Tag: song of the summer

Dance to Summer Playlists From TODAY Anchors and Catch Their Song of Summer Predictions

July 31, 2023

Summer is well underway, and people across the northern hemisphere are busy soaking up the sunshine. Whether you’re taking time at the beach, pool, mountains, or simply your patio, there’s no better way to set the scene than with music.

The anchors of NBC’s TODAY, Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, Carson Daly, and Craig Melvin, know how to start weekdays off right at 7 am. And they all share a passion for music—especially live music, thanks to their annual Citi Concert series on TODAY. Recent musical guests on the show include the Jonas Brothers, Ed Sheeran, Niall Horan, KAROL G, and TWICE. 

Away from the Rockefeller Center set, each anchor has their own summer plans and a playlist to help soundtrack their long sunny days. And because they’re always talking trends, talent, and takes, we asked them to share their thoughts on the hottest hits rising this summer. Find their predictions and playlists below, as well as on their TODAY profiles on Spotify.

Hoda’s Hybrid Dance Party–Wave-Watching Mix

Hoda Kotb’s playlist takes a more relaxed, slowly-swaying-in-the-summer-heat feel, with Luke Combs’ cover of “Fast Car,” “Dancing in the Moonlight” by King Harvest, and “Love and Sunsets” by Zac Brown Band and James Taylor all queued up. 

What’s the vibe you’re trying to capture on your Songs of Summer playlist?  

Part “party at night”—with sweaty dancing with the kids, on the back porch, or on the beach—and part mellow—watching the waves, feeling all the feels, asking summer to politely slow down. There are some songs that are just toes in the sand, eyes closed, sun in your face, and some that are “get up and dance.”

What’s your favorite throwback song on your playlist?

I have two. My favorite throwback is “Dancing in the Moonlight” by King Harvest. Since the  beginning of my life, it has been my favorite song. There’s something about the imagery of it. Picture it: You’re on your back porch dancing and the moon is shining on the water. I’ve also gotten my kids to love “Dancing in the Moonlight,” so I already handed it down. It reminds me of being a kid, so to watch my kids dance around to it is pretty magical.  

The other one I love is “Fast Car,” the Luke Combs version of Tracy Chapman’s song. Every time I play it, I get a big smile on my face. It’s one of those full-blast songs and it reminds me of being younger and also right now. It reminds me of having the windows down in the car, the wind blowing through, and being on my way to somewhere cool. 

Share a top summer music memory?

For me, it’s the fact that we get so many concerts all summer long, live. There’s something magical about live concerts, and they’re so intimate at The Today Show because it’s a small venue. We get to have live music on the plaza at The Today Show all summer long. Artists are rehearsing in the heart of midtown Manhattan and there’s incredible music. 

What’s your prediction for top song of summer? 

“Fast Car” because it crosses over both generations and genres. 

Savannah’s Breezy, No-Stress Summer Playlist

Savannah Guthrie’s playlist includes a summery hit from the Jonas Brothers’ 2023 album, tracks from Miley Cyrus, Harry Styles, and Niall Horan, and plenty of remixes and radio edits sure to get you in a dancing mood. 

What’s the vibe you’re trying to capture on your Songs of Summer playlist?  

I was trying to capture an easy, breezy, peppy vibe. No stress, light, with some good dance music mixed in. 

What’s your favorite throwback song on your playlist?

Well, I don’t know if it’s a throwback, but “Harvest Moon” is an old song by Neil Young and I love this version of “Harvest Moon” by Poolside that sounds like it should be playing at a pool party in Miami. It has little “untz,  untz, untz.” So it’s kind of a throwback song but with a modern twist.  

Share a top summer music memory? 

One of my favorite summer memories was listening to the soundtrack of Grease blasting so loud through the neighborhood that our neighbors who lived probably seven houses down could hear it from their backyard. And my sister and I would stand on the wall singing the lyrics to Grease and then the neighbor kids would be singing them right back to us.  

What’s your prediction for the top song of summer?  

“Calm Down (with Selena Gomez)” by Rema. It’s on my list. I love it. And it’s also my message to my kids right before bedtime—calm down!

Al’s R&B Summer Singalong

Al Roker’s playlist will have you feeling all your R&B feels. He included classics like “September” from Earth, Wind & Fire, as well as prime singalong tracks from Whitney Houston and Pharell, alongside nostalgic tunes from Aretha Franklin, The O’Jays, and Elton John.

