Spotify predicts this year’s summer hits with Songs of Summer playlist

It’s hard to define what makes a good “song of the summer,” just like it’s hard to pin down what elements go into a good beach read. If anything can crack the code, though, it’s Spotify.

The streaming platform has released its predictions for Songs of Summer, giving music fans the most popular jams to worship the sun by. And while the list may include predictable big names like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Dua Lipa and Morgan Wallen, there are plenty of up-and-comers to discover.

As you might expect, a tune has to have strong numbers to make it on Spotify’s Songs of the Summer list. Forecasts are based on the amount of streams a song has, along with its recent trajectory and other factors.

We’re sure there’s a lot of science behind the algorithms, but if you just want to bliss out and listen, you guessed it: Spotify has a Songs of Summer playlist for that. If you’re feeling a global vibe, they’ve also got a fascinating Summer Heat Map that shows you what songs are trending this season in 100 countries.

But back to the big list. Rapper Bad Bunny joins the elite Songs of the Summer for a third year in a row with his hit “Where She Goes.” (No surprise as Bad Bunny topped Spotify’s most-streamed artist of 2022 list.) Dua Lipa brings in the disco ball with her song “Dance the Night” from “Barbie the Album,” the soundtrack to July’s “Barbie” movie.

And while it’s hardly a surprise to see Taylor Swift on the list, her song “Cruel Summer” is a bit of an outlier. It’s a collaboration with St. Vincent that she originally released back in 2019. As if there weren’t enough bangers to choose from on last year’s “Midnights” album.

Here’s the official audio as posted to YouTube.

Of course, it’s not all anthems on Spotify’s list. There are plenty of mellow jams, including Toosii’s “Favorite Song” and Luke Combs’ country cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.” Open the Songs of Summer playlist here to view all 20 songs.

Whatever summer has in store for you, you can probably find something to match the vibe.