As we approach Labor Day, the perennial question arises: what, exactly, was the Song of the Summer?
I’ve cast my personal vote for Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Espresso,’ which seemed poised to dominate the season. But, alas, the song failed to reach #1 (it peaked at #3) and it’s hard to be the Song of the Summer without topping the charts, usually for multiple weeks.
In fact, I learned from Slate’s Hit Parade podcast that Billboard recently created a formula to determine the Song of the Summer, based on airplay, sales, and downloads, and they have retroactively identified every Song of the Summer going back to 1958.
This year, it looks like the title will go to either Post Malone and Morgan Wallen’s ‘I Had Some Help’ or Shaboozey’s ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’. Post Malone seemed to have it in the bag until the last few weeks, when Shaboozey came on strong. Which song captures the title will depend on the makeup of next week’s Hot 100.
Should ‘I Had Some Help’ come out on top, Morgan Wallen will be the first artist to have the Song of the Summer in back-to-back years since Andy Gibb did it in 1977 and ’78. Wallen’s ‘Last Night’ was the runaway winner last summer.
The list of 60+ Songs of the Summer dating back to 1958 is a fascinating one. It includes some true classics as well as some super cringey songs (‘Macarena,’ anyone?). Over the next two weeks, I’ll count down my ten favorite tracks from the list.
Top Ten Songs of the Summer
#10 – Harry Styles – ‘As It Was’ (2022)
Not only is this the most recent song on my list, it comes 15 years later than the next most recent. Let’s just say the 2000s have not given us a treasure trove of worthy Songs of the Summer.
But Styles’ ‘As It Was’ is a breezy blast, fully worthy of this title and the many weeks it spent atop the charts outside of summer. Hearkening back to 80s pop (with a sneaky allusion to A-Ha’s ‘Take On Me’ in the synth line), Styles delivers one of the signature tunes of the decade.
[Note: I’ll be posting live versions of just about all of these songs, as they’ve been featured on the blog before.]
Holdin’ me back
Gravity’s holdin’ me back
I want you to hold out the palm of your hand
Why don’t we leave it at that?
Nothin’ to say
When everything gets in the way
Seems you cannot be replaced
And I’m the one who will stay, oh-oh-oh
[Chorus]
In this world, it’s just us
You know it’s not the same as it was
In this world, it’s just us
You know it’s not the same as it was
As it was, as it was
You know it’s not the same
[Verse 2]
Answer the phone
“Harry, you’re no good alone
Why are you sitting at home on the floor?
What kind of pills are you on?”
Ringin’ the bell
And nobody’s coming to help
Your daddy lives by himself
He just wants to know that you’re well, oh-oh-oh
[Chorus]
In this world, it’s just us
You know it’s not the same as it was
In this world, it’s just us
You know it’s not the same as it was
As it was, as it was
You know it’s not the same
[Bridge]
Go home, get ahead, light-speed internet
I don’t wanna talk about the way that it was
Leave America, two kids follow her
I don’t wanna talk about who’s doin’ it first
[Outro]
(Hey)
As it was
You know it’s not the same as it was
As it was, as it was
Meet Me In Montauk 
I had no idea that “Song of the Summer” had become such a popular designation that Billboard actually defines and tracks it. I’m looking forward to learning what some of these have been over the decades.
Meanwhile, it seems to me that “Espresso” was so clearly the song of this summer that it makes me question the Billboard definition. I’m not sure if this applies to 2024, but I would argue a song that never makes it to number one, but stays in the top 5 for numerous weeks while other songs shuffle in and out of the number 1, or top 5, deserves to be considered for Song of the Summer honors.
In theory, that could happen. But it would have to coincide with no songs spending significant time at #1. This year, both Malone/Wallen and Shaboozey have each spent more than a month at #1.
Indeed, none of the official Songs of the Summer, as designated by Billboard, failed to reach #1 for at least one week. Most spent multiple weeks there.
would love to know the earlier number 1’s (1958 1960’s) was Sinatra for example up there?
No Sinatra, sorry. 🙂 Brenda Lee, Paul Anka, and Bobby Vinton are three of the earliest Song of the Summer artists.
oh well 🤷♀️ thanks