20 throwback jams to blare during summertime drives

The Chronic, Dr. Dre's debut solo studio album dropped in 1992, is a defining body of work in hip-hop history. "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" was its lead single, and the Grammy-nominated jam peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Dre was already iconic as a member of Compton-bred NWA in the late 1980s and early '90s, but The Chronic solidified the seven-time Grammy winner's individual proficiency.

"All I wanna do is have some fun," Sheryl Crow sings in the "All I Wanna Do" chorus. "I got a feeling I'm not the only one." And what better sentiment to belt on the highway? The 1993 breakthrough hit was nominated three times at the 37th Grammy Awards, and it won record of the year and best female pop vocal performance. Crow also nabbed best new artist. Nearly a decade later, the 59-year-old dropped equally appropriate and worthy "Soak Up The Sun."

If you can't decide whether you're in the mood for hip-hop or punk rock, then "Sabotage" is perhaps the most perfect compromise in music history. The 1994 lead single to Ill Communication, "Sabotage" was nominated for best hard rock performance at the following Grammy Awards. ("No Sleep Till Brooklyn" may be more appropriate for a long road trip, just as "Fight For Your Right" or "Shake Your Rump" make sense en route to a party.)

There's nothing worse than heartbreak, but there's nothing better than the wind in your hair while trying and inevitably failing to harmonize with Mariah Carey. "Always Be My Baby" by Mariah Carey instantly became a definitive breakup anthem, and it will always remain in the top echelon of that category. The track, off her fifth studio album Daydream, notched Carey her 11th No. 1 Hot 100 hit —tying her with Whitney Houston at the time. (She now has 19, one behind the Beatles' all-time most.) 

"The mid-’90s ska boom is not quite the reason No Doubt happened; No Doubt are not quite the reason the mid-’90s ska boom happened," Rob Harvilla wrote in February for The Ringer. "But there are parallels." And "Just a Girl," a staple on No Doubt's diamond-certified Tragic Kingdom  (1995), is the prime example. Gwen Stefani would eventually go out on her own, blessing us with bangers such as (but not limited to) "Hollaback Girl" and "The Sweet Escape." The three-time Grammy winner isn't looking to relinquish her unofficial title as Coolest Person Ever, either, as she recently released "Let Me Reintroduce Myself" and "Slow Clap" (including a remix featuring Saweetie) in anticipation of her fifth studio album.

This is all about the power of illusion. No matter where you live, what roads you're driving along, listening to "California Love" will transport you to the blissful California lifestyle. The 2Pac (born Tupac Shakur) track is perhaps the definitive mainstream offering from his tragically short catalog. (Shakur was murdered in a 1996 drive-by at 25 years old.) "California Love" was part of All Eyez On Me, his historic fourth studio album released exactly seven months before his death.

"No Diggity" remains Blackstreet's only Grammy win (best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal), and for good reason. The 1996 track is R&B/hip-hop royalty. "No Diggity" peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on Nov. 8, 1996, and spent 31 total weeks charting. This is also a convenient line for our list: "You're blowing my mind, maybe in time / Baby, I can get you in my ride."

Ah, the Backstreet Boys—"the most successful boy band in history, having sold over 130 million records worldwide, and with their first nine albums reaching the top 10 on the Billboard 200," per Genius. So, you can see why it feels nearly impossible to choose just one of their songs, but ultimately, "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)" wins out because it was their U.S. breakthrough off their debut self-titled studio album (1996) released in Germany. The track peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

If you're in the mood for something more uptempo, though, check out "I Want It That Way," "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" or "Larger Than Life."

Britney Spears presents a similar predicament—where do you start and which banger do you choose? Who could forget the Mars-themed "Oops!...I Did It Again" music video or the power of "(You Drive Me) Crazy" (and that very '90s Melissa Joan Hart cameo). Well, just like with the Backstreet Boys, you start with the song that started it all. "...Baby One More Time," the ground- and record-breaking title track of Spears's debut album. 

"...Baby One More Time" gave Spears her first of five No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, spending 32 weeks charting overall, and was nominated at the 42nd Grammy Awards for best female pop vocal performance.

I'm thanking Christina Aguilera for knowing exactly what a girl wants and gifting "What A Girl Wants" to the world in 1999. Christina Aguilera, the five-time Grammy winner's 1999 debut studio album, birthed "What A Girl Wants"—nominated for best female pop vocal performance at the 43rd Grammy Awards—"Genie in a Bottle" and "Come On Over (All I Want Is You)"—all three of which topped the Billboard Hot 100. You can't go wrong with Xtina, whose unrivaled vocal range will automatically make you feel like you're driving 50 miles faster than you are.

