All the Summer Hits from the Last 49 Years

Every summer, music enthusiasts eagerly await the song that will define their season. Business Insider leverages Billboard charts and streaming statistics to identify the definitive summer hit. This year’s winner is Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” This annual list, stretching back to 1975, offers a nostalgic look at past summer anthems.

For the second consecutive year, a country song dominated the summer charts. Shaboozey, hailing from Virginia, gained mainstream recognition in March 2024 following features on Beyoncé’s album “Cowboy Carter.” His presence on tracks like “Spaghettii” and “Sweet Honey Buckiin'” set the stage for his breakout hit.

Shortly after “Cowboy Carter,” Shaboozey dropped “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which cleverly samples J. Kwon’s 2004 hit “Tipsy.” The song quickly became popular on country radio and achieved substantial digital sales, securing an eight-week stint on the Billboard Hot 100.

“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” held strong at No. 1 even when Sabrina Carpenter, a major breakout star of 2024, released her anticipated album “Short n’ Sweet.” Carpenter’s tracks claimed the next top spots on the charts, but couldn’t dethrone Shaboozey’s hit from the summit.

In 2023, amidst a summer shaped by “Barbie” and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, Morgan Wallen rose above controversies to take the charts by storm. His album “One Thing at a Time” topped the Billboard 200 for 15 weeks. Its lead single, “Last Night,” dominated the Hot 100 for 16 weeks, marking the first time since 1974 that a country song led the summer chart.

In 2022, Harry Styles’ “As It Was” held the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks, setting a new record for a British artist. The track was the lead single from his critically acclaimed album “Harry’s House,” which later won the Grammy for Album of the Year.

The summer of 2021 belonged to Olivia Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U,” despite competition from BTS’s “Butter” and Dua Lipa’s “Levitating.” Rodrigo’s track was the most-streamed song of the summer on Spotify and topped the Rolling Stone Top 100 for seven weeks. Her album “Sour” also repeatedly returned to No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

In 2020, DaBaby’s “Rockstar,” featuring Roddy Ricch, reigned supreme. The song surged to prominence after a Black Lives Matter remix, addressing police brutality, was released in June. Other significant tracks that year included Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga’s “Rain On Me,” Taylor Swift’s “Cardigan,” and Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar.”

2019’s summer anthem was undisputably Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus. The remix held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks, breaking a record previously set by Mariah Carey.

In 2018, Drake’s “In My Feelings” sparked a viral internet challenge. The track ruled the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 weeks, displacing his previous hit, “Nice For What.”

2017’s music charts were dominated by the “Despacito (Remix)” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, featuring Justin Bieber. The track became an international sensation, shaping the sound of the summer.

In 2016, Drake’s “One Dance,” featuring WizKid and Kyla, became an unstoppable force, ruling the Billboard charts and dance floors alike.

2015 saw the rise of OMI’s “Cheerleader,” a track that first gained traction as a remix and quickly climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy,” featuring Charli XCX, was the clear winner for the summer of 2014, dominating the airwaves and dance scenes.

The detailed list highlights the enormous variety in summer hits over the years, showing how musical tastes and cultural trends evolve. Each song not only reflects the artist’s talent but the spirit of the time, making these tracks timeless markers of summer fun.

Source: Business Insider