Top sing-along songs for car journeys

I love singing. I can't carry a tune, even if I had a bucket, so won't be auditioning for X Factor any time soon, but still, I love to sing. I love music and pick up words to songs quite easily and just stop me from jumping on Singstar if the opportunity strikes.

Since Ethan was born, hubs and I sing all the time. It soothes him. It entertains him. It sends him off to sleep.

He doesn't mind what we sing and we don't get any Simon Cowell-type put downs either.

I'm sure that as he grows up, we will continue to sing to him and it won't be long before he joins in. He already has a real feel for music and regularly stomps his feet when a theme tune comes on TV and jiggles around on the spot.

I'm sure that car journeys will be another great opportunity to sing to Ethan, or to sing-along to a soundtrack - Disney no doubt, or Les Miserables if hubs is in the car.

A new study released this week has discovered the top tunes to sing during a car journey and the perfect recipe for the perfect sing-along song and the list is full of recent hits, including Let It Go from Frozen and Happy by Pharrell Williams.

Here's the special formula for good family driving songs, and more from this fun study:

Out of 1,000 people polled by Alamo Rent A Car, 73% enjoyed a family sing-a-long to their music of choice; 19% opted for playing games, and only 17% chose to strike up a conversation with their children. 

Disney’s Frozen and Pharrell Williams’s Happy are the top choices, being typically structured around the chords I – V – vi – IV – the most memorable and easy to follow style of song. Katy Perry’s Roar, One Direction’s That’s What Makes You Beautiful and the classic nursery rhyme Wheels on the Bus also made the current top 5 favourite car songs for kids.

31% of parents state that Frozen is their children’s favourite soundtrack, and 32%’s top choice to sing along to.  35% of those asked confirmed that both their and the children’s favourite Disney song is the recent hit from Frozen Let It Go, beating other classics (and followed by) Bare Necessities - The Jungle Book (8.20%); Hakuna Matata - The Lion King (7.80%) and Under the Sea - The Little Mermaid  (6.50%). Lion King’s anthem Circle of Life claimed a meagre 2% - even less than the hard-to pronounceSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious from Mary Poppins, which scored 3% of the votes.

52% of parents believe that lyrics and a good beat/energy are essential to a good family car song. Genre-wise 27% of parents would avoid playing Hip Hop. However, more parents would shun calming choices like Opera and Classical (16%); with more intrusive choices, including Rock music (12%) and Dance music with 15% scoring lower on the avoidance scale.

Intriguingly, controversial artists Lady Gaga and Rihanna proved to be popular with 63% of parents saying they would allow the music in the car. Glastonbury 2014 darling Dolly Parton gained the thumbs up from an impressive 60%; conversely only 40% said they would play music by the much-debated festival headliner Metallica. 

Postman Pat had the most popular television theme song (19%), followed by In the Night Garden (10%) and Rah Rah the Lion (8%).

Popular songs which use the 'four chords of pop' progression (I V VI IV):

Journey - Don't Stop Believing James Blunt - You're Beautiful Black Eyed Peas - Where Is the Love The Beatles - Let It Be Bob Marley - No Woman No Cry A Ha - Take On Me Timberland featuring OneRepublic - Apologize

Toto - Africa Eminem ft Rihanna - Love the Way You Lie Andrea Bocelli - Time To Say Goodbye Lady Gaga - Pokerface Aqua - Barbie Girl Bon Jovi – It’s My Life Maroon 5 – She Will be Loved