21 windows down songs for 2021
- tatimonty
- Apr 7, 2021
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 8, 2021
It nearly hit 80 degrees here in Indianapolis yesterday, and for the near future, it's supposed to remain in the 60s or so, which means it's finally that type of weather where you can roll your windows down and blast your music while you drive. In case you need songs to do so with, here's 21 absolutely incredible songs. And they all range in vibes, so there's that too. Be prepared for so much vibes. And ratings on the three totally legit most important factors of being a "windows-down" type of song: vibey-ness, jam-ability (car-danceability is most definitely a part of jam-ability), and head band-ability.
Bummerland | AJR
AJR's "Bummerland" is an absolute party of a song. It's perfect for rolling down the windows and jamming with some friends -- or honestly even alone. Its catchiness is infective and it's bound to get the drive started off on the best foot.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 6.8/10
Jam-ability: 9.2/10
Head bang-ability: 3.1/10
F.Y.M. | A Day to Remember
"F.Y.M." (which stands for "fuck you money") is off of A Day to Remember's newest album, You're Welcome. It's a banger of a song, completed to perfection with cash money sounds in the chorus. It's a whole mood, and the whole "wait'll I get some fuck you money" lyric in the chorus just makes it even moreso fun to sing as loud as possible in the car.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 7.1/10
Jam-ability: 8.9/10
Head bang-ability: 3.2/10
Villains | Mainland
"Villains" starts to fall into a calmer, pop-y-er vibe, but that's what makes it perfect. It's a perfect song to really feel and get into, sticking your hand out the window and feeling the wind against it.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 8.3/10
Jam-ability: 6.8/10
Head bang-ability: 2.3/10
Rollercoaster | Bean
"Rollercoaster" is upbeat as hell and it's beat and catchy lyrics and vocals make you want to start jamming with it. It's impossible to not at least sway or bounce along to the beat, and combined with its catchiness makes it perfect for windows down car rides.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 7.0/10
Jam-ability: 7.9/10
Head bang-ability: 0.9/10
Lightning In A Bottle | The Summer Set
Everything about "Lightning In A Bottle" screams "summer." From the lyrical content, to the upbeat instrumentals, to the vocals -- everything feels like the summer, which makes it the best to listen to with the windows down, and especially better with friends.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 8.0/10
Jam-ability: 9.3/10
Head bang-ability: 2.7/10
Things Are Better (Alt Version) | PVRIS
The alt version of "Things Are Better" was released on PVRIS's deluxe version of their most recent album Use Me. It's an upbeat, catchy as hell song about getting better after a toxic relationship. Sometimes screaming the words "Hate to tell ya things are better" can be incredibly cathartic. And sometimes so can jamming to a song that's equal parts vibey and danceable.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 8.7/10
Jam-ability: 9.0/10
Head bang-ability: 3.9/10
1 Last Cigarette | The Band CAMINO
The Band CAMINO's newest song, "1 Last Cigarette" is dominated by a catchy beat and catchy lyrics and vocals to match. They make you want to move with the song. The vocals combined with the backing vocals in the chorus makes it impossible to not sing along. Which makes it the absolute perfect vibe for driving with the windows down.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 6.9/10
Jam-ability: 9.1/10
Head bang-ability: 3.7/10
Better Drugs | Little Hurt
"Better Drugs" brings vibey-ness to another level, with its powerful drum beat and guitar in the verses that give way to a chorus packed with vocal harmonies and vibey programming. It's very easy to picture yourself driving down a back road with the wind in your hair while listening to this song.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 8.9/10
Jam-ability: 6.6/10
Head bang-ability: 2.4/10
Backseat Serenade | All Time Low
Classic pop punk song, but still a certified banger. "Backseat Serenade" is perfect for jam sessions in the car, either solo or with friends. This one checks less of the vibey checkboxes, compared to a lot of the other songs on this list, but its guitars, drums and vocals that are iconic to pop punk make this song incredibly fun to jam out to with the speakers turned up high and the windows all the way down.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 3.2/10
Jam-ability: 9.7/10
Head bang-ability: 6.2/10
TANTRUM | Waterparks
Incredibly different vibe here with "TANTRUM" but it's perfect for anyone with a little pent up aggression they want to get out. With its heavy guitars and slightly more intense vocals and lyrics, t's a fun song to go hard to, head bangs and all.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 3.5/10
Jam-ability: 9.3/10
Head bang-ability: 8.7/10
The Past Is Dead | Beartooth
Beartooth's most recent single "The Past is Dead" follows the same vein of thought as "TANTRUM" from before. Perhaps its not the vibey-est song on the list, but wow is it good for someone who wants something a little heavier. Its definitely heavier that "TANTRUM" is (honestly though a given based on the artists), but it's absolutely perfect for head banging with your friends or by yourself (just at a stop light, please, not while you're driving).
