Will Fenton
A chaotic and hectic daily life can often get on your nerves if you don’t schedule any time for vacations.
So to motivate you to start planning for your next trip away from home, we have compiled a list of songs about vacation.
By the end of this list of vacation songs, we’ll have you in a holiday mood going through your calendar looking for days you can take off from work!
1. “I’m On Vacation” by Rhett and Link
This song about vacation is composed by YouTuber duo Rhett and Link in which they sing about how happy they are to be away from their ice cream sandwich factory jobs.
In the song’s video, the two friends maintain a positive attitude towards their vacation even though things continuously go wrong.
2. “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles
The summer vibes of “Watermelon Sugar” will have you wishing you were sunbathing on a beach.
Through the song, Styles describes a fun summer day with a video of him enjoying watermelons on the beach with numerous girls.
The song won Styles many awards including a Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance.
3.“School’s Out” by Alice Cooper
Nothing screams vacation like the annual summer holidays in school.
“School’s Out” by Alice Cooper was considered an anthem for summer break because it describes all the fun students have during their summer holidays.
The song topped U.K. charts and peaked at no. 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
4. “Island In The Sun” by Weezer
“Island in the Sun” was probably the biggest hit given by Weezer in their music career.
The song had two music videos with the first one featuring the whole band singing at a Mexican wedding.
The second video has Weezer playing with different animals on a hill reflecting how free he feels when away from the chaotic city life.
5. “Soak Up The Sun” by Sheryl Crow
Crow wrote “Soak Up The Sun” while she was on a plane travelling from a rainy city to a sunny one.
She was on medication from her non-invasive surgery which influenced how quickly she came up with the song.
6. “Vacation” by The Go-Gos
Among all the vacation-themed songs, “Vacation” by The Go-Gos captures everyone’s ideal vacation.
The video of the song features shots from the band at the airport waiting for their flight, to them surfing on the beach and enjoying some booze.
The band even admitted that they were drunk while filming some scenes of the song which can be noticed if you watch the video closely.
7. “Permanent Vacation” by Aerosmith
In “Permanent Vacation”, the band sings about retiring and going to a tropical beach.
See also: Songs About Retirement
You can sense from this song how the band is fed up with the chaotic environment that comes with their career.
The song also talks about the band getting rid of their drug addiction.
8. “Vacation” by Dirty Heads
Jared Watson, a member of the band, got the idea for this song when he was thinking of the great life he’s built for himself with his bandmates.
Known famously as the “I’m on vacation song” on TikTok, this song about vacation was used for all the “Vacation Challenge” edits posted on the social media app.
In the edits, people would transport from their busy life to a vacation spot while the chorus of this TikTok vacation song would play in the background.
9. “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” by Kenny Chesney
“No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” by Kenny Chesney is one of the best vacation songs out there.
In the song, Chesney sings of how he wants to ditch his hectic schedule for a beach vacation in Mexico.
The song gives off hippie vibes and also became a drinking anthem when it was released.
10. “Some Beach” by Blake Shelton
Rory Feek came up with this song with Paul Overstreet as they discussed different beach songs over a cup of coffee.
They found Shelton to have the perfect personality to put life into this song.
The song is perfect vacation music and topped the US Hot Country Songs chart.
11. “Happy” by Pharrell Williams
‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams may not be among the songs about going on vacation but it has all the vibes.
Williams sings about how a person should always retain the joy in one’s life in some way or the other, irrespective of all the hurdles they face.
12. “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
We included “Uptown Funk” in this vacation songs list because it’ll energize you with its feel-good vibes.
The song was all the rage when it was released in 2014 and scored no.1 rank on numerous music charts worldwide.
The upbeat track also won a Grammy for “Record of the Year”.
13. “Desert Rose” by Sting
If you plan on road-tripping through your vacation, “Desert Rose” is a soulful song that will take you mentally away from the chaos of your daily life.
The track may not be a song on vacation itself, but is a must-have in your road trip playlist.
14. “Havana” by Camila Cabello
If you’re someone who loves a tropical vacation, the song “Havana” by Camilla Cabello will take you to the exquisite beaches of Havana with this song.
As Camilla sings of a guy she met in Havana, the tune and music will have you yearning to visit the place as soon as you can.
15. “Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffet
“Margaritaville” can be counted among the all-time great vacation songs.
The song is about a man spending a whole season at a beach resort describing his day-to-day activities.
The song topped the charts of US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks and Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks.
16. “Summer” by Calvin Harris
Have you ever gone on vacation and met someone that you connected with on a deep level? Harris tells a similar story in his song “Summer”.
The song topped the US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard) chart as well as the charts of the U.K., Canada and Scotland among others.
17. “Cake By The Ocean” by DNCE
If vacation for you is all about partying with your friends, “Cake By The Ocean” by DNCE is among the popular upbeat vacation songs perfect for a beach playlist.
The song, like its name, is fun to listen to and will have you wishing you were at a beach dancing with a drink in your hand.
18. “Holiday Road” by Lindsey Buckingham
Songs with “holiday” in the title are guaranteed to get you into a holiday mood.
“Holiday Road” by Lindsey Buckingham was initially written for the movie “National Lampoon’s Vacation”.
The song went on to be used in the sequels as well and the movies played a big role in popularizing the song.
19. “Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf
“Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf is a song about bikers who roam from town to town and reflect their free spirit.
Isn’t that exactly the feeling one goes on vacation for?
The song ranked no.1 on the Canada Top Singles (RPM) chart and no.2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
20. “Copacabana” by Barry Manilow
“Copacabana” refers to a nightclub located in the north of Havana, as mentioned in the song.
The song tells a story of a show girl called Lola and her bartender sweetheart Tony who dies saving her from an aggressive customer.
The song is also popular for being featured on the hit tv show “Friends.”
21. “Summertime” DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Smith wrote “Summertime” in one sitting after his flight back home was delayed.
Fun fact: Will Smith had a problem with his throat.
The change in voice brought out a singing style similar to Smith’s favorite rapper, Rakim, leaving him pleasantly surprised.
22. “Cool for the Summer” by Demi Lovato
Among songs about vacation, Lovato’s song, “Cool for the Summer” talks about a summertime tryst between two strangers.
She sings of letting go for the summer, trying out things she wouldn’t have considered doing before.
23. “M.I.A” by Cher Lloyd
In this track, Lloyd sings about wanting to go MIA with the listener away from the monotonous and chaotic world.
She talks about waves, dancing and good vibes which are basically the key ingredients to an amazing vacation.
24. “Come Sail Away” by Styx
“Come Sail Away” by Styx is about going on a journey you know nothing about.
It’ll trigger your inner wanderlust and desire for adventure.
The song peaked at no.9 on the Canada Top Singles (RPM) chart and no.8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
25. “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus
If you like vacationing with your friends, then this is the perfect song to get you all in the holiday zone.
“Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus is perfect for road trips and will instil a chill vibe inside you after you are done listening to it.
The song won two Grammy’s for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video.
Songs About Vacation – Final Thoughts
Wrapping up, this list has a little bit for every kind of vacationer.
From beach and road trip songs to summer getaways and family vacation songs, this list has everything you need to liven things up.
So, be sure to put these songs on your playlist the next time you plan a vacation.
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