“Call Me Maybe” and “I Love College” are expecting.
Well, not exactly a baby, but it is time for a new Song of the Summer to join their little family — you know, those singles that get played a million times on the radio but you don’t care because they’re so damn catchy.
The Song of the Summer title is unofficial but highly coveted, and the single that takes this year’s cake will join the ranks of classics like “California Gurls” and “I Gotta Feeling.”
So, yeah, it’s kind of a big deal.
Spring may just be getting in full swing, but potential chart-toppers are already emerging. Here’s our breakdown:
1. “Mmm Yeah” — Austin Mahone ft. Pitbull
This eloquent song will be perfect to listen to while getting ready to go out on summer nights. Sure, it’s simple — the words “mmm” and “yeah” comprise at least 70 percent of the lyrics — but that just means you don’t have to focus too hard. No deep feelings, no problem, and that’s exactly what we want in our Song of the Summer.
2. “West Coast” — Lana Del Rey
On the opposite end of the music-emotion spectrum, there’s “West Coast.” This new release is certainly not upbeat but is definitely passionate. Play this on low volume while you lie in bed with the windows open (and fan cranked, let’s be real) reading a romance novel. Although easy on the ears, “West Coast” is a little too intense to win Song of the Summer.
3. “G.U.Y.” — Lady Gaga
Gaga is back, and she’s ready to fight for the Song of the Summer award. “G.U.Y.” has Twitter innuendo, a strange music video and a weirdly empowering message — “want the power to leave you,” she sings — so it’s bound to be a Song of the Summer hit. We wouldn’t mind hearing this dominate the airwaves, especially because its chorus is so hypnotizing.
4. “Summer” — Calvin Harris
This song has, like, 30 words total, but it’s nice and sweet with a great beat. It’s a solid nominee for Song of the Summer; after all, it’s literally called “Summer.” This single is smooth but unfortunately underwhelming — Harris does better when he’s collaborating with other artists. It needs at least three times more lyrics to win the title.
5. “I Wanna Get Better” — Bleachers
Throw on your vintage Ray-Bans, and tie your hair back with a bandanna because this indie anthem could be your hipster Song of the Summer. fun. musician Jack Antonoff worked on it, and, because it reflects his style of overlapping melodies, sounds great. It may not be mainstream, but “I Wanna Get Better” conjures fantasies of driving with the windows down.
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 4/17/2014 under the headline "Five early contenders of Song of the Summer 2014"]
