Top 40 songs to sing in the car – Queen tops list
‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ by Queen, ‘Dancing Queen’ by Abba, and ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ by Bon Jovi have been voted Britain’s favourite car sing-along songs.
A poll of 2,000 motorists found 78 per cent sing in the car – although only 21 per cent of those who enjoy belting out a few numbers think they’re any good.
Other four-wheel-friendly anthems include ‘Sweet Caroline’ by Neil Diamond, ‘Bat Out of Hell’ by Meatloaf, and ‘Go Your Own Way’ by Fleetwood Mac.
Fittingly, the tune synonymous with Formula 1, ‘The Chain’ by Fleetwood Mac, also made the top 40 – although Gary Numan’s ‘Cars’ narrowly missed out.
More than four in 10 (42 per cent) who enjoy a croon in the car claimed singing is ‘essential’ to their driving experience, while 51 per cent revealed it makes them happy.
However, 37 per cent have been forced to listen to tone-deaf passengers or drivers while on the road – likely making their journeys slightly less mood-boosting.
The research was commissioned by Fiat and was inspired by its all-electric 500 La Prima, which features a JBL audio system.
Following the findings, the Italian car brand has partnered with The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent vocal coach, Annabel Williams, to provide top tips to become pitch-perfect behind the wheel.
Annabel said: “In partnership with Fiat, we’ve revealed what Brits really get up to when it comes to singing in the car.
“There is just something about singing along in the car that brings people a lot of joy – perhaps because you can just go for it and no one can hear you.
“I love being able to sing in the car without judgement (unless you have passengers of course!).
“Ultimately though singing should be something enjoyed by everyone, no matter what their level. Singing is therapeutic and always makes people feel better.
The study also found 16 per cent of motorists have been asked to stop singing in the car, while 11 per cent have been left embarrassed after being caught crooning.
Nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) believe music is essential for the optimum driving experience, with 62 per cent claiming singing along makes long journeys go quicker.
But 54 per cent find driving less enjoyable if they’re forced to listen to music they don’t like, while 65 per cent have had arguments over the choice of tunes during a car journey.
Carried out through OnePoll, the study found motorists’ favourite genre of music to sing along to in the car pop (34 per cent), followed by rock (20 per cent), and R&B (four per cent).
A spokesperson for Fiat said: “Our research highlights the joy that singing in a car brings to drivers.
“Clearly, the private sanctuary of a car gives drives the confidence to hit the high notes, even if people don’t think they can actually sing.”
Top 40 best songs to sing along to in the car
1. Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now
2. Abba – Dancing Queen
3. Bon Jovi – Livin’ on a Prayer
4. Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
5. Meatloaf – Bat out of Hell
6. Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way
7. The Killers – Mr Brightside
8. Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire
9. Pharrell Williams – Happy
10. Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run
11. Spandau Ballet – Gold
12. The Beatles – Hey Jude
13. Fleetwood Mac – The Chain
14. The Weather Girls – It’s Raining Men
15. Culture Club – Karma Chameleon
16. Rod Stewart – Maggie May
17. Dire Straits – Money for Nothing
18. Taylor Swift – Shake It Off
19. Steppenwolf – Born to be Wild
20. Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want To Have Fun
21. Take That – Never Forget
22. Bryan Adams – Run to You
23. Petula Clark – Downtown
24. Fleetwood Mac – Dreams
25. David Bowie – Let’s Dance
26. David Bowie – Heroes
27. Lady GaGa – Poker Face
28. Rihanna – Umbrella
29. Beyoncé – Single Ladies
30. Duran Duran – Rio
31. Frank Sinatra – Fly Me To The Moon
32. Alanis Morissette – Ironic
33. Frank Sinatra – My Way
34. Katy Perry – Roar
35. Harry Styles – As It Was
36. Madonna – Holiday
37. Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal
38. Demi Lovato – Let It Go (from “Frozen”)
39. Madonna – Like a Virgin
40. Depeche Mode – Just Can’t Get Enough
Annabel Williams’ top five in-car singing tips
Warm up – It’s important to warm up your voice so you can go for those big notes in the car safely and without straining.
Stay hydrated – your vocal cords love to be lubricated and will work a lot better and for longer if you’ve watered them regularly. So, make sure to keep a bottle of water handy in your cup holder.
Breathe – breathing is the first thing to learn when learning to sing.
It makes everything easier and helps you support big notes (even sitting down in the car!). Winding down the window can help by letting some fresh air in.
Song choice – make sure you pick songs that suit you and are in your range.
We want to show off what you CAN do not what you CAN’T at this stage!
Singing in tune – make sure you listen to the instruments in the backing track or song you’re singing along to, it can really help sort the good notes from the bad!
Adjusting your car’s stereo for bass and treble can help you pick up on different instruments.
