“13 Captivating Summer Songs” features music courtesy of Demi Lovato, Lana Del Rey, Michael Ray, Ne-Yo, and Shawn Mendes among others. 

“Summertime and the livin’ is easy.” Okay, perhaps summer isn’t always as awesome or the ‘living as easy’ as the Heyward, Gershwin, and Gershwin classic suggests, but what better way to celebrate the season than good music? After all, isn’t summertime all about vibes?  Here, we’ve compiled a playlist of 13 Captivating Summer Songs, featuring music courtesy of Demi Lovato, Lana Del Rey, Michael Ray, Ne-Yo, and Shawn Mendes among others.

1. Michael Ray, “Summer Water”

Amos • Warner Music Nashville • 2018

On “Summer Water”, the fifth single released in advance of Amos, Michael Ray remains true to country music.  He doesn’t opt for any ill-conceived pop experiments.  With a great voice at his disposal, he delivers a well-rounded performance.  There aren’t many frills or surprises, but he’s polished and incredibly sound.  There’s nothing groundbreaking, regardless of the magic he swears by “in the summer water.”  This is an old-fashioned, down south narrative that reminisces simpler times.

2. Ne-Yo, “Summertime”

Good Man • Motown • 2018

Following a three-year hiatus, Grammy-winning R&B artist Ne-Yo returned with his seventh studio album, Good Man. “Summertime” continues the emphasis on ‘R&B’ by Ne-Yo, much like “Good Man” and “Apology” (“Push Back” being the only exception). If you reminisce back-in-the-day, ‘Yo was all about making traditional R&B albums.  The production is filled with soulful touches, particularly the ultra-rhythmic drums, the acoustic guitars, sparing splashes of organ.  Vocally, he remains a force, delivering a balanced, nuanced performance.  Regarding the songwriting, he sings about ‘the one,’ who he likens to – yep you guessed it – the summertime.  It’s cliché and not particularly deep or incredibly poetic, but all in all, it’s effective.

“Dark clouds, for the dark clouds

Raining on me, raining on me…

But you’re like summertime and it feels so good…

You got me high.”

With “Summertime,” Ne-Yo doesn’t move the needle.  It’s another solid, enjoyable record from Good Man.

3. Justin Timberlake, “Midnight Summer Jam”

Man of the Woods • RCA • 2018

“I think the album has a wide range of sonics to it, but, I guess I would describe it as modern Americana with 808s.” Justin Timberlake returned with his highly-anticipated fifth studio album, Man of the Woods. As aforementioned, Timberlake describes Man of the Woods as a modern Americana album.  The question is, is Man of the Woods really Americana? At times, but more often than not, this is a lengthy pop-soul album that’s ‘all over the place.’ “Midnight Summer Jam” reunites Timberlake with The Neptunes – Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo – for the first time since Justified in 2002.  The production, thrives off of its funky groove and distinct, Neptunian sounds.  The rhythmic guitar coupled with that signature JT falsetto deserves some love.  Furthermore, the chorus is catchy, even if the song – rather record –  is a bit odd.

4. Aloe Blacc, “Brooklyn in the Summer”

Brooklyn in the Summer – Single • Interscope • 2018

“You feel like Brooklyn in the summer / Been hiding, had to wait for so long…”After a four-year hiatus, Grammy-nominated R&B singer/songwriter Aloe Blacc comes back in enthused fashion on “Brooklyn in the Summer”. Interestingly, on the verses, Blacc seems to struggle with romantic memories of the past.  In everything that he does and every place he goes he asserts, “You’re everywhere that I ever known.” The comparison to “Brooklyn in the summer” arrives on the chorus, clearly the ‘happiest,’ most major-key moment of the record. “Brooklyn in the Summer” sounds quite different than previous Aloe Blacc hits. Still, the soulfulness and easy-going vocals remain intact to the fullest degree.

5. BØRNS, “Second Night of Summer”

Blue Madonna • Interscope • 2018

26-year old alternative artist Garrett Borns (BØRNS) delivers a fantastic sophomore album with Blue Madonna. Throughout the course of the album, the vocals, production, and songwriting are elite.  The sleek, modern electronics of “Second Night of Summer” are among the best of Blue Madonna.  So is the song, which focuses on missing her. The roar of the gritty, distorted organ is perfect ‘fuel for the fire’ of key lyric, “Throwing me that shade like I’m not cool enough.”

6. Lana Del Rey, “Summer Bummer” (Ft. A$AP Rocky & Playboi Carti)

Lust for Life • Interscope • 2017

Lana Del Rey – quite the polarizing musician to say the least! While she’s quite the character, what’s undeniable is the voice, which is by all means, one of a kind.  Throughout her fourth full-length album Lust for Life, Lana Del Rey showcases her best attribute.  There is no bummer whatsoever with “Summer Bummer”, which features dark production work with an enigmatic quality.  At the top, Del Rey sings indulgently in an undertone, yet adds more drama – or melodrama – in the process. Ad-libs appear throughout the record from Playboi Carti, who plays a supporting role. The other featured guest, A$AP Rocky, gets his own verse, depicting shallow, undercover love. What do we learn from “Summer Bummer?” Nothing we’ve never heard before, but we do hear a fun, carefree song from Lana Del Rey.

