The 14 best songs of summer 2024

Since the advent of the internet, people have come together every year to decide which hit will be named “Song of the Summer.” But 2024 offers us a wealth of choices.

Remember when you couldn’t turn on the radio in 2006 (remember radios?) without hearing “Promiscuous” by Nelly Furtado or “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk and Pharrell in 2013? Even the fever dream of a year that was 2020 still offered catchy anthems with Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage” and “Say So” by Doja Cat. The summer of 2022, on the other hand, was more about albums that belonged to the entirety of Bad Bunny’s A summer without Ti together with Beyoncé’s Renaissance and Taylor Swift’s midnight.

Summer 2024 has blessed our ears with a robust offering from a surprising selection of pop underdogs like Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX – but heavyweights like Kendrick Lamar and Billie Eilish would also like to have a say.‘It’s just too difficult to choose just one. Harper’s BAZAAR The editors reveal their personal favorite songs of the summer. Enjoy listening!

‘Nasty’ by Tinashe

There is no question that the existential question of 2024 is quite simply: IIs there anyone who can keep up with my eccentricity? Pop connoisseurs know that Tinashe has always been able to produce bops, but “Nasty” is much more than a song—it’s a collection of all the energy, excitement, and chaos that make up an ideal, sexy summer.—Bianca Betancourt, culture editor

“Please, Please, Please” by Sabrina Carpenter

This is the kind of lighthearted song you’ll be listening to over and over again this summer and for summers to come. Sabrina Carpenter has perfected the pop anthem formula: witty lyrics combined with her sugary-sweet voice and a dash of sparkling, sugary synths. What’s not to love?—Chelsey Sanchez, Associate Editor

“Good Luck, Babe” by Chappell Roan

One day in 2021, my Spotify played Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” for me and blew me away. Who was this highly theatrical person singing her heart out about how great it is to run away from the small town and find freedom in the big city? She had the politics of the queer and feminist punk singers I grew up with, but the packaging was pure pop cabaret. I hit “like” and forgot all about it until Chappell Roan was suddenly everywhere in May. It’s hard to pick a track from her 2023 album, The rise and fall of a Midwestern princessbut in terms of sheer ubiquity, “Good Luck Babe” is the song of the summer for me.—Izzy Grinspan, Digital Director

“Apple” by Charli XCX

In case you haven’t heard, it’s a summer for brats. It’s hard to pick just one song from Charli XCX’s album that embodies my summer soundtrack, but if I had to choose, I’d go with “Apple.” It’s upbeat, catchy, makes you want to dance, and has that addictive quality that all summer songs should have. My neighbors might wonder why I sing the words “the airport” so repetitively, but the vibe is too good!—Olivia Alchek, senior designer

“360” by Charli XCX

Charli XCX’s song “360” is the ultimate It-girl anthem of the summer – especially for all the Julias out there! Plus, it’s catchy and has a fun beat that I dance to at every opportunity, whether I’m at a summer party or just commuting.—Jaclyn Cohen, senior editor of fashion, accessories and ShopBazaar

It’s Charli XCX’s Brat Summer and we’re just living in it. I’m listening to “Apple” and “365” on repeat. As I crank these tracks up loud while strutting around town or sitting at my desk, they make me imagine I’m a chaotic party girl teetering on the line between fun and mild insanity, or I’m having a wild European summer. But really, every song from the brat Album evokes that feeling and I will be playing it well into the fall.—Katie Itner, Associate Beauty Editor

“TGIF” by Glorilla

I play “TGIF” all the time – on the train to work, mid-flight, when I’m just laying down in my apartment to relax. The hard beat mixed with Glorilla’s raspy rap makes for a feel-good anthem that makes me feel confident and sexy while also putting me in the right frame of mind to do what needs to be done. — Michelle Ore, fashion retail editor

