Illustration by Gina Ledor
As the summer draws to a close, we look back on the songs that played throughout our summer, or at least over the radio. Your summer anthem may have been different from mine, and you may not have listened to a single one of these songs, but these are the top five songs of the summer according to, I don’t know, science maybe.
“In My Feelings”—Drake
In this new Drake song of his new album Scorpion, we can enjoy the simplicity of a happy average beat, accompanied by the sad, sing-song Drake we so dearly missed. Although it may not be the most beautiful and artful song, it is catchy. Due to this, we were also gifted a fantastic internet challenge of people putting their cars into neutral and dancing beside the open door, while the song plays in the background.
Although I enjoyed Drake’s single “Nice For What” a lot more than this song, I have to admit it’s pretty good. The mixture of a throwback to his earlier music without any of the fake accents of his previous album More Life is thoroughly refreshing.
“Girls Like You”—Maroon 5
I have truly no idea how Maroon 5 is still putting out hits. I haven’t added a Maroon 5 song to my library since I heard “Payphone” at a middle school dance, but this song is so catchy.
Although I had never heard this song before, I was immediately transported back to easier times of skater skirts and bucket hats. There is no denying that this song has that “summer” vibe. The senseless lyrics are perfect for zoning out in the sun.
In addition to a carefree vibe, Cardi B also makes a surprise appearance. Although I love Cardi just as much as the next person, it’s hard to understanding how she was the rapper picked for this song that is the definition of pop music.
“I Like It”—Cardi B
Speaking of Cardi B, her song “I Like It” topped charts as well. It’s not hard to see why, who doesn’t like trap-salsa. Cardi threw it back to her roots with the production of this song, echoing the music of many popular Latin artists.
Along with Cardi’s entertaining lyrics and antics, Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny does not pause to make this song an unbelievable hit. His incredibly unique voice adds a layer of zest to an already exciting song. On top of that, a pregnant Cardi looks completely gorgeous in the music video.
“Better Now”—Post Malone
Who does Post Malone make music for? Country fans who crave something hipper? Indie fans looking for a change? Whoever his fans are, we want Post Malone to keep putting out music. “Better Now” is simply the epitome of a song you scream sing out of your window into a chilly Berkeley summer night, shouting your pain about no one in particular.
Post Malone’s mix of guitar acoustics and hip hop beats set Malone apart, along with the fact that his mustache looks like two little dogs. Seriously, look it up. No matter what his facial hair might look like, I hope Post Malone continues to put out bangers like every song of his album Beerbongs and Bentleys.
Although you may not see your favorites on the list, the charts contained countless other hit artists like Ariana Grande, XXXTentacion, Mac Miller and more. This summer was incredible for music, and the coming months only promise more fire from some of the world’s leading artists.