Who will have the 2025 song of the summer? We offer some predictions
What makes a great song of the summer? Is it an up-tempo pop banger? Something with an earworm chorus? Does it need to feature the words "summer," "sunshine," or another synonym — "California" — in the title? How could anyone attempt a song of the summer after the late, great Beach Boy Brian Wilson composed them so expertly, anyway?
It very well may be subject to the eye (well, ear) of the beholder, but The Associated Press views the song of the summer as the one that takes over those warm months between June and August, the kind that blasts out of car speakers and at beach barbecues in equal measure. And that means many different things for many kinds of listeners.
So here are AP's 2025 song of the summer predictions across categories, with past victors for reference.
Find your song of the summer and then listen to our Spotify playlist, here.
Song of the summer that inexplicably came out in January: "NUEVAYoL," Bad Bunny
A song of the summer doesn't actually have to arrive in summer, or even in spring. History has proved this time and time again, lest anyone forget Olivia Rodrigo's "drivers license" hit at the top of the year in 2021. But this summer, like every summer, is about Bad Bunny. On his latest album, "Debí Tirar Más Fotos," Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio pulls from Puerto Rico's rich musical history and hybridizes it. He does so from the very opener, "NUEVAYoL," which samples the fittingly named 1975 salsa hit from El Gran Combo, "Un Verano en Nueva York" ("A Summer in New York").
Past champion: "Boy's a Liar PT. 2," PinkPantheress, Ice Spice (2023)
Song of the summer for the chronically online: "Tonight," PinkPantheress
An internet hero releases another super hit: PinkPantheress' "Tonight" is an undeniable good time; all bassline house meets hyperpop vocals with a naughty chorus. The 24-year-old British singer-songwriter has proved she's got so much more to offer than a few viral hits — but her huge songs that blow up online? They tend to stay. That's more than can be said about past winners in this category.
Past champion: "Million Dollar Baby," Tommy Richman (2024)
Breakup song of the summer: "What Was That," Lorde
Lorde's first new single in four years recalls the clever synth-pop of her 2017 album "Melodrama," casting aside the folk detour of 2021's "Solar Power." "What Was That" is reserved revelation, introspective electropop that takes a measured look at a relationship's dissolution. It feels good, and bad, which is the point.
Past champion: "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart," Bee Gees (1971)
Song of the summer for the girls and all those who love them: "Gnarly," KATSEYE
KATSEYE, the global girl group born out of K-pop development techniques, are "Gnarly," and they'd like you to be, too. The song is asymmetrical pop with a cheerleading cadence and extensive, expensive product placement. You're here for the girls, or you're not. Gnarly!
Past champion: "Bills, Bills, Bills," Destiny's Child (1999)
Song for singles ready to mingle this summer: "WASSUP," Young Miko
Flirting is central to these hot months; no other season has a fling named after it. Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko knows this better than most, and her track "WASSUP" is all about charisma — and it doesn't hurt that it interpolates "Lollipop" by Lil Wayne featuring Static Major and "Chulin Culin Chunfly" by Voltio featuring Residente.
Past champion: "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')," T-Pain featuring Yung Joc (2007)
Song of the summer for those who love British boy ballads performed by an American: "Ordinary," Alex Warren
Last year brought Benson Boone's glossy soft pop-rock; this year, Alex Warren's "Ordinary" is inescapable. A big, inoffensive ballad with loosely religious themes, it is meticulously designed to the pull at heartstrings. And it does — the song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Past champion: "Beautiful Things," Benson Boone (2024)
Song of the summer for when you lose the beef but still have fight left in ya: "Nokia," Drake
For the last year, Drake has mostly made headlines for his rivalry with Kendrick Lamar, one of the biggest beefs in modern rap music history. He was no victor, but on "Nokia," he's certainly a winner. The song is a return to what Drizzy knows best: a massive rap-R&B-pop song for the ages, one that will live inside the minds of listeners for the whole year. Just, you know, replete with the nostalgic sounds of a Nokia ringtone.
