Summer is basically over.
This season has been an epic whirlwind. People are outside living it up.
And yet, there is no clear Song of the Summer.
New music has a big issue breaking through. There is actually some great music coming out, but it's harder than ever to find it and even more complicated to make it stick with the masses.
We're all drinking from a content firehose. Our brains aren't built for how much is coming at us every single day. And now, on social feeds, music has somehow been grouped in as just another piece of content. The songs that are resonating are getting shorter because the medium is the message.
My friend Dana Droppo, Chief Brand Officer at Billboard, once told me they're doing their job when the charts reflect the times.
Well, we are living in fragmented times. We're all in our own content bubbles. And today's music is reflective of that.
The only true music water cooler moment of summer was the FIFA World Cup final halftime show, the first one in tournament history. It was chaotic, but also wildly watched and endlessly commented on. Is Shakira and Burna Boy's "Dai Dai" the Song of the Summer? It makes my list.
It's hard enough to make a hit. Finding one in an exponential haystack of content makes it even harder.
NOSTALGIA IS WINNING (AND I HAVE THOUGHTS)
Meanwhile, nostalgia is reigning this summer. From the Backstreet Boys at Sphere, to JAŸ-Z at Yankee Stadium, to Michael Jackson finding his way back into heavy rotation. I get why we're all leaning on it, but leaning on nostalgia is basically admitting your tastes are cooked. Summer hits are supposed to be about the new new. I'm glad you rediscovered the Lovin' Spoonful and are having a helluva “Summer In The City”, but if it’s on your Summer 2026 playlist it’s invalid as far as I'm concerned. I'm still happy to come over for a bbq though. I'll bring the musical souffle.
IS SPOTIFY EVEN LISTENING?
Spotify recently released its predictions for the Songs of the Summer, and surprisingly, I don't think they've got it. They're the platform where we're all listening, yet they don't seem to have their finger on the pulse. Instead, it feels like they cast an incredibly wide net, and to be honest, I hadn't even heard of most of these songs. And staying on the pulse is literally my business.
That has me wondering, are they simply too beholden to the labels to have a true curatorial vision? They certainly have the data to know what's resonating, but does that even matter without the context?
Maybe we all just live in our own custom worlds now.
I do love the concept of the "Dream Track" Novak Djokovic made for Wimbledon. Getting something like that cleared for commercial release is another issue, but as a format, it points to where things could be headed thanks to the creative unlock of AI.
And weirdly enough, my most played earworm of the year hasn't even been released. I think the English version of Bad Bunny's massive hit, "Tití Me Preguntó" would be a monster. Rimas, Bad Bunny’s label, has to put that rendition out on the streaming services. It would be a smash.
MY SONGS OF THE SUMMER
That said, I'm genuinely excited about a lot of the music that's come out this year. I've found some real gems, and I see artists pushing music in some fascinating new directions.
Here are My favorite songs of the Summer so far, and a breakdown of why they resonate:
What are you listening to? What am I missing? Hit reply and tell me.
LET'S START A NEW 🎵 CLUB
One final thought.
Listening to new music on Friday morning is one of my favorite joys, even though I'm often solo in my kitchen jamming to a few tracks that caught my ear. I feel like Clive Davis reviewing all the songs on the top Billboard 100 each week on his booming speakers. Or QuestLove, who personally listens to 100 new songs throughout the day and makes notes. But in community, wouldn't it be fun if we all jumped on every New Music Friday for a group listening session? Everyone brings one favorite track from the week and, more importantly, tells us why they are digging it.
I think we should start that club. Who is down? Let's give it a shot next Friday on Google Meets. Friday, August 14th, 10am to 11am ET. Pull up here and bring some heat:
Musically yours,
| MISSED LAST WEEK? LET'S SPIN IT BACK |
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Two Ways to Bring a 25-Year-Old Album Back to Life (SPIN) — Your own piece comparing Jay-Z's Blueprint anniversary stadium show to Radiohead's Kid A Mnesia exhibition, arguing catalogs become "Living Catalogs" when reimagined as new experiences instead of just reissued. It's the connective tissue for everything below: nostalgia and IP compound in value when someone builds new architecture around old material rather than repackaging it.
