While we can’t always count on legitimate summer weather, there is one thing we can look forward to every year. No one knows how it happens, but every summer, new music comes in, holds the radio hostage and demands our attention until the season comes to an end. It seems it’s best to submit to our musical overlords and accept the fact that these songs will be the soundtracks to our lives for the fleeting summer season. So whether you were cruising with the top down (or the streetcar window open) or secretly singing in your bedroom, here are the songs that we couldn’t avoid this summer.
Miley Cyrus – We Can’t Stop
Post-Disney identity crisis aside, we can’t deny this song’s instant dance factor. Considering the fact that “Party In the USA” reached almost cult-like status as a previous summer anthem, it’s no surprise that Miley has once again capitalized on the summer music market. Sprinkled with casual hip-hop references since Miley is now apparently “about that life” and an obviously Tumblr (and most likely drug) influenced video, we can’t deny this song will live on in our party playlist for the foreseeable future.
ADVERTISEMENT |
Florida Georgia Line – Cruise
Since summer is pretty much the only time when most people outwardly tolerate country music, this song gets it right by being an unobtrusive intro into the finer parts of the genre. This song is the perfect soundtrack to any commute or road trip, thanks in part to its numerous mentions of pick-up trucks and its decidedly catchy chorus.
Armin Van Buuren – What It Feels Like
If you turned on the radio at least once this summer, there’s no doubt you were greeted with this song at some point in time. Considering the success of festivals like Digital Dreams and Veld, it’s no surprise that EDM has become a radio fixture. Armin’s big beats partnered with Canadian Trevor Guthrie’s laidback lines resulted in a summer song that many of us could sing in our sleep.
ADVERTISEMENT |
Imagine Dragons – Radioactive
Not every summer song has to be bright and bubbly, and no song proved that better than this one. With definitive dubstep elements and powerful vocal delivery from lead singer Dan Reynolds, this song brought a deeper and darker element to the usual radio roster — which we were all little bit glad for.
Bruno Mars – Treasure
Bruno brought it straight back to basics with this feel-good, funk-inspired tune. With its classic ‘four on the floor’ motif and boogie bass line, there is no way to listen to this song without wanting to move. This song also reminds us to treasure the few moments of heat we were graced with this summer, since we know they won’t be back for a very long time.
ADVERTISEMENT |
Daft Punk ft. Pharrell – Get Lucky
Daft Punk’s anthem came out early in the summer, but managed to plant itself firmly in musical rotation all season long, and we’re not complaining. Playing with a classic disco-inspired sound, Nile Rodgers, famed ’70s guitarist, and Pharrell’s signature falsetto helped to turn this tune into an instant classic.
Robin Thicke – Blurred Lines
If we could create a Zodiac, we’d definitely dub this year the Year of Pharrell. Pharrell came back in a major way, with a hand in many of the songs that have been stuck in our heads all summer. This time, Robin Thicke takes the stage with this (slightly controversial) playful ode to wild women everywhere. All issues aside, this song’s infectious beat provided a backdrop for many a summer soiree this year.
ADVERTISEMENT |