Soundtrack to summer

BY ASHTYN HANSARD / Executive Producer 

In the past few months, many artists released albums and projects that caught traction, becoming viral on many social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. When exposed to these platforms, the streams grow exponentially, making them songs of the summer. Listed here, in no particular order, are the top 10 songs played in the summer of 2024. 

“Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter. 

“Espresso,” the lead single on Carpenter’s upcoming album “Short n’ Sweet”, was released on April 12, 2024. Although it quickly gained some traction among her fans, Carpenter’s performance of “Espresso” at Coachella caused a new influx of streams from fans and casual listeners. 

The song’s enjoyable tune and catchy lyrics makes it an easy listen, catapulting it up the stream charts. As of August 7, 2024, the song has over 1 billion streams, making it one of the biggest songs of the summer, if not the year. 

“Hot To Go!” by Chappell Roan. 

“Hot To Go!” was released on August 11, 2023. However, Roan was not a well known artist until she became an opener for Olivia Rodrigo’s “Spill Your Guts” tour. “Hot To Go!” became an instant classic for Roan. 

The song has an upbeat sound and a catchy dance to go along with the chorus, making it easy for listeners to enjoy. Many fans have recreated the “Hot To Go!” dance on TikTok, making it a summer bop. 

“Good Luck, Babe” by Chappell Roan. 

“Good Luck, Babe,” a single that has yet to be attached to another project, was released on April 5, 2024. With her maximalist costumes and catchy performances, she quickly captured the attention of many people, managing to get over 34 million followers on Spotify alone roughly within a month. 

“Good Luck, Babe,” has been covered by several big artists, including Sabrina Carpenter, The Jonas Brothers, Wallows, and Girl In Red. 

Roan performed at Lollapalooza this summer, and with hits like “Hot To Go” and “Good Luck, Babe,” she attracted the largest crowd the festival has ever seen. 

“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish. 

Eilish released her third album, titled “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT,” on May 17, 2024, quickly becoming one of the most streamed albums of the year. 

“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” almost instantly became popular on TikTok, being used in trends where users would display the things they love the most with Eilish’s song playing in the background. 

The song currently has over 600 million streams, making it her most popular on the album. 

“Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar. 

Lamar and Drake, another popular rap artist, began to have a public feud with each other, releasing songs and calling out the other for their behavior and acts. Lamar released “Not Like Us” on May 4, 2024. It became one of his most popular songs, sitting with over 600 million streams. 

“Please, Please, Please” by Sabrina Carpenter. 

Carpenter once again makes the list, the second single of her upcoming album also gaining popularity. Part of the song’s popularity has to do with her current boyfriend, Barry Keoghan. Carpenter released her music video for the single, which features Keoghan, on June 6, 2024, making fans all around the world tune in. 

The song currently has over 500 million streams. 

“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey. 

The single was released on April 12, 2024. The song became a hit on TikTok, being used in almost 700 thousand posts on the platform. Although Shaboozey has been making music for a decade, this song quickly launched his career, making “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” a hit this summer.  

“Apple” by Charli xcx. 

Charli xcx has been creating music for over a decade, having popular songs such as “Boom Clap” and “Boys,” in the past. However, on June 7, 2024, Charli released her album called “brat,” creating a phenomenon called “brat summer.” 

This trend became big due to Tiktok and became even bigger when a dance was made to her song, “Apple.” Many celebrities have participated in this trend, such as Glen Powell and Daisy-Edgar Jones while promoting their new movie, “Twisters.” 

“Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma” by Luke Combs. 

“Twisters,” a stand alone sequel to the original movie, was released on July 19, 2024. Combs wrote this song for the movie, gaining massive popularity as the movie became a hit around the world. It currently has over 83 million streams. 

“Fortnight” by Taylor Swift, featuring Post Malone. 

Taylor Swift released her 11th album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” on April 18, 2024. “Fortnight” is featured as the first song on the album and collaborates with Post Malone, a popular rapper and singer. The collaboration reigned at number one on the charts for two weeks straight, making it one of the most popular songs of the summer.