The wound is still fresh from DMX's (born Earl Simmons) tragic April 9 death at 50 years old due to "catastrophic cardiac arrest." The Ruff Ryders icon's discography has catapulted back to the forefront as a result, and "Party Up (Up In Here)" undoubtedly tops the list. The single was originally released in December 1999—DMX was everywhere from 1997 through around 2002—and brought X's signature gruff delivery to the mainstream. It was also nominated under best rap solo performance at the 43rd Grammy Awards. For more standout DMX singles, visit here.

TLC was going to make this list somehow. Not only is "No Scrubs" a TLC staple—maybe the TLC staple—the 1999 monster smash literally exposes scrubs as someone "hangin' out the passenger side of his best friend's ride" in the chorus. No brainer. 

"No Scrubs" lives on the FanMail (1999) tracklist. TLC's third studio album was nominated for album of the year, and "No Scrubs" received a nod for record of the year but won best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal.

You can't help but get pumped up—even if there's nothing going on and subsequently, nothing to be immediately excited about—when the sampled Stevie Nicks' "Edge of Seventeen" beat hits to open "Bootylicious" and Destiny's Child asks each other if they can handle this. It should go without saying that a purely Beyonce playlist could last an entire summer, but until Destiny's Child disbanded in 2006, the trio was unstoppable. 

Queen Bey, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams pumped out 10 top-10 Hot 100 singles, including four No. 1 hits ("Say My Name," "Independent Women Part I," "Bills, Bills, Bills," and, yes, "Bootylicious"). That's before mentioning Grammy-winning "Survivor." And not for nothing, considering the theme of this list, "Independent Women" finds them boasting about buying the car they're drivin' all on their own. I feel secure enough in my "Bootylicious" pick to include that fun fact.

(Disclaimer: if you are driving around on a Friday night, you must listen to "Just Got Paid" instead.) There are strong arguments to be made for several more successful NSYNC singles than "Pop" such as "Bye Bye Bye," "It's Gonna Be Me" or "Tearin' Up My Heart." But look: the reality of the situation is that we all pretend to be pop stars while singing in the car, so why not listen to one of the biggest boy bands to ever live singing about being pop stars?

Avril Lavigne epitomized pop-punk, with emphasis on the punk, in the early 2000s. "Complicated" was the lead single for her debut album Let Go in 2002, and the song hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Also on that record was the more-upbeat anthem "Sk8er Boi," and it wouldn't be until 2007's The Best Damn Thing dropped and "Girlfriend" popped off that Lavigne would top the chart for the first and only time in her career. The Canadian has been very vocal about her battle with Lyme Disease in recent years, even turning to writing music as a coping mechanism. "Head Above Water," a beautiful yet somber departure from how she introduced herself to the music industry, was the result.

The only thing better than Missy Elliott's "Work It" on full blast would be if Alyson Stoner were literally doing the famed choreography in the passenger's seat. The Grammy-winning track served as the lead single for Missy's 2002 album Under Construction. The iconic emcee is also responsible for the likes of "Get Ur Freak On" and "Lose Control."

The world suffers without Andre 3000 and Big Boi teamed up as OutKast, but luckily they created everlasting music before splitting in 2006. (They did reunite for a tour in 2014.) The Atlanta-based duo claimed six Grammy Award wins among 16 nominations, including "Hey Ya!" as best urban/alternative performance in 2003. The track landed at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, sandwiched between their two other No. 1 hits "Ms. Jackson" and "The Way You Move." It's simply impossible not to shake it like a Polaroid picture when listening to "Hey Ya!"

Kelly Clarkson became the first-ever American Idol champion in 2002, and she has more than proved it wasn't a fluke in the nearly 20 years since. The three-time Grammy winner and The Voice coach has topped the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 charts three times apiece. While 2004 smash single "Since U Been Gone" peaked at No. 2, it undeniably just hits different. If you disagree, the committee (also known as me) also finds "Miss Independent," "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" "My Life Would Suck Without You," or "Behind These Hazel Eyes" acceptable.

Shout out to everybody who instantly flashed back to The Hills  opening montage. (Long live Lauren Conrad, and yes, Hilary Duff's "Come Clean" almost made this list solely because it was Laguna Beach's soundtrack.) "Unwritten" was the title track of Natasha Bedingfield's 2004 debut album, and it peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The British singer-songwriter landed in the same position on the chart a few years later with "Pocketful of Sunshine." 

When you think about cruising on a beautiful summer day with your windows down, you probably associate that with uninhibited freedom and fun. If that is the mood you're longing for, then "Yeah!" is the perfect fit. Though, if you're struggling to get over a summer-fling-that-never-was, then "Burn" (which also works metaphorically if you're suffering from a sunburn) or "Confessions, Pt. II" is probably the selection from Usher's extensive catalog. All three peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.