7. G-Eazy, “Summer in December”

The Beautiful & Damned • RCA • 2017

“Welcome to L.A. / The land of opportunity where everybody say / The girls are pretty, the sun will shine 360 days / But I don’t always feel that way, today I need some gray.” There are times, believe it or not, that G-Eazy has more thoughtful musical moments.  In other words, he’s not always a total playboy.  A perfect example of this is “Summer in December”, which commences mysteriously with moody piano.  With a more refined sound – jazzy, soulful, old-school production work – Eazy takes a more reflective rhyming approach that showcases vulnerability.

8. Weezer, “Feels Like Summer”

Pacific Daydream • Atlantic • 2017

“Feels Like Summer” doesn’t sound like a traditional, rock-driven emo record or like the majority of Weezer records.  The groove and overall production favors a pop record, specifically, urban-pop – a slick, modern sound. Lyrically, “Feels Like Summer” is a random record that lacks cohesiveness. It’s an ‘okay’ record regarding quality, but there’s nothing particularly transcendent or clever here, save for a few lyrical highlights. Weezer has delivered better numbers, but at least it gets you in the summer mood, right?

9. Jeezy, “Cold Summer” (Ft. Tee Grizzley)

Pressure • Def Jam • 2017

“Gon’ drop the top, you can feel the breeze / 30 in the Glock, all you gotta do is squeeze / It just touched down, all you gotta do is sell ‘em / And they gon’ ask you questions but you better not tell ‘em…” One of the best songs from Pressure, the 2017 studio album by the ever-hard-nosed Jeezy, is single, “Cold Summer”. “Cold Summer” checks off all boxes for a Jeezy song. It features dynamic production, unapologetic rhymes, and full-fledged ‘G-status.’ The hook is grimy, chocked-full of punch, and we’re not talking about Fruit Punch! Tee Grizzley guests on the second verse.

“Hey I’m ‘bout to fuck it up, I’m bought in like 10

A couple bad tings and they all light-skinned

‘Hey, how you comin’ down?’ In a rose gold Hummer

Wife beater chinchilla, it gon’ be a cold summer.”

10. Drake, “Summers Over Interlude”

Views • Cash Money • 2016

“Day in the sun / And nights in the rain / Summer is over, simple and plain.” Views, the 2016 Grammy-nominated LP by Drake, was definitely a big deal.  While the album wasn’t exactly critical masterpiece (It sits at a respectable enough 69 via Metacritic), commercially, it was huge.  One of the best songs from the uneven effort is actually an interlude, “Summers Over Interlude.” Drake doesn’t even rap or sing on it! Who delivers those soulful vocals over the soulful, lilting, six-eight meter? That would be Majid Al Maskati, one half of Majid Jordan.  What’s unfortunate is that “Summers Over Interlude” lasts less than two minutes.

11. Demi Lovato, “Cool for the Summer”

Confident • Hollywood / Island • 2015

“Tell me what you want / What you like / it’s okay / I’m a little curious too…I can keep a secret, can you?” Demi Lovato is an unapologetic pop star to say the least.  Understanding her open-mindedness makes the controversy surrounding “Cool for The Summer” unsurprising.  What makes the record bold are references to bi-curiousness and lesbianism, as aforementioned.  The lustfulness is clear, with a reference to “cherry” fueling the same-sex tilt:

“Got my mind on your body and your body on my mind

Got a taste for the cherry, I just need to take a bite.”

The chorus continues the curiousness:

“Take me down into your paradise

Don’t be scared, cause I’m your body type

Just something that we wanna try

Cause you and I

We’re cool for the summer.”

“Cool for the Summer” brings light to the existence of a sexual spectrum that goes beyond being exclusively straight, exclusively gay, or bisexual. Since it’s only “cool for the summer,” Lovato considers this to be a fling.

12. Shawn Mendes, “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (Ft. Camila Cabello)

Handwritten • Island • 2015

On the most recent editions of Handwritten, the debut album by Canadian heartthrob Shawn Mendes, “I Know What You Did Last Summer” appears as the closing song. “I Know What You Did Last Summer” is an absolutely infectious, playful minor-key teen-pop joint.  While Mendes hasn’t reached the level of maturity shown on his sophomore album Illuminate or his self-titled gem, one can hear the potential loud and clear.  Also, worth noting, this cute little tune features pre-solo-career Camila Cabello, who also provided a successful preview of ‘what was to come’ with the arrival of Camila years later.

13. Maroon 5, “This Summer”

V • Interscope • 2015

“Her body’s like the summer / I’m in a trance or something / her mind is not, no / as sharp as all her diamonds.” Following a reissue of their album V, Pop band extraordinaire Maroon 5 gave us the ultimate guilty pleasure to make summer even better – “This Summer.” Originally, the full, expletive bearing title was what naturally made the song shocking: “This Summer’s Gonna Hurt Like A Motherfucker.” While the full titular lyric is ear-catching thanks to the MF-bomb, ultimately, “This Summer” is simply a relatively fun, big ole pop single.  No, it won’t supplant their classics, but this frank cut lacking depth is catchy.  Essentially, Adam Levine sings about a hot girl whose hotness is her sole virtue. In other words, her flaws eclipse the looks.

Photo Credits: Atlantic, Cash Money, Hollywood, Interscope, Island, Motown, RCA, Warner Music Nashville