5 Classic Rock Hits Every Boomer Needs On Their Retirement Playlist

More and more boomers are downshifting from working life to retirement, a transition that calls for as much musical celebration as possible. After all, it means accepting that their golden age has come, and with it a renewed sense of freedom and the chance to shove off into new and uncharted waters. You're going to want a power-packed playlist that represents the whirlwind of emotions that such a monumental shift inspires. A trove of high-energy classic rock tunes is just the thing to close up shop with a hearty dash of lyrical sass.

How could we possibly trim the list of retirement-ready, boomer-friendly classic rock songs to a tidy five? It wasn't easy. We focused on tunes with a celebratory vibe — music that matches the "Later!" spirit while spiking the happy energy through the roof. Instead of '60s love songs boomers romanced to and '80s work songs boomers can relate to, we found the '70s held the best songs for the occasion. There was a real move-it-or-lose-it trend happening that decade, with songs like "Time for Me to Fly" by REO Speedwagon, "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen, and "Goodbye, Stranger" by Supertramp setting the right tone.

Though there may be a sentimental sobber out there about being sad at the thought of leaving behind the daily grind forever, we've never heard of any. That's why you'll find every tune in the pack to be a celebratory sparkler.

Forget those final tasks; your replacement will handle them once you're gone. Just tap the play button on Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" and get your retirement bus chugging downhill, headed for I Don't Work Here Anymore depot — all gas, no brakes, as the youngsters say. And guess who's in the driver's seat? That's right; it's you. Okay, boomer!

"Tonight, I'm gonna have myself a real good time," Freddie Mercury sings, as if he's your inner voice gearing up for the retirement party ahead. It's like staring in a mirror and musically pumping yourself up for a victory, even as you face the mixed emotions of leaving behind a life you've grown accustomed to — only in this version, Freddie sings much better than you do. And when the song arrives at the infectious "Don't stop me, don't stop me, don't stop me" spot, it's actually affirming your exit and charging your battery for whatever comes next.

Anyone who needs a little extra juice when tying a bow on their work life has a sure-fire rev-up with this timeless musical celebration. It's a jazzy way to start the list as well as the retirement gala. Go get that cake!

The chorus of this boomer banger puts everything in a succinct falsetto message worthy of a snarky Hallmark card: "Goodbye, stranger, it's been nice / Hope you'll find your paradise." It's a two-way salute aimed simultaneously from you to your colleagues, and from them to you. Imagine yourself bounding down the aisle with your final paycheck in hand, throwing peace signs and handing out high-fives as you head for the door. This high-spirited anthem gets you in the mood for going forward without looking back.

"Was an early morning yesterday," this cheerful song of departure goes, "I was up before the dawn / I really have enjoyed m'stay / But I must be moving on." It was practically written from the perspective of someone who's finished living their life by an alarm clock and is headed off to greener pastures. Being in charge of your comings and going is a key freedom boomer retirees have likely looked forward to for the majority of their adult lives. And now, the chance has finally arrived, and there's a be-bopping tune to go with it. Talk about meeting the moment!

Does it even matter if the lyrics are actually about a rock star leaving his groupies behind to move on to other groupies? Not really. All that counts is that this song puts gas in your tank and motion in your wheels so you can glide into your libertine era, singing "Goodbye, stranger" as you go.

It's a phrase you've likely used at quitting time for years, so "Time for Me to Fly" is a natural fit for a boomer retirement playlist. And even if the lyrics describe a relationship coming to an end, lines like "I've been around for you / I've been up and down for you / But I just can't get any relief" are just as apt to describe a love-hate career situationship that's run its course.

REO singer-songwriter Kevin Cronin probably didn't realize he'd written a spot-on retirement jingle when he scribbled down the words to this late-'70s classic (before he started writing corny songs in the '80s). But it's his generation that's making their departure from the workforce; maybe his income could use a boost from the extra plays ahead of his someday retirement, too. But even if he's rich enough not to need it, it's a joy just to have a song that says, "Give me my cake and take my key card; I'm ready to blow this popsicle stand for good," without making you sound ungrateful.

You can queue up this scorcher at your karaoke-themed send-off or just blast it out of your desktop speakers before IT wipes your hard drive. Even if you have to sing it a cappella, it's a retirement playlist must for boomers about to take wing.

There couldn't be a more appropriate classic rock moment to close out a boomer's professional life than the opening strains of Dennis DeYoung wailing "I'm sailiiiiing awaaaaaay" in this radical slab of theatrical magic. Even if it's only an internal performance, there's no holding back a new retiree from latching on to that image as they box up their desk and empty their inbox one last time. Why not get fired up on the way into that last workday with a cosmic opera ballad that changes character mid-stream and reveals an angelic-slash-alien abduction instead of a peaceful ocean voyage? After you've put in your 20 years or so, being snatched by spacemen is bound to be better than sticking around the cube farm.

Envision the real-life "gathering of angels" Styx sings about as being your golf buddies, coffee klatch crew, friends and family, or grandkids, and the song becomes much more personal. Suddenly, the retiring boomer is being invited to life! There's a reason the lyrics say, "They sang to me this song of hope" and not "They sang to me 'Cat's in the Cradle' and we cried it out." It's because boomer retirement is an open door to all the wonderful things that have been put aside for so long in favor of money-making. And now, the day has come to break open that piñata and eat those days up like so much cheap birthday party candy. "Come sail away," indeed!

Yes, yes ... a boomer retirement signifies the end of taking care of business. So why include this groovy classic that describes a 9-to-5 workday in stunning detail? Because the snarky line before the chorus that says, "If you ever get annoyed / Look at me, I'm self-employed / I love to work at nothing all day" means this is actually the perfect non-work song for the worker who's kissing it all goodbye. Plot twist!

There's also an air of irony that makes having this stomper pumping out of your party speakers even more special. Reframe "taking care of business" as a motto of personal growth; retirement is the alternate dimension where a boomer finally gets to take care of their own business instead of tending to someone else's. Signing off from Corporate, Inc. to become the CEO of Me Time, Unlimited transfers the business to be taken care of into the right hands, at long last.

If none of this convinces retiring boomers to make room on the digital mixtape for it, maybe the stomp-along chorus will do the trick. It's too much fun to leave off, even if adding it in does entail a little extra work. You'll have plenty of time now that you've clocked out forever.