You turn on your radio to jam to some summer tunes, and what do you hear? A rap song that gives you a headache? A boy band you’re a little tired of hearing? Or, the repetitive, albeit catchy, chorus of “Call Me Maybe.” It’s summer, and as with barbecues and high-action movie blockbusters, the season can be defined by its music.
By July, the songs you had on repeat during Memorial Day (the official start of summer) become tiresome and you’re looking for a song that doesn’t want to make you put your head through a wall. We’ve cultivated a list of 9 songs from relatively unknown artists that are perfect for summertime easy listening. No Katy Perry or Pitbull on this list.
This playlist is just the tip of the ice berg as this could’ve easily spilled over into 20 or 100 songs. It is important to note that while we know everyone has different music tastes, we merely hope to introduce readers to a few more mellow songs that have been the soundtrack to summers gone by.
Onto the playlist:
The Summer, Coconut Records
Maybe it’s the power of suggestion in the song’s title – and album cover – but “The Summer” pretty much defines tranquility and casual summer listening, whether it be with friends or by yourself. Neither fast nor slow, the song eases from its opening guitar strumming to a full on band. The album, Davy, includes incredible acoustic guitar playing, musical rifts, and relaxing tracks that are guaranteed to be the soundtrack to long car drives this summer.
The Basement, Eric Hutchinson
From Eric Hutchinson’s sophomore album, Moving Up, Living Down out earlier this year, “The Basement” is an up-tempo song you can’t help but jive with. While we’re huge fans of Hutchinson and can honestly recommend his entire library, this particular song is fantastic for a summer jam-session with friends. His fun, yet still meaningful tracks, are a highlight in our music library.
Chicago, Sufjan Stevens
http://youtu.be/azGIf74ICmw
Sufjan set out to write an album about each of the 50 U.S. states and, well, failed. He made it as far as Illinois and Michigan before throwing in the towel. Even though I’m disappointed that I’ll never hear a compilation about my state’s capital and well-known landmarks, many of Sufjan’s songs are my favorites for their cheerful chords and wide range of instruments. In addition to this version of “Chicago” he released a different version – “Chicago (Adult Contemporary Listening)” that, while keeping the integrity of the original song, adds a different instrumental composition which is also definitely worth checking out.
New Shoes, Paolo Nutini
“New Shoes” is an upbeat song about, obviously, new shoes. Clever and Scottish, Paolo makes this song one of our favorites to listen to when the weather’s warm, whether it’s running around town or kicking our feet up on a hot summer weekend. This song feels like a breath of fresh air; when everything is crazy, just play this song and relax for a few minutes, everything will seem better afterwards.
Daylight, Matt and Kim
If the first ten seconds of this song doesn’t make you want to get up and dance, keep replaying it until it does. The energy from this quirky song makes Matt and Kim one of our favorite artists for the summertime. The keyboard and drum playing duo can successfully make nearly any listener smile. The campy song – that came out in 2009 but I just discovered last year – frankly deserves more recognition than it’s gotten.
To the Sea, Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson’s simplistic song with its calm yet steady beat can make anybody, anywhere, feel like their feet are in the sand with not a care in the world. He has a way of making listeners go into a zen-like state with his irresistible vocals and incredible instrumental breaks. We’ve interpreted Johnson’s song’s title literally and love listening to the native Hawaiian’s song while lying in the sand with the waves crashing at our feet.
Rumour Has It, Adele
The fourth single off Adele’s record-breaking album 21, “Rumour Has It” is more vengeful than its predecessors “Rolling In The Deep,” “Someone Like You,” and “Set Fire to the Rain.” Its upbeat tempo and sing-a-long-ability make it a great way to kick off the summer season. Like Adele’s other singles, you can bust this song out at a moment’s notice and break out into song with your friends, just like Karen on NBC’s Smash this past season.
Everything Is Sound, Jason Mraz
After taking a four year hiatus, Jason Mraz is back this summer with his new album Love is a Four Letter Word. Among the soulful, melancholy singles, “Everything Is Sound” is a song reminiscent of Mraz’s early years: head-bopping, body-swaying bliss. From simple guitar playing in the beginning, to the round of “ha-la-la”‘s in the chorus lends itself to the perfect summer days. The song simply means, everything is fine, or it will be fine. Mraz’s music reflects his lifestyle: laid back, calm, and carefree. And if it’s not one of the three, it will be soon enough.
Drops of Jupiter, Train
We included this song because who didn’t love this song back in the pre-“Hey Soul Sister” Train days? Who doesn’t love this song now?. It might’ve come out 12 years ago but is still better than a lot of the music on today’s charts. Train has had a revival of sorts of the past couple years, and in fact, their new album came out this past April, but with classics such as “Drops of Jupiter” and “Meet Virginia” many listeners appreciate them for their tendency to err on the side of rock/alternative rather than pop.
What about you? Do you agree or disagree with the songs listed about? Music is a totally subjective entity – what works for one person might not work for another, that’s why sharing music is one of the best ways to bond with others. What are your go-to summer tunes that, for you, define the times?