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Is this the ultimate road trip playlist? Honda thinks it is.

Photo Tobias Tullius / Unsplash

With 50 songs from the past 50 years Honda reckons it has devised the perfect sound track to your next road trip.

The playlist was put together by DJ Simon Phillips to mark the 50th anniversary of the Honda Civic. Back when the car was launched you’d have needed a stack of eight-track cartridges to hold the 50 songs, or maybe four C60 mix tapes, but now all you need is a smartphone and Spotify.

“I think first and foremost, a perfect driving track makes you, the car and the road one,” says DJ Phillips. “It makes the traffic go away and complements the driving experience, when that song plays, it draws you in, and for that moment, it's the ultimate connection you, your car and music.”

Cognitive neuroscientist, Dr Diana Omigie of Goldsmiths University adds that music is scientifically proven to improve your driving experience: “Research shows that being able to listen to favourite artists, and being able to listen to music in general, may increase the perception of situational control and in turn extend music’s effect on stress reduction,” she explains. “Previous studies into how individually selected music can induce and maintain positive moods during a simulated driving experiment have produced interesting results. Subjective mood ratings have showed that music can successfully maintain a positive mood in high traffic density and during the negotiation of narrow lanes.”  

It’s not surprising then that 42 per cent of drivers in the UK choose their music to suit the road they’re driving on. So where would these 50 tracks take you?

  • 1972 Alice Cooper - School’s Out

  • 1973 The Jackson 5 - Dancing Machine

  • 1974 Queen - Killer Queen

  • 1975 Average White Band - Pick Up The Pieces

  • 1976 Chicago - If You Leave Me Now

  • 1977 Earth, Wind & Fire - Fantasy

  • 1978 Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick

  • 1979 The Specials - A Message To You Rudy

  • 1980 Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall

  • 1981 Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime

  • 1982 Imagination - Just an Illusion

  • 1983 Herbie Hancock - Rockit

  • 1984 Wham! – Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go

  • 1985 Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule The World

  • 1986 Bruce Hornsby - The Way It Is

  • 1987 Eric B & Rakim - Paid In Full - Seven Minutes Of Madness - The Coldcut Remix

  • 1988 Inner City - Big Fun

  • 1989 Soul II Soul - Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)

  • 1990 Oleta Adams - Get Here

  • 1991 Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy

  • 1992 Arrested Development - People Everyday

  • 1993 Jamiroquai - Blow Your Mind

  • 1994 Youssou N'Dour Feat Nen eh Cherry - 7 Seconds

  • 1995 Oasis - Wonderwall

  • 1996 Faithless - Insomnia

  • 1997 Ultra Naté - Free

  • 1998 Brandy & Monica - The Boy Is Mine

  • 1999 Moloko - Sing It back

  • 2000 Coldplay - Trouble

  • 2001 David Gray - Sail Away

  • 2002 Justin Timberlake - Like I Love You

  • 2003 Beyonce – Crazy In Love

  • 2004 Keane - Somewhere Only We Know

  • 2005 Jennifer Lopez - Get Right

  • 2006 Gnarls Barkley - Crazy

  • 2007 Timbaland Feat Keri Hilson & D.O.E - The Way I Are

  • 2008 Madonna Feat Justin Timberlake & Timbaland - 4 Minutes

  • 2009 Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow

  • 2010 Lady A – Need You Now

  • 2011 Bruno Mars - Grenade

  • 2012 Emeli Sandé - Next To Me

  • 2013 Daft Punk – Get Lucky

  • 2014 James Bay - Hold Back The River

  • 2015 Hozier - Take Me To Church

  • 2016 Drake Feat Wizkid & Kyla - One Dance

  • 2017 Sam Smith - Too Good At Goodbyes

  • 2018 Rag’n’Bone Man - Human

  • 2019 Calvin Harris and Rag ‘n’ Bone Man - Giant

  • 2020 The Weeknd - Blinding Lights

  • 2021 Silk Sonic Feat Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak - Leave The Door Open

  • 2022 Dave – Starlight

    Click here to play all 50 songs on Spotify