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Do you always create the perfect playlist for the beach, or perhaps every vacation for that matter? If you are anything like me, music is always incorporated into your travels – especially beach songs!
I absolutely love making an island music playlist when I go to the beach, which I’ll continue listening to even at home. You’d welcome some tropical tunes too if you experienced a Cleveland winter.
If you are planning a relaxing getaway, I have listed the best beach songs below that are perfect for any vacation playlist. These songs, ranging from upbeat to chill, deliver the ultimate beach vibes. This music is just what you need to relax and unwind, whether you are on an island or by the pool.
Start building your beach playlist:
Below, I have compiled the top 135 songs that I always include on my beach music playlist. They are organized by category, and there is something for everyone. You can also listen to this full playlist in Spotify here. Enjoy!
Oldie Favorites
I have a special place in my heart for music from decades past. There are some songs that, no matter how old they are, continue to sound so good on the beach. Here are my favorite old school picks that never cease to take me to my happy place.
- 1. Africa – Toto
- 2. All Night Long – Lionel Richie
- 3. Brandy – Looking Glass
- 4. Brown Eyed Girl – Jimmy Buffett
- 5. Cheeseburger in Paradise – Jimmy Buffett
- 6. Cruisin’ – Smokey Robinson
- 7. Dancing in the Moonlight – King Harvest
- 8. Dreams – Fleetwood Mac
- 9. Drift Away – Dobie Gray
- 10. Easy – The Commodores
- 11. Free Fallin’ – Tom Petty
- 12. Hotel California – The Eagles
- 13. Just the Two of Us (feat. Bill Withers) – Grover Washington, Jr.
- 14. La Isla Bonita – Madonna
- 15. Listen to the Music – The Doobie Brothers
- 16. Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffett
- 17. Message In A Bottle – The Police
- 18. Mrs. Robinson – Simon & Garfunkel
- 19. Ooh La La – Faces
- 20. A Pirate Looks at Forty – Jimmy Buffett
- 21. Red Red Wine – UB40
- 22. Roxanne – The Police
- 23. (Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
- 24. Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
- 25. Take It Easy – The Eagles
- 26. The Joker – Steve Miller Band
- 27. Under the Boardwalk – The Drifters
- 28. Wouldn’t It Be Nice – The Beach Boys
- 29. You’re My Best Friend – Queen
Beachy Pop Songs
Many pop songs bring reggae and Latin vibes, which make them perfect for a fun beach day. They also tend to come and go like fads, so I update this section often. That said, I do have a few favorite beach songs that have been making my list for years.
- 30. About Damn Time – Lizzo
- 31. Better – Khalid
- 32. California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg) – Katy Perry
- 33. Calm Down – Rema, Selena Gomez
- 34. Cheerleader – OMI
- 35. CUFF IT – Beyoncé
- 36. Despacito – Luis Fonsi (feat. Daddy Yankee)
- 37. Don’t Matter – Akon
- 38. Essence (feat. Justin Bieber & Tems) – Wizkid
- 39. Get It On Tonite – Montell Jordan
- 40. Girl From Rio – Anitta
- 41. Girl Like Me – Black Eyed Peas, Shakira
- 42. Hips Don’t Lie (feat. Wyclef Jean) – Shakira
- 43. I Feel It Coming (feat. Daft Punk) – The Weeknd
- 44. If It’s Lovin’ That You Want – Rihanna
- 45. ily (i love you baby)[feat. Emilee] – Surf Mesa
- 46. I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
- 47. July – Noah Cyrus feat. Leon Bridges
- 48. Lean On (feat. MØ & DJ Snake) – Major Lazor
- 49. Levels – Avicii
- 50. Light It Up (feat. Nyla & Fuse ODG) – Major Lazor
- 51. love nwantiti (ah ah ah) – CKay
- 52. MIA (ft. Drake) – Bad Bunny
- 53. Morning is Coming – Sting & Shaggy
- 54. Moscow Mule – Bad Bunny
- 55. One Kiss – Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa
- 56. Peaches (ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon) – Justin Bieber
- 57. PROVENZA – KAROL G
- 58. Return of the Mack – Mark Morrison
- 59. Rock Your Body – Justin Timberlake
- 60. Rockabye (feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie) – Clean Bandit
- 61. seaside_demo – SEB
- 62. Someone to Call My Lover – Janet Jackson
- 63. telepatía – Kali Uchis
- 64. Waves – Robin Schulz Radio Edit – Mr. Probz
- 65. We’re Good – Dua Lipa
- 66. Woman – Doja Cat
- 67. You da One – Rihanna
Reggae
Every beach playlist needs a touch of reggae to bring those feel good island vibes. Nothing takes you to the gentle waters of the Caribbean quite like a good tropical rhythm.
