Right now, we are reaching pop’s most outrageous and overdone part of the year: Song of the Summer time. Every year for the last few decades, one or two songs have dominated radio, and now Spotify, iTunes, and iHeartRadio. We all remember Get Lucky and Blurred Lines from last year. One of these seven songs will most likely be your song of the summer, so start listening.
Michael Jackson featuring Justin Timberlake – “Love Never Felt So Good”
Whenever record labels release posthumous work, the result can feel like a cash grab, especially with a name as big as Michael Jackson’s. However, the new album Xscape is stunningly good. The best track on the album, Love Never Felt So Good is the kind of neo-disco that Pharrell and Daft Punk have been pushing for a year, and we all know how well that works out.
Sia – “Chandelier”
You’ve heard of Sia, but you probably don’t realize it. She’s written for Beyoncé, Rihanna, and David Guetta, but hasn’t had much success with her own tracks until now. Chandelier is a sweeping power ballad that isn’t easy to forget.
Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea – “Problem”
Yes, Ariana Grande’s voice is annoying, and yes, the video is awful, but a song audacious enough to have the biggest saxophone riff in years deserves a spot on this list. Iggy Azalea’s hook also gives this track a luster that anyone else never could.
Rita Ora – “I Will Never Let You Down”
This British pop star has never been very successful in America, but her luck could change with I Will Never Let You Down. It’s the kind of bubblegum-inspired love song that always dominates summer radio.
Pharrell – “Happy”
Happy is too big not to be on this list. A few songs have been released in winter hand have stuck around until summer, and this track has a good chance of doing the same thing. Thrift Shop did it, so why can’t Happy? It’s overplayed, but at least it’s enjoyable.
Phantogram – Fall in Love
Phantogram are a Pitchfork darling, but they’ve never really been on the pop charts. This song could change that. Fall in Love is a glossy, new school britpop ballad that’s like a moodier Lorde song (if that’s possible).
Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Fancy certainly seems like everyone’s favorite song, especially with its spot at #3 on the Billboard Top 100. Summer commands a feel-good, I’m-better-than-you jam, and this is just that.
