Top 10 most iconic songs in racing games

One of the best things about racing games is that a lot of them have really good soundtracks. Ones that echo through the memories of our favorite games, and I’m counting down some of the most iconic songs in racing games. Now, this list is a list that I feel is the best. If you think I missed a song, let me know down in the comments, and be sure to leave a like down below, and maybe subscribe for more!

Dayton USA – Lets Go Away

Lets go away… back to 1994 when this arcade legend hit coin-ops around the globe. Daytona USA was, and still is, an addicting romp of an arcade racer, with revolutionary graphics (For the time), great physics, excellent tracks, and a sound track that echoes through the minds of fans, video game enthusiasts, and plenty of car enthusiasts. And those echoes sound like DUDUDUDUDUDOOOOOOOOOOO…… DAYOTAAAAAAAAAAAAAA…..

Need for Speed Underground – Get Low by Lil Jon, Ying Yang Twins & The East Side Boyz

It’s literally one of the biggest influences behind the dramatic rise of JDM car culture in the 2000’s, and is still one of the most talked about video games from that generation. Right up there with Blood Gulch in Halo, and Final Destination in Super Smash Bros. Melee, we have a lit-up city, a classic Skyline GT-R R34, and this song.

Need for Speed Most Wanted (2005) – Styles of Beyond by Nine Thou

Crack out the energy drinks, the tribal tattoos, and dust off your album of Limp Bizkit, we have a mid- 2000’s song that makes me want to break something. Not only is Need for Speed Most Wanted considered to be one of the greatest racing games of all time by a lot of long time fans, its also known for it’s kick-ass soundtrack, featuring plenty of noteworthy tunes. However, I need one, and I picked the first menu song you heard, next to the only BMW we truly need in life.

Gran Turismo – Moon Over the Castle

Gran Turismo is the greatest video game franchise of all time.
If you ask me at least…
But, even if you’re not in the same boat as me, you need to admit one thing.
This theme is dope.

Mario Kart – Rainbow Road (Literally every single one.)

Of all the songs on this list, this might be the crowd favorite. Why? Because who hasn’t played Mario Kart at least once in their life? It’s a series that brought people into racing games, like myself, and has still managed to offer up an experience unlike any other. (By the way, Mario Kart 64 is still the best MK, hence why I’m using the 64 cartridge as a picture.)

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 – Going Down on It by Hot Action Cop

Remember the intro? The Ferrari 360 Modena, and the Lamborghini Murcielago, duking it out on an open road, while the cops were surrounding them, trying to stop them. They tried everything and nothing could stop them, until the Pursuit Diablo came out of nowhere and as the Diablo catches up, it leaves us with all 3 cars airborne, and a black screen with flashing lights dubbed “Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2”.
All that, while classic late 90’s-early 00’s rock blares into our ears and fills our veins with nostalgic adrenaline.
Memories…

Outrun – Magical Sound Shower

Now this one may not be a familiar face to the younger demographic, but back in the day, and I’m not just talking about the 80’s, but also the mid 00’s too (Outrun 2) , this song and these games were special. They were different for their time, and remain unique, despite the fact that other games have come out, and had an actual open world, with more than just Ferrari’s to drive. Despite that however, these games were, and still are awesome, and the music is just as good as the gameplay. Pure poetry, without any words.

Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition – Real Big by Mannie Fresh

Did you want Need for Speed Underground, but with more… chaos?
Well, if you were a kid growing up in the 00’s, Midnight Club was your calling. Crazy fast racing, big and detailed open worlds, and one of the best rap soundtracks ever. And yes, in some ways, it’s better than NFS: Underground. Not just in the OST either. The whole game was truly fantastic. Because this game was big. REAL BIG. (Like the song, remember?)

Crazy Taxi – All I Want by The Offspring

Hey hey hey, come on over, have some fun with CRaaazy Taxi!

I remember when I picked up my copy of this automotive, punk rock, arcade acid trip for $5, at a yard sale.
And yes, I still have it.

Burnout Paradise – Paradise City by Guns n’ Roses

• Back when the next generation of consoles were underway (Minus the Wii), there were three games that I was incredibly hyped to play. Motor storm, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, and this. It’s a game that was so good that still to this day, EA makes racing games that base certain elements off this game. Billboards to smash, multiplayer events that anyone can jump into, tapping brake to drift, and the massive amounts of jumps to hit. A lot of elements went into this game, and it was so good, EA tasked the same people behind it to make the next Most Wanted, Rivals, the NFS Reboot, and NFS Payback. And this song always played to remind you that you’re not in some regular racing game.

You’re in Paradise, baby.

Alright, that’s my main top 10, but if you’re hungry for more, here are my honorable mentions:

Gran Turismo 4 – Panama by Van Halen

Gran Turismo 3 – Are You Gonna Go My Way (GT3 Remix) by Lenny Kravitz

*GRID – No One Knows (UNKLE Remix) by Queens of The Stone Age

Need for Speed (2015) – Surface by Aero Chord

• Now this is in the honorable mentions because while it isnt instantly recognizable to a lot of people, it is one that, in my eyes, was our first vision of hope for the series. Back in 2015, we knew the next NFS was inevitable, but given how well the last few installments went, we were fairly confident that it would become a hollow shell with a recognizable title, like where a lot of these IP’s go. And yes, that did happen, but that’s not the point. The point is, this song gave us the one thing we wanted, and that’s the magic of NFS: Underground, in a modern setting, with modern cars, and a modern location to explore, and this was the first song you heard during EA’s E3 press conference back in 2015, when they unveiled gameplay for the first time, and it looked like everything we wanted and more. So much more.

Let me put it this way. I HATE Trap music, and I hated the actual game when it finally came out. But, I loved the E3 gameplay unveiling, and I LOVE this damn song.

This content was originally posted by a Car Throttle user on our Community platform and was not commissioned or created by the CT editorial team.