Summer is a season unlike any that have come before it, but even in uncertain times as the coronavirus pandemic continues on, some things haven't changed. Folks are still flocking to beaches or staying put in their backyard inflatable pools , road tripping , and trying to live some normal approximation of the warm weather months. While so much looks and feels different right now, this turbulent year has gifted us with some first-rate summer songs from artists around the world that will be a welcome addition to any playlist. Genres like K-pop , Afrobeat, and reggaeton have found eager audiences in the United States, while homegrown hip-hop continues to dominate charts.
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Every summer is only as good as the song that defined it. This year had its work cut out for it. These are the songs—whether we chose them or not—that will be playing in the background of our memories of a specific time and place. As for who reigned supreme?
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Each week, Vulture highlights the best new music. Listen to them all. As the days grow dark and short and long drawn-out baths are the reward for a year of toil, the warmth of an acoustic paean to a dream of everlasting togetherness can fill a cold space with hope and the desire to recuperate for another trip around the sun. Melancholy, as a concept, is incredibly pervasive in the music we listen to.
Are you there, summer? The season of sunshine and spiked seltzer is quickly approaching, and fresh tunes are essential. The reigning queens of K-pop made an absolute banger that will get you amped up for Stream Now.
