrina Carpenter – “Please, Please, Please”
Another artist who is lighting up the charts this summer is Sabrina Carpenter. In fact, it was hard to narrow down which of her two latest singles to include on this list – both “Please, Please, Please” and “Espresso” have been sitting pretty in the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100, and let’s be honest, in all of our brains too.
Having recently opened for Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour, Carpenter has set herself up for potentially the biggest summer of her career, with her upcoming album Short n’ Sweet dropping on August 23, 2024. If the first two singles indicate the album’s potential success, you can be sure that you will hear a lot more of this pop star in the future.
Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)
No matter what style of music you’re into, there is just something about this track that screams good summer vibes. Whether it’s the soothing rhythm of the guitar, Shaboozey’s warm vocals, or the catchy sing-along lyrics, there is an undeniable quality that makes “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” the perfect summer anthem.
The same can be said for the rest of his album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, which came out on May 31st. The project is filled with tunes that will help you stack up your ultimate road trip playlist. If you’re looking to discover more of Shaboozey’s work, you can find him on not one, but two tracks from Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER album.
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
If you’ve been online at all in the last few months, you will probably have caught wind of the feud going on between A-list rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake. “Not Like Us” is one of the many diss tracks that has been released this year in an ongoing back-and-forth musical battle between the two artists, but one of the few that has become a massive chart-topping hit.
All drama aside, Lamar’s “Not Like Us” has been acclaimed as one of the summer’s hottest tracks, and the brand new accompanying music video is only further fueling the hype. If you are into the drama, the video is said to be loaded with references to the rapper’s beef with Drake. Either way, this song will have you jamming on your next summertime roadie.
RAYE – “Genesis.”
You may recognize this artist from ultra-viral tracks such as “Prada” with cassö and D-Block Europe or “Escapism.” from her independently released debut album My 21st Century Blues. Since then, she has gained global recognition for her genre-bending music and outstanding talent.
Her latest release, Genesis., is a 4-part EP consisting of an epic 7-minute starter track of the same title, followed by parts one, two, and three. The project tells a raw and personal story reflecting RAYE’s own mind and her perspective on the world around her. It takes listeners on a journey of different emotions, through low and high energies as well as various genres – from pop and R&B to gospel and jazz.
With nothing but time to kill when you’re on the open road, we highly recommend indulging in this thoughtful piece.
Gracie Abrams – “Risk”
Singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams is quickly sailing from up-and-coming artist to rising pop star with her freshly released sophomore album titled The Secret of Us, which she also co-produced. Having opened on tours for major artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift, it comes as no surprise that Abrams knows how to perfectly capture the rollercoaster of being in your early 20s and all that comes with it.
“Risk” is the ultimate song to sing/cry/shout to in the car, but you’ll find plenty more of those on the album with topics ranging from friendship to anxiety over a new love.
Zach Bryan – “Pink Skies”
A beautifully sad song, Zach Bryan’s “Pink Skies” reflects on the topic of loss and reminisces on times that have passed. His emotional vocals and the harmonica bring a sweet melancholy to the track and set the scene for a serene, quiet moment on the open road, where your only company is your own thoughts and emotions (and if you’re lucky, some pink skies). This was the first single off his brand new album, The Great American Bar Scene, that just dropped on July 4th.
If you like this piece, check out our other summer soundtrack recommendations in Top 10 80s Songs for Perfect Summer Vibes and Top 10 Movie Soundtracks for Your Nostalgic Summer Playlist.
Written by Andria Piperni
Illustration by Holly Li
