3 of the best song of the summer 2025 candidates after months of ‘meh’ music
Forget Alex Warren, Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran, these three songs by all-women groups are far better suited for the coveted MTV award
Sunny, frothy fun. That is what the song of the summer is.
Drive around with the stereo blasting that song. Stand face to face with your bestie, belting that bop at the top of your lungs. Make a super-fun TikTok video of that tune.
Before the concept of the song of summer became institutionalised as a Billboard chart in 2010 and an MTV Music Video Award in 2014, music lovers just knew which song dominated listening habits in those out-of-school months.
However, in 2025, US music lovers seem to be confused about the song of summer. Why?
Because it has been a cruel summer: lay-offs, tariffs, price increases, never-ending wars, lawmaker assassinations, AI ickiness, all kinds of cuts in the Big Beautiful Bill. A preponderance of negativity.
Music reflects the times. This summer’s big hits have been mostly downbeat.