The AP tests are over and school is coming to a close, and though most of us had our own exam grindset playlists, the next big problem we’ll be having is this: What are we going to listen to over the summer? If you’ve been stressed, overworked, and tired, look no further — we are here to save the day with some information on new artist releases, offer an opinion about musical trends, and suggest some recommendations to get you in the mood for the coming break!

In order to predict and recommend summer hits of our own, we must first ask ourselves two questions: What makes a song a hit, and what makes a song perfect for the summer? We released an online survey for some PHS students to fill out for their feedback. Most songs that have become popular have some distinct elements such as a strong bass line, recognizable chord changes, and unique riffs that can stick in your head. One student described how those elements start to be heard: “[they show up] all around you, in gas stations and restaurants with neon lights and your work’s playlist even though your boss has no idea what the song means.” This student also described summer songs as feeling “dreamy” and “laid back,” as summer is the time for relaxation and time for oneself outside of school. Students also said that summer songs had to make them feel happy, “like frolicking in a field.” No matter where you’re listening, on the top of a hill after a long hike, in a flowery park, or even in a different country, the tunes you play will hopefully be there to remind you to feel good and proud after all of the long and hard work after seven long months of learning.

In our search for the best up-and-coming summer songs, we asked PHS students to tell us some of their favorite songs at the moment and their predictions for the song of the summer. The most popular artists that were mentioned were Harry Styles, Megan Thee Stallion, and Dua Lipa. Some other smaller artists we hope will get more mainstream are Faye Webster, Leith Ross, and The Regrettes (all of whom have new releases from the past few months). We are additionally looking forward to new releases from artists like Angel Olsen and Post Malone. The upcoming Minions Soundtrack, produced by Jack Antonoff, also looks promising, and is expected to have a more indie sound than past Illumination soundtracks. Another great movie soundtrack planning on making its debut on June 24 is for the film “Elvis,” which will feature songs by Doja Cat, Kacey Musgraves, Måneskin, Tame Impala, Swae Lee, and Diplo.

For me, Jane, I recommend a very Sufjan Stevens summer consisting of long bike rides, paperback books, and over-the-ear headphones — achieved, of course, by listening to Sufjan Stevens. His music can be a little jarring at first, so I would recommend “Mystery of Love” to a newer listener, though my personal favorite of his songs is “Murder and Crime” from his latest album with Angelo de Augustine. Some of the other songs that I will be incorporating into my summer playlist will be “Lucky Star” by Madonna, “The Blonde” by TV Girl, “Purple Rain” by Prince, “Daydreaming” by Aretha Franklin, and “Steeeam” by Shelly. All of these songs have a very upbeat sound and are very light and groovy to get me in the mood for the sun.

I, Sarah, think that summer is all about living in the moment, making great memories, and going on new or exciting adventures. My summertime playlists always include some great slow-build-to-explosive-chords songs such as “Ghost” or “The Sun is Bad” by Indigo De Souza (or anything by them really). I also feel I’m heavily influenced by the fun jams my parents used to listen to, so I always add some tunes from the 1980s and 1990s such as “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” by Wham! or “Ode to My Family” by The Cranberries. Finally, my favorite new thing I’ve been doing after watching Eurovision in 2020 is finding an overseas group to become familiar with: KraftKlub, Måneskin, and Maná have been dominating my recently-listened-to bands in the past three years. Honestly, finding a new band or singer that has a super cool and unique sound always makes me so happy and leaves me wanting to boogie, it creates the perfect summer atmosphere–full of change and fun.

Within the past few years, more and more music has become trendy through platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Spotify. These platforms create great opportunities for smaller, newer artists to gain popularity and listeners. Overall, the summer music of this year will hopefully be upbeat, cheerful, and dance-worthy! We’re looking forward to the charts dominated by good and groovy songs to be enjoyed by all. If you would like to listen to some of our other predictions or would just like a good tune, scan the QR code for a Tower summer playlist!