Growing up, road trips were a common occurrence for my family. Whether we were venturing a couple of hours north to visit my grandparents, or driving down the coast to California, being in the car for long periods and listening to music became a staple of my summertime experience.
Generally the soundtrack of these trips consisted of songs from Jack Johnson, Neil Young and Ray LaMontagne, along with '90s rock classics from Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Sublime. As I got older and started to request to hear some of my favorite songs and musicians, Taylor Swift joined the ranks as one of the artists who'd always receive a Grammy-level, sing-along performance from me.
While I might not always listen to these songs on road trips I take now, if I need a healthy dose of nostalgia and serotonin on a warm, summer day, I'll start playing an old road trip CD my parents burned over a decade ago and cruise down the highway, just like old times. And sorry in advance to anyone who happens to pass me on the road this summer; I never said my Grammy-level singing actually won.
