Last year was, like, the greatest year for songs of the summer in pop culture history. We had Chappell Roan’s queer anthem, “Good Luck, Babe,” Billie Eilish’s breezy pop gem, “Birds of a Feather,” Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy-winning diss track, “Not Like Us,” and of course, Sabrina Carpenter’s highly caffeinated ear worm, “Espresso.” Not to mention, it was fucking BRAT summer, so every track on Charli’s magnum opus qualified for the title too. The girls (and Kendrick) were booked and busy in their respective studios, committed to serving the stans top-tier tracks. There was a whole battle for the 2024 song of the summer. It was an invigorating time.
Needless to say, the vibes this year are… not exactly the same. It’s not giving battle. It’s giving a bunch of contenders that might have a chance at earning the 2025 song of the summer title. No one has emerged as a clear frontrunner yet, so this is just me observing trends and sharing my own opinions for now. So, what’s the 2025 song of the summer? Here are some of my expert predictions, which include hits by Lorde, Reneé Rapp, Sombr, and more.
What’s The 2025 Song Of The Summer?
Lorde — “What Was That”
It’s giving Melodrama Pt. 2, it’s giving Charli XCX-style comeback, it’s giving Lorde summer. I don’t make the rules.
Sombr — “Back to Friends”
This child (he’s 19) has popped up out of nowhere and become the teens’ favorite pop boy. He’s serving the personality of Role Model paired with the musical stylings of The Wallows/Conan Gray/David Kushner.
Drake — “NOKIA”
I’m so beyond aware Drake’s cause of career death was Kendrick winning 5 Grammys for “Not Like Us.” That being said, is Drake low-key coming back to life with “NOKIA”? It pains me to say this is an undeniable hit and perfect for the summer.
Reneé Rapp — “Leave Me Alone”
The WLW girlies already dubbed Reneé’s comeback single the song of the summer after the 14-second teaser, and now that we have the full song and music video… MY GOD, THEY WERE CORRECT.
Selena Gomez — “Bluest Flame”
One thing I’m gonna eat up every time? A Selena bop written by Charli XCX. This song transports me from my kitchen to the club and it’s gonna be on repeat all summer.
Doja Cat — “Jealous Type”
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Pop Doja Cat? “Say So” Pt. 2? Sign me the fuck up. This woman is one of the great hitmakers of our time, and I have a feeling “Jealous Type” is gonna be dominating the charts this summer.
Audrey Hobert — “Sue Me”
Not Gracie Abrams’ bestie being the real star… Need this song injected in my veins. It’s girly pop perfection and yes, I will be making her debut album my whole personality when it comes out.
Benson Boone — “Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else”
Listen, I’m no Benson Boone stan, but this is his first decent song… and it low-key takes me back to the boy band golden age (the 2010s).
Ravyn Lenae — “Love Me Not”
This ridiculously catchy tune has already taken over TikTok, which is an excellent song of the summer indicator. I just feel like “Love Me Not” needs to be playing in the car when it’s 85 degrees outside.
Charli XCX — “Party 4 U”
There’s no question that “party 4 u” is the song of the spring, and with a new Oscar-worthy music video and some radio push, this fan-favorite track is well on her way to owning the summer too.