Past champion: The difference here, of course, is that Drake won his beef with Meek Mill. But nonetheless: "Back to Back," Drake (2015)
The TikTok-approved, blast-of-dopamine song of the summer: "Boots on the Ground," 803Fresh
Social media is the wild west and inevitably sources its own song of the summer. Usually, there's an element of humor in the track — like 2023's "The Margarita Song" by That Chick Angel, Casa Di & Steve Terrell. This year is a bit different: 803Fresh's "Boots on the Ground" is an organic hit that centers a kind of soulful line dance — it's country-pop with trap hi-hats and fun for the whole family.
Past champion: "The Spark," Kabin Crew & Lisdoonvarna Crew (2024)
Song of the summer for it girls: "Fame Is A Gun," Addison Rae
Charli xcx fans, fear not. Addison Rae's debut album is stuffed with bejeweled, hypnotic pop songs for the post-"BRAT" crowd. Best of all is the Grimes-esque "Fame Is a Gun," a sunglasses-in-the-club banger with synthetic vocal textures and an unignorable chorus. For fashionable listeners, and those who aim to become more fabulous.
Past champion: "Bad Girls," Donna Summer (1979)
Song of the summer of revenge: "Manchild," Sabrina Carpenter
Does it sound strikingly similar to "Please, Please, Please" at times? Sure. But has Sabrina Carpenter cornered the market on country-tinged, satirical pop songs about heterofatalism, an internet neologism for those who find heterosexuality embarrassing and hopeless? Also, yes. But you know, with a wink, vengeance and a danceable quality. Amen, hey men!
Past champion: "Before He Cheats," Carrie Underwood (from her 2005 debut album, but released as a single in 2006)
Biggest song of the year, and therefore the default song of the summer: "Luther," Kendrick Lamar and SZA
Is a song released in November too dated to qualify for song of the summer? Perhaps. But here's the rub: Kendrick Lamar and SZA's "Luther" held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks in 2025 — over half the year so far. Popularity makes the contender. It doesn't hurt that "Luther" is also one of the best songs of both this year and last, a tender R&B ballad that samples Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn's 1982 rendition of "If This World Were Mine." "Luther" has since been dethroned on the charts, but no other song has come close to its run this year.
Past champion: "Last Night," Morgan Wallen (2023)
Country crossover song of the summer: "What I Want," Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae
If terrestrial country radio is your leading metric for selecting the song of the summer, then Morgan Wallen's "I'm The Problem" is likely your pick. But a catchier track with true country crossover appeal is "What I Want" with Wallen and pop singer Tate McRae. It is the first time Wallen has featured a female vocalist on one of his songs. It's a rare embrace for the chart topper, who historically prefers to buck country duet tradition and double down on his vocal style — warm, muscular, masculine.
Past champion: "You're Still the One," Shania Twain (from her 1997 album, but released as a single in 1998)
Song of the summer released half a decade ago: "party 4 you," Charli xcx
The data doesn't lie and what is old is new is old is new again. In the year after "BRAT" summer, desire for more Charli xcx is still strong. As a result, fans have dug up a cut from her 2020 album, "How I'm Feeling Now," and turned it into their own summer anthem … five years later. So much so, in fact, that Charli released a music video for it in May.
Past champion: "Cruel Summer," Taylor Swift (released in 2019, crowned song of the summer in 2023)
Song of the summer with a canine-themed title: "Mutt," Leon Thomas
Look, "Mutt" also arrived in 2024, but in 2025 — bolstered by a deluxe release and a recent Chris Brown remix — makes "Mutt" an easy song of the summer pick for some listeners. It's difficult to hear that chorus and not sing along: "She said, 'Take your time, what's the rush?' / I said, 'Baby, I'm a dog, I'm a mutt.'"
