You’re driving down the long, beautiful road to your next destination. Engine humming, road stretching out ahead… what fills the cab? Music? Silence? Something else?
For some of you, we know that music is essential. Playlists, classic rock, country, jazz, road trip anthems—you have a soundtrack for every mile. Music can make long drives feel shorter and boost your mood. Plus, a little passenger-seat dancing never hurt anybody (at least, not that we know of…).
Others prefer something different. Maybe you listen to talk radio, audiobooks, or podcasts, or travel in peaceful quiet. The hum of the road and your own thoughts can be just as satisfying as any song—especially on scenic routes where you want to stay fully present.
Then there are the situational listeners. Music on highways, silence in cities. Upbeat songs during the day, softer tunes at night. Your audio choices shift depending on traffic, weather, or how focused you need to be behind the wheel.
So what about you? When you’re driving your RV (or tow vehicle), is music part of the journey? Go ahead and vote in today’s poll, and feel free to share what’s usually playing.
Oh, and we’re just asking about music today. Not podcasts or talk radio, just music. Thanks!
RELATED
- 10 great road-tripping roadside America songs
- Jam out with these 10 road songs for lovers
- 8 great going-to-the-country road trip songs
- 7 joyful road trip songs to start your journey
- All RVers will relate to this catchy song. You’re going to love it!
RVT1247
2018 Forest River motorhome came with CD player. Can pick the good music of years ago instead of that Bad Bunny crap, etc. of today.
Eagles, CCR, Iron Butterfly, Anne Murray, are among the favorites.
I listen to all of those via SiriusXM.
In mho nothing better than l classic rock and roll.
Audio books!
When I’m by myself, I usually listen to audiobooks. When hubby is in the vehicle, we keep the radio off.
I’ve tried to listen to music but hubby loves to turn it all the way down so he can talk. I’ve given up turning it back up! 🙂
Talk for 6 hrs? I’d tell him enough and turn on the radio.
Occasionally I listen to music I’ve ripped or downloaded over the years but more often than not I listen to talk radio or podcasts.
Wait, doesn’t everybody listen to RV podcasts as they motor along?
We listen to XM “Willie’s Roadhouse or Country Classics Mix” . Willie has DJ while CCM is all music no talk.
Yup, Sirius/XM is a must in all our vehicles. Willie’s Roadhouse or 50s Gold. It’s ALWAYS on. Never loud but always there.
Sirius or Pandora. Always.
I have 5 or 6 thumb drives full of different genre’s of music. My truck has 3 usb ports. Probably close to 100 hours. Most are burned from my CD collection or ones I borrowed from friends or the local library. I even have some that are ripped from vinyl.
No more searching for radio stations that usually fade in and out.
When I’m alone, always. DW in the car thinks we should be “Communicating”, so, no.
When we bought our Jeep Cherokee in February 2019 I had to ask the dealer how to stop the stupid radio from turning on every time we started the engine. I don’t know or care if the radio works and if it was an option at the time I would have had a radio delete checked when we ordered the Jeep. Radio in the Motor Home is only used for the National Weather Service Broadcasts and that is the only reason I replaced the factory radio. I want to hear what is going on with my engine and any outside sounds like a fire engine or ambulance.
About 50% music and 50% Audible
We have music on all the time except while driving in heavy traffic, through a city on surface streets or when approaching the highway exit to our destination. And we like both kinds…country and western (also 60’s and 70’s R&R).
I have listened to music when I drove since I first learned to drive over 5 decades ago. We’ve progressed from AM radio to FM radio to 8 tracks to Cassette tapes to CDs to MP3s to now with satellite radio. We only subscribe to music from Sirius XM because I don’t want sports, audio books, or talk radio/podcast. Music won’t distract you from driving nearly as much and my wife and I are both singers.
Mostly listen to PBS, podcasts, or audio books. Occasionally music CDs. Much less with current unit because of wind noise from driver’s window, also shorter days as we age and less distractions on busy roads.
I had a radio then I had an 8-track, then I had a CD player but the car was cheap and too much road noise. I finally am financially secure enough to afford a quiet car but they no longer have CD players. I will not “rent” music so I am back to car radio but very few stations play good music.
I miss my CD player in our truck. I have so many favorites that I can no longer listen to. I’m too cheap to pay for Sirius XM. I mostly listen to classic country on the radio.
Get a free Pandora Account.
Most newer vehicles have USB ports. You can burn the CD’s to a thumb drive on your computer.
We upgraded our factory head unit/speakers Sprinter Leisure Travel Van – Serenity Now! to a Pioneer head unit with Apple CarPlay and new JBL speakers/sub. We are both singers, so we are singing along down the road. Mainly classic rock/blues on my Spotify playlists. City/busy driving it’s quiet so we can concentrate on the other drivers on their phones…
We usually are listening to a podcast but if nothing is available or interesting we listen to music. I like oldies & older country, he like oldies but more the noisy stuff. We have a oldies radio station fairly close so we will listen to that. Our new car doesn’t have a cd player so we are buying mp3s now instead of cds. Hard to teach an old dog new tricks tho….
I listen to my 2 GPS girls argue over which is the better way to go. When I get tired of them, I’ll do the search for local radio stations and if nothing catches my fancy then silence is always golden.
Rock and Roll will never die!
And some Sirius country here and there.
Getting just a bit technical… I’ve got a dedicated Visible cell phone ($25/mo) tethered via USB to a GL.net router which broadcasts Wifi through the coach. There is a Google Mini on the network sitting on the front dash. There is a Chromecast audio device on the network behind the dash. The output of the Chromecast feeds the auxillary input on my in-dash radio/reciever. I can say, “Hey Google play the RV Lifestyle Podcast on the Audio Chromecast.” or “Hey Google, play Redneck Riviera by Gary P. Nunn from YouTube on the Audio Chromecast.” (do that, it’ll make you smile) It’s a voice activated jukebox that is always playing when we drive.
No music. Wife doesn’t like Jazz.
Hey RV travel – Next question should be “Do you listen to BOOK ON TAPE or some audio books site?”
Never thought I would want satellite radio until we started RVing. Don’t want to fumble around to choose a CD while driving. Only so many hours of Tradio or favorite recipes I can tolerate when just passing through deeply rural areas (living in one of those areas, I get the local need, but in those cases, I’m not local). We keep the volume low enough to still communicate with each other as needed or wanted.
I would listen more often than sometimes but hubs and I don’t like the same music. I like EVERYTHING and he is a 70s music guy.
Just wondering why the dash photo for this article appears to be set up for driving on the left?
Radio is always on, when I’m by myself. Wife doesn’t like the “noise”.