The ultimate playlist for a Michigan summer road trip

100 songs from Michigan and beyond

DETROIT – There's nothing like a Michigan summer road trip.

One of the best parts of a road trip is the music, of course. If you don't have a playlist for your road trip, you're likely to spend a lot of time flipping through channels or other songs.

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We've compiled a solid 100-song playlist with some of the best Michigan related summer tracks, combined with some of the most classic summertime songs in history.

The playlist is made up of music from several different genres and generations. You can find the full playlist below, but here are some of the highlights:

Dancing in the Street - Martha Reeves & The Vandellas

This smash summer song was released by Motown Records in Detroit in 1964. Written by Marvin Gaye, it reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and is a signature hit of the Motown era.

Back & Forth - Aaliyah

The debut single from Aaliyah, who grew up in Detroit, was written and produced by R. Kelly, released in 1994. It peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, launching Aaliyah's career. Aaliyah died in 2001 at age 22 after a plane crash.

The Passenger - Iggy Pop

Based loosely off a poem by Jim Morrison, The Passenger features backing vocals from David Bowie. It was released in 1977. Iggy Pop is from Muskegon. 

School's Out - Alice Cooper

This summer anthem was the title track of Alice Cooper's fifth album, released in 1972. The song reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Cooper, who is from Detroit, said this about writing the song:

"What's the greatest three minutes of your life?". Cooper said: "There's two times during the year. One is Christmas morning, when you're just getting ready to open the presents. The greed factor is right there. The next one is the last three minutes of the last day of school when you're sitting there and it's like a slow fuse burning. I said, 'If we can catch that three minutes in a song, it's going to be so big."

Without Me - Eminem

The 2002 hit single from Detroit-area native Marshall Mathers was met with much controversy, as probably intended. "Without Me" was Eminem's single from 2002's "The Eminem Show," becoming one of his biggest singles, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

Sugar Man - Rodriguez

Rodriguez, born (and still living) in Detroit, was the subject of an award winning documentary, "Searching for Sugar Man," which led a search for Rodriguez, a musician who was selling more records than Elvis in South Africa. "Sugar Man" is from Rodriguez's album "Cold Fact," which is now considered a cult music classic.

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot

The 1976 song was written by Lightfoot, an Ontario, Canada native, to remember the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior in 1975. The song peaked at No. 2 in the U.S., and was an even bigger hit in Canada.

One Piece at a Time - Johnny Cash

This 1976 song followed the story of a man working in the automotive industry in Detroit. The song peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was the last Johnny Cash song to reach the charts.

Side note: Bob Seger would be on this playlist, but his music isn't available on Spotify.

Have a song to add to the playlist? Let us know on our Facebook page.

Check out the full Michigan summer road trip playlist below or here:


About the Author:

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.