The Era of the “Song of the Summer” Is Over, and That’s a Relief
The “Song of the Summer” concept seems outdated. The absence of music video shows like Total Request Live and 106 & Park, coupled with the diminished importance of televised award ceremonies such as the MTV Video Music Awards, has led to the disappearance of a shared pop culture. This loss has eliminated common cultural reference points that once united (or, some might argue, imposed upon) millions of Americans. Instead, a fragmented culture has emerged, driven by curated algorithms and social media feeds tailored to individual interests and experiences.
This shift may have made us feel more disconnected, but is it entirely negative? Perhaps the freedom to connect with music and pop culture through a wider array of choices, rather than a “meritocracy” dictating culture, is beneficial.
This could explain why the Song of the Summer feels like a relic. We’ve simply moved beyond it.
In 2010, when Billboard established the , the publication explained that a song’s position on the Songs of the Summer chart was determined by its “cumulative performance on the weekly streaming, airplay, and sales-based Hot 100 chart from Memorial Day through Labor Day.” This approach was fitting for the time. In 2010, was the dominant social media platform, the first iPad had just been released, and Katy Perry’s “California Girls” topped the inaugural summer songs chart. The song was ubiquitous, impossible to avoid.
Tinashe, Blood Orange, ian, Lay Bankz, GloRilla featuring Megan Thee Stallion, and Jordan Adetunji topped TikTok’s U.S. summer charts. Except for Blood Orange’s “Champagne Coast,” released in 2011, the other top 10 songs were released in 2024. These selections highlight the significant changes in how music listeners perceive the Song of the Summer. Americans are gravitating towards , rather than conforming to a uniform music taste.
For emerging artists, personalization presents a challenge. Artists now use data from social media to shape their connections with audiences. However, this personalization can limit access points for artists to attract new fans, unless they appear on a listener’s algorithmic playlists. In the 1990s and 2000s, artists gained exposure through movie soundtracks or television show appearances. The rise of TV and film streaming has largely disrupted this pathway for musicians.
The only artists with the ability to dominate music and pop culture on a global scale and embody a semblance of a monoculture are and . In 2023, the Renaissance World Tour and The Eras Tour generated for the economy. Throughout their extensive careers, both have appeared in film & TV, music video programs, performed at televised award shows, and released chart-topping songs that defined summers. They may have greatly benefited from the monoculture, but in a multicultural world where consumers curate their own experiences, uniformity is unnecessary.
In 1999, music critic Ann Powers described the in The New York Times as “The singles that blare forth from car radios or boom boxes in parks and at the beach are the catcalls of a nation baring its collective skin. With the pop scene in a giddy, fast-moving mood, such quickly fading shout-outs seem more resonant than usual.” However, America’s collective skin isn’t uniform. The average American isn’t going to Fire Island for a during the summer, or to relax by the shore with family.
There has never been a universal summertime experience in America. So how can one song resonate with all of us?
The weather is the only unifying element for Americans during summer. Sunshine creates a desire for beaches or pools. The available produce inspires picnics with sandwiches, chips, and pickles. Constant heat waves lead to wearing short shorts and bikinis to stay cool. Young Americans, out of school, use the season to assert their independence, while employed individuals seek out happy hours near their workplaces. These are the shared experiences. Perhaps every American should decide what song feels right to them. Sharing individual summer songs might be the connection point that America truly needs.
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