Phoebe Bridgers' 'Lost Weekend' Set for Pre-Release Planetarium Shows (Variety) — Spotify is producing pre-release planetarium listening parties across 40+ venues worldwide, phones locked in Yondr pouches, letting fans hear the album before it drops without Bridgers even attending. Clean case study in a DSP acting as event promoter and making "first listen" the exclusive.
At Lollapalooza, Everyone Had a Plan. Nobody Stuck to It. (It's Better Live / Live Nation) — Live Nation's brand chief recaps how 45+ sponsors (Patrón, Liquid I.V., T-Mobile, Ulta, Hollister) out-programmed the festival itself with real-time drops and surprise sets that kept fans looping back all weekend. Good ground-level reference for what "brandification" actually looks like versus the strategy-deck version.
Cardi B and Her Crew Serve Up the Season's Most Wanted Denim (People) — Cardi B fronts Old Navy's "It's Old Navy" campaign alongside Quenlin Blackwell, Brooks Nader and others, following Paris Hilton's turn earlier this summer. Signals mass retail leaning on music-adjacent star power over traditional celebrity ambassadors to sell a value message.
Suno Muscles Into Vinyl Market, Plans to Let Users Press Their AI Songs Onto 12-Inch Records (Music Business Worldwide) — Suno's opening a waitlist to press AI-generated tracks onto 12-inch vinyl for ~$45, letting users compile up to 46 minutes into a customized physical record. Even AI-native platforms are chasing the tangible, collectible format the traditional industry spent a decade reviving. This company continues to innovate and drive the industry forward. Suno is not the enemy - they are a tailwind for the music business.
Spotify Hits 300 Million Premium Subscribers in Q2 2026 (Music Business Worldwide) — Spotify added 7 million net Premium subs to hit 300 million, with revenue up 14% YoY, partly fueled by a 20th-anniversary campaign nearly 100 million users engaged with. Also launched "Reserved" with Live Nation, giving top subscribers early ticket access — another sign platforms are pushing from passive listening into fan monetization and live.
The Music Industry Has Priced a Customer It Cannot Find (Music Business Worldwide) — Everyone in the industry is selling a super fan strategy. The fan was never fragmented. The industry fragmented them, one platform at a time. Has EVEN figured it out? Certainly there is something here.
12 Thoughts on the Latest Round of Music Writing Layoffs (Last Donut of the Night) — Hard to believe BrooklynVegan, Alternative Press, Revolver and Goldmine getting gutted by parent company Veeps (majority-owned by Live Nation, founded by Good Charlotte's Madden brothers), leaving each outlet essentially staffless. Sobering for anyone leaning on earned music media — the trade press covering this industry keeps shrinking even as the live/brand side hits record highs. Give us a call. Beats x Bytes is here to help shine a light on great stories and projects.
Gap's Fall Campaign Enlists 'Obsession' Star to Promote Denim (Marketing Dive)
"Denim on Your Own" pairs "Obsession" breakout Inde Navarrette with singer-songwriter Malcolm Todd, who performs his own cover of Robyn's "Dancing on My Own" for a music-video-style ad. It rolls out across Gap's digital, social, email, stores and out-of-home as Gap leans further into culture-forward, music-driven marketing during back-to-school season.
Under Armour Hits Play on K-Pop Partnership (Retail Dive)
Exciting to see Under Armour leans into K-Pop with it’s latest global brand ambassadors. BoyNextDoor joins a roster that already includes Gunna, Parker McCollum, and actor François Arnaud, as Under Armour continues it’s run of entertainment partnerships and boosts marketing spend by roughly $30 million this year to fuel a brand turnaround.
🎙 POD Podcast of the Week
One of my favorites, NYT Popcast, breaks down their songs of the Summer. Good to get other perspectives.
📺 VIDEO Video of the Week
Chanel Connect chats with Daft Punk about life after the helmet and his hot takes on AI.
🎵 MUSIC Jesse K’s Summer Playlist
Check out my songs of the Summer so far!
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