Thanks to the surge of music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, the platforms have become the new way to gauge success. Although the industry remained focused on the charts, streaming has proven to be an invaluable asset for artists. Able to see how many monthly listeners they had, singers like Zach Bryan, Chris Stapleton, and Luke Combs watched their success help them cross the one billion stream milestone. Joining a small group of artists, Rascal Flatts has netted the 17th country song in Spotify history to hit one billion streams thanks to their collaboration with Disney on the hit franchise Cars.
On June 9, 2006, Disney and Pixar released the hit film Cars. Dominating the box office, Cars beat films like The Break-Up, The Omen, and X-Men: The Last Stand. If that wasn’t enough, for years, it was considered the highest opening weekend for any film focused on cars. While families rushed to see the movie in theaters, Rascal Flatts watched their popularity explode thanks to “Life is a Highway.”
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At the time, it was almost impossible to turn on the radio without hearing the band’s energetic cover. The song also introduced Rascal Flatts to an entirely new generation of listeners while becoming one of the most recognizable tracks in the film. Nearly two decades later, its lasting popularity helped the band cross the one billion stream mark.
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Rascal Flatts Followed In The Footsteps Of Tom Cochrane
Although thrilled over the song’s success, Rascal Flatts and Disney had Tom Cochrane to thank. The Canadian musician first released the song in the early 1990s. Placed on his second studio album, Mad Mad World, the song climbed into the Top 10 on the Cash Box Top 100 and the Billboard Hot 100. He even had a road named after the hit.
Back in 2021, singer Gary LeVox discussed Rascal Flatts tackling the classic song. “You know, there’s certain songs you just wanna leave alone. You’re, like, ‘How can you re-do that?’ There are staples of music history, and ‘Life Is A Highway’ is one of them with Tom Cochrane. But [Pixar boss John Lasseter] was like, ‘I want you guys to do ‘Life Is A Highway.” And we were, like, ‘Wow! Really?’”
As for Cochrane, he described “Life Is a Highway” as a song that “changes people’s lives.” Judging by its enduring popularity, he wasn’t wrong. Released over three decades ago, the song brought Cochrane, Rascal Flatts, Disney, and Pixar success, money, and one billion streams.
(Photo by Albert L. Ortega/WireImage)