Category: Music

There's nothing quite like a New Zealand road trip with some classic Kiwi tunes blasting away. For a small country we sure do pack a punch when it comes to music, but many travellers are unaware of just how good our music is. When you're road trippin' through our amazing country why not compliment the scenery with some of the best music in the world? Here's our top 10 Kiwi songs for a Roady...   1. Fat Freddy's Drop - Roady   Of course no Roady playlist is sufficient without our company tune "Roady" by Fat Freddy's Drop. If you haven't acquainted yourself with Freddy's then please spend the next day or two listening to their albums: 'Based on a True Story', 'Dr Boondigga and the Big BW', 'Blackbird' and their most recent album 'Bays'. Travellers, we promise you that you will love their Kiwi vibe - a mixture of reggae, tech, soul and everything in between. 2. The Swingers - Counting the Beat   "Counting the Beat" is a weird and wonderful tune by New Zealand rock band The Swingers released in 1981 from their album Practical Jokers. Over the years it has featured in some bizarre settings including Countdown Supermarket Ads and the quirky New Zealand film "Two Little Boys" starring comedians Brett McKenzie and Hamish Blake. When on a New Zealand road trip get in the spirit: "La-dah-da-de, there ain't no place I'd rather be." 3. Six60 - White Lines   Six60 may be the most productive thing that ever came out of Otago University! All jokes aside, the band formed in Dunedin and created their name from the street number of the house they flatted in. The Six60 boys blend soul, rock, dubstep, and drum & bass into a unique Kiwi sound. White Lines is a New Zealand road trip fav! 4. Supergroove

How good the feeling when you’ve jumped in the car with some mates, the sun is shining, the windows are down, and Fat Freddys are playing on the stereo. In New Zealand we are lucky to be able to take in so much spectacular scenery out on the open road and stop off at some pretty awesome destinations. For those overseas and not yet in the loop: this is what’s known in New Zealand as a ‘roady’. Kiwi's revere the roady – on the open road with family and friends, cruising along the coastline. Stops at the Fish n Chips shop, Hokey Pokey ice cream dripping from the cone, on your way to the family bach by the beach, a new years festival, or a ski trip up the mountain. And on the way there is no music that epitomises the New Zealand roady more than the music of Fat Freddys Drop. The boys from Lyall Bay are notorious lovers of old school cars and produce tracks that are nothing short of musical tributes to the NZ road trip. ‘Roady’ of course being the most famous piece. Their most recent album ‘Bays’ also incorporates themes of freedom and the open road with New Zealand as backdrop. Take ‘Wheels’ and ‘Wairunga Blues’ for example. Wheels is an experimental jazz tune that is perfectly accompanied with a slice of Kiwi road trip. Lead singer Dallas Tamaira’s voice is shifted front and centre at the climax of the song, emphasising that indeed “our wheels our turning”. Wairunga Blues is on par with some of Freddy’s best songs. There is a genuine swagger to the opening of Bays and a sense of adventure that kicks off so well. The first verse is something special: Till there's no more road to follow Telephone ring without me Cause I'm no longer home