67 years of summer tunes: Commemorating the top season for music
When Eddie Cochran released “Summertime Blues” in the late 1950s, he unknowingly birthed the concept of the quintessential summer song. With its infectious melody, driving beat, and relatable lyrics, the tune resonated with anyone experiencing a less-than-perfect summer. Despite the song’s original success, it sparked numerous cover versions by artists as diverse as the Who, Blue Cheer, the Flying Lizards, Buck Owens, and Rush, ensuring its lasting impact on subsequent summertime playlists.
Billboard magazine, the authority on music charts, has been determining the songs of the summer since the debut of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1958. Using a complex formula that takes into account sales, airplay, streaming, and chart positions between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Billboard calculates the Top 10 songs of the summer each year. However, sometimes the results seem out of sync with the spirit of the season. Case in point: the 1958 song of the summer, “Nel blu, dipinto di blu” by Domenico Modugno, better known as “Volare,” which doesn’t quite evoke the same summery vibes as other popular tunes.
Instead of relying solely on Billboard’s calculations, it’s often more enlightening to explore songs that encapsulate the true essence of summer. Looking back at the 1960s, a decade characterized by surf music, one can’t help but think of classic tracks that defined the era. The Ventures’ “Walk, Don’t Run,” the Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” and Jan and Dean’s “Surf City” initiated a wave of hits celebrating beach life, friendship, and romance. Songs like Jan and Dean’s “Little Old Lady (From Pasadena),” the Beach Boys’ “I Get Around,” and the Surfaris’ “Wipe Out” evoke carefree days spent under the sun or cruising with friends. Even Chubby Checker’s “Let’s Twist Again” sets the scene with a playful reference to summer nostalgia.
As Motown and the British Invasion took center stage, new melodies emerged that provided the soundtrack to summer romances. The Supremes’ “Where Did Our Love Go” and the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” captured the essence of youthful angst and desire, mirroring the sentiments expressed in classics like “Summertime Blues.” Later in the decade, rock ‘n’ roll reigned supreme with hits like the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer In the City” and the Troggs’ “Wild Thing,” which tapped into universal themes of summer love and excitement. Even the Doors’ iconic “Light My Fire,” while not explicitly about summer, stoked the flames of passion in fans during the Summer of Love in 1967.
In hindsight, it’s evident that the songs of summer transcend mere calculations and statistics. They encapsulate the carefree spirit, youthful exuberance, and romantic idealism that defines the season year after year. So, while the charts may dictate the Top 10 songs of the summer, it’s the timeless tunes of the past that truly capture the essence of music’s hottest season.