With finals week quickly approaching, summer is just within reach, and I’m already thinking about the music that will soundtrack the upcoming months. Coastal cowgirl is the country-inspired version of beach living — a free Western spirit with the relaxation of coastal life — and that’s exactly what I’m going for this summer. These tracks are meant for you to live out your relaxed cowboy or cowgirl dreams anywhere. Wherever you go this summer, pull on your cowboy boots and feel the sea breeze as you listen to this playlist.

1. “Slow Burn” — Kacey Musgraves (2018)

Kacey Musgraves is the perfect artist for a laid-back day at the beach. Her voice has just the right amount of pop and just the right amount of country twang. Being alright with whatever happens is the core philosophy of this playlist, and this song is the perfect opener.

2. “Love You For A Long Time” — Maggie Rogers (2019)

This song is such an incredible feel-good song. Putting the windows down in the car and singing along with your best friends is an absolute must. It’s the perfect song for creating summer memories.

3. “Texas Sun” — Khruangbin, Leon Bridges (2020)

Leon Bridges’ voice harmonizing with Khruangbin’s guitar makes you feel the Texas heat. This song makes me want to kick my feet up and relax on a porch somewhere, and I hope it will bring you similar vibes.

4. “Slim Pickins” — Sabrina Carpenter (2024)

Coming off of the success of “Espresso” as last year’s song of the summer, Sabrina Carpenter tones it down on “Slim Pickins” and adds the whisper of a country twang to her newest album. Summer blues are inevitable, and this song will have your back all the way to the other side.

5. “California Dreamin’” — The Mamas & The Papas (1965)

Taking it back 60 years to an absolute classic, “California Dreamin’” can make you grateful for the warm weather. Or if you’re somewhere cold wishing for the sun and the waves, you can relate to The Mamas & The Papas even more easily with this well-loved 1960s melody.

6. “Far Away Across The Sea” — Sierra Ferrell (2021)

Sierra Ferrell’s haunting voice coupled with a syncopated, grooving beat creates a song distressing in lyric but exciting in tune. She’s a taste of cowgirl country that will leave you hitting repeat again and again.

7. “Lavender Girl” — Caamp (2022)

Adding in another love song, Caamp brings the Appalachian country vibes we need to a playlist encompassing lots of different country styles. The emotional theme of this playlist is overwhelmingly happy, and this song fits right in.

8. “Cowgirl Blues (Jess Carson Vocal)” — Midland (2021)

We’re bringing it down a little with this next song, but in a good old Western fashion. Midland vocalist Jess Carson’s promise to “dance away those cowgirl blues” with his girl is also a promise to us listening along to dance away our own cowgirl blues.

9. “Right Down the Line” — Gerry Rafferty (1978)

Coming back with another oldie here! This is one of my favorite songs of all time, and it perfectly encapsulates the carefree love of a coastal cowgirl summer — nothing but positivity.

10. “Drive Away” — The Brummies, Kacey Musgraves (2018)

We’re back to Musgraves, because she’s too perfect of a cowgirl to include just once on this playlist. The combined voices of vocalist Jacob Bryant from the Brummies and Musgraves meld together perfectly to curate the experience of a late-night rainy drive, and the ever-present bass line has an earworm-like quality that will stick in your head for the entire summer.

11. “Sun to Me” — Zach Bryan (2022)

This sweet acoustic ballad by Zach Bryan is raw and emotional. His driving chords and low voice combine for an almost heartbreaking love song that compares his lover to a summer sunflower.

12. “Tough” — Quavo, Lana Del Rey (2024)

Every summer, my Lana Del Rey phase makes a resurgence. This song has reawakened it, and is right on brand with coastal cowgirl. Lana Del Rey is just getting started in the country genre, but her ethereal voice combined with a country beat and a Quavo feature are enough for me to get excited about more.

13. “Everywhere” — Fleetwood Mac (1987)

We end our playlist with one of the greatest Fleetwood Mac songs ever. While far from a country song, this song is an evergreen hit that is the perfect soundtrack for a sparkling summer. Christine McVie’s captivating voice promises to never let her lover go, just like how we wish our summer vacations could go on forever.