Obviously, I’ve included a hefty amount of Bob Marley, although he could almost have his own category. No tropical playlist would ever be complete without his songs, and I never feel like I’m on vacation until Bob Marley starts playing. The below island songs are best consumed with rum punch.
- 68. Bam Bam – Sister Nancy
- 69. Buffalo Soldier – Bob Marley & The Wailers
- 70. Could You Be Loved – Bob Marley & The Wailers
- 71. I’m Still in Love with You (feat. Sasha) – Sean Paul
- 72. Is This Love – Bob Marley & The Wailers
- 73. Jamming – Bob Marley & The Wailers
- 74. Murder She Wrote – Chaka Demus & Pliers
- 75. No Letting Go – Wayne Wonder
- 76. One Love – Bob Marley & The Wailers
- 77. Three Little Birds – Bob Marley & The Wailers
- 78. Turn Me On – Kevin Lyttle
- 79. Waiting in Vain – Bob Marley & The Wailers
- 80. You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No) – Dawn Penn
Travel Savvy Tip
I like to make a playlist on my phone, and then play it through a waterproof bluetooth speaker on the beach. They’re easy to throw into a beach bag, and the sound quality is so much better than an iPhone!
Rock & Alt Rock
There is a place for rock on every beach playlist. First of all, there are many bands that have a reggae sound, such as Sublime and No Doubt. Then you have bands with a more mellow style, which is just as perfect for laying out near the water.
The below songs are many of my go-to’s, which find themselves back on my beach playlist year after year.
- 81. Almost (Sweet Music) – Hozier
- 82. Amber – 311
- 83. Clocks – Coldplay (Rhythms De Mundo album)
- 84. Dashboard – Modest Mouse
- 85. Flake – Jack Johnson
- 86. Flashed Junk Mind – Milky Chance
- 87. Float On – Modest Mouse
- 88. Georgia – Vance Joy
- 89. Island in the Sun – Weezer
- 90. Jackie and Wilson – Hozier
- 91. Lay Me Down (feat. Rome) – Dirty Heads, Steve Fox, The Dirty Heads, Stan Frazier & Roman Ramirez
- 92. Love Song – 311
- 93. Only Wanna Be With You – Hootie & The Blowfish
- 94. Riptide – Vance Joy
- 95. Santa Monica – Everclear
- 96. Santeria – Sublime
- 97. Semi-Charmed Life – Third Eye Blind
- 98. Sit Next to Me – Foster the People
- 99. Someday – Sugar Ray
- 100. Someone New – Hozier
- 101. Stolen Dance – Milky Chance
- 102. Take It or Leave It – Cage the Elephant
- 103. Underneath It All (feat. Lady Saw) – No Doubt
- 104. Vacation – Dirty Heads
- 105. Walking on a Dream – Empire of the Sun
- 106. What You Know – Two Door Cinema Club
Country Beach Songs
Country and hip-hop on the same list may seem a bit unconventional, but I’m going with it. Admittedly, I am not the biggest country listener. However, there’s no denying that some of the best beach music is in this category.
If you listen to a lot of country, I’d love for you to leave your favorite island songs in the comments. That’s how I finally managed to add some Kenny Chesney to this list. It’s kind of crazy too, considering he even has a home on my favorite island, St. John in the US Virgin Islands!
