Image via Complex Original
Vehicles are much more than just the means to get somewhere, they are a personal concert hall on wheels. When you’re strapped in, with the stereo cranked, you’re surrounded by your music, shielded from outside world, like you’re sitting inside your own music video.
If you’re fortunate enough to own the Fiat 500L, your car comes equipped with Beats Audio, which means things are going to sound good no matter what, but for everyone else it’s important your music choices reflect the range and dynamics of your system. So choose wisely, and ride clean. Here are 10 songs that will keep you, and your passengers, nodding along.
"Ghostwriter" - RJD2
There’s so much happening in this song that your stereo and your neck are guaranteed to get a workout as you bump along. It’s a funky, soulful track, complete with light guitar work, a chorus of horns, and some breezy vocals. Instrumental hip-hop at its best.
"Intro" - The XX
The XX’s self-titled debut sounds like it was recorded in a sealed chamber, free of any interference or noise, resulting in a totally clean, crisp album. As a whole it’s often haunting and restrained, but this track hits hard, with a slow build up that makes the bass come through like a cannon blast.
"Still D.R.E." - Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg
This track, like the rest of 2001, boasts a dynamic range, propped up with fat bass tones and some g-funk synths. It’s a classic that remains impossible not to nod along to.
"Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)" - Jay Z
In The Blueprint Jay Z's flow is at its best, backed up with sample-heavy, ’60s-inspired production values, created by none other than a young Kanye West. This is a great song from a great album that—purely from a sound perspective—is one of the cleanest rap albums ever made.
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" - Michael Jackson
Beyond its massive cultural and commercial success, Thriller is also one of the best-recorded albums of all time. Each track was remixed by producer Quincy Jones, and the resulting masterpiece molded soul, disco, R&B, and rock in a way that had never been heard before. There’s a reason it remains the greatest selling album of all time.
"Killa Cam" - Cam'ron
Cam’s flow is so assuredly slow, so decidedly on point, it’s tough not just sit back and take the lyricism in. The only that that can top the flow is the beats, which range from playful to heavy, dark, and electro, giving your entire stereo system a chance to show what it can do.
"Bad Boyz" - Shyne feat. Barrington Levy
It’s hard not to think about what could have been for Shyne. This was his first major single, and was huge, before he spent nine years in the bin. He matches up with the legendary Barrington Levy on the track, who accompanies Shyne’s gritty flow with his soaring vocals.
"Rock the Bells" - LL Cool J
The third single of Radio, his debut album, this track is such a classic that LL himself later sampled it for his song “Mama Said Knock You Out.” Produced by Rick Rubin, the album was slowed down and restrained with short, quick samples, letting LL’s flow and lyricism take over. The end result is timeless, and this track in particular is a stand-out.
"Long Distance" - Muddy Waters
Folk Singer, released in 1963, is a vital album for any audiophile’s collection. The recording is super clean, with high-quality instrumentals, and it helped pioneer a wave of unplugged, acoustic blues. Waters’ voice flows between power and subtlety while feeling like he’s singing right into your ear.
"You Make Me Feel So Young" - Frank Sinatra
Finally, if you don’t already have Sinatra at the Sands you need to get it. It'll make any drive seem more enjoyable, as it’s Sinatra at his best, and arguably the greatest live recording ever produced.