We’ve had Coachella 2016, we’ve had Brat Summer, but what will the 2025 season bring in terms of music? For your listening pleasure, I have compiled a list of the ten best summer songs, in no particular order, for this upcoming summer season. With a mix of genres both new and old, this list truly includes something for everyone.
“Soak Up The Sun” – Sheryl Crow
Starting off with a classic summertime track, this song is still a seasonal favorite even 23 years after its initial release. Blending pop with a bit of country twang, Crow yearns for carefree, easier times during the difficult ones, and aims to be grateful for the present moment: “It’s not having what you want // It’s wanting what you’ve got,” she sings. This song is perfect for a hot summer day or whenever you want to…soak up the sun.
“Summertime” – The Sundays
For another throwback hit, we have The Sundays’ “Summertime,” released in 1997. For decades, it has been considered a quintessential summer love song.
“It’s you and me in the summertime / We’ll be hand in hand down in the park,” vocalist Harriet Wheeler sings in the chorus, featuring a groovy lead guitar part and an upbeat drum. This joyful track is light and uplifting, and it feels like a summer beach day with loved ones.
“Golden Hour” – Kacey Musgraves
Another incredible country-folk hit is the title track of Kacey Musgraves’ fourth studio album, “Golden Hour.” This romantic, soothing ballad compares one’s lover to a sky just before sunset, commonly known as golden hour.
“You’ve set my world on fire / And I know, I know everything’s gonna be alright,” Musgraves sings in the chorus over a light acoustic guitar and soothing background vocals. Despite being released in 2018, this song has a timeless quality that makes it perfect to come back to year after year.
“Sunshine Baby” – The Japanese House
On the third lead single to the album “In The End It Always Does,” lead singer Amber Bain sings a stunning melody about longing for an easier time in a relationship…not the most upbeat topic for a carefree summer song, but the indie-pop production makes up for it. The smooth synths, groovy drum rhythm, and airy vocals make this song feel like a long summer drive, especially when accompanied by the lyrics “sitting in the backseat, driving with my Sunshine Baby” in the chorus.
In an interview with Dork Magazine, Bain explained that she and an ex-partner used to spend time at the beach being “sunshine babies,” and that this song was written in hopes of reflecting on a former relationship in a positive light.
“If Only I Could Wait” – Bon Iver feat. Danielle Haim
As the newest song on this list, “If Only I Could Wait” was just released in March 2025 as part of the band Bon Iver’s album SABLE fABLE. This song is a collaboration between Bon Iver, fronted by Justin Vernon, and Danielle Haim of the band HAIM. In this call-and-response duet, the singers echo each other in differing points of view, reminiscent almost of a musical theater piece but with a pop twist. While none of the lyrics have an inherent summer theme, the overall sound does, complete with “static-y percussion pitter-patters,” as described by Rolling Stone, and echoing vocals by Vernon and Haim.
“Butterflies” – Kacey Musgraves
Kacey Musgraves is the only artist on this list to be featured twice—and for good reason. “Butterflies,” also on Musgraves’ third album “Golden Hour,” has a similarly light, summer essence to it and is about the butterflies felt when falling in love with somebody new. In my opinion, it is one of the most romantic songs ever written, with a timeless quality that, once again, leaves me returning to it every year in the late spring.
“Caught up in a web, I was getting kind of used to staying there / And out of the blue, I fell for you,” Musgraves sings over a gentle drum beat and a groovy synth, highlighting her light, smooth vocals in the production.
“Silk Chiffon” – MUNA feat. Phoebe Bridgers
I consider this song, while lesser-known, another iconic summer love song in my opinion. This song was the first single off MUNA’s self-titled third album, and arguably, their breakout single. This track features MUNA’s classic synth-pop production style while mixing in acoustic guitars and a more traditional pop drum part. With the vocal layers of lead vocalist Katie Gavin and featured artist Phoebe Bridgers, this song has a very rich texture and melody that is sure to get stuck in your head.
“She said I got her if I want / She’s so soft like silk chiffon,” Gavin sings, leading up to the chorus. This song is unapologetically queer, written about the bliss and simple happiness felt in the beginning of a new relationship, particularly when coupled with exploring one’s identity. To accompany this song’s release in 2021, the band created a music video inspired by the 90s queer comedy movie “But I’m A Cheerleader.”
“Light On” – Maggie Rogers
This song was written about Maggie Rogers’ sudden rise to fame and the overwhelming feelings that came along with it. Rogers was first discovered while in a master class in music production at New York University, in a viral video with Pharrell Williams, and quickly grew in popularity following it. “Light On” is the fifth track on Maggie Rogers’ 2019 debut album, “Heard It In A Past Life,” and builds from a simple rhythmic acoustic guitar part to a full band, complete with Rogers’ classic sound of unique melodic synths and electronic percussion.
“If you leave the light on / Then I’ll leave the light on,” she repeats, leaving things open-ended for the intended listener. Though this song has no references to summer, it has an upbeat pop quality that just feels inexplicably like reminiscing on summer memories.
“Rollercoaster” – Bleachers
Jack Antonoff truly has a magic touch when it comes to pop, and this song is no different. With his classic synth production and hints of Bruce Springsteen-esque rock, “Rollercoaster” just sounds like a summer coming-of-age movie, and has been featured in many.
“You are such a rollercoaster,” Antonoff sings as the lead vocalist and producer, complete with a driving drum beat and melodic synths in the background. To me, this is the epitome of a perfect pop song and is the perfect soundtrack to a summer drive.
“Right Back to It” – Waxahatchee feat. MJ Lenderman
This song has an inexplicably light, serene quality to it that feels like a late summer evening, making it a perfect listen for the upcoming season. Following its release in January 2024, this song quickly garnered critical acclaim. For example, it made Pitchfork’s “Top 100 Best Songs of 2024” list, second only to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”
This track is not quite country but not just folk; instead, it is a perfect mix of both. Over twangy guitars, folk-rock musician MJ Lenderman accompanies lead singer Katie Crutchfield in a gorgeous harmony that will never leave your ears once you’ve heard it. In the verses, Crutchfield confesses a sense of anxiety and uncertainty in a relationship, but the two come together in the chorus as they sing, reassuringly: “I’ve been yours for so long / We come right back to it.”
Every year, artists and listeners alike compete to establish one “song of the summer” – a song that captures the universally uplifting, carefree feeling that summer brings. Here are ten of them; from synth pop to indie folk to even country, there is enough variety for everyone to find their own personal song of the summer.
