# I need MUSIC for an 800 mile road trip **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 3, 2006, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134 "2006-10-03T18:26:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/1 "2006-10-03T18:26:42Z")
Well, I’ll be moving soon and I desperately need some new music for the 800mile road trip. What bands/songs should I consider purchasing? Here’s a brief list of some of my favorite groups: ACDC Aerosmith Guns n Roses Led Zeppelin Nirvana Pink Floyd (though I’ve only heard a few of their songs, any suggestions of their’s would be great) Rush What else should I consider? ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/2 "2006-10-03T18:34:56Z")
[QUOTE=Red Barchetta] Well, I’ll be moving soon and I desperately need some new music for the 800mile road trip. What bands/songs should I consider purchasing? Here’s a brief list of some of my favorite groups: ACDC Aerosmith Guns n Roses Led Zeppelin Nirvana Pink Floyd (though I’ve only heard a few of their songs, any suggestions of their’s would be great) Rush What else should I consider? [/QUOTE] I actually recommend mixing in some audio-books. They can frequently hold the attention far longer than music, because of getting involved in the plot and characters. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/3 "2006-10-03T18:36:28Z")
Looking at your sample playlist, I’d consider these as well: [ul] [li]Alice in Chains[/li][li]Black Sabbath[/li][li]Cinderella[/li][li]Def Leppard[/li][li]Emerson, Lake and Palmer[/li][li]Genesis (the early “prog” years)[/li][li]Metallica (don’t go past the Black Album, though)[/li][li]Smashing Pumpkins[/li][li]Stone Temple Pilots[/li][li]Van Halen (pre-Hagar)[/li][li]White/Rob Zombie[/li][li]Yes[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/4 "2006-10-03T18:36:42Z")
:smack: Ooops, I didn’t mean to quote you in my reply, this being the FIRST reply…It’s been a long time since I’ve posted here and forgot how the buttons worked. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/5 "2006-10-03T18:45:09Z")
Looking at your sample playlist, I’d consider these as well: [ul] [li]Alice in Chains[/li][li]Black Sabbath[/li][li]Cinderella[/li][li]Def Leppard[/li][li]Emerson, Lake and Palmer[/li][li]Genesis (the early “prog” years)[/li][li]Metallica (don’t go past the Black Album, though)[/li][li]Smashing Pumpkins[/li][li]Stone Temple Pilots[/li][li]Van Halen (pre-Hagar)[/li][li]White/Rob Zombie[/li][li]Yes[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![TristramAiblins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@TristramAiblins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TristramAiblins)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/6 "2006-10-03T21:28:14Z")
[ul] [li]Eagles (essential road trip music)[/li][li]Golden Earring (from such hits as Twilight Zone and Radar Love, I would reccomend their live album [Naked Truth](http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Truth-Golden-Earring/dp/B00000IH7F/sr=1-2/qid=1159910605/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-0216191-5259333?ie=UTF8&s=music) [/li][li]Jethro Tull’s A Passion Play (check out [the Amazon page](http://www.amazon.com/Passion-Play-Jethro-Tull/dp/B00008G9JM/sr=8-1/qid=1159910368/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-0216191-5259333?ie=UTF8&s=music) for more info on that)[/li][li]Love’s Forever Changes (A woefully underrated album, again, [check the Amazon samples](http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Changes-Love/dp/B000058983/sr=1-1/qid=1159910490/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-0216191-5259333?ie=UTF8&s=music) to see if they fit your taste)[/li][li]And finally check out the Kink’s album [The Village Green Preservation Society](http://www.amazon.com/Village-Green-Preservation-Society/dp/B0001WPSJ0/sr=1-2/qid=1159910797/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-0216191-5259333?ie=UTF8&s=music) for some rolling tunes[/li][/ul] Hope I could help 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/7 "2006-10-03T21:56:33Z")
Who’s Next – I don’t especially like them but it’s the essential road trip album (sorry Trist.) ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/8 "2006-10-03T22:34:56Z")
[QUOTE=TroubleAgain] I actually recommend mixing in some audio-books. They can frequently hold the attention far longer than music, because of getting involved in the plot and characters. [/QUOTE] I gotta second this, even though you did ask for music. With that long a drive, you’ll start to get sick of music after a while, and want to hear something different. I prefer to hear audiobook versions of things I’ve already read (albeit something I read long enough ago that it’s a little fuzzy in my memory). That way if you can’t pay attention for a few minutes because of a tough spot of traffic, you don’t have to immediately rewind to catch a little plot point you might have missed. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/9 "2006-10-03T22:52:21Z")
