CONCORD, N.C. – This summer, Hendrick Motorsports has launched a brand-new Spotify account, and over the next few weeks all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers – and perhaps some special guests – will share their very own playlists.
Last week, Chase Elliott kicked off the festivities by providing a glimpse into what he’s listening to right now.
Now, it’s William Byron’s turn to release his playlist.
The driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has been around music his entire life.
“My dad would fish as a kid, so he was on boats all the time with his stepdad,” Byron said. “That rubbed off on me. So, we went to the beach, sailing, even road trips and going to the racetrack – always doing things with my dad and just enjoying music.”
From an early age, the songs his family liked helped shape his own taste.
He estimates that the wide variety of music he listens to today was a result of what he was surrounded by growing up.
“We always had music that we listened to,” he said. “My dad was listening to U2 and Dave Matthews Band and a bunch of different bands like that. And then I like country music just because I grew up in North Carolina and my sister went to school in Nashville, so that’s pretty normal for me to listen to. I also like listening to any kind of rock music, even soft rock.”
Nowadays, he doesn’t go many places where he’s not listening to all different types of music.
And if he had to pick his ideal spot to pump up the tunes, it’s in the car.
“I’m driving quite a bit, whether it’s to the racetrack or to the airport or to a different city, and I always have to have something playing,” he said.
He built the playlist he’s sharing today at the start of the racing season and he has continued to add to it from time to time.
“I’m an oldie in the aspect that I listen to current music quite a bit, but I also listen to ’70s or ’80s music."
Throughout the year, he said, he’ll create new playlists based on what he feels like listening to as the months progress.
This particular batch of songs features a lot of current artists, from Imagine Dragons to Brad Paisley, John Mayer, Zac Brown Band and The Chainsmokers. But that doesn’t mean Byron won’t dip back into the past when he’s cultivating a playlist.
“I’m an oldie in the aspect that I listen to current music quite a bit, but I also listen to ’70s or ’80s music, The Beatles – I mix it up all the time,” he said.
He’s met a handful of bands in person including Zac Brown Band and Rascal Flatts, and even as a NASCAR Cup Series driver, he can’t help but be in awe when he’s face-to-face with such talented artists.
“It’s so different what they do,” he explained. “I always get starstruck when it comes to other athletes or other musicians or people that are doing something successful. It’s cool to see how they do that and how special that quality is. It’s fun for me to meet people that are doing something pretty spectacular.”
He’s happy to share what he’s listening to with his fans because music continues to play such a big role in his life.
“Different songs tell a story, and I enjoy listening to all the different stories.”
With such a busy NASCAR Cup Series schedule, it’s one more thing that helps him keep in touch with friends – and what’s going on in pop culture.
“A lot of my friends are in college or just out of college, and any time we get together at parties and things, there’s music,” he said. “It’s important that you know what’s cultural and what’s going on so you’re up-to-date on all that.
“Different songs tell a story, and I enjoy listening to all the different stories.”
Listen to Byron’s full playlist here.
Next week, it’s Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick’s turn at the Spotify jukebox.