Past champion: "Bird Dog," The Everly Brothers (1958)
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Song of the summer that inexplicably came out in January: "NUEVAYoL," Bad Bunny A song of the summer doesn't actually have to arrive in summer, or even in spring. History has proved this time and time again, lest anyone forget Olivia Rodrigo's "drivers license" hit at the top of the year in 2021. But this summer, like every summer, is about Bad Bunny. On his latest album, "Debí Tirar Más Fotos," Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio pulls from Puerto Rico's rich musical history and hybridizes it. He does so from the very opener, "NUEVAYoL," which samples the fittingly named 1975 salsa hit from El Gran Combo, "Un Verano en Nueva York" ("A Summer in New York"). Past champion: "Boy's a Liar PT. 2," PinkPantheress, Ice Spice (2023) Song of the summer for the chronically online: "Tonight," PinkPantheress An internet hero releases another super hit: PinkPantheress' "Tonight" is an undeniable good time; all bassline house meets hyperpop vocals with a naughty chorus. The 24-year-old British singer-songwriter has proved she's got so much more to offer than a few viral hits — but her huge songs that blow up online? They tend to stay. That's more than can be said about past winners in this category. Past champion: "Million Dollar Baby," Tommy Richman (2024) Breakup song of the summer: "What Was That," Lorde Lorde's first new single in four years recalls the clever synth-pop of her 2017 album "Melodrama," casting aside the folk detour of 2021's "Solar Power." "What Was That" is reserved revelation, introspective electropop that takes a measured look at a relationship's dissolution. It feels good, and bad, which is the point. Past champion: "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart," Bee Gees (1971) Song of the summer for the girls and all those who love them: "Gnarly," KATSEYE KATSEYE, the global girl group born out of K-pop development techniques, are "Gnarly," and they'd like you to be, too. The song is asymmetrical pop with a cheerleading cadence and extensive, expensive product placement. You're here for the girls, or you're not. Gnarly! Past champion: "Bills, Bills, Bills," Destiny's Child (1999) Song for singles ready to mingle this summer: "WASSUP," Young Miko Flirting is central to these hot months; no other season has a fling named after it. Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko knows this better than most, and her track "WASSUP" is all about charisma — and it doesn't hurt that it interpolates "Lollipop" by Lil Wayne featuring Static Major and "Chulin Culin Chunfly" by Voltio featuring Residente. Past champion: "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')," T-Pain featuring Yung Joc (2007) Song of the summer for those who love British boy ballads performed by an American: "Ordinary," Alex Warren Last year brought Benson Boone's glossy soft pop-rock; this year, Alex Warren's "Ordinary" is inescapable. A big, inoffensive ballad with loosely religious themes, it is meticulously designed to the pull at heartstrings. And it does — the song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Past champion: "Beautiful Things," Benson Boone (2024) Song of the summer for when you lose the beef but still have fight left in ya: "Nokia," Drake For the last year, Drake has mostly made headlines for his rivalry with Kendrick Lamar, one of the biggest beefs in modern rap music history. He was no victor, but on "Nokia," he's certainly a winner. The song is a return to what Drizzy knows best: a massive rap-R&B-pop song for the ages, one that will live inside the minds of listeners for the whole year. Just, you know, replete with the nostalgic sounds of a Nokia ringtone. Past champion: The difference here, of course, is that Drake won his beef with Meek Mill. But nonetheless: "Back to Back," Drake (2015) The TikTok-approved, blast-of-dopamine song of the summer: "Boots on the Ground," 803Fresh Social media is the wild west and inevitably sources its own song of the summer. Usually, there's an element of humor in the track — like 2023's "The Margarita Song" by That Chick Angel, Casa Di & Steve Terrell. This year is a bit different: 803Fresh's "Boots on the Ground" is an organic hit that centers a kind of soulful line dance — it's country-pop with trap hi-hats and fun for the whole family. Past champion: "The Spark," Kabin Crew & Lisdoonvarna Crew (2024) Song of the summer for it girls: "Fame Is A Gun," Addison Rae Charli xcx fans, fear not. Addison Rae's debut album is stuffed with bejeweled, hypnotic pop songs for the post-"BRAT" crowd. Best of all is the Grimes-esque "Fame Is a Gun," a sunglasses-in-the-club banger with synthetic vocal textures and an unignorable chorus. For fashionable listeners, and those who aim to become more fabulous. Past champion: "Bad Girls," Donna Summer (1979) Song of the summer of revenge: "Manchild," Sabrina Carpenter Does it sound strikingly similar to "Please, Please, Please" at times? Sure. But has Sabrina Carpenter cornered the market on