Have tunes will travel

Music, and how we react to it while driving, is complex. Up-tempo music, according to psychologist Patricia Smith, can elevate your mood if the music is something you like or if the music is related to positive experiences in your life.

Just as artists and athletes use music to get into "the zone", so do drivers of the family car. Drivers purchase CDs and consciously choose radio stations to listen to. There might be one station for the drive to work and another for the drive home. "The 'drives', the radio time slots when people drive to and from work or when they pick up kids and drive home, are full of information such as news, sports, weather, and traffic reports," says Rob Brown, program director at Thunder Bay's 580CKPR and 94FM. The challenge is finding music that everyone in the car will enjoy. "There are many bands that parents and kids enjoy listening to in the car. The Canadian band Nickelback is a great example," says Rob Brown. "Some of today's music is reminiscent of the 70's with a mix of bass, guitar, and drums. That sound is something a lot of moms and dads can relate to."

The choice of music is personal, especially if the driver is alone. Having the radio on or playing a favourite CD can make the drive more bearable. Although drivers may want to relax during the commute, it is not a good idea to play music to meditate to, as drivers need to be alert and aware while behind the wheel. Some drivers find classical music calming while others relax by singing along with country music. The radio programmer's challenge is to determine what most of that commuting radio audience wants to hear. According to Rob Brown, the current music trend in radio is the punk sound of bands like Blur and the Vines. If your tastes run more to classic rock, Bryan Adams and U2 are back this year with new albums.

Mona Chiasson is a musician and the mother of three girls. "We've found that soundtracks, especially ones with 50's tunes, are a winner in our car because they offer a variety of classic songs mixed with new. I don't mind listening to kids' music but the quality of the musical arrangements is important to me. Aselin Debison, a Cape Breton teenager, is one of our favourites. The arrangements are fantastic and she does a great job with classics like the Rankins' ‘Rise Again' and ‘Over the Rainbow'."

Mona also suggests the Wee Sing series if there are young kids in the car. The tape comes with a book with a single line of music and chords in an easy key, so kids can read the book in the car and follow along with the music. Mona says that the ‘Wee Sings' have been played so much in their car that they are nearly worn out. Now, that's a sign of being well-loved!

Mona's picks:
• Shrek Soundtrack
• Stuart Little Soundtrack
• Everly Brothers (our kids love to sing a long with the do-wops)
• Aselin Debison
• Wee Sing series

Neil Simpson, the dad of three young girls, lived for 5 years in Wawa, Ontario. "Because we were a two-hour drive from any other town we depended on music and books on tape. They were life savers. Our girls like adult music like Jewel and the Indigo Girls. We discover great music at folk festivals like the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Juno award winners Aaron Burnett and Al Simmons are great. Their albums are favourites with our gang, and so is Nancy Cassidy with her KidsSongs series."

Neil's picks:
• Jewel
• Indigo Girls
• Aaron Burnett
• Al Simmons
• Books on tape

The key to energizing your drive is to play music that both the driver and occupants enjoy. It's not an easy task, but one that you can have fun researching. Borrow CDs from the library to try out before purchasing them. In our family, I have discovered that although there is no way of pleasing everyone, some CDs and radio stations work. We have discovered a new Toronto-based band, jacksoul, led by Haydain Neale, whose style is reminiscent of classic Motown – smooth and sing-along-able! Our 13-year-old put together her list and I have to admit that I like her choices too!

Emily's picks:
• Simple Plan
• 2004 Grammy Nominees
• Queen
• Linkin Park
• Black-Eyed Peas