Noah takes the world

Creating a Solo Trip Playlist Should Be a Part of Your Trip Planning

When you are packing for your solo trip, a few things are essential. Your wallet, your umbrella, and a good playlist full of songs for solo travel.

Wait, a good playlist? 

Yes, you need to curate a playlist for your trip. After years of solo traveling, I have found listening to music on a solo trip is comforting, energizing, and healing. 

It is like an umbrella and can keep you from feeling cold from an unwanted shower. It is like an espresso shot to help you finish climbing a mountain.

However, it can be difficult to decide what music to choose songs for solo travel when streaming services are home to over 100 million tracks. 

New to solo traveling? READ: How You Can Have the Best First Solo Trip and Why Is Solo Travel Better Than Traveling With Friends?

This post may have affiliate links. I receive a small percentage if you book a hostel or attraction through my recommended links. This is at no extra cost to you and helps me reach my goal of becoming a full-time digital nomad.

Table of contents:

How Do I Select Songs for Solo Travel?

To curate the perfect playlist for your solo trip, you need a wide variety of songs that offer a sense of familiarity. Those are the best songs for solo travel.

When you solo travel, your emotions are varied. One minute, you’re apprehensive and anxious as you hit the road alone. Next thing you know, you’re in shock when something you have only seen in photos comes to life.

Noah’s take: If you fill your playlist with songs that have the same feeling and intensity, you might be bored with your tracks. I like listening to music that reflects my mood and the atmosphere I am currently experiencing. 

When the music I listen to reflects my current state on my solo trip, I feel more present and emotionally available. 

Noah’s take: I have solo traveled from Seoul to Spain. Every trip is different, but I guarantee you will feel a bit blue, reflective, and exhausted during your travels.

So, a great playlist for a solo endeavor needs a mixture of three types of songs: sad songs, reflective songs, and motivational songs. 

Visiting Japan? Read: How to Spend 48 Hours in Tokyo With Only $100 and The five best hostels for solo travelers

Why Do I Need Songs That Offer Familiarity on My Solo Travel Playlist?

Your sad songs, reflective songs, and motivational songs should offer familiarity. You should add tracks to your solo travel playlist that you already know and love. Familiar tracks create the most healing and fun solo travel playlist. 

Although it is enjoyable to discover new music, you might want to avoid doing so during your solo trip. 

The unfamiliarity and lack of connection to your music may amplify feelings of loneliness that can accompany solo traveling.

Although you might feel lonely, I still believe solo traveling is better than traveling with friends. 

If you embark on a challenging hike or drive alone for hours, you can feel a little empty and lost. You may start questioning your decisions and want to turn back. 

When you feel this way, pop in those headphones and listen to some of your favorite tunes. Listen to songs from different eras of your life; soon, your mind will flash with memories. 

Looking back at your past will help offer a new perspective during your solo trip. You will realize how much you have grown from your past.

You will feel more confident in yourself and more confident in overcoming obstacles. 

Noah’s take: Listening to nostalgic music helps you appreciate your life and find pride in yourself. That is why adding songs with a special place in your heart to your playlist is essential. 

Avoid Making a Trendy or Aesthetic Playlist

Too often, I see fellow travel influencers create playlists filled with lo-fi beats and indie artists because it makes them seem trendy and gives off the proper “main character” aesthetic. 

Noah’s take: If that is the kind of music you grew up listening to and choose to listen to regularly, then yes, it should be on your songs for solo travel playlist.

But if you grew up listening to cheesy pop songs or emotional R&B ballads, fill your solo travel playlist with those songs. You do not want tracks that bore you. You want tracks that comfort you and remind you about the beauty of life. 

Your solo travel playlist may lack the continuity of a curated playlist you find on streaming services. However, having tracks you love and that make you happy is more important.

Noah’s take: It is your songs for solo travel playlist. The beauty of solo traveling is that no one can judge your music choices. The aux is all yours. 

There is no shame in having a hard, hip-hop track woven between Hannah Montana hits. 

