As the summer comes to a close, and the leaves change color, not only do the seasons change, but so does our heart for music. This summer showcased music from a variety of artists through dozens of albums and songs. With so much music to choose from, narrowing it down to just one song to encapsulate the entire summer is difficult. The “song of the summer” has to embody the summer as a whole, from long days at the beach in the blistering sun, to short southern nights and sunsets. With this being said, there were definitely some songs that illustrated the atmosphere of this summer perfectly.
Even with the weather cooling down, students like Tristan Tarallo(12) still reminisce on the warm air of the summer with songs from their favorite artists.
“‘Dark Thoughts’ by Lil Tecca. That song is so gassed. He has a good melody. A lot of Tecca’s songs have been the song of the summer, so he consistently releases good music after good music,” Tarallo said.
For Tarallo, the high energy beat from Lil Tecca’s songs captured the chaotic, adrenaline-filled nature of summer, but for others, their song of the summer reflected something a little bit more laid back. For Trooper Collins(11), his summer was really driven in nostalgia, and living in the moment, and his favorite songs reflected that.
“‘Tuesday’s Gone’ [by Lynyrd Skynyrd]. I hear some people listening to that, but that’s like one of my favorite songs… if the song means something, I’ll honestly like the song a lot more. But I like the beat too,” Collins said.
For Collins, the song of the summer wasn’t represented through hard bass or a high energy beat, but instead, was defined by a song that brings him back to warm nights and laughs with his friends. The song of the summer is not unanimously definable. It means something different to everybody, and each song shows a different perspective of one big memory filled summer. In spite of this, there were a couple of songs that seemed to dominate music this summer. From TikTok to Spotify, there were some songs that everyone just couldn’t get away from.
“The most overplayed song of this summer had to be ‘Not Like Us’,” Tarallo said.
Despite it being overplayed, it is undeniable that “Not Like Us,” by Kendrick Lamar has made a momentous impact, not only on students, but on society as a whole. The rap feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar made this summer one to remember, and has solidified this summer in the history books. However, this is not the only song that dominated the music industry this summer, for better or for worse.
“‘Love Me Not’[by Ravyn Lenae]… I heard way too much of it,” said Rozelyn Loveall(11)
As the summer fades and autumn rolls in, it’s clear that this summer was filled to the brim with potential “songs of the summer”. However, it is even more clear that the song of the summer is not just a song that keeps coming on the radio, or a song that’s trending on TikTok. Instead, it’s a song that elicits memories. A song that brings you back to times with friends and family. The “song of the summer” is not a song that ends when school starts back up, but is instead a song which rolls into the new season, reminding everyone of the joy and laughter that lived in their hearts during the summer months.
