Growing up in a family of four kids and a restless golden retriever, my parents were constantly finding ways to keep us entertained. We traveled a lot, particularly on the road to go camping or on the long trek to our cottage in Northern Ontario. This carved out a long period of driving time, which needed music to accompany it. My dad drove most of the time, and since the driver picked the music, I got to experience a very wide variety of dad music.
As I’ve gotten older, this music has stuck with me in my own listening habits, particularly as of recently. With summer coming to a close, it feels fitting to reflect on this genre.
One thing I feel is important to note is that the definition of dad music ranges between listeners, seeing as the music a dad plays depends on their generation. Typically I find that the music that sticks with people for the longest time is what they listen to in their teens and early 20s.
Young millennial dads may be more into 1990s/early 2000s rock, such as Nirvana or Foo Fighters. Older dads from the baby boomer generation, however, might be more into The Beatles and Queen.
To me, dad music is defined by the soft rock of the 1970s and the indie rock of the 1980s – the music my dad listened to as a young adult. To celebrate this resurgence of dad music, I have compiled a list of my top five dad songs that aims to encapsulate some of these different generations and music genres.
5. “Oh! Darling” has been my favorite song by The Beatles for years, and one I think is very underrated. While this was not a song my dad really played growing up, to me it screams dad rock of the baby boomers generation.
4. America’s “Sister Golden Hair” is an all-time dad music classic, and actually one of my dad’s favorite songs, as well as mine. I listened to this song like it my life depended on it last spring and summer. Its cheesy, 1970s romance lyrics are what make it such a staple dad song.
3. The Red Hot Chilli Peppers are probably one of the most stereotypical dad-music bands of all time, and for good reason. They’re a timeless sort of rock, and “Dani California” is a particular standout that I believe deserves third place on this list.
2. Nearly every kid in Gen Z can likely relate to the out-of-body experience that occurred when your dad put on “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls, making you feel so very misunderstood at the ripe age of 9. The Goo Goo Dolls are such a classic example of 1980’s American rock, and “Iris” being their quintessential worldwide hit, I felt that it belonged in this ranking.
1. Eagles are one of my favorite bands of all time, and to me a quintessential part of dad soft rock. And while “Hotel California” and “Take it Easy” are classics without competition, the depth of their discography extends much further than a non-dad music enjoyer might realize. The lyrical genius of “Learn to be Still,” my personal Eagles’ favorite, comes in at number one on this list. Not only is it also a favorite learned from my dad, but I think it encapsulates what so many are looking for when listening to dad music: a return to roadtrips, nostalgia and a more “still” time.