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

“I Like It” – Cardi B Feat. Bad Bunny & J Balvin

Alright, we couldn’t hold off any longer: this is definitely our choice for song of the summer, whether you agree or not. Cardi has had a crazy 2018, and she has blown up to a whole new level of fame. It’s hard to go anywhere without hearing her voice floating out of car windows or storefronts. And yet again, no complaints from us!

Last summer gave us the Latin-flavored massive hit “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber. You could not escape that song, to the point where a lot of people got really sick of it — though to be honest, we still kinda love it. But it became clear that Latin music was definitely back in on the mainstream radio, and Cardi saw an opportunity to embrace her Dominican roots and put out a contender for the summer’s biggest anthem… and she did exactly that.

Sampling the song “I Like It Like That” and featuring reggaeton artists Bad Bunny and J Balvin — who had his own massive hit with “Mi Gente” — it was destined to top the charts, and it has been completely inescapable. A lot of Latin crossover songs tried to reach the success of “Despacito” and fell flat, but “I Like It” had something the rest didn’t: an authentic quality, and of course, Cardi B.