JOURNEY, QUEEN, AC/DC Classics Among Best Songs For Driving

January 17, 2014

A new Insurance.com survey identifies the best and worst songs for the road, plus some guilty pleasures.

JOURNEY's "Don't Stop Believin'" has been voted the best song for driving, while "Who Let the Dogs Out?" by THE BAHA MEN was picked as the worst , according to an Insurance.com survey.

Insurance.com commissioned a survey of 2,000 drivers and asked them to choose the best and worst songs for driving, as well as music that they secretly listen to in the car.

Rounding out the top five were QUEEN's 1975 rock opera "Bohemian Rhapsody", AC/DC's classic "You Shook Me All Night Long", another JOURNEY tune from the '80s, "Any Way You Want It" and TOM COCHRANE's 1991 hit "Life is a Highway".

The following percentage of voters chose these songs as the best car music:

* "Don't Stop Believin'" by JOURNEY: 30 percent
* "Bohemian Rhapsody" by QUEEN: 27 percent
* "You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC: 22 percent
* "Any Way You Want It" by JOURNEY: 22 percent
* "Life is a Highway" by TOM COCHRANE: 21 percent
* "Dancing Queen" by ABBA: 19 percent
* "American Girl" by TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS: 16 percent
* "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" by MICHAEL JACKSON: 15 percent
* "Born to Run" by BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: 14 percent
* "Fortunate Son" by CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL: 14 percent
* "September" by EARTH, WIND AND FIRE: 13 percent
* "Every Day is a Winding Road" by SHERYL CROW: 13 percent
* "California Love" by 2PAC: 13 percent
* "Drive My Car" by THE BEATLES: 13 percent
* "Little Red Corvette" by PRINCE: 13 percent
* "Runnin' Down a Dream" by TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS: 12 percent
* "This is How We Do It" by MONTELL JORDAN: 11 percent
* "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by THE PROCLAIMERS: 9 percent
* "Holiday" by MADONNA: 9 percent
* "London Calling" by THE CLASH: 6 percent

Percentages total more than 100 because respondents were allowed to choose up to five songs.

"Some people mock the Bay Area balladeers, but there's no denying journey has a fan base, given they took two of the top five spots for songs that people enjoy when driving," said Michelle Megna, managing editor of Insurance.com.

Respondents could also provide their own picks for songs that make you want to crank up the volume when behind the wheel. "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC, "Radar Love" by GOLDEN EARRING and "I Can't Drive 55" by SAMMY HAGAR topped the list of write-in choices.

Drivers were also asked to write in the names of songs and artists that make them want to tune out immediately. "Baby" by Justin Bieber, "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus and "any type of rap" were among the most popular losers.

When asked what bands, artists or stations they listen to when driving that they don't make known to others, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga were knotted up in the top three spots.

"Strictly from data analysis we can surmise that the ideal driving songs would be duets with Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift singing old JOURNEY favorites," said Megna.

When guilty-pleasure listening is broken down by gender, tied for the top write-in response for women are gospel music and Eminem; for men, Adele and 2Pac tied for top write-in response.

Insurance.com surveyed 2,000 licensed drivers age 18 and older. Respondents were split evenly between males and females and distributed across age groups according to Census data on age distribution. The online-panel survey was fielded in October 2013. Percentages for best and worst songs total more than 100 because respondents were allowed to choose up to five songs in each category.

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