Once, in the days of monoculture and listening to the radio, there was usually an obvious song of the summer; one that completely took over the airwaves and set a mood in spaces both public and private. There’s no argument that 2003 was the summer of Beyoncé’s “Crazy In Love,” or that “Call Me Maybe” ran summer 2012. Heck, even as recently as 2019, Lil Nas X had a huge breakthrough with the record-breaking “Old Town Road.”
But, in the streaming age, the idea of a single huge hit to define a season is becoming harder and harder to obtain. Was 2022 actually the summer of Harry Styles’ “As It Was,” or did it belong to Kate Bush when Stranger Things introduced Gen Z to “Running Up That Hill”? Does it really matter?
Well, no, but it is a fun thing to argue about. Here, some A.V. Club staffers run through the contenders for this year’s song of the summer. Some are obvious, some are long shots, but all of them bring some heat to the table.
2 / 14
“Espresso” - Sabrina Carpenter
“Espresso” - Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter’s star was on the rise with the flirty “Feather” and the naughty “Nonsense,” but “Espresso” hit like a shot of—well, you know. Carpenter has now perfected her formula: sultry, hot girl confidence, extremely catchy beat, and off-kilter lyrics that don’t entirely make sense. But Carpenter has caught on that nonsense can actually be more effective to make a hit; the inherent silliness of the phrase “that’s that me espresso” is part of what makes the track so irresistible. Given that the music video starts with a title sequence seared into sunburned backs on the beach, Carpenter and her crew were clearly vying for a shot at song of the summer. But they were right to do it, because the breezy sexiness of “Espresso” is destined to be everywhere for the next few months. The super-solid track combined with a high-profile gig as Taylor Swift’s tour opener and a spot on Saturday Night Live’s season finale has primed Carpenter to be pop’s next It Girl; “Espresso” is just the beginning. [Mary Kate Carr]
3 / 14
“Not Like Us” - Kendrick Lamar
“Not Like Us” - Kendrick Lamar
If there was ever any doubt about who was winning the beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, it evaporated the minute “Not Like Us” dropped. The day before, Lamar had slowly dismantled Drake’s image and persona on “Meet The Grahams”; it was effective, but not the type of song you want to listen to repeatedly. “Not Like Us,” on the other hand, bounces over a DJ Mustard production with sparse, throwback finger snaps keeping the pace. Within hours, the song was already in clubs, with videos showing crowds singing along with “tryna strike a chord and it’s probably a minor” and “O V Hoe.” Given the weight of the allegations Lamar makes in the track, you can argue it’s too heavy to be an effective song of the summer, but, based on its current chart position, clearly not everyone shares the same concern. [Drew Gillis]
4 / 14
“Million Dollar Baby” - Tommy Richman
“Million Dollar Baby” - Tommy Richman
“Million Dollar Baby” is what happens when a song teased on TikTok actually lives up to the hype. Tommy Richman kind of came out of nowhere; the Virginia R&B singer posted a short clip of this tune on social media in April that blew up, only to reach stratospheric levels when he dropped the full track two weeks later. The song debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and has steadily held onto a top three position) and already has over 200 million streams on Spotify as of this writing. But the success of “Million Dollar Baby” is no mere accident or industry plant situation. The two-and-a-half-minute banger is an injection of pure fun that starts high and ends even higher. Even if it doesn’t end up being the song of the summer, it’s going to be hard to make it all the way to September without getting it stuck in your head at least once. [Emma Keates]
5 / 14
“Lunch” - Billie Eilish
“Lunch” - Billie Eilish
“Lunch” is easily one of the best songs on Billie Eilish’s excellent new album, Hit Me Hard And Soft. It might just be this summer’s “Bad Guy.” What’s not to love about a queer synth-pop anthem about oral sex with a grunge bassline to propel it? “Lunch” is an instant earworm in which she croons about her sexual fantasies and wanting to eat out her lover. Her gravelly yet delicate voice matches Finneas’ guitar in a way that no one will tire of hearing on repeat. The electro-dance vibes make it perfect for the season, whether we’re jamming to it at a club, or a beach, or listening to it repeatedly on TikToks. (You just know couples are going to annoy you with its usage, but at least it’s catchy as hell). [Saloni Gajjar]
6 / 14
“Fisherrr” - Cash Cobain and Bay Swag
“Fisherrr” - Cash Cobain and Bay Swag
If you’ve spent any time in Brooklyn in the past month, there’s a good chance you’ve heard the cool synth of Cash Cobain and Bay Swag’s “Fisherrr” spilling from passing cars and bodega doors. The lowkey production keeps the song at a distance from the hard-core party music that often is associated with the summer; the first time you listen to “Fisherrr” you may be waiting for a beat drop that never comes. But it’s perfect for those late-night back deck hangs, for driving with the windows down, for popping in your AirPods on a sweaty afternoon walk. The track was already receiving viral attention before rap princess and internet darling Ice Spice hopped on a remix, cementing its place on playlists and aural mood boards for the season. [Drew Gillis]
