Here on the Gulf Coast, music isn’t just background noise. It’s woven into the very sand between your toes. From the strum of a guitar drifting out of the Flora-Bama Lounge to the soundtracks of summers gone by in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, the right song can take you back faster than a wave rolls in. That’s why we’ve rounded up a throwback playlist of beach songs you might’ve forgotten you loved (because nothing pairs better with sugar-white sand and a cold drink than a little nostalgia). So, kick back, turn it up, and let’s dive in.

“Margaritaville” – Jimmy Buffett (1977)

You simply can’t talk beach songs without tipping your hat to Jimmy Buffett. “Wastin’ away again in Margaritaville, searchin’ for my lost shaker of salt…” That slow-rolling melody practically was the ocean breeze. Though Buffett was more about Florida Keys, every Beachballer knows that laid-back feeling hits home whether you’re in Orange Beach or Fort Morgan.

“Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay” – Otis Redding (1968)

You can practically feel the salt air in this soulful classic. With its whistled outro and laid-back groove, it’s made for Gulf Coast sunsets when you’re watching the tide roll in and forgetting the rest of the world exists.

“Knee Deep” – Zac Brown Band ft. Jimmy Buffett (2010)

Talk about a union made in coastal heaven! Zac Brown and Buffett team up to serenade you into ditching your worries with a beach anthem about toes in the water and not a care in sight. It’s the perfect soundtrack for that first step into the Gulf or sipping something cool under the Orange Beach sun.

“Under the Boardwalk” – The Drifters (1964)

This one’s pure seaside nostalgia. Close your eyes and you’re instantly strolling Gulf Coast piers with the sand between your toes and the ocean breeze in your hair. Sweet, timeless, and as coastal as it gets.

“Flora-Bama” – Kenny Chesney (2014)

This one’s pure Gulf Coast gold. Chesney didn’t just write about the famous state-line honky tonk; he showed up and threw a massive free beach concert there in August 2014. Tens of thousands packed the sand for a once-in-a-lifetime party, and that wild night helped cement the inspiration for this anthem. Equal parts party and laid-back escape, it celebrates the sun, the sea, and that anything-goes Flora-Bama spirit.

“Drift Away” – Dobie Gray (1973)

Few songs capture the feeling of floating free like this one. That smooth chorus, “give me the beat, boys, and free my soul,” is a Gulf lazy-day anthem, perfect for drifting along in the water or cruising the coast with no agenda.

“Summertime” – Kenny Chesney (2006)

Kenny Chesney’s “Summertime” is basically the anthem of Gulf Coast living. Windows down on the way to Orange Beach? Check. Cooler packed for a day at Gulf Shores? Check. The easy, breezy chorus feels like sunshine bottled up, and it pairs just as well with a Fort Morgan bonfire as it does with a lazy float in the Gulf.

“Kokomo” – The Beach Boys (1988)

This one’s a classic, pure and simple. “Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I wanna take ya to Bermuda…” You don’t have to be on a tropical island to appreciate it. Just turn it up while cruising down Beach Boulevard with a cooler of cold drinks and let the good times roll with the tide.

“It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” – Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett (2003)

This one is pure Gulf Coast fun. With Alan Jackson’s smooth drawl and Jimmy Buffett’s island-time charm, it is no surprise this hit became an instant classic. Buffett is, after all, the king of island music. Whether you are kicking back with friends in Gulf Shores, watching the sun sink low in Orange Beach, or swaying in a hammock at Fort Morgan, this tune proves that any time is the right time to relax by the water.

The Soundtrack of Coastal Memories

There is a special kind of magic in melodies that take you back. These songs bring to mind the horizon over the Gulf, laughter carried on the breeze, the taste of salt in the air, and how those Florida-Alabama beaches feel like a second home. They remind us of long drives with the windows down, beach chairs sinking into the sand, and evenings when the sky turned every shade of pink before slipping into night. It is the kind of bottled-up escape that keeps us coming back to the coast, where music is felt in the rhythm of the waves and remembered in the moments we carry with us. That is exactly why this playlist belongs on every Gulf Coast getaway, ready to set the mood for new memories while stirring up old ones.

Closing Chords on the Coast

The Gulf Coast has a way of turning simple songs into lifelong memories, whether it is a bonfire at Fort Morgan, a sunset in Orange Beach, or a lazy morning in Gulf Shores. These tunes were made for Beachballers who know the salty breeze doubles as a time machine.

Ready to turn up the music on your own coastal getaway? BEACHBALL PROPERTIES  has beach vacation rentals in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan that are perfect for soaking up sunshine, making memories, and letting the good times roll. Book your stay today and let your Gulf Coast soundtrack play on.

Come Have A Ball At The Beach!

– Ginger & Hunter Harrelson