There has been many coined "songs of the summer" this year. At the beginning of summer, we saw the overtake of the Brat Phenomenon from Charli XCX and then to complete it Sabrina Carpenter's eventual release of Short n Sweet. However, my parents have always brought me up on the same tracklist of music every summer. It is often filled with: The Prodigy, Gorillaz, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Supergrass. What has always been a staple of that list, and a staple of all of my summers is -- 'Steal My Sunshine' by LEN. The infamous Canadian summer hit IS one of the best summer songs to listen to. Stick it on, feel the sunshine (as much as you can with how it has been) and enjoy some "butter-tarts". Whatever they are.
This summer has been filled with incredible English-speaking songs. Nonetheless, we have to give the title of “Song of the Summer” to Karol G’s newest song, 'Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido'. The beat plays a big part in why this is considered worthy of this title. This song uses one of the most famous Latin beats: the merengue. Because of its tropical origin, the merengue, born in the Dominican Republic, reminds everyone about summer, and it has been playing nonstop not only in Spanish-speaking countries but also around the world. The tropical beat pairs perfectly with the lyrics about a girl daydreaming about a love that never existed, yet she wishes it came reality. The music video could also be considered one of the best this year, as it shows how Latinos have fun without caring much about their surroundings. Karol G plays the role of a waitress at a beach bar hosting a karaoke contest. When she gets called up on stage and starts singing, everyone, no matter the age, starts dancing, which shows how impactful this song has been. During her recent tour, this became her most acclaimed and viral song, making it one of the strong candidates for the Latin Grammy Song of the Year award.
The girls have nominated The Dare as the New York rat boy representative in the music industry, not only for his Beatles boy looks but his daring nostalgia-filled bass lines, and ‘00s inspired musical endeavours. From releasing his iconic, risqué hit ‘Girls’ in 2022 to producing ‘Guess’ on Charli XCX’s famed album Brat, and preparing for the release of his debut album What’s Wrong With New York?, The Dare has become a key figure in this season’s underground party girl scene, often spotted DJing at sticky-bodied functions, busy coining a new sound for the brats of 2024. His new hit ‘Perfume’ is the perfect track to encapsulate the rebirth of indie sleaze, sweaty floors and carefree culture this summer.
Starting this summer I was so confident that I would be blasting Chappell Roan from noon till night and though I certainly listened a lot, the introduction of Charli XCX's Brat, the announcement of an Oasis reunion and the revamp of a Madonna classic means it has been a little difficult to pick one song for the summer. However, despite all this I would say my song of the summer, with Jude York’s 'Monaco' coming in a very close second, has to be 'Angel Of My Dreams' by JADE of Little Mix fame. The song is interesting and vibrant with dense textural layers of samples giving way to a strong beat and excellent vocals that ground the song but also soar in the chorus. A bonus feature of this track is that the music video has a unique concept and is superbly executed.