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 4.1/10
Jam-ability: 8.7/10
Head bang-ability: 9.1/10
Blackout | Breathe Carolina
We're bringing back 2011 with this one. Its combination of the dance and pop punk genres creates a certified banger of a track. It's the perfect amount of vibey, combined with the perfect amount of dance-y. Absolutely guaranteed to slap.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 8.1/10
Jam-ability: 9.2/10
Head bang-ability: 3.4/10
This Will Be My Year | Two Friends ft. Point North
The recent collaboration between Two Friends and Point North proved to create a superb track. It combines both of their expertise: Point North's in pop punk and Two Friend's in dance / EDM . Its verses are more lowkey, which build into a bigger chorus, and an even bigger bridge. The song, especially in the verses, scream driving down the back roads with the windows down and wind in your hair. The choruses scream jamming with friends. All-in-all, best of both worlds.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 9.1/10
Jam-ability: 8.5/10
Head bang-ability: 3.5/10
Greenlights | Krewella
Keeping with the EDM train of thought, we have Krewella's "Greenlights." While "This Will Be My Year" feels more like cruising, this one feels more like speeding. It's fast-paced and energetic while not losing that vibey feel that's pretty much required in any song that makes a windows down playlist.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 9.0/10
Jam-ability: 9.7/10
Head bang-ability: 4.1/10
Blurry | Stand Atlantic
Stand Atlantic's "Blurry" keeps a pace that's perfect for driving. It's also perfect for either nighttime or daytime -- sunglasses or headlights. Its programming, its vocals and its drums make it the perfect amount of vibey it needs to be.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 8.4/10
Jam-ability: 7.3/10
Head bang-ability: 3.1/10
Attention | NIGHTBREAKERS
"Attention" is perfect for days where you either just want to vibe with the music or days you want to really dance with it too (well, as much as you can dance while in a car). Its infectious beat and catchy vocals really capture that well.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 8.7/10
Jam-ability: 7.7/10
Head bang-ability: 2.1/10
Dead End | Lights x MYTH
The collaboration between Lights and MYTH created some incredible music, including this song, "Dead End." The combination of Lights' vocals and the EDM style that MYTH brings to the table produced this vibey as hell track. It's perfect for day or night driving, perfect for driving in the city or on back roads. It checks so many boxes for windows down criteria. Pretty much the only one it misses is strong head banging ability.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 9.6/10
Jam-ability: 9.4/10
Head bang-ability: 3.3/10
Love to Hate You | Drive!Drive!
Drive!Drive!'s 2018 track "Love to Hate You" proves to be perfect for literally any type of driving at any time of day. It's not necessarily the most fast-paced song on this list, but it makes up for it in vibey-ness, and in its programming and strong vocals and harmonies in the chorus.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 8.3/10
Jam-ability: 7.8/10
Head bang-ability: 2.4/10
If So | Atlas Genius
"If So"'s funky guitars and strong drums make this song as vibey and danceable as it is. With the windows down, the wind in your hair, the song feels complete. There's really not much more to say about this one. It's just written perfectly for this kind of thing, especially at sunset.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 9.3/10
Jam-ability: 7.1/10
Head bang-ability: 1.3/10
rock bottom | guccihighwater ft. nothing,nowhere
Here, with "rock bottom," we hit the nighttime vibes. The collaboration between guccihighwaters and nothing,nowhere produced this super vibey track that almost screams those vibes, from the vocals to the drum beat to the harmonies. It's absolutely perfect for driving late at night with the roads empty. Or even when the roads aren't empty.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 9.7/10
Jam-ability: 5.6/10
Head bang-ability: 2.0/10
England's Dreaming (Acoustic) | Boston Manor
This song is suited perfectly for nighttime driving. Its beautifully haunting from the instrumentals to the vocals, which makes it reach a whole new level when you listen to it driving late at night with the windows down -- and like, late enough that there's really no one else on the road. It adds a whole other level to the eeriness and haunting-ness of the song. It's incredibly perfect for driving at night.
Ratings:
Vibey-ness: 10/10
Jam-ability: 3.1/10
Head bang-ability: 0.7/10
There you have it: 21 songs to blast with the windows down in 2021. It's an eclectic group, full of different vibes and genres, but every song on this list is perfect for the warm weather that's arrived.
Pro-tip from someone who drives around a lot for fun: typically, the higher the vibey-ness rating, the better for nighttime driving.
There's obviously a lot more songs that are perfect for driving with the windows down, so if I missed any you particularly love, let me know in the comments! Meanwhile, I'll leave you with a bonus one, because, well quite frankly, I couldn't not include it:
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