25 Family -Friendly (ish) songs You Need on Your Family Roadtrip Playlist in 2025
Family Friendly songs for a 2025 Family Roadtrip
Let me set the scene.
We’re 15 minutes from my parents’ house. The roadtrip has been shockingly smooth. I’m talking no accidents, no backseat brawls, and only one minor meltdown over a squished granola bar.
I’m feeling myself—so I toss on a little “Paint the Town Red” by Doja Cat. I had seen it all over TikTok, and it had a vibe. I didn’t think too hard about it. The beat was hot, my kids were bopping, and I figured, hey—modern music moment. Go me.
Cut to us pulling into my parents’ driveway.
My littlest one jumps out of the car and proudly screams:
“I said what I said — I’m a motherf**in’ demon!”*
IN. FRONT. OF. MY. MOM.
I froze. My husband made a noise like he’d been shot. My dad snorted. My mom? She blinked exactly once, then said, “Oh. So Fin’s doing performance art now?”
Lesson learned.
That was the day I became a little more type A about vetting every single song on our roadtrip playlist. No more rogue expletives. No more TikTok trapdoors. No more demon declarations in the driveway.
Now, our playlist is squeaky-clean (for real this time), modern, and fun enough that the whole family jams—without any accidental obscenities.
Here are the 25 modern bangers that get us through every family roadtrip without triggering a family meeting at Grandma’s. You're welcome.
Here are the 25 must-have tracks that live rent-free on our 2025 Family Roadtrip playlist:
🎧 1. “Dance the Night” – Dua Lipa - From the Barbie movie, this one is glitter, glam, and upbeat energy. It’s become the go-to opener to set the vibe for the trip—windows down, snacks out, serotonin activated.
🧃 2. “Made You Look” – Meghan Trainor - Catchy enough that my 5-year-old can sing along, but funky enough that I don’t want to jump out of the car. Plus, it lowkey slaps.
🌈 3. “Sunroof” – Nicky Youre & dazy - This is pure sunshine in song form. It hits that perfect chill-but-upbeat tone that makes even traffic feel cute.
✨ 4. “As It Was” – Harry Styles - Is it a little sad? Yes. But something about belting this out together feels like therapy. Even the kids hum along during the chorus.
🦋 5. “Miracle” – Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding - I throw this one on when I need the car to shift from chaos to club. Suddenly everyone’s vibing and no one’s arguing about whose water bottle is touching who.
🔥 6. “Unstoppable” – Sia - For when you hit that second wind stretch of the drive and need to feel like a superhero mom who can definitely survive another four hours with snack crumbs in your bra.
🌼 7. “Until I Found You” – Stephen Sanchez & Em Beihold - Sweet, melodic, and romantic without being cringey. This one is usually for the grown-ups while the kids zone out in the back with their coloring books.
🎡 8. “Lavender Haze” – Taylor Swift - This one hits the millennial parent sweet spot. A little dreamy, a little vibey, and you can whisper-sing it without waking up the toddler.
🛼 9. “abcdefu (clean version)” – GAYLE - Okay this one toes the line. But the clean version gives big empowerment energy without any actual f-bombs. Perfect for when your tween is feeling spicy.
🚲 10. “Ghost” – Justin Bieber - Even if you’re not a Belieber, this one’s got heart. It’s emotionally rich but still roadtrip-appropriate and surprisingly singable.
💛 11. “Cupid (Twin Version)” – FIFTY FIFTY - My kids love this one because it feels bouncy and bubblegum. I love it because it doesn’t make my ears want to explode. Mutual win.
💃 12. “Flowers” – Miley Cyrus - We all scream-sing this one, even the reluctant dad in the front seat. It’s empowering and catchy in the best way.
🌞 13. “Peaches” – Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon - We skip the explicit version and go straight for the radio edit. Smooth beats, mellow mood, perfect for when the car’s just cruising.
📻 14. “Good 4 U” – Olivia Rodrigo - Another one for the tweens and preteens, and honestly? I love yelling this one out like I’m 22 again with no responsibilities.
🎈 15. “Get Him Back!” – Olivia Rodrigo - More sass, more energy, still totally car-appropriate. Works best somewhere between a gas station snack stop and the last hour of the drive.
🚀 16. “Rush” – Troye Sivan - Upbeat, danceable, and surprisingly kid-friendly (again—go radio edit). My kids call it “the song with the spacey sounds.”
🏖️ 17. “Calm Down” – Rema & Selena Gomez - This one hits different. Smooth, vibey, and just enough bounce to keep little heads nodding while grown-up ears chill.
🍭 18. “About Damn Time” – Lizzo (clean version) - Vibes. Vibes. Vibes. This is when everyone in the car hits their groove again after a stretch of “I’m bored.”
🎢 19. “Ghost Town” – Benson Boone - Unexpectedly emotional and melodic. This one’s for the late afternoon part of the trip when everyone's mellow but still awake.
✈️ 20. “Heaven” – Niall Horan - Smooth vocals, clean lyrics, and just enough nostalgia-adjacent energy to make it a regular in our rotation.
🧊 21. “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” – PinkPantheress & Ice Spice - Tiny bit edgy but radio safe. My older kid thinks this one is so cool and I love that I don’t have to cringe through the lyrics.
💃 22. “Shivers” – Ed Sheeran - Light, fun, and extremely roadtrip-friendly. Plus, Sheeran always makes it feel like we’re in a montage moment.
🍉 23. “Watermelon Sugar” – Harry Styles - I know it came out in 2020 but I’m sneaking it in because it feels modern and summery and roadtrip-y. I don’t make the rules.
🪩 24. “Psycho” – Maisie Peters - Clever, funny, and surprisingly kid-appropriate for how catchy it is. Also a mood if you’ve been driving for six hours with zero breaks.
🧼 25. “Clean” – Taylor Swift (Taylor’s Version) - I save this one for the final stretch. Something about it feels like the emotional cleanse I need after surviving a 6+ hour journey with multiple tiny dictators in the backseat.
Open up this playlist in Spotify
Final Thoughts From a Recovered Playlist Amateur
Don’t give your kids full playlist control. Don’t just shuffle Spotify’s “Kids Hits.” And don’t underestimate the power of a good beat drop to prevent an in-car meltdown (theirs or yours).
Make this playlist collaborative but curated. You’re the DJ. You’re the vibe manager. You’re the captain now.
And when all else fails? Crank up Dua Lipa, toss a Roadtrip Coloring Book in the back, and whisper to yourself: “They’ll remember this part.”
