So the first day of fall is more than a month away. But if the temperature doesn’t hit 90 and a football is being passed in the Georgia Dome, then my end-of-summer countdown is ticking.
Summer inevitably births a handful of sudsy pop anthems, some classy (Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love” in 2003) and some not (Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” in 2009…but hey, it’s still fun). Or how about Debbie Gibson’s 1989 debut, “Only in My Dreams”? No one saw Ruthless “Celebrity Apprentice” Diva in her future back when she was all about cropped T-shirts and perky haircuts, right?
And then we have all of those timeless summer songs that have to be celebrated during the season because their titles dictate as much — “Summer Nights,” “Summer in the City,” “Hot Fun in the Summertime,” “Cruel Summer,” “Endless Summer Nights,” “Summer of ’69,” “The Boys of Summer” (really more wistful than carefree) and on and on.
Billboard has ranked this season’s top songs of summer, with the fluffy frosting on the cake belonging to Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” followed by Maroon 5’s “Payphone,” Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know,” Katy Perry’s “Wide Awake” and Ellie Goulding’s “Lights,” which feels as if it’s been around long enough to have landed on a summer 2010 list.
By now, all of those songs probably feel like a cheese grater against your brain – that whiny Maroon 5 song has always had that effect on me – but there is no denying their hit strength. I was happier hearing fun.’s “We are Young,” Pink’s “(Blow Me) One Last Kiss,” Neon Trees’ “Everybody Talks,” The Wanted’s “Glad You Came,” Grouplove’s “Tongue Tied,” Matchbox Twenty’s “She’s So Mean,” B.o.B.’s “Both of Us,” The Lumineers’ “Ho Hey,” The Killers’ “Runaways” and R. Kelly’s “Feelin’ Single.”
Do you agree with Billboard’s Top 5 – based on chart performances from the Billboard Hot 100 – or have your own favorites for summer 2012? Sound off below…and enjoy some summery tunes while thinking.
32 comments Add your comment
BehindEnemyLines
August 10th, 2012
3:42 am
Hmm … as summer (sadly) winds down, I guess I’d say the songs of the summer have been
Volbeat – “Still Counting”, Slash – “You’re A Lie”, Soundgarden- “Live To Rise”, Halestorm – “I Miss the Misery” and Nonpoint – “I Said It”
Jexy
August 10th, 2012
9:04 am
Best Summer song of ALL time:
Summertime – Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff. Duh.
jalford
August 10th, 2012
9:14 am
Summer, it turns me upside down. Summer, summer, summer it’s like a merry go round. Uh oh it’s Magic!! This song epitomizes the summertime!! The Cars
dick whiskey
August 10th, 2012
9:22 am
summer breeze makes me feel fine,seals and croft
Need Some New Faces
August 10th, 2012
9:23 am
Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer – Nat King Cole – 1963
Crude
August 10th, 2012
9:27 am
Sure Feels Right – Sixx:AM
Where have all the Good Times Gone?
August 10th, 2012
9:32 am
Summertime – The Kinks “Lazin on a sunny afternoon, in Summertime”
Pete
August 10th, 2012
9:40 am
Iron Fist – Motorhead
Mike
August 10th, 2012
9:41 am
“Lights” gets my vote.
It’s time for Katy Perry to just go away. For a long, long. time.
Debi Lowry
August 10th, 2012
9:47 am
Pontoon by Little Big Town is my song of the summer, lyrics just bring images of summer days.
Sluggo
August 10th, 2012
9:50 am
“The Boys of Summer” – Don Henley works for me.
Dan Charman
August 10th, 2012
9:53 am
Hasn’t anyone ever heard Percy Faith’s “A Summer Place” … or
“Summer of ‘42″ …. or “Connie Francis’ “Where the Boys Are” ????
Fla alum
August 10th, 2012
9:54 am
Summer by War
Teresa
August 10th, 2012
10:00 am
Summertime by Will Smith
Miss Jay
August 10th, 2012
10:29 am
Ahhh, YESSS! Sly and the Family Stone’s “Hot Fun in the Summertime!” whew, you took me wayyyyy back!
ramsey
August 10th, 2012
10:39 am
you can’t go wrong with a little G Funk in the summer! pass me The Chronic!!!
Music Lover
August 10th, 2012
10:52 am
For 2012 summer – Of Monsters and Men – “Little Talks”. I hear it everywhere I go it seems. The entire album is fantastic. About every 20 years Iceland produces some amazing music (think Sugarcubes, “Life’s Too Good”). My overall favorite summer song, Van Halen’s, “Hot Summer Nights” – it brings back teenage memories. That was my last summer of being just a kid.
Jane
August 10th, 2012
11:07 am
Summertime by Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff
Soulfan
August 10th, 2012
11:18 am
I’m loving “Beautiful Surprise” by Tamia!
OTP
August 10th, 2012
11:31 am
“Saturday In The Park” by Chicago always reminds me of summer from the old days, although it is certainly not one of my favorite tunes. I’d agree with “The Boys Of Summer” by Don Henley.
Captain Midnight
August 10th, 2012
11:33 am
Van Halen’ Panama. 1984
Kick A$$.
jamal
August 10th, 2012
11:35 am
summertime… fresh prince (will smith) & DJ jazzy jeff…
Dave
August 10th, 2012
11:58 am
Best of all time: “Here Comes Summer” by Jerry Keller.
Bob from Accounttemps
August 10th, 2012
12:03 pm
Of summer 2012: “Gold on the Ceiling” – The Black Keys; summers of all time: “Tell Me Something Good” – Rufus and Chaka Khan
theean
August 10th, 2012
12:11 pm
Just Like Paradise – David Lee Roth!
FM Fats
August 10th, 2012
12:13 pm
I think Phil Phillips’s “Home” is making a last minute rush for this summer. As for me, I love Chad & Jeremy’s “Summer Song”, Sinatra’s “The Summer Wind”, and Blue Cheer’s cover of “Summertime Blues”.
Sid Vicious
August 10th, 2012
12:14 pm
Pete – I agree..
Mine is: “Teenage Riot” by Sonic Youth
MyPatootie
August 10th, 2012
12:34 pm
It’s not “Call Me Maybe”, it’s “CALL ME, MAYBE”. Huge difference when you think about it. The title is technically incorrect. So why did they do this? The lyrics themselves show it correctly when in print online.
sharon
August 10th, 2012
12:47 pm
Summer Time by Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff is the best of all time and Summer breeze by the Isley Brothers
new fan
August 10th, 2012
1:04 pm
Pontoon Little Big Town…….
Arlo
August 10th, 2012
2:04 pm
Jammin’ – Bob Marley. For some reason I can’t get into Reggae in the winter.
Time Goes By
August 10th, 2012
4:59 pm
I think we’re not old enough for Connie Francis, and as for Percy Faith………nah. That was a LONG time ago.