- Club song of the summer: “Put It On Da Floor Again” by Latto ft. Cardi B
Rapper Latto’s combative, no-nonsense flow atop a hot, minimalist beat on “Put It On Da Floor” makes it a club-ready contender for song of the summer. It also doubles as a seasonal mantra: “I’m sexy dancin’ in the house/I feel like Britney Spears,” guest Cardi B spits.
Past champion: “Break My Soul” by Beyoncé (2022)
- Song of the summer that inexplicably came out in January: “Boy’s a Liar PT. 2” by PinkPantheress, Ice Spice
The dream duo of PinkPantheress hyperpop-punk and lackadaisical rapper Ice Spice created “Boy’s a Liar PT. 2,” a treatise on modern dating with an undeniable hook, and a very creative pronunciation of the word “Liar.” (That boy’s a … Leo?) Few songs have six-plus months worth of staying power, but few songs have challenged what a pop hook can sound like: space-y and, at times, charmingly self-effacing. Like the Capricorn it is.
Past champion: So nice, it must be mentioned twice — “Drivers License” by Olivia Rodrigo (2021)
- The post-ironic, TikTok-heavy, too online, micro-hit song of the summer: “The Margarita Song” by That Chick Angel, Casa Di & Steve Terrell
What do you get when you take a confrontational evangelical sermon on “slut-shaming” given by a woman who calls herself Sister Candy on college campuses, remix it and give it a trap beat? A hit, thanks to comedian/rapper Angel Laketa Moore and artists Carl Dixon and Steve Terrell.
Past champion: “Birthday Suit” by Cosmo Sheldrake (2019)
- Hot (divorced) girl (song of the) summer: “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
Those waiting for a Texas-sized country anthem from Miley Cyrus will continue to do just that, but in the meantime: “Flowers” is an ’80s synth-rock for those brokenhearted — and getting over it. For Cyrus, its a song about life after divorce, but for her fans, it is a celebration in finding partnership within yourself.