- 107. Chicken Fried – Zac Brown Band
- 108. Coconut Tree (with Willie Nelson) – Kenny Chesney
- 109. Cruise (Remix, ft. Nelly) – Florida Georgia Line
- 110. Daddy Lessons – Beyonce
- 111. Island Song – Zac Brown Band
- 112. It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere (ft. Jimmy Buffett) – Alan Jackson
- 113. Knee Deep (ft. Jimmy Buffett) – Zac Brown Band
- 114. Meant to Be (feat. Florida Georgia Line) – Bebe Rexha
- 115. No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems – Kenny Chesney
- 116. Slow Burn – Kacey Musgraves
- 117. Summertime – Kenny Chesney
- 118. Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton
- 119. When the Sun Goes Down – Kenny Chesney & Uncle Kracker
Tropical Hip-Hop Songs
Hip-hop often incorporates island beats, and there are actually many songs in this genre with great tropical vibes. I never make a beach playlist that doesn’t include at least some hip-hop.
These songs are not always the most mellow, and probably not the greatest for relaxation. However, they are very fun poolside, or while tossing a football in the sand. These can also serve as fun beach songs for Instagram stories while sharing your trip with friends at home.
- 120. Buzzin’ – Shwayze
- 121. Come Closer (feat. Drake) – Wizkid
- 122. Controlla – Drake
- 123. Gatita – Bellakath
- 124. Guatemala – Rae Sremmurd
- 125. One Dance (feat. WizKid, Kyla) – Drake
- 126. Ready of Not – Fugees
- 127. Sunflower – Post Malone & Swae Lee
- 128. TOUT VA BIEN (feat. Ninho & Naps) – Alonzo
- 129. Unforgettable (feat. Swae Lee) – French Montana
Other Beach Playlist Songs
Last but certainly not least – the rest of the songs I always bring to the beach. Most of these remainders are singer/songwriter types that didn’t clearly fit under the above categories. Some of these chill beach songs are my absolute favorites, and maybe they’ll be yours too!
- 130. Beyond – Leon Bridges
- 131. Budapest – George Ezra
- 132. Give Me One Reason – Tracy Chapman
- 133. Me Gustas Tu – Manu Chao
- 134. Over the Rainbow – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
- 135. Unaware – Allen Stone
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Now all you need is some sunscreen and you’re ready to go! What songs are always on your beach playlist? Share below!
I loved the playlist, they are amazing songs. But no roadtrip from Miami to Key West would be complete without the two island country singers: Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Chesney. If you like the ZBB you might like them.
Glad you liked it, and thanks for the suggestions! I am always looking for new music, so will definitely check them out 🙂
I could not be more impressed by this list! Just like the previous comment all I did was add a lil ZBB and JB and it was so perfect!!!! Thank you for this!
Thank you so much, and it’s my pleasure! 🙂
Agree with the other comments…. NO beach playlist is complete without a hefty amount of Buffett and Chesney.
To each their own! Like I said above, though, I’ve been expanding my horizons lately, and you just might see a bit more Chesney added very soon 😉
I love a lot of your list, and already had a good amount on my Beach playlist. I was able to find several from your list to add to mine, so thanks very much. Here are some songs that I think you’d probably like to add to yours:
The Weather is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful – Jimmy Buffet
Jolly Mon Sing – Jimmy Buffet
Changes In Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes – Jimmy Buffet
Wipe Out – The Surfaris
Miserlou – Dick Dale
Two High – Moon Taxi
The Way You Do The Things You Do – UB40
Iko Iko – Dr. John
Island Song – Zac Brown Band
Kokomo – The Beach Boys
Surfin’ USA – The Beach Boys
Great suggestions! Thank you!
Hi Theresa! Picked a few of your great selections and stuck it in my Spotify BEACH playlist. Thanks and keep on wandering!
Love to hear it! Thanks Keith!
Love this list, thank you! On the Chesney note, one song in particular you may really like (I’ve had it on repeat during my latest island adventures) is “Be As You Are” by Kenny Chesney.
Great suggestion! Thank you! 🙂
If not someone already mentioned it … Sugar Ray – Spinning away. My all time favourite beach song. gives you this realxing vibes
I absolutely adore Sugar Ray on the beach! I think a lot of people forget about them.