country-tinged, satirical pop songs about heterofatalism, an internet neologism for those who find heterosexuality embarrassing and hopeless? Also, yes. But you know, with a wink, vengeance and a danceable quality. Amen, hey men! Past champion: "Before He Cheats," Carrie Underwood (from her 2005 debut album, but released as a single in 2006) Biggest song of the year, and therefore the default song of the summer: "Luther," Kendrick Lamar and SZA Is a song released in November too dated to qualify for song of the summer? Perhaps. But here's the rub: Kendrick Lamar and SZA's "Luther" held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks in 2025 — over half the year so far. Popularity makes the contender. It doesn't hurt that "Luther" is also one of the best songs of both this year and last, a tender R&B ballad that samples Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn's 1982 rendition of "If This World Were Mine." "Luther" has since been dethroned on the charts, but no other song has come close to its run this year. Past champion: "Last Night," Morgan Wallen (2023) Country crossover song of the summer: "What I Want," Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae If terrestrial country radio is your leading metric for selecting the song of the summer, then Morgan Wallen's "I'm The Problem" is likely your pick. But a catchier track with true country crossover appeal is "What I Want" with Wallen and pop singer Tate McRae. It is the first time Wallen has featured a female vocalist on one of his songs. It's a rare embrace for the chart topper, who historically prefers to buck country duet tradition and double down on his vocal style — warm, muscular, masculine. Past champion: "You're Still the One," Shania Twain (from her 1997 album, but released as a single in 1998) Song of the summer released half a decade ago: "party 4 you," Charli xcx The data doesn't lie and what is old is new is old is new again. In the year after "BRAT" summer, desire for more Charli xcx is still strong. As a result, fans have dug up a cut from her 2020 album, "How I'm Feeling Now," and turned it into their own summer anthem … five years later. So much so, in fact, that Charli released a music video for it in May. Past champion: "Cruel Summer," Taylor Swift (released in 2019, crowned song of the summer in 2023) Song of the summer with a canine-themed title: "Mutt," Leon Thomas Look, "Mutt" also arrived in 2024, but in 2025 — bolstered by a deluxe release and a recent Chris Brown remix — makes "Mutt" an easy song of the summer pick for some listeners. 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by Naharnet Newsdesk 03 July 2025, 15:14 "Don't Look Back in Anger" is good advice for the Britpop band Oasis, who launch their surprising reunion tour this week in Cardiff, Wales. Led by brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, the reunion marks the end of the siblings' long-held feud, one that led to Oasis disbanding in 2009. For many fans, this news is almost too good to be true. They're anxiously awaiting whether the Gallaghers will indeed make it through the entire run of international dates and even perhaps extend the reunion. Whether they're in it for the long haul or will call it quits at some point sooner, here's a look at a few other very famous — but very brief — band reunions. The Beach Boys DISBANDED: Technically, they never broke up. Read on. HOW LONG THE REUNION LASTED: A few months in 2012. WHAT HAPPENED: There is no linear history when it comes to The Beach Boys, but here's the abridged: Band members came and went, and the band's visionary, the late Brian Wilson, retired from touring in 1964 following a breakdown caused by stress and exhaustion. His place was soon filled by Bruce Johnston, who remained with the group for decades. Wilson also infamously feuded with his cousin and bandmate Mike Love over songwriting credits for years. The question here is: Can a band that never broke up reunite? In this case, yes: The band — with both Wilson and Love — got together for a new album, "That's Why God Made the Radio" and world tour in 2012, celebrating the band's 50th anniversary. It wasn't the whole original lineup, however: Drummer Dennis Wilson died in 1983, and guitarist Carl Wilson died in 1998. CHANCES OF GETTING BACK TOGETHER: The force behind the band, Brian Wilson, died last month at age 82, but Love continues to tour under The Beach Boys name. Led Zeppelin DISBANDED: 1980 HOW LONG THE REUNION LASTED: Good question. The band played a few one-off events in the mid-1980s throughout the '00s, never embarking on a reunion tour. So, a few days? A few hours? WHAT HAPPENED: Led Zeppelin disbanded immediately following the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980, reuniting only for a select few events in the decades that followed. Most notably, their first show back was a complicated set at Live Aid in 1985 in Philadelphia. Their last performance together was in 2007 at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert held in London's O2 Arena. There, Bonham's son Jason Bonham played the drums. CHANCES