What’s the vibe you’re trying to capture in your Songs of Summer playlist? 

Upbeat music that you can sing along to while hanging with family and friends, and everyone  knows the words and can sing together! 

What’s your favorite throwback song on your playlist?

“Philadelphia Freedom.” It was my song sophomore year of college. Also, summertime is all about celebrating freedom, so it’s the perfect summer anthem.  

Share a top summer music memory?

My birthday is in August. One year, it fell during the Beijing Olympics and we were doing  karaoke late at night with the whole Today Show team.  

What’s your prediction for the top song of the summer? 

“Dance the Night” by Dua Lipa. It was a hit in the Barbie movie!

Carson’s No-Skips Summer Sounds

Despite track selections from Twenty One Pilots, The 1975, and Tame Impala, Carson Daly’s playlist isn’t solely an indie rock extravaganza. Catch a collaboration between The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, and Madonna, and the unmistakable summer sounds of Bob Marley.

What’s the vibe you’re trying to capture on your Songs of Summer playlist? 

A playlist you can pop on at a summer BBQ and just let it roll. There’s something for everyone. 

What’s your favorite throwback song on your playlist?

My favorite is “Gin & Juice” by Snoop Dogg, which came out the year I turned 21. It’s not only a classic song but a delicious fruity drink, great for summer. 

Share a top summer music memory? 

I have great memories of listening to Bob Marley while hanging on the beach in Santa Monica and Malibu as a kid. Surfing, skating, and just chilling out!  

What’s your prediction for the top song of the summer?  

I loved “Calm Down” this summer—music is great for my anxiety and panic disorder. That one really delivers. Literally calms me down!  

Craig’s Easy-Breezy Outdoor Jams

Finally, Craig Melvin’s feel-good playlist brings together soothing vibes from across the decades. Tune in for tracks from Marvin Gaye, Beyoncé, The Isley Brothers, and Childish Gambino, as well as a reminder to “Take It Easy” from the Eagles. 

What’s the vibe you’re trying to capture in your Songs of Summer playlist?

I wanted a nice mix of new and older. I wanted a mix of genres. So you’ll notice there’s some country in there, you’ll notice there’s some pop. You’ll also notice what I call “classic cookout songs” like Beyoncé, the version of “Before I Let Go,” like that classic Maze & Frankie Beverly track. I also added The Gap Band, Marvin Gaye, and the Isley Brothers—outstanding. I wanted to make sure that there was something for me and my kids, but also my parents as well.

What’s your favorite throwback song on your playlist?

Probably Marvin Gaye, “Got to Give It Up.” It’s one of those songs that I remember from when I was a kid. We’d have cookouts in the backyard—aunts, uncle, cousins—they’d all jam out to that and it’s a timeless summer song. I feel like it can be on that summer playlist literally every summer.

Share a top summer music memory?

A few years ago, I was doing a profile with my buddy Darius Rucker and he invited me to sing one of my all-time favorite songs, “Let Her Cry,” with him onstage during soundcheck, and I nearly cried. 

What’s your prediction for the top song of summer?

That’s an easy one. It’s going to be “Fast Car” by Luke Combs. I’m generally not a fan of classic remakes, and when I heard that he touched Tracy Chapman’s song, at first I was like, “Uhh,” and then when I listened I was like, “Ohh yeah.” It’s great too because it gives the original version a whole new life as well. I explained to someone recently that while it’s not really a happy summer song, it’s a great song nonetheless. It’s definitely going to be the song of the summer.

Can’t get enough summer serenades? Catch the hottest tracks around the world and Spotify’s own list of Songs of Summer predictions.

Spotify’s Top Songs and Podcasts of Summer 2021

August 24, 2021

Another summer has flown by, and with it, the songs and shows that have complimented countless beach days, park hangs, pool lounging, and road trips. Now, as August draws to a close, Spotify is once again announcing the top songs and podcasts that filled listeners’ headphones and speakers this season. 

Songs of the summer

With more than 600 million streams globally between May 29 and August 22, this year’s Spotify Song of the Summer is…  “good 4 u” by “drivers license” breakout star Olivia Rodrigo. 

