According to a poll of 2,000 motorists, Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now,’ Abba’s ‘Dancing Queen,’ and Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ have been voted Britain’s favorite car sing-along songs.
The study found that 78 percent of drivers sing in the car, although only 21 percent of them believe they are good singers.
Other popular sing-along songs include Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline,’ Meatloaf’s ‘Bat Out of Hell,’ and Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Go Your Own Way.’
Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain,’ synonymous with Formula 1, also made it into the top 40, while Gary Numan’s ‘Cars’ narrowly missed out.
The survey, commissioned by Fiat and inspired by its all-electric 500 La Prima model featuring a JBL audio system, revealed that 42 percent of car singers consider singing to be essential to their driving experience, and 51 percent said it makes them happy.
However, 37 percent have had to endure tone-deaf passengers or drivers, which may dampen the mood of their journeys.
In response to the findings, Fiat has partnered with vocal coach Annabel Williams from The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent to provide top tips for becoming pitch-perfect while singing behind the wheel.
The study also found that 16 percent of motorists have been asked to stop singing in the car, and 11 percent have been embarrassed after being caught singing. Consequently, 18 percent have considered taking singing lessons.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents believe that music is essential for the optimum driving experience, with 62 percent stating that singing along makes long journeys go quicker. However, 54 percent find driving less enjoyable if they are forced to listen to music they don’t like, and 65 percent have argued over music choices during car journeys.
The poll indicated that pop music is the favorite genre for car sing-alongs (34 percent), followed by rock (20 percent), and R&B (four percent).
Fiat’s spokesperson stated, “Our research highlights the joy that singing in a car brings to drivers. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Annabel Williams to share her in-car singing tips – as it’s near silent on the road, we think it’s a great environment to sing in.”
Top 40 Best Songs to Sing Along to in the Car:
- Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now
- Abba – Dancing Queen
- Bon Jovi – Livin’ on a Prayer
- Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
- Meatloaf – Bat Out of Hell
- Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way
- The Killers – Mr Brightside
- Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire
- Pharrell Williams – Happy
- Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run
- Spandau Ballet – Gold
- The Beatles – Hey Jude
- Fleetwood Mac – The Chain
- The Weather Girls – It’s Raining Men
- Culture Club – Karma Chameleon
- Rod Stewart – Maggie May
- Dire Straits – Money for Nothing
- Taylor Swift – Shake It Off
- Steppenwolf – Born to Be Wild
- Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun
- Take That – Never Forget
- Bryan Adams – Run to You
- Petula Clark – Downtown
- Fleetwood Mac – Dreams
- David Bowie – Let’s Dance
- David Bowie – Heroes
- Lady Gaga – Poker Face
- Rihanna – Umbrella
- Beyoncé – Single Ladies
- Duran Duran – Rio
- Frank Sinatra – Fly Me to the Moon
- Alanis Morissette – Ironic
- Frank Sinatra – My Way
- Katy Perry – Roar
- Harry Styles – As It Was
- Madonna – Holiday
- Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal
- Demi Lovato – Let It Go (from “Frozen”)
- Madonna – Like a Virgin
- 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 before belting out those high notes in the car.
- Stay hydrated: Keep a bottle of water handy to keep your vocal cords lubricated.
- Breathe: Focus on proper breathing techniques to support your singing, even while seated in the car.
- Song choice: Pick songs that suit your voice and range to showcase your abilities.
- Singing in tune: Pay attention to the instruments in the song to help you stay on pitch.
Note: The article is based on a survey conducted by Fiat and the tips provided by vocal coach Annabel Williams.