7 / 14
“Nasty” - Tinashe
“Nasty” - Tinashe
We’ve already declared that Tinashe should be a bigger artist, and it seems that those words may have manifested her biggest summer yet. “Nasty,” the lead single from her forthcoming album Quantum Baby, is a high-energy seduction with an instantly meme-able confrontation: is somebody gonna match her freak? Based on the way Tinashe dances in the song’s music video, the answer is that few will be able to match what she’s working with, but that hasn’t stopped some from trying. Thanks to a hypnotic TikTok of a scrawny guy shaking his hips to the track, “Nasty” is on track to become the biggest his Tinashe has had since “2 On” a decade ago. In fact, “Nasty” will probably even surpass its freak. [Drew Gillis]
8 / 14
“Good Luck, Babe!” - Chappell Roan
“Good Luck, Babe!” - Chappell Roan
For my money, “Good Luck, Babe” is the song of the summer. Oh, hell, give it the song of 2024 even with half the year still left. Chappell Roan is a hit-maker, as evidenced by her debut album last year, The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess. She kicks off a new music era with a track that’s impossible to get out of your head. It’s delightful and groovy with sharp, poignant lyrics about giving up true love to maintain a facade of heterosexuality. Plus, the banging production slowing down for the outro? It’s perfection. The song’s got an ’80s pop vibe perfect for the radio, appealing to all generations—there’s already a TikTok dance routine for it. Trust us, “Good Luck, Babe” is your new obsession. [Saloni Gajjar]
9 / 14
“Ya Ya” - Beyoncé
“Ya Ya” - Beyoncé
If any song from Cowboy Carter deserves to reach the level of rooftop party ubiquity that “Cuff It” and “Break My Soul” enjoyed last summer, it’s “Ya Ya.” The infectious
10 / 14
“Cinderella” - Remi Wolf
“Cinderella” - Remi Wolf
Like Chappell Roan and Tinashe, Remi Wolf is a talented up-and-comer who has spent years looking for the song that might catapult her to the next level. Could “Cinderella” be that song? There’s a good chance; the funky horns that punctuate Wolf’s cheeky lyrics are pure sunshine, and her chameleonic music video is just plain fun. But the fact that sealed the song’s potential success for me was how much it delighted my friend’s grandparents when they heard it in passing. While so many of these songs feel tied to this particular pop culture moment, the old-school songwriting of “Cinderella” has the potential to unite generations. [Drew Gillis]
11 / 14
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)”- Shaboozey
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)”- Shaboozey
It’s been a great year for Shaboozey. The Virginia-based artist was featured on two tracks on Cowboy Carter (“SPAGHETTII” and “SWEET ★ HONEY ★ BUCKIIN”) and actually managed to dethrone the Queen’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart the same day as her release with his own “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” This marked the first time two black artists led the country chart back-to-back since its inception in 1958. Interpolated from J-Kwon’s “Tipsy,” “A Bar Song” is a fun ode to drinking to forget, which is really what summer’s all about in the end. This one has a real shot at song of the summer, for its mass appeal as much as its catchy chorus. [Emma Keates]
12 / 14
“Fortnight” - Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone
“Fortnight” - Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone
Is the angsty “Fortnight” dropping to 8th position on Billboard 100 a month after its release slightly shocking for a new Taylor Swift song? Absolutely. It stayed at number 1 for two weeks but it’s been slipping down, which feels off compared to “Anti-Hero.” But this is still Miss Americana we’re talking about with Post Malone in the mix. That’s a powerful combination so “Fortnight” will still be a force to reckon with this summer. It’s not the best track on The Tortured Poets Department (that’s “Guilty As Sin?” by the way) but if people want to shout lyrics like “I love you / It’s my ruining my life” from a sunny rooftop, it’s understandable. Swift’s competition from TTPD might just be the bubblegum-y “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart.” [Saloni Gajjar]
13 / 14
“Don’t Forget Me” - Maggie Rogers
“Don’t Forget Me” - Maggie Rogers
“Don’t Forget Me” is a song for summer’s quiet moments of yearning rather than its booze-soaked ecstasy. Maggie Rogers sounds better than ever on her latest album, Don’t Forget Me, and especially its title track. “So close the door and change the channel / Give me something I can handle,” she belts/begs in the song’s soaring chorus, a feeling that will ring true to anyone for whom the sunshine is always twinged with a little bit of sadness. Maggie won’t reach the commercial heights of a Sabrina or a Chappell this season, but “Don’t Forget Me” is a perfect choice for picnics, barbecues, and late nights in the living room, one that feels ready-made for memories and nostalgia for summers to come. [Emma Keates]