Add These Underrated Summer Anthems to Your Playlist
Whether you’re beaching, boating, or barbecuing, all summer activities require a vibey playlist. Let Jimmy Buffet whisk you away to Margaritaville or join the Beach Boys in Kokomo with just the touch of a button – one that transports you and your friends to a carefree holiday in the tropics. While there are plenty of musical mainstays that should be on every summer playlist, we’re uncovering some lesser known (and underappreciated) jams to get you through the dog days.
Grab the aux and blast these underrated summer hits, from new releases to long lost favorites.
Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift
With a classic Taylor Swift bridge that will go down in history, Cruel Summer, the unofficial song of summer 2023, earns a spot on the underrated list because it took four years for the song to garner the appreciation it deserves. It perfectly describes the feeling of a summer fling that’s steamy in all the right ways. I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?!
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Lovely Day by Bill Withers
Start every day of summer off on a positive note with Bill Withers’ 1977 hit, “Lovely Day,” where he declares that “just one look at you” transforms every day into a good one. “You” can mean anything here – from your morning coffee to a sunny sky or a summer fling.
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Hot Girl Summer by Megan Thee Stallion
Every summer playlist needs a bop that gets the people going, and that’s just what Megan Thee Stallion delivered in her 2019 anthem, “Hot Girl Summer” feat. Ty Dolla $ign and Nicki Minaj (and when we say it's Hot Girl Summer, we ain't talkin' 'bout degrees). The anthem is perfect for pregaming a night out or turning up the heat at a pool party, and should earn a spot on summer playlists until the end of time.
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Blue Hole Bridge by Boy Named Banjo
This small town Tennessee bluegrass band delivered a banjo-filled summer song back in 2012 that’s lived on my summer playlists ever since. “Blue Hole Bridge” perfectly describes a carefree summer day spent passing bottles among friends and floating down river, capped by telling stories around a campfire.
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Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles
Harry has been known to give us bops built for sun-soaked skipping through the sand, and “Watermelon Sugar” is no exception. Whether you prefer to take the lyrics literally or figuratively, summer evenings and summer feelings are well-described in this 2019 hit.
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Lay Low by Moon Taxi
Moon Taxi merged their indie-alternative sound with island vibes in a recent release, “Lay Low.” The anthem will have you yearning to get lost in the tropics with the perfect company beside you. Crank the volume, then lay low, lay down in this paradise found.
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Springsteen by Eric Church
Country music is an obvious choice for a summer playlist, with classics from artists like Kenny Chesney and Zac Brown Band often painting the perfect summer picture. Eric Church describes the nostalgia-inducing power of a song in his 2011 hit, “Springsteen.” The lyrics may mention a soundtrack to a July Saturday night, but that’s just what this song is.
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Dance the Night by Dua Lipa
One of summer 2023’s defining moments was the release of Barbie, which came with its own bop-filled soundtrack. Dua Lipa, who herself plays Mermaid Barbie in the film, gave us what’s sure to be an eternal party anthem through “Dance the Night.” Watch me dance, dance the night away all summer long.
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Maine by Noah Kahan
Noah Kahan may be taking off in popularity after the release of his autumn-esque album, Stick Season, but as an OG listener, I’m here to shed light on his hidden gem hits of yesteryear. Close the door on summer with Kahan’s “Maine'' from an EP written about coastal Cape Elizabeth. The song is an emotional ode to change with plenty of nautical analogies to carry you seamlessly from summer to fall.
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