Activities: Barbecuing

Get down with these soul and R&B classics -- most of which are about food -- at your next barbecue.

Fire up the grill and crack a Bud Heavy - this collection of southern rock classics will make you feel like one of the good ole' boys, no matter where you're cooking-out.

Let these laid back, southern-fried hip-hop grooves soundtrack your next good-time BBQ gathering. Slow your roll.

Here's a playlist compiled by Girl Talk mastermind Gregg Gillis, featuring songs you "want to listen to while hanging out on your porch all afternoon."

This is the heartfelt sound of the South -- the intersection of country, soul, rockabilly and R&B in the '50s, '60s and '70s; songs of drinkin', cheatin', and lovin' with Louisiana brass and Nashville strings.

Lynyrd Skynyrd is the definitive American Southern Rock band. Listen to essential songs by Lynyrd Skynyrd as well as their greatest influences and contemporaries.

Tailor-made for a summertime block party, this collection of rap classics is also perfect for relaxing by the pool or cruising top-down in a convertible. Play it loud.

From BBQs and honky-tonks to rodeos and hoedowns, this playlist of country songs is sure to bring out the "yee haw" in you.

Can't get enough country music? Listen to this regularly updated playlist of songs that have hit #1 on the Billboard Country Charts since the year 2000.

N.W.A., 2pac, Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, G-Unit, Eminem: Dr. Dre's production resume speaks for itself. Listen to the greatest beats from hip hop's most influential producer.

Classic Jamaican reggae songs, plus newer songs from reggae artists in the U.K., U.S. and Africa.

Rappers love to eat! Whether bragging about dining out on lobster and shrimp, extolling the virtues of a healthy diet, or bigging up their favorite hole-in-the-wall chicken spot, these mighty healthy rap songs invoke food as inspiration.

A collection of music created by and/or featuring members of the Atlanta, Georgia based Hip-Hop/R&B/Soul musical collective, the Dungeon Family. Most notable members include Outkast, Goodie Mob, and Organized Noize Productions.

A new brand of country music emerged in the '70s that sought to bring raw honky tonk emotion and authenticity back to the genre, which had become increasingly pop-oriented. These are the outlaw country songs that mattered.

In the late '80s and early '90s, country stars like Garth Brooks staged an unprecedented invasion on the pop charts. These days, this new batch of twangin' torch-carriers has been crashing the border from Music City to mainstream fame.

Explore the foundations of gangsta rap's G-Funk sub-genre, from P-Funk and vintage '70s blaxploitation soundtracks to vocoderized '80s electro-funk.

Some songs just sound like summertime. Hold up your lighter and groove to these essential warm-weather classic rock jams.

Put on your jersey, grab some chips, fire up the grill and blast this playlist of pre-game classic rock, country, and hip hop. Let's get ready for some football!

A summer playlist from DJ/producer Danger Mouse.

Teen longing, sweet harmonies and walls of sound, from the songwriters at the Brill Building to Motown's hit factory.

Perhaps the most important record label in history, Motown gave us a wealth of smooth and funky soul hits. From The Temptations to The Supremes to Marvin Gaye and beyond, these are the classic songs from Hitsville, U.S.A.

Bluegrass is a genre of country music that emerged from Appalachia in the 1940s as a faster, more complex take on traditional string band music. Listen to the songs that have helped define this rich, and surprisingly diverse, musical tradition.

If you've ever worn cowboy boots with a bathing suit -- or if you think that sounds like a great idea -- these contemporary, summertime country songs are for you.

Delicious Vinyl is the original west coast label from the golden age of hip-hop. From Young MC to J Dilla to The Brand New Heavies, Delicious Vinyl was on the forefront of rap and R&B and continues releasing great tracks from artist like Illa J, Chop Black and Frank Nitt.

Listen to the greatest hip hop songs of all time, as chosen by VH1 viewers.

From his vintage soul arrangements to his obscure rap and rock samples, Mark Ronson has become one of the most versatile figures in pop music. Listen to highlights from his prolific career as a DJ, bandleader, and producer.

A sunny, nostalgia-drenched playlist packed with memorable hits from the ska-punk of Sublime and Reel Big Fish to the pop-rock of No Doubt and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Positive, uplifting hip hop from throughout the genre's history.

Classic country drinkin' songs, from the old school (Hank Williams, Webb Pierce) to the new crew (Blake Shelton, Jerrod Niemann).

Starting in the early-mid '90, hip hop took on dramatic changes in sound as gangster rap and rich, soulful production became the dominant styles. These are the classic club anthems from that era.

Revisit the history of hip hop's most legendary record label, from the early mid-'80s classics through the dirty underground scenes of the '90s to their modern day superstars. No matter what the era, Def Jam supplies the hits.

Meet the '50s rockers who combined hillbilly music and rock & roll, and see how their music has influenced subsequent generations of rockers. And not just the ones who put pomade in their hair, either.

Hip hop started with the DJ. From the original turntable stylists of the late '70s and early '80s until now, we big up the art of DJing while tracing the evolution of turntablism.

From ska-influenced Two-Tone party starters to covers by legendary blues rockers, Jamaica has been a source of inspiration for rock and pop artists since the early '70s.