Usually, when I’m taking my car for a ride, which does not happen all that often, there’s a best-of-compilation of The Glitch Mob playing. For longer trips of, say, four to seven hours, I connect my mp3-player, which features the best playlist ever for long hours spent alone in my cute little convertible.

The ultimate car cacophony
What is it that defines a really good playlist? Well, I think, first of all, it should not have you skipping tracks right after the third on the list because you grew bored. That, by the way, can be pretty damn dangerous if done while driving, Trust me, I’ve been there and wrecked my previous car in the process.

So, boredom is a no-no. Which is why you got to find the right mix, one that blends nice singalong tunes with beats to keep you awake and alert.

My ultimate driving playlist covers more or less four hours, features 59 tracks in total and is sorted alphabetically, A to Z. It starts with “America” by Aura Dione and ends with the beautiful “When things explode” by UNKLE.

Don’t worry, I am not going to go and list every single song, This is a selection of those I’d pick if I had to choose. So, here we go:

Aura Dione, „Song for Sophie“: I think this title is one you can listen to every hour of the day. It’s pleasing and has enough of a beat to be entertaining and provide motivation for the next few miles. Also, I love Aura Dione’s kinda off-key singing.

B Complex, „Beautiful Lies“: This track spans almost seven minutes and, depending on your mood, can be heard as either euphoric or calming. It’s one of my favorite tracks. If you’re an Assassin’s Creed-fan like myself, you’ll know where I found it (Thanks @hamps19!).

Code Elektro, „Superstring“: The title-track of the album of the same name is pure synth and just awesome. I love listening to that one especially at night. I love the entire album,which is why I dedicated an entire post to this one and the one after, Wolf.

DJ Pablo, „W.A.R.“: This track should be banned from any car playlist for being far too groovy and therefore prone to causing over-enthusiastic drivers to bounce up and down in their seat instead of watching the road.

Editors, „In this light and on this evening“: Hypnotic and dark. There’s nothing else to say. It’s fantastic. Admittedly, it was theonly one that stuck with me after I saw them in concert.

Fever Ray, „The Wolf“: Very intriguing, very different and because of that perfect for keeping myself awake. Actually, the entire album is great and I can’t believe that I discovered this artist only because I played Far Cry Primal. I salute Ubisoft for their always excellent choice in music. Here’s the trailer.

Gentleman, „To the Top“: I love Gentleman’s voice and his music, but “To the Top” is one of the most upbeat and enthusiastic of his tracks.  Which makes it perfect for long rides.

Incubus, „Promises, Promises“: Great band, great singer, great song. I’ll have to catch them in concert again the next chance I get, that’s for sure. Until then: the playlist.

Jamiroquai, „Hey Floyd“: I think you can never have enough of Jamiroquai.

Lady Gaga, „Just Dance“: My favorite of hers.

Medina, „Black Lights“: This Danish artist is a true disco girl, which is why this track features harder beats than the others on my list. But, sometimes, you gotta have that too.

NADASTROM, „Shelly“: There are a couple of NADASTROM tracks on my playlist, but if I had to choose, I’d pick this one. It’s pure genius.

Sir Sly, „Gold“: This one featured in an Assassin’s Creed IV- Black Flag ad and the first moment I heard it, I knew I had to have it. I love the melody and love to sing along.

The Glitch Mob, „Fly by night only“: Of course The Glitch Mob also features on this list! This track is straight off the Love, Death, Immortality album, one I always turn to when I’m feeling down. BTW, it is quite impossible for me to keep sitting still whenever this one is playing. I couldn’t stop jumping when they performed it live in concert, even though at that point there was almost no oxygen left in the very crowded and very small venue they played.

UNKLE, „Lonely Souls“: Apart from games or Twitter, music-wise I get lots of inspiration from TV shows. CBS’s Person of Interest, now sadly cancelled, was one of those shows that have the best of soundtracks to go with each episode. This one is maybe one you’ll have to listen to a couple of times, but if you do, it’ll stick.

Woodkid feat. Angel Haze, „I love you“: The trailer for Assassin’s Creed Revelations featuring Woodkid’s “Iron” remains one of the best game trailers I know. I was lucky enough to see Woodkid in concert twice and it was a blast. I also adore this version of the already charming original love song from his debut album.

There is one song on my playlist that I love and dread at the same time:  “Drive it like you stole it” from the The Glitch Mob’s absolutely fantastic debut album, Drink the Sea. The reason why I love it is obvious, once you listen to it, and the reason why I dread it is because every single time this song plays I am sure to get stuck in a traffic jam. Every. Single. Time.

Feel inspired? Well, how about you tell me what’s on your playlist? Let me know. I’d appreciate it!