There was a time when a road trip needed music on either mix-tapes or full-length albums, on either CD or cassette. There were unspoken requirements.
1. All in the car must enjoy (or at least not complain about) the selected music.
2. The driver, especially, had influence and veto power.
3. Nobody wants to change the media (be it cassette or CD) after each song or at otherwise short intervals.
So you needed something that would play for some time and folks were into. Bonus points for sing-along ability.
For your 80s or 90s time-machine road trip needs, I submit “Chronicle” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. There are only a handful of “Best of” albums that I am quite fond of and this is one of them.
When listening to full length albums as a adult and in modern times, my preference is either vinyl or streaming. However, I recommend you choose the format which will bring you the most enjoyment.