Each year as the last quarter of the school year wraps up for students across the globe, excitement for summer skyrockets. Students get into the warm weather mood by spending more time outside, resuming their summer jobs and the most popular – listening to some summer-coded music. As this upcoming summer approaches, many are wondering what the songs of the summer will be this year, and how they will differ from last year’s popular jams.
Throughout the years summertime music has typically fallen into one category: upbeat and vibey. If it seems that it could be played at a beach, bonfire or get together, consider it a hit. This year, Audra Ward ’27 believes that Zara Larsson’s “Midnight Sun” will be the new big song because of its lively tune and fun lyrics, and can’t wait to listen to it in warmer weather.
“My friends and I love to listen to this song. I especially love to listen to it because it is very similar to her [Larsson’s] other song called ‘Lush Life,’ which I have really enjoyed listening to during past summers,” Ward said.
Although fast paced songs like “Midnight Sun” are typically the most listened to hits, slower songs with sentimental lyrics and melodies creep up on people’s predictions each year, despite having lower popularity compared to more optimistic songs. Noah Kahan’s melancholy “End of August” has become a lead hit in the slower summer song category, and is one of Grace Kuhl ’27 most anticipated songs to listen to this summer, because of how different it is than summer songs in the past.
“I love the nostalgic lyrics in ‘End of August,’” Kuhl said. “This song really does capture how the end of summer feels to me.”
Despite some slower summer songs making it into the predictions pool for the 2026 summer months, the majority of people are still sticking to trends from previous years of more upbeat songs. Oscar Deluca ’27 believes that a summer song should have a fun base line and make the listener feel warm and fuzzy, rather than gloomy and nostalgic.
“The song I will be listening to most this summer is ‘Joy’ by Raye, because of its summery vibes,” Deluca said. “This song is part of her summer collection, making it the perfect song to listen to when the weather warms up.”
