by Jordan-Lee Pirrie

The nights are longer, the sun is shining and the cocktails are in sight; summer is most definitely coming. And while your wardrobe might be coming along nicely, you’re gonna want some equally killer jams for those lazy days in the sun. 

This year, it’s all about throwing it back with loads of 70s and 80s inspired tracks, tropical vibes and insanely catchy choruses. We’ve got some great tracks to add to your playlist to start off your summer right.

Lost In Your Light – Dua Lipa feat. Miguel

Dua Lipa’s been on some of your favourite tracks over the past year and she’s dropped this 70s
throwback track before her album drops in June. It’s got that tropical vibe that’s begging to be
played at the next pool you find yourself next to and Miguel also features to make a piece of pop delight.

Hard Times – Paramore

It’s odd to put Paramore down as a summer song, but the band’s taking a much more radio-friendly
approach to their first new song in nearly 4 years. The blend of Hayley Williams’ chilled tones with
an insanely catchy 80s inspired melody gives the band a new lease of life. It’s not the emo-rock
track people might have wanted, but it’s a summer anthem they definitely need.

Heatstroke – Calvin Harris feat. Young Thug, Pharrell Williams & Ariana Grande

“Release, let go, and have a good time” confesses Pharrell over a song that was made for convertibles. Add a rap from Young Thug, Ariana’s vocals & Calvin’s flawless production to make this instant summer classic. Expect many more tracks like this, but they have tough competition to beat this one!

The Cure – Lady Gaga

Gaga dropped ‘The Cure’ after premiering it in her Saturday headline slot, sending the Little Monsters into meltdown.This finger-snapping summer jam takes her back to her roots of making pure perfect pop. It’s more low-tempo than other tracks, but both the chilled vibes and that hook will stick in your head all
summer long.

Passionfruit – Drake

This is the more mature ‘One Dance’ that summer ‘17 needs (and you need right now.) ‘Passionfruit’ is a gem of a song influenced by dancehall that makes you want to dance the night away or go for a long drive with it on repeat. It’s a summer essential; in fact, the entire album should be on your playlist right now.

Green Light – Lorde

While we hold on for Lorde to release tracks like ‘Homemade Dynamite’ and ‘Sober’, she blessed
us with ‘Green Light’ back in March, changing up her sultry production for an anthematic blast. This
is the perfect track to be belting out as you’re driving to the beach, with it’s slick production and
new found energy, but still sticking to the unusual tone that makes us love the New Zealander even
more.

Still Got Time – ZAYN feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR

The first Directioner out of the door with his own music, ZAYN continues to drop jam after jam and the
march towards summer is not slowing him down. With beats not unlike Drake’s latest tracks, the
trop-pop release continues the trend of low-key but dance-able songs that’ll infect your head. With a second album coming out soon, expect some more vibe-y drops soon.

Lust For Life – Lana Del Rey feat. The Weeknd

Lana’s not known for her upbeat songs, and ‘Lust For Life’ isn’t about to change that. But when you
add The Weeknd to the mix, the vocals blend so perfectly that the track’s begging for remix upon
remix to compete with ‘Summertime Sadness’. But the original is a perfect song to wind down a
day in the sun, ready for the next one.

Listen to the playlist…

Image credit: Unsplash