The Fourth of July is in the rearview mirror, with all the hot dogs having been consumed and (hopefully, for the sake of my dog) all the fireworks having been launched. That means we are in the throes of summer, complete with mosquitoes and humidity and dreaming about being at the pool rather than at your desk.
Summer also means we are in prime new music territory, and there are several candidates I’ve found that could be 2023’s Song of the Summer. The Song of the Summer is one that you can’t escape. That plays all the time. That brightens your mood. Think 2013’s “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk or “As It Was” by Harry Styles last summer.
Please note this is not a scientific list, just a collection of bops that I would consider have the potential to be played on repeat as you sip an Aperol spritz and pretend that you’re actually not sweating for a second.
Warning: some explicit lyrics and topics follow in this post.
Honorable Mention: Mona Lisa - Dominic Fike
I just love this song. Love it. The mega hit Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse has put out an entire album of solid songs, but there’s just something about this one that makes me feel happy.
5. One Margarita - That Chick Angel, Casa Di and Steve Terrell
The No. 5 song on this list is less of a conventional “Song of the Summer” and more of a “you’re going to hear this all over TikTok and it’ll get stuck in your head forever” type thing. “One Margarita (Margarita Song)” is a remix of a NSFW, sex-shaming sermon given on the LSU campus by Evangelical Christian Cindy Smock.
Angel Laketa Moore took the viral moment and turned it into one of the catchiest things to hit social media in recent memory.
AGAIN, WARNING: IT’S VERY NSFW.
4. Dance the Night - Dua Lipa
It’s Barbie summer, folks. You can’t help but start to bob your head and shimmy your shoulders with Dua Lipa on this one. It’s perfect for when you, “don’t have anything big planned. Just a giant blowout party with all the Barbies, and planned choreography, and a bespoke song. You should stop by.”
Check out the full song:
3. Fast Car - Luke Combs
There’s something about summer and country music that go hand-in-hand, and this cover from Luke Combs just feels like summer. While it doesn’t come anywhere close to the original “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman, Combs’s version is solid.
2. Vampire - Olivia Rodrigo
The first single off of Rodrigo’s sophomore album has set expectations high. While it’s believed that “Vampire” is about some of her ill-fated relationships, there are fan theories floating around that it could be referring to an alleged beef with another pop star on this list. Regardless of the subject, there is absolutely no denying “Vampire” is a hit.
1. Cruel Summer - Taylor Swift
It’s finally the time to shine for this hit off of Swift’s 2019 “Lover” album. “Cruel Summer” was a casualty of the pandemic starting in 2020 as the superstar artist decided to hold the single as things fell apart.
Now, with the Eras Tour in full force and showing no signs of stopping, the catchy song has skyrocketed to the top of the charts. Grab a cool drink and join us in yell-singing the bridge.
