2025 Edition: Recommended Western songs for winter drives — the latest tracks and timeless hits
For those who own a car, the quintessential pleasure is, of course, going for a drive.
You can savor the unique joys of driving in any season—spring, summer, fall, or winter—but this time, we’re bringing you an article themed around “Western music you’ll want to listen to on a winter drive.”
From mellow tracks that warm the heart to poignant ballads tinged with melancholy, and dance-pop tunes so upbeat they’ll make you forget the winter chill, we’ve gathered a diverse selection that spans genres while prioritizing easy listening.
The first half features the latest hits and buzzworthy tracks, while the latter half showcases timeless classics.
We hope listeners of all generations will enjoy this lineup!
[2025 Edition] Best Western Music for Winter Drives: Latest Tracks and Timeless Hits (1–10)
Take Me Dancing (ft. SZA)NEW!Doja Cat
We’re spotlighting this track featuring SZA from Doja Cat’s fifth album, Vie, released in September 2025.
Crafted over three years at France’s Miraval Studios, the album marks a return to ’80s sounds, and this song stands out as one of its most romantic cuts.
Riding a shimmering synth-funk groove, Doja delivers a sensual and passionate take on intimate connection, while SZA’s warm vocals answer in perfect counterpoint.
It’s the kind of track that sets the mood for special moments with someone you cherish, like cruising through winter nights together.
Their chemistry—first showcased on their classic Kiss Me More—shines here once again, making it a perfect pick for your next drive.
So Easy (To Fall In Love)NEW!Olivia Dean
This track, featured on British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean’s second album, The Art of Loving, released in September 2025, is a neo-soul number that portrays the simple, natural feelings of love.
Its smooth sound, reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac and Burt Bacharach, is paired with a restrained, composed melody that resonates comfortably.
Singing about a style of romance where weekend thrills coexist with the comfort of everyday life, this piece captivates with a mellow warmth.
It’s the perfect song for a winter night, driving slowly with someone special by your side—recommended for those who want to savor a quietly deepening affection as they enjoy the ride.
IllegalNEW!PinkPantheress
This track, which opens PinkPantheress’s mixtape “Fancy That,” released in May 2025, is a song that portrays the thrill and guilt of a forbidden romance.
With a nostalgic yet sophisticated sound that updates ’90s drum and bass and UK garage for the present day—sampling a classic by Underworld—and vocals that are soft yet resolute, it creates a distinctive world that perfectly suits a winter night drive.
The lyrics, depicting the conflict of crossing moral boundaries in love, resonate all the more within the enclosed space of a car.
Why not savor a sweet, bittersweet moment that can only be felt in the colder season?
Is It a CrimeNEW!Mariah the Scientist, Kali Uchis
The song released in July 2025, a collaboration between Mariah the Scientist—an R&B vocalist drawing attention for her emotive delivery—and Grammy-winning artist Kali Uchis, portrays the complex emotions of feeling guilty for loving someone through a dialogue-style narrative.
Centered on the question, “If loving is a crime, then are you my prisoner?”, it tells a bittersweet story of falling in love despite society’s gaze and past wounds, all set to a mellow sound infused with Latin elements.
As the lead single from Mariah’s fourth album, Hearts Sold Separately, the intertwining of their sweet, soulful vocals feels like a gentle companion on a winter night drive.
It’s the perfect track for those who want to sit with the warmth inside the car and savor the inner conflict of love.
Lover GirlNEW!Laufey
Released in June 2025, Laufey’s song is a perfect track for a winter drive, channeling the ache of longing for a distant love through jazz-pop.
With roots in Iceland and China and a background in classical music training, Laufey drew attention after graduating from Berklee College of Music for her unique blend of jazz and pop, and she won a Grammy at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in 2023.
Featuring bossa nova-like rhythms, lush strings, and piano arrangements, this piece quietly portrays feelings for someone you can’t meet, delivered in a poised, restrained vocal style.
It’s an ideal recommendation for those who want to spend a gentle, reflective moment driving while thinking of someone special in the cold season.
Useless (Without You)NEW!Elmiene
Have you heard of Elmiene, the rising talent turning heads in UK soul? With Sudanese roots and an upbringing in Oxford, he placed fifth in the BBC’s Sound of 2024 and went on to be nominated for the BRIT Awards’ Rising Star in 2025.
The track that opens his mixtape Heat The Streets, released in September 2025, is a slow-burn anthem portraying dependency and vulnerability in a relationship, with repeated confessions of being powerless without you.
His vocals—delicate vibrato and breathwork drawn from gospel—stand out against the minimal production, seeping gently into the listener’s heart.
On a winter night, as you drive and reflect on someone dear, this wistful and beautiful ballad will be the perfect companion.
I Wish I Didn’t Waste Your TimeNEW!Thundercat
This work by Los Angeles bassist Thundercat, created in collaboration with renowned producer Greg Kurstin, is a song full of dreamy textures where delicate synth layers intertwine exquisitely with gentle falsetto vocals.
Released in September 2025, it centers on regret and reflection over a lost love, expressing a poignant sense of self-reproach for having wasted the other person’s time—making it a perfect companion for a quiet winter night drive.
While preserving the musicality that earned him a Grammy for his 2020 album It Is What It Is, this track warms the heart with its unhurried bass groove and introspective mood.
It’s a piece you’ll want to hear when you’re looking back on the past and taking time to face yourself.