The summer months always bring some of my favorite music releases of the year. There’s something about the breezy instrumentals and the fun lyrics that always feel open-window-worthy. This year, the summer officially ends on September 22, so I wanted to look back on my favorite releases of the season. Here are some of my most played tracks of the past few months, in no particular order!
TWICE – “Alcohol-Free”
There’s no question that TWICE are queens of summertime and their most recent hit just supports that idea. You can hear the ocean breeze as you listen along, picturing yourself sipping alcohol-free daquiris. The ladies sing about feeling drunk, even though they haven’t had a sip of alcohol, because of how someone makes them feel. My favorite section of this song is the second verse when that tropical melody comes in; it always makes me want to move along to the rhythm! The music video is one that I’ll be sure to revisit on the coldest winter day, since it’s full of beach scenes and warm landscapes. TWICE, carry us through the upcoming winter months!
N.Flying – “You”
As a band, N.Flying doesn’t necessarily have summertime songs. (One might argue that their discography is for all seasons, but I digress. Ha!) Their June 7 release, however, brought us this bright b side that’s been on repeat for me all summer. The short, clipped sections in the chorus make my head bounce around every time I listen to it. There’s a breeziness to the composition of the song that makes me want to roll my windows down when it comes through my car speakers! I especially love how everything falls away during the bridge and we slowly build back up to a rocking final chorus. The snaps, the drums, the rap section…this is a stellar song that’s perfect for a summer vacation!
Weeekly – “Holiday Party”
Rookies Weeekly are a group I’ve had my eye on since their debut. “After School” got me ready for summer vacation to start and then “Holiday Party” arrived and someone managed to make me enjoy my summer even more! This is the kind of song that makes me want to throw a pool party, and that’s saying something. Ha! What I really love about Weeekly is that their last couple of releases have been youthful and bright, while also having a little bit of grit to them. “Holiday Party” always makes me crank the volume up and sing along. It can turn any bad day into party time!
The Boyz – “Thrill Ride”
I wasn’t sure if The Boyz could get any more summertime ready than when they gave us “Bloom Bloom” and “DDD,” but I was very wrong. Their latest bop is a day at an amusement park and a stop at the community pool all in one track. The song is full of energy from the very first note and they somehow manage to carry that momentum all the way to the end. The music video is a blast, as well. The boys of The Boyz take us on a whole summertime vacation journey! Something that I always love in a summertime song is a whistle and a refrain that gets stuck in my head; this song has both in spades! *sings* “Chillin chillin”
D.O. – “Rose”
Maybe you’re not the type to spend summer afternoons at a theme park and you want something a little more relaxing. If so, this is the summer song for you. Like D.O. does in his music video, this song makes me want to go on a nice, calm bike ride through the park. His voice is always so soothing and clear; his vocal style mixed with the acoustic guitar is a match made in heaven! It reminds me of an old Jason Mraz style of a song, which was the soundtrack to my summers. “Rose” is full of sweetness and allows you to imagine D.O. coming your way with bouquets of flowers, ready to brighten your day!
ASTRO – “After Midnight”
If your summertime season was full of smiles, then maybe this song best fits what the last few months have been like for you! After the intensity of their last comeback title track “ONE,” “After Midnight” is a much lighter style and we are HERE for it. The music video has us packing for a trip, running along with the boys of ASTRO on a beach, and dancing the summer night away. The melody has this really cool groove to it that stands out on this list of summer songs; that bass is rocking all throughout! In this song, they promise us that we’ll have a good time; how could we turn that down? “Won’t you come, baby?”
OH MY GIRL – “Dun Dun Dance”
Back in May, as our summer season was just getting started, the ladies of OH MY GIRL gave us this jam to welcome us into the warmth and freedom of summer vacation. “Just dance,” they said! The music video had us visualizing a day at the beach or the view of an open country field, inviting us to relax. I love that the chorus is full of some unexpected notes. You think it’s headed in one direction, then we take a left turn together. Summer is like that, too! You never know what turns the days will make. “Don’t stop me / love this song” is probably one of my favorite lyrics; it always makes me love this song a little more. Ha! As you can guess, this song makes me “wanna dun dun dance”!
Brave Girls – “Chi Mat Ba Ram”
After the revival of the summertime anthem “Rollin,” the self proclaimed Queens of Summer rolled into their favorite season with this new title track. It has that same beach vacation vibe to it as they sing about the wind rolling their way. This is the kind of song that makes me want to gather all my closest friends and have a day on the beach. Like in the music video, the song carries the fun of a nighttime party with lights flashing and music blasting. This is also a great song for anytime you’re laying around the house and you need motivation to tackle your summer vacation to-do list. Ha! That beat can get anyone up on their feet!
JOY – “Hello”
Joy’s solo debut finally arrived at the end of May and she brought us a track that is so perfectly JOY. The lyrics of this song talk about letting go of the painful past and moving forward towards a bright future. Say goodbye to loneliness; “don’t be sad / today’s a new day / be ready to welcome it.” In the music video, she and a young girl set off on a journey, helping the child find her way home. But it also feels like a journey to rediscover the small joys of living! This is a great summer song for letting go of the past, whether it was a bad school year or a spring season that you’re ready to move on from. Shake it off and look to the future with Joy!
CIX – “Wave”
Last, but certainly not least, we have a song that reminds me of summertime simply from the title! If you’re unfamiliar with CIX, you should know that they can handle any kind of concept. They’ve given us their sexy sides, their modern style dance sides, cuteness, and even more. However, with each release, there’s still something that feels very CIX. This comeback has a brightness to it, while still being their signature CIX flavor. The lyrics of this song talk about a difficult wave that will inevitably arrive, as life can be unpredictable and challenging. However, the wave passes at some point and the future is worth persevering for. They tell us that we can’t let the waves pull us under, no matter how difficult it is. While this song has a bit more serious of a message, it’s a great metaphor for a summertime staple – waves!
Which of these summertime songs is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
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