How Music Kept Me Sane and Safe on a Scary Solo Trip

I remember during one solo trip, I was extremely anxious. I was hiking alone in Grand Teton National Park, convinced a bear would attack me. 

Read more about my Grand Tetons experience and how it became one of my favorite solo trips.

On the trail, I blasted ARTPOP, an experimental, unconventional pop album by Lady Gaga, and the high-tempo tracks and camp lyrics helped distract me from my fears. 

Lady Gaga was one of the first artists I grew up listening to. Listening to her sent me back to when I was a child exploring. Although now I was hiking in Bear Country, I had nothing to really fear because I had spent years preparing for this trail. 

Blasting loud music on the trail also comforted me because loud noises tend to thwart off bears. Read more about my 10 Solo Hiking Tips.

Noah’s take: My point with this anecdote is that you need a playlist with familiar songs because it can add a sense of familiarity to a day where everything is unfamiliar. 

Having familiarity, even when it only applies to the music you listen to, is comforting on a solo trip. 

Why Should I Listen to Sad Songs During My Solo Trip?

First, you want songs on your playlist that make you feel “emo” or very emotional and melancholy. These songs are necessary for a solo trip because you encounter heavy emotions when you travel alone. 

When I have gone on solo hiking trips, memories I thought I suppressed usually resurface. Instead of keeping them in, I let them out through music. Sad music is a way I cope with those memories and unwanted emotions. 

Sad songs create empathy. We feel less alone when we listen to someone lamenting their troubles because we can connect their struggles to our current struggles. 

Noah’s take: Opt for something else if your sad music only amplifies and intensifies your sad emotions. However, you will feel more at peace if you allow yourself a safe space to explore sad feelings.

Covering up your loneliness and fear with high-tempo jams only works for so long. 

The Best Songs for a Healthy ‘Emo’ Moment

• Rain – SWV: Within seconds, the moody instrumentals paint a picture of a rainstorm. I get lost in the magic of this track instantaneously. 
• Nobody Gets Me – SZA: The track opens with, “Took a long vacation. No makeup, just Jay-Z…” Sounds like the background to all my solo trips; just swap Jay-Z with Mariah Carey. 
• Breakaway – Kelly Clarkson: I don’t know a track that better describes the need to escape a place that no longer offers personal growth. It was a staple song of my childhood; now, as an adult, the lyrics are even more poignant. 
• Better Off – Ariana Grande: This is the track for you if you want to feel a little self-pity. Sometimes, it is sad to be alone, but you realize you are better off without toxic people. 
• Track 10 – Charli XCX: This song is not “emo” in the sense of production. The production is insane. However, the first verse starts with, “Every time you get too close, I want to run away.” This song is perfect for someone who wants to explore the topic of self-sabotage while dancing simultaneously. 
• Set Fire to the Rain – Adele: I fondly remember listening to this track while vacationing with my family. Listening to this alone on the road offers a nice trip down memory lane and is a fun ballad to sing along to. 
• Torn – Natalie Imbruglia: A stable of 2000s pop. This sad but infectious track is great for a rainy day when you are in your feels. 
• Bends – Carly Rae Jepsen: Jepsen wrote this beautiful track about losing a loved one during the pandemic. It is perfect when you want to remind yourself about the beauty of life.
• Missing U – Robyn: Even if you love solo traveling and being alone, enjoying a euphoric tune about loneliness can be healing. 
• Rollin – Calvin Harris (Feat. Khalid and Future): This track hits differently during a solo drive at dusk when you reflect on your fears and past mistakes. 
• Lonely Weekend – Kacey Musgraves: An honest, relatable song about a lonely weekend. Seems like it was written with solo travelers in mind. 
• Outside – Marey Carey: Need a good cry? Mariah has you covered with this anthem for anyone who has ever felt on the outside. 
• Easy – Troye Sivan: A track that showcases the fear of rejection in a beautiful way. Sometimes, we prefer to be alone to avoid feeling rejected. 
• Lucky – Britney Spears: Sometimes you appear happy when that is quite the opposite. This tune remains relatable and relevant in a world of social media and fake smiles. 
• Camouflage – Brandy: Brandy belts beautifully, telling us it is not worth being with someone who wants you to hide your true self. 