Pixies (esp. **Surfer Rosa** ) The Replacements (esp. **Pleased To Meet Me** , which is brash and loud and very good) Firehose (esp. their **Live Totem Pole** EP) early-mid-period XTC (esp. \*\*Black Sea \*\* and **The Big Express** ) Lenny Kravitz (esp. **Are You Gonna Go My Way?** ) The The (esp. **NakedSelf** , his noisiest, hardest-rocking work) ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/10 "2006-10-04T00:49:59Z")
One of my favourite road trip albums is “Scenery and Fish” by I Mother Earth. I never got into any of the rest of their albums, but I love that one. “Used To Be Alright” is a great driving song. > [@](#): > > And then you long > For the days of trippin’ down > The long road just reading the > Signs that show you the way ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/11 "2006-10-04T01:00:31Z")
_99 Luftballons_ on endless loop. I reckon you could actually get people to sponsor you! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![raz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@raz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raz)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/12 "2006-10-04T04:11:12Z")
I’m a big fan of Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphy. They’re kind of Irish-punk, it’s about all I listen to. Also old school Hank Williams Jr. And Phish! I have eclectic tastes in music. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/13 "2006-10-04T04:27:40Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] Who’s Next – I don’t especially like them but it’s the essential road trip album (sorry Trist.) [/QUOTE] Are you going to actually **listen** to the music, or is it going to be background noise? If you’re going to **listen** , I’d suggest “_ **Quadrophenia** _” instead. If you do decide to go with “_ **Who’s Next** _”, take the deluxe edition. (hey, wait a minute, how can you NOT take “_ **Live at Leeds** _” along for the ride?) ---
**Author:** ![Jammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@Jammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jammer)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/14 "2006-10-04T05:34:55Z")
I did a solo road trip from downtown Los Angeles to Charlotte, NC in 1985 with nothing but a Bryan Adams cassette. You’ll make it…I did. 🙂 Jammer ---
**Author:** ![Corporate\_Hippie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/65b543/32.png) [@Corporate\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corporate_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/15 "2006-10-04T05:39:13Z")
Sometimes a good movie soundtrack can capture a moment or mood. For roadtrips, I really like the **Easy Rider** , **Almost Famous** , and **Dazed and Confused** soundtracks. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/16 "2006-10-04T13:15:12Z")
Another vote for some audiobooks, for a 800 mile trip, or 12 hours, music alone can become like a chinese water torture. If you want to go the audiobook route, which it doesn’t seem like you are, but anyway just a FYI, Cracker Barrel rents them (well you buy them and get a partial refund when you return them - the refund is based on how long you have it IIRC it’s about $5 for a week) and allows you to return them to any Cracker Barrel. Good luck ---
**Author:** ![spiritturtle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@spiritturtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spiritturtle)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/17 "2006-10-04T13:34:44Z")
For road trips - must have Meat Loaf’s “Bat Out of Hell” cd’s. A really good audio book to get a change of pace helps. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/18 "2006-10-04T14:37:08Z")
Another recommendation for audiobooks. Well, actually, for dramatizations – with music, dialogue and sound effects instead of just a reader. I once made a 700 mile drive playing the 13 hour BBC adaptation of _The Lord of the Rings_ the whole way. It really made the miles fly by. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/19 "2006-10-04T14:55:17Z")
**Kizarvexius** stole my idea. There is always the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy radio dramas. Brian ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134/20 "2006-10-04T15:11:40Z")
I too would suggest audiobooks. A good unabridged book can easily kill 10 hours or more. [Audible.com](http://www.audible.com/) has downloadable audiobooks at reasonable prices. Well actually, they are kind of expensive if you buy titles individually, but the subscription rate is reasonable. Their copyright protection is very reasonable and easy to live with. (You don’t even have to back up your purchased files because you can download previously purchased files again any time.) Satellite radio is good too. Lots of news, sports and talk radio (left-wing talk radio too!) in addition to music. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-music-for-an-800-mile-road-trip/375134.md?page=2)