With every new summer comes new summer anthems. While some seem like they are never off of the radio, others are just getting their start on the charts. Whether they accompanied us on the beach, a long summer road trip, or quietly through our headphones at our summer internships, a good summer song will stick with you and remind you of freedom whether it is the dead of winter or the middle of your hardest semester. So reminisce with the Scene at some of our favorite summer songs, so we can reflect on a summer of music and pretend this season is never coming to an end.
"Love Club"- Lorde Usually, my feeling on summer music is the more potential for dancing, the better. With "Love Club," I stand corrected. Lorde's debut single is the perfect summer anthem fit for any bike ride or extended period of time sitting in the sun. And while most summer songs provided more of a fast paced beat, "Love Club" is a refreshingly whimsical, showcasing the New Zealand singer-songwriter's voice that sounds strangely mature and young at the same time. Lorne's single leaves me conflicted, not wanting summer to end but counting down the days until September, when her debut album releases. -Kendall
Ciara feat. Nicki Minaj - "I'm Out" With Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Britney Spears and Cher all waiting for fall to release their albums, this summer the charts were dominated by men. Of course, that didn't stop Ciara from one, two stepping her way into the charts and the clubs with her empowering breakup anthem "I'm Out" featuring Nicki Minaj. In her trademark rapid-fire assault, Minaj lays down a minute-long, vicious takedown of her ex and his new date as one of the best in her long line of spectacular guest verses. Once the shock from Minaj's ferocious verse wears off, you realize that Ciara is in peak form. On her eponymous album, Ciara is all over the board - from smooth R&B to electro-pop - but Ciara's bread and butter is still the hot and heavy Crunk'n'B that is on full display in "I'm Out." There may have been more men on the charts this summer, but after "I'm Out," when Ciara asks "Do my ladies run this?" the answer is a resounding "oooh yeah yeah yeah." - Sean
"Odd Look"- Kavinsky feat. The Weeknd What happens when a French electronic mastermind teams up with a seductive Canadian crooner? Babies are born. Like everyone else on the planet, "Get Lucky" was my jam at the start of summer. Despite all the other smashing singles that followed, this song remained as the leader of the pack. However, towards the end of July, something magical happened- Kavinsky dropped a remix of "Odd Luck" featuring The Weeknd, and it was pure musical perfection. The Weeknd's smooth falsettos give the synthesized song an R&B twist, making it an instant hit across the board. Sexy, can I? - Sydney
"Black Skinhead" - Kanye West This isn't a conventional summer song by the stretch of anyone's imagination. Kanye West's sixth studio album "Yeezus" is, in comparison with the rest of West's back catalog, a dull conceptual album that's more interesting to wax philosophical about than to actually sit down and listen to. Surely, this had been a summer of some nauseatingly catchy throwback pop dirges; Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," Olly Murs's "Troublemaker," Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," even Justin Timberlake's "Take Back The Night." But this West track, conveniently produced also by Daft Punk, is propulsive. It's kinetic, constantly darting in a panting sonic blast. It's dirty and lyrically flashy. It's angry and alive. It remains the catchiest thing on "Yeezus" that recalls many of the reasons why people enjoyed Kanye West's music in the first place. And it just sounds good accompanying a Martin Scorsese's trailer. - David
"Bad (Remix)"- Wale feat. Rihanna As a huge hip-hop fan who has adopted the DMV as my home, I can't help but love Wale. His wordplay is phenomenal, and the production of each one of his songs is superb. I mean, who else can artfully place a squeaky boxspring into a song and not have it sound cheesy? I loved the original version "Bad" featuring songstress Tiana Thomas, but this remix with Rihanna takes it over the top. The song oozes sex appeal, and somehow it's perfect for both a mellow afternoon or bangin' party. Plus, I've been trying to channel the confidence of Rihanna and other hip-hop divas this summer (think Iggy Azalea's high ponytails and Beyonce's, well, everything), and this song is great for making you feel like the baddest in the room. - Jane
"The Way" - Ariana Grande feat. Mac Miller On paper, the debut single by an actress on the Nickelodeon show Victorious featuring a second-rate rapper with few major hits sounds like a recipe for disaster. But this song emerges far superior to 2013 hits by former Disney stars Selena Gomez and Bridgit Mendler for one simple reason: Ariana Grande can really sing! She's been compared to Mariah Carey, an easy comparison to make given her massive range and impressive runs, but it's an accurate and impressive comparison for someone who's only 20 years old. This song breaks no new lyrical ground, but it's an irrepressibly catchy, bright-spirited, wholesomely romantic addition to a fun summer playlist. - Mark
"Q.U.E.E.N"- Janelle Monáe and feat. Erykah Badu Janelle Monáe has done it again with her new summer single "Q.U.E.E.N." I first began my love affair with her music career with her single "Tightrope," but for her new song Monáe has me, once again, wishing I could rock a tight-fit suit daily. While the verses aren't particularly catchy, just wait until the chorus and it is easy to see why this is a perfect summer song, because you'll be up and dancing. Or better yet, wait until the end when Monáe kills the song with a final rap that leaves fans wanting more. Or at least it leaves me wanting more, which is probably why I can't stop pressing replay. - Kendall
"Junk Shop"- Scott & Charlene's Wedding With an August 13 release date, Scott and Charlene's Wedding's "Junk Shop" was too late to be a summer soundtrack. Nonetheless, the track, the opener on the Australian slacker rockers' album "Any Port in A Storm," captures the essence of summer perfectly. The song starts with a slow, apathetic guitar riff so lazy that it sounds almost dark. Then a bright, pop guitar with plenty of reverb breaks in and turns the sound in a completely different direction. The vocals play on this tension as well, alternating between scenes of fun and happiness and bitter, sarcastic swipes at this fun. The upbeat, reverb-heavy guitar gives the song a harmless appearance, but the dark, devil-may-care riff from the beginning is always beneath it, and the song jumps between the feelings until it eventually dissolves into a messy mixture of both, with the vocals reduces to yells that are desperate and melodic at the same time. -Sean
"Can Do It"- Atu All summer long, I have been immersing myself in the beautiful noise that I have dubbed as electro-R&B. This song samples 112's "Anywhere" amidst an entrancing piano medley, and it's a total people pleaser. Atu is currently an unsigned artist based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Atu's "Pictures On Silence" EP is sweet music to my ears and quite possibly my greatest musical discovery yet. I kid you not, I have had it on repeat for weeks. Sit back, relax, and unleash the good vibes. - Sydney
"Pompeii" - Bastille While spending my spring semester abroad in London, I would see billboards for Bastille at my home Underground station, and I would wonder who the heck this dude was. And of course I only realized how great Bastille is once I returned to the States. I would have to guess that Pompeii is the best-known song by the group here in America. Electro-pop has hit it big on the charts this summer, so it wouldn't shock me if Bastille became a household name VERY soon. Put this song on and dare yourself not to bob your head along. - Jane
"Versace"- Migos What rhymes with Versace? Versace, Illuminati, Versace, sloppy, and...oh yeah, Versace. This song emerged out of nowhere midway through the summer and managed to make each new utterance of the word (yes) Versace feel like a fresh interpretation. The song has also proved remarkably versatile, inspiring remixes by everyone from Drake and Tyga to Angel Haze and Travis Porter. Celebrations of luxury are a dime a dozen in hip-hop, but few navigate the fashion world with a more carefree, tongue-in-cheek attitude than "Versace." Before this summer, three-man DJ team Migos was strictly Atlanta-based. With "Versace," they've gone worldwide. - Mark
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