Pop Culture Happy Hour: Episode Summary – "Song Of The Summer"
Release Date: July 28, 2025
Hosts: Aisha Harris & Stephen Thompson
Podcast: Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR
Introduction
In the "Song Of The Summer" episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour, hosts Aisha Harris and Stephen Thompson delve into the vibrant landscape of summer anthems vying for the coveted title of "Song of the Summer." With the abundance of catchy tunes flooding the airwaves, social media, and party playlists, the hosts dissect the contenders, their cultural impact, and what makes a song truly emblematic of the summer season.
Defining "Song of the Summer"
Aisha opens the discussion by highlighting the phenomenon of certain songs becoming ubiquitous during the summer months, permeating various platforms and social gatherings repeatedly. She remarks:
"Every year, a handful of songs vie for an unofficial honorific song of the Summer. They're the songs we hear out of car windows, on TikTok, on the radio and at parties over and over and over again."
— Aisha Harris [00:17]
Stephen acknowledges the competitive nature of this unofficial title, setting the stage for an exploration of this year's key players.
Contenders for Song of the Summer
1. "Ordinary" by Alex Warren
Stephen asserts that "Ordinary" by Alex Warren is the clear frontrunner for this summer's top spot:
"Chart wise. There is absolutely no argument that the song of the summer is Ordinary by Alex Warren."
— Stephen Thompson [01:59]
He praises the song's universal appeal, citing its blend of influences and meticulous production:
"It has the uplift of a Coldplay, it has the hooks of an Imagine Dragons, and it has the choir just getting bigger and bigger and bigger in ways that reflect generations of praise music."
— Stephen Thompson [02:54]
Aisha offers a contrasting perspective, describing the song as "inoffensive" and hints at its potential blandness:
"Never has a word been perfect to describe how I feel. Like you said inoffensive. And inoffensive is also just maybe a nicer way of saying bland."
— Aisha Harris [02:54]
2. "Mystical Magical" by Benson Boone
Moving on, the hosts discuss Benson Boone's "Mystical Magical", noting its charming yet somewhat awkward attempt to capture summer vibes:
"Mystical Magical is in the song of the summer conversation, Even though it is, lyrically speaking, a pretty objectively terrible song."
— Stephen Thompson [05:04]
Aisha likens it to a staple dance floor hit:
"Mystical magical feels like the song that will play at a lot of, like, on the dance floor when everyone's getting down."
— Aisha Harris [06:17]
3. Morgan Wallen's Summer Playlist Dominance
Morgan Wallen remains a perennial contender, with his album "I'm the Problem" producing multiple top 10 hits:
"There's the title track, I'm the problem. There's a song called just in case that has done really well. And then there's kind of the song of the summer est song of the bunch. It's called what I want, featuring Tate mccray."
— Stephen Thompson [07:08]
Aisha underscores his continued relevance in the summer music scene:
"Morgan wallen has been a part of the song of the summer conversation for several summers now."
— Aisha Harris [07:08]
4. "Love Me Not" by Raven Linnae
Shifting focus to emerging artists, Raven Linnae's "Love Me Not" is highlighted as her breakout hit:
"This song is tapping into multiple retro cycles at once. It's nostalgia for Duffy and Amy Winehouse, who in turn were nostalgia for girl groups."
— Stephen Thompson [09:10]
Aisha appreciates the song's enduring presence:
"It does feel like the song has been around forever... It's a really fun song."
— Aisha Harris [10:14]
5. "Shake It to the Max Fly" Remix by Molly, Silent, Addie Skillibang, and Shinsia
This remix is celebrated for its international flair and danceable rhythm:
"It's just fun to hear these types of songs sort of getting some love. And it's peaked relatively high considering at number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100, which is pretty good."
— Aisha Harris [10:22]
Stephen describes it as embodying the essence of summer gatherings:
"This song you can just feel a mass of sweaty bodies swarming around this."
— Stephen Thompson [11:45]
6. "Illegal" by PinkPantheress
PinkPantheress makes a notable comeback with her track "Illegal," characterized by its brevity and catchy hooks:
"That's part of what I enjoy about them as part of a Song of the Summer conversation is they work really well as freestanding pop songs."
— Stephen Thompson [18:05]
Aisha praises the song's succinctness:
"She's also the queen of just making songs that are very, very short. Like, they get in, they get out."
— Aisha Harris [20:27]
7. "Daisies" by Justin Bieber
Finally, Justin Bieber's "Daisies" is discussed as a strong contender, adding a pop-rock flavor to the mix:
"It's a really catchy, appealing song that adds, like, a little bit of pop rock to the conversation in ways that most of these songs don't."
— Stephen Thompson [22:02]
Aisha expresses enthusiasm for Bieber's artistic growth:
"I think he's just exploring R and B in a very interesting way. And I really like to see Justin Bieber grow."
— Aisha Harris [22:17]
Soundtracks Impact: K-Pop Demon Hunters
The episode also explores the influence of movie soundtracks on summer hits, specifically "K-Pop Demon Hunters."
Stephen explains how songs from the movie's fictional bands have made significant chart impacts without traditional fan-driven tactics:
"This is a true grassroots word of mouth phenomenon where people are finding this movie on Netflix, falling in love with it, talking to their friends about it, and streaming the soundtrack over and over again."
— Stephen Thompson [19:57]
Aisha shares her appreciation for how the soundtrack blends seamlessly with the movie's narrative:
"Those songs work really well as freestanding pop songs, but they work even better in the context of the movie."
— Aisha Harris [17:39]
Notable tracks from the soundtrack include Huntrix's "Golden" and Saja Boys' "You'd Idol," both contributing to the conversation around summer anthems.
Final Thoughts and Additional Contenders
As the episode wraps up, Stephen introduces Lola Young's "One Thing" as a potential dark horse in the race:
"Lola Young falls into that category a little bit, but still feels very modern. And I feel like if the stars align just right, a song like One Thing could have the kind of trajectory that we've been talking about."
— Stephen Thompson [23:34]
Aisha echoes the sentiment, inviting listeners to consider this emerging talent as a fresh addition to their summer playlists.
Conclusion
"Song Of The Summer" provides an insightful examination of the current music scene's top contenders for the summer anthem title. Through a blend of analysis and personal opinions, Harris and Thompson offer listeners a comprehensive overview of what makes these songs resonate during the sunny months. From established artists like Justin Bieber and Morgan Wallen to rising stars like Raven Linnae and PinkPantheress, the episode captures the diverse range of sounds shaping this summer's musical landscape.
Listeners are encouraged to engage with the show by sharing their own "Song of the Summer" choices via social media and completing the podcast's survey to provide feedback.
Notable Quotes:
-
"It has the uplift of a Coldplay, it has the hooks of an Imagine Dragons, and it has the choir just getting bigger and bigger and bigger in ways that reflect generations of praise music."
— Stephen Thompson [02:54] -
"A lot of drunk uncles are gonna lip sync to this song."
— Stephen Thompson [06:35] -
"This song is tapping into multiple retro cycles at once. It's nostalgia for Duffy and Amy Winehouse, who in turn were nostalgia for girl groups."
— Stephen Thompson [09:10] -
"She's also the queen of just making songs that are very, very short. Like, they get in, they get out."
— Aisha Harris [20:27]
Produced by Liz Metzger and Mike Katsev, edited by Jessica Reedy. Theme music provided by Hello, Come In. For more episodes and updates, visit npr.org.