Breaking: The Sounds of Summer 2025 Are Here – Top Songs to Define the Season
As the season of sun and fun approaches, music writers are already scouring the charts to predict the definitive songs of summer 2025. These nine dark-horse candidates promise to be the soundtrack to your summer activities, from poolside chatter to cool beverages sipped through straws. Here’s what you can expect to be listening to this summer.
Laci Kaye Booth – ‘George F****** Strait’
Who: The Texan is an “American Idol” alum.
Why it sounds like summer: A great summer song needs a memorable hook, and Booth’s desire for a man who ages well — like the titular singer — fits the bill.
Spotify streams (to date): Around 128,000 in just under a week.
Hannah Cohen – ‘Summer Sweat’
Who: The San Francisco native is four records into a lush indie-pop career.
Why it sounds like summer: Kaleidoscopic and sun-kissed, this one sounds like sinking to the bottom of a pool and then bracing yourself for resurfacing and the subsequent air.
Spotify streams (to date): More than 2.7 million.
Drugdealer and Weyes Blood – ‘Real Thing’
Who: Michael Collins’ musical project cedes the lead to Weyes Blood leader Natalie Mering.
Why it sounds like summer: Funky in a retro way, adorned with sweeping strings, “Real Thing” approximates the soundtrack of an old favorite movie you’d turn on in the canned cool and still-dripping feel of a post-pool party afternoon.
Spotify streams (to date): Around 730,000.
HAIM – ‘Relationships’
Who: The brilliant sister act is set to return with its first album in five years this month.
Why it sounds like summer: It’s both as freewheeling and frenetic as a summer spent finding yourself.
Spotify streams (to date): More than 19 million.
Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz – ‘Cotton Candy’
Who: Two of hip-hop’s superstars collide.
Why it sounds like summer: Besides its ode — thinly veiled as it is — to sweet stuff, the track feels like a jazzy, buoyant block party.
Spotify streams (to date): Almost 2 million.
Jessie Murph – ‘Blue Strips’
Who: The Alabama native is bringing a killer attitude — and raspy, range-y voice — to modern country; think Amy Winehouse emerging, phoenix-like, from a trailer court.
Why it sounds like summer: It’s a perfect anthem for Hot Girl Revenge Summer.
Spotify streams (to date): The biggest hit on this list already has more than 66 million streams.
Mt. Joy – ‘Groove in Gotham’
Who: The Philadelphia band has risen to prominence over the past decade with a brilliant mix of indie rock and folk sounds.
Why it sounds like summer: Impossibly soulful, “Groove in Gotham” sings of bit lips and shaking bottoms, of getting riled up in all the best ways; Mt. Joy makes this one sound sweaty and refreshing all at once.
Spotify streams (to date): More than 500,000.
Turnstile – ‘Seein’ Stars’
Who: Evolving from harder rock to a brighter, somehow more serpentine alternative sound, Turnstile is flying by few radars; still the attention given its new record, “Never Enough,” means a breakout mainstream hit can’t be far off.
Why it sounds like summer: “Seein’ Stars” glides and soars and lives out so many verbs you want to experience while driving through a summer day, windows all the way down.
Spotify streams (to date): Nearly 4.5 million.
Viagra Boys – ‘Dirty Boyz’
Who: The Swedish punk band has a penchant for edgy lyrics and entertaining music.
Why it sounds like summer: “Dirty Boyz” never glorifies, but rather skewers, bro culture while sounding like a scuffed-up version of LCD Soundsystem.
Spotify streams (to date): More than 1.5 million.
Listen to our dark-horse candidates for songs of the summer on Spotify at: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ae6HR5xU1XfNatGnSIPPm?si=6783e8fe5a2f4899
Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at [email protected]. He’s on Twitter/X @aarikdanielsen.
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