When I last made my predictions for Song of the Summer, it was pretty clear that the established major players in pop would take over the airwaves. Indeed Harry Styles’ “As It Was” held the number one spot for 15 weeks, the most of any solo artist in Billboard history, and has remained in the Hot 100 for 55 weeks and counting. This year, the playing field has leveled, with no major releases at the moment and a lot of genre variety in the Top 10. This could be a summer of old favorites resurfacing and the past year’s enduring hits.
The Billboard data forecasts a sad summer: “Kill Bill” by SZA, “Creepin’” by Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, and 21 Savage, and “Die For You” by The Weeknd and Ariana Grande have been charting for months and currently reside in the Top 10. “Kill Bill” is the clear leader from SZA’s highly anticipated album SOS, released last December, and in mid-April Doja Cat added a verse to it, which will likely cement its spot in this summer’s charts. Doja Cat had formerly indicated that she was leaving the music industry, though projects like this and “Vegas” from the Elvis movie tell otherwise. Planet Her was an excellent summer release in 2021, and there are indications that a follow-up album may be in the works. “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus and “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift are also proving to have staying power, meanwhile country contender Morgan Wallen has been competing with SZA for the No. 1 spot. International music holds a strong footing, with Selena Gomez’s feature on the afro-beat hit “Calm Down” charting for 33 weeks and “Ella Baila Sola” becoming the first regional Mexican song to enter the Top 10. “Cupid” by K-Pop group FIFTY FIFTY is only at No. 41 on the Hot 100, which heavily favors American artists, but ranks eighth in the Global 200. There’s a lot of variety here, along with the fact that these tracks have rotated into the top ten for the past couple of weeks and months, suggesting that there isn’t really a dominant player here. A new release could reshape the charts completely, until then, R&B and heartbreak seem to prevail.
One viral name to keep an eye on is Ice Spice, who debuted at No. 4 last week in a collaboration with Nicki Minaj. “Princess Diana” gave Spice two of the top ten spots, with No. 10 being her collaboration with PinkPantheress, though it dropped to No. 29 this week. A few months ago, Ice Spice wasn’t even breaking into the Top 50. Ice Spice’s previous music has sometimes been disregarded, held at a distance with facetious enthusiasm, but with Nicki’s influence, this track unironically goes hard. It reminds me of the 2018 collab “Gucci Flip Flops” between Dr. Phil meme Bhad Bhabie and Lil’ Yachty: a perfect mix of absurd personality, social context, solid production, and flow.
Personally, I’ll be looking out for Sir Chloe’s newest album I Am the Dog, and relying on recent favorites from artists my mom gets mixed up: Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny and Emotional Creature by Beach Bunny. Sir Chloe saw success with Party Favors and its TikTok powerhouse “Michelle,” though singles off of the new album turn in a new and very compelling direction; I highly recommend “Salivate.” As the outdoor concert season approaches, I encourage you all to go see some live music, whether it’s jazz in the park or a sweaty beach festival. Supporting local artists is enriching personally and to the community; you’ll never know what you’re missing out on if you don’t try.