“good 4 u” claimed the top spot globally, and it also topped the list in markets like the U.S., Australia, Canada, Ireland, Singapore, the U.K., South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. And since the song’s release on May 14, “good 4 u” has been added to more than 18 million playlists. It also served as the inspiration for more than 325,000 user-generated playlist titles, including: 1,500+ “like a damn sociopath” playlists and 700+ “happy and healthy” playlists.

The next four of the global top five songs took us on a journey around the world. Number two globally was Eurovision winner Måneskin’s “Beggin’.” And since everything about this list is thanks to everything about you and how you listen, “Todo De Ti” by Rauw Alejandro was all in for number three. 

Lil Nas X was another summer mainstay for listeners, with “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” calling itself fourth on the list, and Doja Cat and SZA’s collab on “Kiss Me More,” which kept the summer sizzling, rounded out fifth place.

How Well Do You Know the Spotify Songs of Summer? Take Our Nostalgia Quiz

June 25, 2019

It’s (finally) getting hot in the northern hemisphere, which means it’s time to start searching for the perfect summer song. Each year, we release our own predictions on which tracks will be the hottest songs of the season. Now we’re also taking a look back at the tracks that ruled summers past. Take our quiz below to find out if you remember all the artists that soundtracked your summertime.

It's getting hot in here.
So take our summer music quiz.

Start

The year was 1995 and crop tops were everywhere. Which track was not a top summer jam that year?

"Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)" - Los Del Rio

The “Macarena” was a massive global hit in 1996, not 1995. Today on Spotify, the track averages 30K streams per day and is especially popular in Mexico and Germany.

Which artist has claimed two Spotify songs of the summer in the past 5 years?

Drake

Drake's “One Dance” was the most-streamed song in 2016 and “In My Feelings” was the top summer song in 2018. Kiki, do you still love me?

Which popular summer song from the aughts was parodied by “Weird Al” Yankovic as “Trash Day?”

“Hot in Herre” - Nelly

Nelly's "Hot in Herre," which ruled charts in the summer of 2002, appears in nearly 8 million playlists on Spotify. 

In 2012, we were all obsessively tending to our terrariums, sharing corgi memes, and listening to one summer bop nonstop. What was that song?

“Call Me Maybe” - Carly Rae Jepsen

Curiously, this peppy track sees a significant spike in streams whenever the month of May rolls around. 

Which summer hit tested Justin Bieber’s Spanish-speaking abilities?

“Despacito (Remix)”

“Despacito (Remix)” by Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee & Bieber streamed 780M+ times in the summer of 2017.

Survivors’s “Eye of the Tiger” is widely considered to be 1982’s song of the summer. Today, in which Spotify playlist does it stream the most?

All Out 80s

But there’s no denying that when played at the right volume, "Eye of the Tiger" can bring out anyone’s swagger.

Not every summer song is a carefree, feel-good jam. Which song stalked the charts to become
the song of the summer in 1983?

“Every Breath You Take” - The Police

Understood to be about stalking a former lover, “Every Breath You Take” is always popular with Spotify listeners, who have streamed it 85M+ times so far in 2019 alone.

There are 135K+ songs with the word “summer” in the title on Spotify. Which one is the most streamed?

“Summer” - Calvin Harris

“Summer” was also Spotify’s most-streamed song in summer 2014.

Which musician told the world they were suffering from “summertime sadness”?

Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Ray released the song “Summertime Sadness” in June 2012. While it’s not especially upbeat, the track is still a popular pick for listeners’ summer-themed playlists on Spotify.

Complete this lyric from the Grease classic “Summer Nights.” We went strolling, drank _____.

Lemonade

Lemonade. That sounds pretty refreshing, doesn't it? Bottoms up - you made it to the end of the quiz.
Let's see how you did...

You scored out of !

Beat the heat with more cool summer jams.

 

Just in time for those beach or poolside days, we’re also renewing Your Summer Rewind. The personalized playlist is filled with songs you listened to heavily on Spotify during your past steamy, streaming summers. Users in some regions that celebrate summer starting in June* can find their playlist on the Summer Hub and at spotify.com/rewind.  

*Including United States, Great Britain, Mexico, Germany, Spain, Canada, France, Italy, Sweden, Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Belgium, Ireland, Czech Republic, Portugal, Austria, Japan, and for the very first time Romania and Israel.

