The Best Summer Songs of 2019
Warm weather means more beach trips and less time listening to anything but the most feel-good songs of the year. Here, our roundup of the best summer songs of 2019.
With summer coming and going very quickly (someone had to say it!), there's one very important, essential question to answer: What song will be declared the official summer 2019 bop? Is it Lizzo's "Truth Hurts?" The recently resurrected Jonas Brothers' "Cool?" Carly Rae Jepsen's "Julien?" After you set your out of office message and head to the beach with all of the essentials, hit play on MarieClaire.com's playlist, below, of the best summer songs of 2019. Then decide for yourself.
"MY POWER" - Tierra Whack, Beyoncé, and Moonchild Sanelly
As Rolling Stone perfectly puts it, Beyoncé's Lion King album is her "love letter to Blackness." In "MY POWER," she teams up with Tierra Whack and Moonchild Sanelly to create an epic four minute and 52 second rush of adrenaline, which will get you hyped up for any and every summer activity. And, well, The Lion King remake itself, obviously.
Señorita - Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello
When you think of a Camila Cabello/Shawn Mendes collaboration, the last expected result would be "Señorita," but here we are. The sexy Latin pop mashup is Very Good, and I'm officially a Shamila stan (?) now.
"ME!" - Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco
As much as it pains me to put a T.Swift song on this list, it would be a mistake not to recognize the wild popularity of "ME!" thanks to the loyal Swifties out there and, well, your local Starbucks. Despite the endless oh-ooh-ooh-ooh's, it is catchy and very summer 2019—predictable and hot (you can thank Brendon Urie for the latter).
"Money in the Grave" - Drake ft. Rick Ross
"Money in the Grave" feels like a Drake track circa 2016, so naturally he would release it in the middle of #HotGirlSummer to give us all the feels. Rick Ross really elevates the single to hype song status, and will naturally be played at the pregame before you sweat at the bar all night.
"Thinkin' About Me" - Chloe x Halle
This summer, Chloe x Halle debuted "Thinkin' About Me"—a departure from the slower duets the sisters are known for. It's further proof the Grown-ish stars can really pull off any sound when you have the voices of angels.
"Truth Hurts" - Lizzo
I'll never stop shouting about how much I love Lizzo and her new masterpiece, Cuz I Love You. With a line like, "I just took a DNA test, turns out I'm 100 percent that bitch," how could you not classify "Truth Hurts" as a certified bop of summer 2019? It's a message to every single man you're doing you this summer.
"Jet Black" - Anderson .Paak ft. Brandy
Nobody can stop listening to Anderson .Paak, and for good reason. Ventura is a brilliant work of art, perfectly timed for those summertime vibes in the car, windows down, thinking about that cute summer crush.
"On + Off" - Maggie Rogers
Even if you're not familiar with Maggie Rogers, you've likely heard "On + Off," which was originally released part of her EP in 2017. It's so good that Rogers decided to give it a new home on her debut album, Heard It in a Past Life, that came out in January. It's light, makes you want to shimmy (yes, I said shimmy), and will 100 percent be played at the beach while you're sipping on one of those summer cocktails.
Kid Rock is the king of summer (heard of "All Summer Long?"), which makes his new collab with Jake Owen that much sweeter when summer rolls around. Lyrics include, "Just wiggle and giggle, stay tickled and whistle / And give more when you got it to hand / Don't spend your life chasing rainbows, baby / Just deal with the weather at hand / And live life free and I guarantee / You can make it to the promised land," which pretty much describes the mantra everybody should live by June through August.
"EARFQUAKE" - Tyler, the Creator
Tyler, the Creator, we meet again. "EARFQUAKE" is further proof the man can do no wrong—especially when it comes to his outfits. The nostalgic bop from his recently-dropped fifth studio album, IGOR, is a great place to start that reflection process of where you currently stand in those one-sided relationships.
"Old Town Road" - Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus
Billy Ray Cyrus' remix of Lil Nas' "Old Town Road" is the song of the year, let alone the song of the summer. No further explanation needed.
"Cool" - Jonas Brothers
I would like to personally thank Sophie Turner, Priyanka Chopra, and Danielle Jonas for inspiring the Jonas Brothers to return to their true calling: the stage. (The reality show was a nice touch, Kevin.) "Cool" feels cool, and nobody should accept any other feeling this summer.
"Bad Guy" - Billie Eilish
17-year-old Billie Eilish did that with "Bad Guy," the song that will be playing in every club while you're bumpin' and grindin' against each other's sweaty backs. It's also the perfect gym song if the club isn't your thing. Wherever you listen to it, just make sure to enjoy it.
"The Feels" - Maren Morris
If you love love, Maren Morris' "The Feels" from her album, GIRL, is the wholesome song we need this summer. "Like the tickle of the bubbles in a bottle of cheap champagne / And it feels like I'm gettin' into trouble, but I’m gonna do it anyway / And it feels like love in the morning / So good it’s gonna burn through my body all day / What can I say? Hey / You're giving me the feels, baby / Head down to my heels, baby."
"Boys" - Lizzo
It would be a sin not to include Lizzo's "Boys" on this list of summer 2019 bops. Fair warning: You will 100 percent start dancing to this on the street as soon as you put your headphones in.
"Thinkin Bout You" - Ciara
We didn't deserve a new album from *Missy Elliott voice* Ciaraaaaa. "Thinkin Bout You" makes a home on Beauty Marks, released this month from the "Goodies" singer. The song will remind you of Janelle Monáe's "Make Me Feel," a total dance-in-your-underwear bop as Ciara confirms in her music video above.
"Julien" - Carly Rae Jepsen
I came across the perfect tweet to describe Rebrand Master Carly Rae Jepsen's song, "Julien," and it goes a little something like this: "One thing I appreciate about Carly Rae Jepsen’s music is that some of her songs are like...cheerfully horny, the way people in old musicals are horny. You don’t hear that enough anymore." That's all.
One thing I appreciate about Carly Rae Jepsen’s music is that some of her songs are like...cheerfully horny, the way people in old musicals are horny. You don’t hear that enough anymore.May 21, 2019
"Doin' Time" - Lana Del Rey
In "Doin' Time," Lana Del Rey opens up with the line, "Summertime, and the livin' is easy," but if we know Lana, it's anything but. She reminds us there's still some Summertime Sadness, and that's okay.
"Talk" - Khalid
There has yet to be a 21-year-old more pure than Khalid. "Talk" is really just saying what we're all thinking after that person from the bar ghosted us: "Can't we just talk? / Can't we just talk? Talk about where we're goin' before we get lost / Let me out first / Can't get what we want without knowin' / I've never felt like this before / I apologize if I'm movin' too far."
"Pushing 20" - Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter is "pushing 20 and has no time for others," which is exactly what my next out of office message is going to say when I head out east next weekend. The bop is a sneak peek into the 20-year-old's upcoming album, Singular: Act II, and deserves to be played on repeat all summer long.
"I Can't Get Enough" - Benny Blanco, Tainy, Selena Gomez, J Balvin
MarieClaire.com's culture editor, Cady Drell, declared Selena Gomez's "Back to You" the summer 2018 anthem. Has Gomez resurrected her official summer bop title with the Hispanic dance song, "I Can't Get Enough?" You decide.
Download our "Summer 2019 Bops" Spotify playlist:
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