OF GETTING BACK TOGETHER: Highly unlikely. Lead singer Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page have successfully evaded reunion requests in the past, including one from President Bill Clinton. In 2013, Clinton asked the British rock greats to get back together for the 2012 Superstorm Sandy benefit concert in New York City. He asked; they said no. Nirvana DISBANDED: 1994 HOW LONG THE REUNION LASTED: A series of one-off performances in the 2010s and 2020s. WHAT HAPPENED: Nirvana disbanded following the death of frontman and principal songwriter Kurt Cobain. Its members pursued other projects — most notably, drummer Dave Grohl founded the Foo Fighters. But two decades after Cobain's death, in 2014, Nirvana was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, so bassist Krist Novoselic, touring guitarist Pat Smear (of the Germs) and Grohl got together for a short set — joined by Lorde, St. Vincent, Joan Jett and Kim Gordon on vocals for a reunion dubbed "Hervana." CHANCES OF GETTING BACK TOGETHER: Maybe there could be a few more gigs here and there? Novoselic and Grohl reunited for a few one-off performances in the years that followed, most recently coming together for the Fire Aid benefit concert in Los Angeles and the 50th anniversary celebrations for "Saturday Night Live," both this year. At the latter, Post Malone took over vocal duties. Oasis DISBANDED: 2009 HOW LONG THE REUNION IS SUPPOSED TO LAST: If the band makes it through their full run of reunion shows, July through November. So, five months. WHAT HAPPENED: Good question. The band — and in particular, the Gallagher brothers — have not released a public statement giving specific reasons for the reunion. But the initial tour announcement did seem to allude to past tensions. "The guns have fallen silent," Oasis said. "The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised." In 2019, Liam Gallagher told the AP he was ready to reconcile. "The most important thing is about me and him being brothers," he said of Noel. "He thinks I'm desperate to get the band back together for money. But I didn't join the band to make money. I joined the band to have fun and to see the world." Fans had long theorized a reunion might be on the horizon, too: In the wake of the 2017 bombing that killed 22 at an Ariana Grande concert in Oasis' hometown of Manchester, Liam Gallagher performed at a benefit concert. He criticized his brother's absence, but a spokesperson said Noel Gallagher couldn't attend because of a long-standing family trip. Benefit organizers said Noel Gallagher approved the use of Oasis' music and donated royalties from "Don't Look Back in Anger" to the British Red Cross' One Love Manchester fund. CHANCES OF GETTING BACK TOGETHER: It's happening. A better question is: What are the chances of a new album? That's impossible to know. Outkast DISBANDED: They never officially disbanded, so call it a hiatus. They never released another album after 2006's "Idlewild," and 2007 is frequently cited as the year they officially took a break. HOW LONG THE REUNION LASTED: A few months in 2014? They announced reunion dates in January 2014, played their first in April, and ended that October. WHAT HAPPENED: At the top of 2014, Outkast — the innovative Atlanta-based hip-hop duo consisting of Big Boi and André 3000 — announced they would tour festivals around the world to mark 20 years of their band, following a near-decade hiatus. The dates began at Coachella, where the duo headlined both Friday night shows. Then they made their way to their home state of Georgia for the CounterPoint Music & Arts Festival, which The Associated Press described as "an energetic show that kept the crowd jamming in the late hours." Once the reunion shows were done, so was Outkast. Big Boi continued to release solo records, and André 3000 would follow suit ... almost 10 years later, when he released his debut solo full-length, the flute-forward "New Blue Sun," in 2023. "New Blue Sun" has "no bars," he joked to AP shortly after it was released. It's a divergence from rap because "there was nothing I was liking enough to rap about, or I didn't feel it sounded fresh." CHANCES OF GETTING BACK TOGETHER: When asked about new Outkast music, André 3000 told AP, "I never say never. … But I can say that the older I get, I feel like that time has happened." The Velvet Underground DISBANDED: 1973, more or less. HOW LONG THE REUNION LASTED: A few months in 1993. WHAT HAPPENED: Here's another opaque one for you, as band reunions so often tend to be: John Cale was ousted in 1968, Lou Reed left in 1970 and the Velvet Underground slowly dissolved from there, releasing their final album in 1973, "Squeeze." In 1990, Cale and Reed joined forces to release an album in homage to Andy Warhol, "Songs for Drella," opening the door for a future reunion. There were a few one-off performances, and then the band toured Europe in 1993, including a performance at Glastonbury. CHANCES OF GETTING BACK TOGETHER: It is pretty much impossible. Reed died in 2013. Guitarist Sterling Morrison died in 1995. And Nico died in 1988.