Why Should I Listen to Reflective Songs During My Solo Trip?

One of the greatest benefits of solo travel is that you have time to escape daily life and be alone, surrounded by majestic wonders. 

Noah’s take: I love listening to music to remind me to be thankful and present. 

You do not need to be listening to music every moment. There is peace in quiet reflection. However, sometimes, I feel even more grateful when I have a “music video moment” on my trip. 

What’s a music video moment? It is when you’re running through the streets, matching your stride with the beat. You don’t just feel like a main character. You are the main character. 

It’s such a fun, freeing feeling. Who knew listening to songs about traveling alone could be so exciting?

The Best Songs to Help You Feel Reflective and in the Moment:

I categorized songs here as “vibey moments” or “reflective moments.” The first is more uptempo; the latter is more midtempo and slow jams. 

Vibey moment songs are perfect for running through the neon lights of Times Square. Reflective moment songs are best for a casual walk through Central Park on a crisp spring day. 

Vibey Moment:

• This Is Heaven – Nick Jonas: Play this track when surrounded by beautiful scenery. You will feel closer to heaven. 
• Holiday – Little Mix: A fun bop that is perfect when the sun soaks your skin, and you want to remember the moment forever. Why can’t every day be a holiday?
• All The Stars – SZA and Kendrick Lamar: Listening to this impeccable collaboration will make you feel like you are at the climax of your own film. 
• WTF Do I Know – Miley Cyrus: When you solo travel, you often ask yourself, “WTF Do I Know?” Solo traveling changes your perspective on the entire world. Let this fun track from Miley amplify the moment. 
• Cruel Summer -Taylor Swift: One of Taylor’s best tracks, perfect for lip-syncing and emoting while walking down the beach on a solo trip. Don’t worry if people stare. They are just jealous. 
• Not Ready To Wake Up – Aly and AJ: “Not ready to wake up, when real life feels like dreamin.” This song helps you remain grateful for your experiences during your travels. 
• Backseat – Charli XCX (feat. Carly Rae Jepsen): “Run through a city at midnight to feel like a star.” This hyper-pop standard makes being alone sound much more exciting than being with someone else. 
• Say Something – Kylie Minogue: Disco influences on this song make a starry night suddenly a spiritual experience. You don’t need Studio 54 to feel this free. 
• Black Coffee – All Saints: A bit more subdued when compared to most other “vibey tracks.” Black Coffee’s 2000s sound paired with a coastal view makes for an introspective experience. 
• Cool – Gwen Stefani: You may not be moving on after a divorce like Gwen, but this classic pop-rock track is enjoyable to listen to while you appreciate the solo life.
• Ray of Light – Madonna: This new-wave track from a pop pioneer is a fun listen when you want to reflect on the newfound confidence you gained from your solo trip. 
• Coastin – Victoria Monet: A flirtatious, groovy song you can play on the road. Its fun play on words is entertaining and infectious. 
• Sanctuary – Allie X: Allie X sings about a place to run when you need safety. For me, solo traveling is my sanctuary. It is how I find meaning in a stressful world. Not sure Allie X had solo traveling in mind when she wrote this song, though. 
• Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield: One of the most joyous, inspiring, and fun songs out there. A song about taking risks and writing new chapters in your book. It is the perfect track for a solo trip. 

