20 essential songs of summer, featuring Cardi B, Ariana Grande and more

The hazy days of summer are slowly drifting away, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take one more look back at all the songs that burned up our speakers the last few months.

Every year, songs battle it out to get the coveted “song of the summer” title. It might not be an official title, and of course it’s always subjective, but you just know when a song is one of the top of the season. Like last year’s massive smash “Despacito” or hits of summers past like “California Gurls” by Katy Perry, “Can’t Stop The Feeling” by Justin Timberlake, “Fancy” by Iggy Azalea, “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen, and so many others, sometimes, you just know.

Summer songs get played over and over, on the radio, in commercials, in the club, everywhere you go. Sometimes by the time Labor Day rolls around, you’re sick of those trendy lyrics, but when it comes on at that backyard BBQ, you can’t help but sing and dance along anyway. Some summers have more contenders than other, and of course from year to year, the qualities we look for in a summer song change. Some years, EDM bangers were in demand, or after last year’s surprise success “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, and Justin Bieber, Latin tunes immediately picked up steam.

One thing is for sure, summer 2018 had a great crop of songs. Some were clear frontrunners in the race for that “song of the summer” crown, while others were simmering below the surface. Between Cardi B, Drake, and Ariana Grande, we won’t be forgetting the songs of summer 2018 anytime soon!

Now, if anyone needs us, we’ll be laying on a towel in our living room with these songs on repeat, ignoring the chill in the air outside as long as we can.

Listen to Culturess’ 2018 Songs of Summer playlist here.