Summer is basically over.
This season has been an epic whirlwind. People are outside living it up.
And yet, there is no clear Song of the Summer.
New music has a big issue breaking through. There is actually some great music coming out, but it’s harder than ever to find it and even more complicated to make it stick with the masses.
We’re all drinking from a content firehose. Our brains aren’t built for how much is coming at us every single day. And now, on social feeds, music has somehow been grouped in as just another piece of content. The songs that are resonating are getting shorter because the medium is the message.
My friend Dana Droppo, Chief Brand Officer at Billboard, once told me they’re doing their job when the charts reflect the times.
Well, we are living in fragmented times. We’re all in our own content bubbles. And today’s music is reflective of that.
The only true music water cooler moment of summer was the FIFA World Cup final halftime show, the first one in tournament history. It was chaotic, but also wildly watched and endlessly commented on. Is Shakira and Burna Boy’s “Dai Dai” the Song of the Summer? It makes my list.
It’s hard enough to make a hit. Finding one in an exponential haystack of content makes it even harder.
NOSTALGIA IS WINNING (AND I HAVE THOUGHTS)
Meanwhile, nostalgia is reigning this summer. From the Backstreet Boys at Sphere, to Jay-Z at Yankee Stadium, to Michael Jackson finding his way back into heavy rotation. I get why we’re all leaning on it, but leaning on nostalgia is basically admitting your tastes are cooked. Summer hits are supposed to be about the new new. I’m glad you rediscovered the Lovin’ Spoonful and are having a helluva “Summer In The City,” but if it’s on your Summer 2026 playlist it’s invalid as far as I’m concerned. I’m still happy to come over for a bbq though. I’ll bring the musical souffle.
IS SPOTIFY EVEN LISTENING?
Spotify recently released its predictions for the Songs of the Summer, and surprisingly, I don’t think they’ve got it. They’re the platform where we’re all listening, yet they don’t seem to have their finger on the pulse. Instead, it feels like they cast an incredibly wide net, and to be honest, I hadn’t even heard of most of these songs. And staying on the pulse is literally my business.
That has me wondering, are they simply too beholden to the labels to have a true curatorial vision? They certainly have the data to know what’s resonating, but does that even matter without the context?
Maybe we all just live in our own custom worlds now.
I do love the concept of the “Dream Track” Novak Djokovic made for Wimbledon. Getting something like that cleared for commercial release is another issue, but as a format, it points to where things could be headed thanks to the creative unlock of AI.
And weirdly enough, my most-played earworm of the year hasn’t even been released. I think the English version of Bad Bunny’s massive hit, “Tití Me Preguntó” would be a monster. Rimas, Bad Bunny’s label, has to put that rendition out on the streaming services. It would be a smash.
MY SONGS OF THE SUMMER
That said, I’m genuinely excited about a lot of the music that’s come out this year. I’ve found some real gems, and I see artists pushing music in some fascinating new directions.
Here are My favorite Songs of the Summer so far, and a breakdown of why they resonate.
What are you listening to? What am I missing? Hit reply and tell me.
LET’S START A NEW 🎵 CLUB
One final thought.
Listening to new music on Friday morning is one of my favorite joys, even though I’m often solo in my kitchen jamming to a few tracks that caught my ear. I feel like Clive Davis reviewing all the songs on the top Billboard 100 each week on his booming speakers. Or QuestLove, who personally listens to 100 new songs throughout the day and makes notes. But in community, wouldn’t it be fun if we all jumped on every New Music Friday for a group listening session? Everyone brings one favorite track from the week and, more importantly, tells us why they are digging it.
I think we should start that club. Who is down? Let’s give it a shot next Friday on Google Meets. Friday, August 14, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. ET. Pull up here and bring some heat:
Musically yours,
Jesse K.