 

Spotify’s 2019 Summer Song Predictions

June 12, 2019

Summer is right around the corner, and once again we’re predicting which songs will dominate speakers and headphones while the Northern Hemisphere sizzles.

From Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” and Billie Eilish’s “bad guy” to Tyler, the Creator’s “EARFQUAKE” and Daddy Yankee and Snow’s “Con Calma,” many of these “song of the summer” contenders are already seeing strong engagement in Spotify’s key playlists, like Today’s Top Hits, RapCaviar, and ¡Viva Latino!.

Then there are the tracks with massive potential. Take, for example, “I Think I’m OKAY,” the newly released collaboration between Machine Gun Kelly, YUNGBLUD, and Travis Barker. We’re also seeing interest in Yonaka’s song “Rockstar,” and Clairo’s new track “Bags” is resonating with our 18-24-year old listeners in particular.

More than Magic: Behind Our 2018 Songs of Summer Predictions

May 23, 2018

If you’re looking to get a head start on the songs that will rock this summer’s hazy airwaves, there’s no need to consult a crystal ball. We used our own tarot cards, palm lines, constellations, and tea leaves to divine the season’s standouts.

Okay, not quite—but we do have a solid track record of predicting the most listened-to songs of summer, calling out hits like Luis Fonsi, Justin Bieber, and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” remix, Drake’s “One Dance” and Calvin Harris’ “Summer”—all songs that have dominated summer streaming.

Magic aside, creating this list of summer crowd-pleasers is no easy task—we’re pulling a very select number of songs from thousands of options. There are plenty of factors to consider across a range of musical categories, so we consult Spotify’s own genre experts. Those genre experts span pop, hip-hop, latin, country, rock, and electronica, and they’re behind some of your favorite playlists, from RapCaviar and Hot Country to Today’s Top Hits. As music experts, they shine a light on exactly what’s trending.

Overall, predicting the Songs of Summer is a full a team effort. We look for:

  • Songs on an upward trajectory: Recent hits played more and more with no sign of slowing down are likely to carry that momentum into the summer.
  • Songs with strong engagement in key Spotify playlists: How well a song is doing in influential playlists (are listeners saving it and not skipping it?) gives us a good indication of hit potential.
  • Songs with strong chart performance: We can see how a track is performing in relation to all others through our charts – if it rises to the top, it will rise with the summer heat.
  • Songs with momentum driving them: If an artist is getting ready to tour, drop a new album, or if the song is highly anticipated, it’s more likely to command playlists.
  • Songs generating buzz: Is it making headlines for being the first of its kind, particularly relevant, or created by an up-and-coming artist? (Think Childish Gambino’s “This Is America.”) Those factors will probably continue to drive its success.
  • Songs that just sound like summer: Is it beach, poolside, or backyard-party-worthy? We know ‘em when we hear ‘em.
  • Songs that our gut tells us to go for: We go with our instincts. Some songs just have that inexplicable summer magic.

Historically, songs that end up being summer hits fall into a few of these categories. Last year, “Despacito – Remix” was the undisputed song of the summer, with more than 786 million streams during the summer months. According to Shanon Cook, Trends Expert at Spotify, “Despacito” was a rare find.

“‘Despacito’ was such an interesting song-of-the-summer story. Not only did the track have a summery – and saucy – reggaeton vibe, but it sustained itself as one of Spotify’s top-streamed global songs for about 10 weeks. And because it originated as a latin music track, ‘Despacito’ brought with it this wonderful cross-cultural narrative that got everyone talking.”

With these considerations in mind, we’ve conjured up this year’s song of the summer predictions, one of which we think will most likely be crowned The One when we reflect back in August (but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.)

See for yourself:

According to Cook, this summer’s leading contenders fit easily into the top hits criteria, from Calvin Harris to Camila Cabello.

“Cardi B’s ‘I Like It’ screams summer jam, and it’s hard to overlook Calvin Harris’ ‘One Kiss’ as the dance-pop track that will be ubiquitous from now until August. Both are doing really well on our global chart at the moment. The brand new Camila Cabello-Pharrell Williams collaboration ‘Sangria Wine’ could really take off, and no doubt Drake will be soundtracking our summers with ‘Nice for What’ or a new release in the coming weeks.”

So get out your flip-flops, put on those sunglasses, and start summer early with our 2018 Songs of Summer playlist.