5 Flop Songs From The '90s That Belong On Every Road Trip Playlist

There are certain things that are essential to a successful road trip. You have to have the right snacks, and lots of them. If you've got kids along, wet wipes and paper towels for spills are a must. However, the most important part of any road trip is the playlist. In decades past, people might have recorded their playlist on cassette tapes, or burned them onto CDs. Now we can create them right on our phones. No matter how you do it, it's an integral part of being on the road for hours. 

You can, of course, use songs that are familiar to everyone. The hits were hits for a reason. However, if you really want to have some fun, adding in a few flop songs from the '90s, aka songs that didn't top the charts, can bring back some great memories, and maybe even impress your kids. Remind them that these relics are from the last century, and that the other kids have probably never heard them.

The songs I've picked are ones that I loved back in the '90s, so they're not going to cover the entire spectrum of music from that decade. Hopefully it will inspire you to try these out and add some from your own favorite genre. Whether you're enjoying a well-known and storied route for your road trip, or simply playing it by ear, it's time to sing your heart out as you take the wheel.

The boy band Take That was a juggernaut in the United Kingdom, but in the 1990s, people in the U.S. weren't as familiar with them. Back then we mostly heard what was on the radio. I discovered the band when I lived in London, incidentally the best city of 2026, for a semester of college. The 1993 song "Relight My Fire (feat. Lulu)" from the album "Everything Changes" was a number one hit in the U.K., but when I brought my cassette tape home, no one had ever heard it. It's a bouncy remake of the 1979 Dan Hartman disco song that deserves a spot on your playlist.

If you've ever visited the spooky after-dark adventure capital of New Orleans, Louisiana, you know that the vampire vibe is all around. "Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)" from the 1990 Concrete Blonde album "Bloodletting" captures it to a T. This is a beat for the long hours of the night as you drive through unfamiliar territory. The song was inspired by Anne Rice's "The Vampire Chronicles," and if you've watched the 1994 film "Interview with the Vampire," or the recent TV series, you know the feeling this song will provoke. You might find yourself turning the wheel in the direction of the spookiest city in the country as you listen. 

Living Color was a huge band in the late '80s and '90s, and you probably know them best for the song "Cult of Personality." However, they have a beautiful song from 1990 off the album "Time's Up" called "Solace of You" that is particularly great for friends' and couples' road trips. The lyrics, about being able to find comfort in another person no matter what else is going on in your life, are poignant. The song itself is perfect if you want to drift off a bit, thinking about how lucky you are to be on the open road with your bestie. 

You may remember the song "No Myth" by Michael Penn, who is actor Sean Penn's brother. However, if you didn't listen to the entire album "March," you might not have heard the song "Brave New World." While the album was released in 1989, the singles, including "Brave New World" were released in 1990. 

This song starts with a lyric about packing up and heading west, with a driving beat to keep you bopping along as the scenery passes. In more recent years, Penn has composed music for movies and TV shows like "Girls," "Fairyland," and "Pee-wee as Himself." He's also married to musician Aimee Mann.

If you were listening to the radio or watching MTV in the '90s, you may remember the song "Cannonball" off The Breeders' 1993 album "Last Splash." You might have even heard that the late Kurt Cobain of Nirvana fame was a fan. However, younger roadtrippers are unlikely to know it, as it only hit #44 on the pop charts, and the band took a break for a few years shortly after. This song, written by singer and former Pixies member Kim Deal, is a blast to listen to in the car, featuring unusual sound treatments, and an upbeat tone.