With summer 2023 on the horizon, it’s time to start my favorite part of the summer season: creating my summer playlist. Whether you use Apple Music or Spotify, most teenagers have a go-to playlist to listen to when in the car, at the beach, or on vacation to give the ultimate summer vibes. From Khalid to Rihanna, some songs are just meant for summer. If you need some new summer inspiration, I’ve collected my friends’ and classmates’ favorite summer songs to add to your next playlist.
If you’re looking for some more classic summer go-tos, here’s ten songs that will forever be timeless:
- The Thrill (Wiz Khalifa)
- The Spins (Mac Miller)
- Pursuit of Happiness (Kid Cudi)
- Doses and Mimosas (Cherub)
- All Falls Down (Kanye West Ft. Syleena Johnson)
- Summer (Calvin Harris)
- Cigarette Daydreams (Cage the Elephant)
- Passionfruit (Drake)
- Feel So Close (Calvin Harris)
- The Less I Know the Better (Tame Impala)
If you’re looking for more individual genres, country makes for great beach music! Morgan Wallen composes great songs including: “7 Summers” , “Thinkin’ Bout Me”, “865”, “The Way I Talk”, and in general his whole Dangerous album. Some other great country classics include “Castaway” by Zac Brown Band, “Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffett, and “I Was On a Boat That Day” by Old Dominion. Any of these songs will make even sun tanning in your backyard feel like a tropical vacation. Personally, I have recently loved songs like “Heavy Eyes” and “Dawns” by Zach Bryan and Maggie Rodgers to get my summer break started!
Not a fan of country music? If you want some more alternatives, The Lumineers have some great songs! Some of my personal favorites include:
- Donna
- Flowers in Your Hair
- Gloria
- Angela
- Cleopatra
- Brightside
- Big Parade
Frank Ocean’s debut album ORANGE also has some noteworthy songs for car rides and vacations. Next time you listen to him, check out “Pyramids”, “Lost”, and “Monks” to add to your next playlist. Outside of ORANGE, his other album Blonde features great songs like “Pink + White”, “Skyline To”, and “Ivy”, as well as his feature on Calvin Harris’s single “Slide”. While he has not made any new music in a while, I always love listening to him during summer walks and whenever I am traveling. While Frank Ocean makes fantastic “feel-good” music, I also love listening to music featured in summer movies and TV shows. From Mamma Mia, I love listening to “Honey, Honey” and “Mamma Mia” whenever I want to imagine I’m vacationing in Greece. Songs used in TV shows like “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift (from The Summer I Turned Pretty) and “Where’d All the Time Go” by Dr. Dog (from OBX) always bring summer nostalgia and those “feel-good” vibes.
None of these songs sound intriguing to you? Well, don’t worry, because both Spotify and Apple Music have great premade summer playlists for you to check out. From artists like Drake and J. Cole to Taylor Swift and Harry Styles, there are so many summer playlists out there. I hope that everyone has a fun and music-filled summer!