Cars and music go together like chocolate and peanut butter. We’ve got songs that reference cars, songs to drive cars to, songs dedicated to cars, even songs made in cars. But there’s one category of music that doesn’t get enough love: Songs that are about cars.
Now, not every song can be Fountains of Wayne’s ‘92 Subaru or even Frank Ocean’s Acura Integurl, so we’ll broaden our definition of “car” for the question. The Ninja 900 from the Mountain Goats’ Jenny? We’ll count it. David Lee Roth’s bike from the Panama music video counts too, as does the entirety of Halsey’s Drive. We do have our limits, though — Akali’s Ducati from K/DA’s More is never referenced in the song itself, so it’s unfortunately ineligible for today’s question.
It turns out, whether you’re in Tracy Chapman’s titular Fast Car or rolling in MPVs with the Wu-Tang Clan, songs about motor vehicles seem better, on average, than non-car songs. Are you going to suggest that Highway Star isn’t one of Deep Purple’s best? Shame on you. Do you even know a Golden Earring song that isn’t Radar Love? I didn’t think so.
Car songs aren’t limited by a single genre, either. From Prince’s Little Red Corvette to Twisted Sister’s Ride To Live, Live To Ride, it seems every genre has its own enthusiasts waiting in the wings to slip some car references into their tracks. Or, at least their album covers.
But, I’m not here to list every suggestion. What’s your favorite song about a car, motorcycle, or driving in general? Any genre, any era, and any make, model, or style of car is welcome on our list, but there’s one crucial rule for every song: Bangers only.