“Heat” by Tove Lo and SG Lewis

During this sweltering season, like all girls and gays, I’ve been streaming Charli, Sabrina, and Chappell nonstop. However, if I had to pick one song for summer 2024, I’d choose “Heat” by Tove Lo and SG Lewis. No matter how sweaty or exhausted I am, this track can instantly get me on my feet and shake my booty. When I close my eyes, this song instantly transports me to the club, even if I’m actually just dancing around in my kitchen or shower. Tove Lo has always been a master at finding pulsating earworms, and this latest single does not disappoint. Honorable mentions go to “Sympathy Is a Knife” by Charli XCX, “Spite” by Omar Apollo, and “Howdy” by Astrid S. — Joel Calfee, editorial assistant

“Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar

While I count myself among Drake fans, this list wouldn’t be complete without Kendrick Lamar’s viral song “Not Like Us,” which has been dominating the Billboard charts and streaming platforms for weeks. The song’s popularity increased even further after he hosted The Pop Out: Ken & Friends in Inglewood, California last month, and even more after the official music video was released.—Tiffany Dodson, Associate Beauty Commerce Editor

The totality HIT ME HARD AND SOFT by Billie Eilish

Summer belongs to Billie Eilish. It’s impossible for me to choose just one song Hit me hard and soft. Every morning I alternate between “Birds of a Feather”, “Chihiro” and “L’amour de Ma Vie”, but also a special greeting to “Wildflower“ and “The Greatest” (and “Bittersuite” and blue”). I’m telling you, this album has no downtime! I love it with all my heart and unlike any other song I’ve ever heard in my life, I haven’t gotten bored of it yet.– Faith Brown, Senior Social Media Editor

“Protector” by Beyoncé

This track may not trigger the same urge to conquer the dance floor as others Cowboy Carter Songs like “Ya Ya” and “Riiverdance,” but it is still just as infectious. With a sweet intro by seven-year-old Rumi Carter, Beyoncé sings “Protector” as an ode to their children. You don’t have to be a parent to be touched by lines like “I saw your face for the first time in your father’s gaze / There’s a long line of hands that bear your name.” The song is also a poignant expression of late summer days. The verses are steeped in pastoral descriptions (“Hummin’ low as the garden river flows / While the August light become a golden evenin'”) that remind me of typical seasonal activities, like car rides or a boat ride on a quiet lake.—Chelsey Sanchez, Associate Editor

“Yeah x10” by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Challenger (Original Music)

If Chappell, Charli and Sabrina are on the Mount Rushmore of this summer’s musical mothers, my vote for fourth place is perhaps a little unconventional: Mariqueen Maandig, the singer who gave her husband Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross her vote for their challenger Soundtrack. That’s because the third track, “Yeah x10,” is the purest concentration of what I want in an anthem. A female voice (supposedly Maandig’s, but unnamed) repeats the word “Yeah” over and over with cool indifference over a screeching bass, drum beat, and electronic backing. A friend called it her “Hot Girl Walk” song. It makes every walk a proud walk, and that’s the only way to walk through life.—Nojan Aminosharei, Special Projects Editor

“Tough” by Lana Del Ray feat. Quavo

I know everyone is having a Brat Summer right now (and so am I, as a longtime Charli XCX fan), but listening to Lana Del Rey just transports me to that time of year, even if we’re in the middle of winter. I’ve been listening to her new song “Tough” featuring Quavo on repeat since it came out. There’s just something about it that makes me deeply nostalgic, like if I close my eyes and listen long enough, it’s 2012 again and everything in the world is mostly right.—Tara Gonzales, senior fashion editor

“No Machine” by Adrianne Lenker

Lenker, the frontwoman of the indie folk band Big Thief, has released a new solo album, Shining futurein March, and I haven’t listened to the fourth track, “No Machine,” since. It’s a beautiful folksy love song with sparse acoustic guitar and tender lyrics that draw parallels between love and the elements of nature – perfect for relaxing days in the sun with the people you love.—Ariana Marsh, senior features editor

“I can do it with a broken heart” by Taylor Swift

This bop is typical Taylor – deep, emotional lyrics to a poppy melody. For me, it’s just a nice reminder that it’s summer and everything will be OK if you just keep dancing.—Rosa Sanchez, Senior News Editor

Bianca Betancourt is the culture editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, where she covers all things movies, TV, music, and more. When she’s not writing, she enjoys baking impromptu cookies, listening to the same early 2000s pop playlist over and over, and following Mariah Carey’s Twitter feed.