An arbitrarily prime number of pop punk and emo songs for your late night drive playlist

When we tried to put together an ideal summer road trip playlist last week, we knew we’d have to take a stab at the return trip.

When we tried to put together an ideal summer road trip playlist last week, we knew we’d have to take a stab at the return trip.

Driving playlists are like snowflakes — no two are the same. Nor should they be. When we tried to put together an ideal summer road trip playlist last week, we knew we’d have to take a stab at the return trip, formatting some sort of nighttime driving list from a different corner of the 2000s emo/pop-punk spectrum.

Reminiscent · Playlist · 32 songs · 5 likes

And, here we are. You can listen to the episode or check out the playlist below (Apple Music or Spotify), but here are seven must-have tunes for your late-night cruise:

7. Hey Thanks, The Wonder Years

Long songs, late album songs, songs with horns, all are welcome. Let’s get weird.

6. …Slowdance On The Inside, Taking Back Sunday

Points because they let us edit together the senior dinner video in high school, and we just filled it with Taking Back Sunday songs. A very small percentage of our class enjoyed the video, but this album still tears me up.

5. California, Phantom Planet

Last week, we picked this song and debated whether or not it belongs on the playlist for the way there or the way back. The answer is both. Questions about its eligibility, given the subgenre, can be forwarded to your mom. This is the perfect driving song.

4. Boston, Augustana

Cut my life into pieces. Let’s get these teen hearts beating faster. Oh, to be young and extremely emotional.

3. Transatlanticism, Death Cab For Cutie

Driving at night, or flying, or traveling in general, affords you the luxury of time. Transatlanticism is an utterly important song for many, with a devastatingly beautiful payoff in the final third. “I Will Possess Your Heart” is kind of gimmicky long, whereas Transatlanticism makes total sense as written from start to finish. Not sure I want to be pulling into my driveway as it finishes, given the inherent heaviness, but it certainly needs to be on the list.

2. Soco Amaretto Lime, Brand New

If you listen to the show, you knew this was coming.

1. Play Crack The Sky, Brand New

If you listen to the show, you also knew this was coming.

Thanks for being here everybody.


-download or stream the full ‘Return Trip’ episode below-

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