5 Ways to Create the Perfect Playlist for Your Travels this Summer

After more than a year of travel restrictions and lockdowns, many cities and countries are beginning to open up to local and international tourism. If you're a sojourner or globe-trotter, you've been waiting for this moment, so there's no doubt you're ready to go. 

Before you hit the road or sky, don't forget your travel checklist. Most people create a list by just jotting down a few things to take with them; other people compose an elaborate detailed packing list. The basic essential travel necessities are different for everyone but usually include: 

• A comfortable pillow and blanket.

• A charging cable for your phone.

• A good magazine or book.

• A favorite snack.

But one of the most critical travel necessities is the perfect playlist. The right songs can get you fired up for your upcoming vacation, can help keep you stay awake during your journey, and trigger feelings of nostalgia that will last a lifetime. If you want to have the most epic travel playlist for your next excursion, follow these five tips. 

1. Know Your Audience

If you are traveling solo, this shouldn't be a problem. But if you'll have multiple people listening, let's say on a road trip, it is imperative to know what types of music everyone likes. You have to choose songs that not only you will love, but that everyone will enjoy. If you aren't sure what everyone likes, ask! Your friends and family will be eternally grateful when their favorite song comes on during the trip. 

2. Match your Playlist to the Terrain

Matching music with your travel location is fantastic because it keeps things interesting. By doing this, you will give yourself a one-of-a-kind playlist for each place you visit. For example, if you're traveling to Toronto - Drakes a no-brainer, New York - New York by Alicia Keys can get you in the right state of mind, Lagos - Wizkid, London - Adele's a great choice; you get the point.

3. Match your Music to your Mood

Consider your reason for going on the trip and who is going with you. For instance, if you are traveling back home or to a place you haven't been since childhood, a playlist with a ton of throwbacks is ideal. Going to a festival? Load that playlist up with all your favorite songs from the artists you’ll be seeing.

4. Pick your favorite Genres

This tip works best when you are traveling alone. If you plan to take a long flight and need some tunes to keep you occupied, picking your favorite genres is a great way to start getting songs for your playlist. Once you've done that, the rest is easy. Just compile your favorite twenty or thirty songs from those genres, and you'll have a playlist that will keep you entertained throughout your entire trip.

5. Give the Playlist a Dry Run

How can you know that you've created a great playlist for your travels if you don't give it a listen first? Listening to your playlist beforehand gives you a chance to rearrange songs that don't work together or allows you an opportunity to add ones that you’ve missed.

No matter where your destination is this summer, you will need a playlist that excites you and gets you ready for what awaits. Music is essential in everyone's life, and the right songs can create a memorable soundtrack for the trip. If you're planning on traveling this summer, use these tips to get started on your perfect playlist now!