Reflective Moment:

• Human Nature – Michael Jackson: A favorite of mine from the king of pop. If you feel a bit anxious, this track will calm you down. 
• Clean – Taylor Swift: I love listening to “Clean” during a spring shower. It reminds me that rain is necessary and washes away our impurities. 
• Easy on Me – Adele: I like to drive with my windows down as Adele did in this music video and imagine myself leaving a difficult situation only to come back a stronger person.
• Better in Time – Leona Lewis: A sad tune about overcoming loneliness. However, the message that it will all get better in time is comforting. 
• Go Find Yourself or Whatever – Carly Rae Jepsen: Jepsen sings about a lover who is leaving her to find himself. It is an interesting listen as I am the one leaving the ones I love to “find myself or whatever.”
• Altar – Kehlani: This track is about remembering a loved one who has passed and wanting to spend more time with them. It is a beautiful track to listen to while contemplating life. 
• American Teenager – Ethel Cain: An infectious chorus makes this song heavily replayable. It is a song that sets the scene of a typical American experience with eerie suspense. 
• Island – Miley Cyrus: “Am I stranded on an island, or have I landed in paradise?” Miley wrote this track for the solo traveling community. It is the only explanation for how fitting this track is for a solo adventure. 
• No Ordinary Love – Sade: A love song? On a solo trip playlist?? No Ordinary Love is not an ordinary love song. It is haunting and layered. You will feel something special when you listen to this song. 
• Gracias a la vida – Kacey Musgraves: Musgraves covered this song about life and its challenges and triumphs. Research the history of this song to make for an even more enchanting listen. 
• One Moment in Time – Whitney Houston: Written for the 1988 Olympics, this song and incredible vocal performance from Whitney might just send tears down your face during a challenging solo trip. 

Why Should I Listen to Motivational Songs During My Solo Trip?

It is late. The last train has almost departed. You are ten blocks away. It seems impossible to make it.

Luckily, you have a solo travel playlist chock-full of high-energy bops. 

Noah’s take: I can’t tell you how often I run to a train station on a solo trip, but it is nearly every trip. 

You may not be running to the station, but I know you will feel a little tired during your solo trip. 

You could get coffee, but a caffeine-free and literally FREE solution is to listen to high-tempo tunes. Your solo trip playlist needs some very energetic songs because you will need a pick-me-up during your trip. 

I was biking on a beautiful island in Japan. I took a detour to see a lighthouse and suddenly added 20 miles to my trip. My ferry was leaving in 30 minutes. 

Noah’s take: This was exactly the time I needed some bangers to motivate me to make the ferry in time. 

It was insane how I managed to make my ferry. I boarded the ferry within seconds to spare, and I didn’t have time to return my bike, which is another story for another time, but because I had a set of songs for solo travel, I managed to do the impossible. 

The Best Songs to Motivate and Boost Your Energy

• Who’s Gonna Save You Now – Rina Sawayama: Rina delivers so much angst and attitude in this jam. It is such a cool song because it takes you into a stadium like you are at a live event. 
• Dance Alone – Tayla Parx: A fun track that is very danceable. The lyrics play with overcoming loneliness, making it thematically relevant to a solo trip. 
• Try Again – Aaliyah: If you don’t know Aaliyah, I feel bad for you. The R&B princess delivers a motivational track that sounds fresh no matter the decade. 
• Rain On Me – Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande: A song about embracing obstacles and taking life not too seriously presented by two pop icons. It is a fun track and sure to provide some dopamine. 
• The High Road – JoJo: The incredibly talented JoJo offers a soothing R&B jam that will remind you to keep going on your solo trip and always take the high road. 
• Indestructible – Robyn: When you need that extra push to get from point A to point B, let Robyn remind you that you are, in fact, indestructible. 
• party 4 u – Charli XCX: A song about longing and anticipation wrapped in insane synths. One listen and instantaneously, you will feel in outer space. 
• By The End Of The Night – Ellie Goulding: Ellie always delivers bops, but this might be my favorite one because of its glowing production and high-replay value. 
• Escapade – Janet Jackson: A classic tune about reaping the benefits of working hard. I always believe it is time to go on a little escapade. 
• Undo (Back To My Heart) – Tinashe & Wax Motif: Another song with sensational instrumentals and lyrics that admit loneliness is hard. That combination goes so hard on a solo trip. 

Listen to My Perfect Playlist for a Solo Trip and Create Your Own