Welcome back, Raiders! Hopefully everyone is having a great start to classes and settling back into Hamilton. As summer draws to a close, you might be thinking about its highlights and most memorable moments. There always seems to be a debate about what the “song of the summer” was, so I wanted to share my contenders before fall officially begins:
1. “Nice To Each Other” – Olivia Dean (2025)
Olivia Dean gained much popularity this summer with her upbeat neo-soul and jazzy tracks like this one. “We could be nice to each other…wrong for each other, right for each other,” Dean sings about exploring a new relationship and exploring someone in the present.
2. “DAISIES” – Justin Bieber (2025)
“I’m counting the days how many days ’til I can see you again,” Justin Bieber croons in this catchy song about doing anything to be closer to his lover. Bieber dropped his surprise album “SWAG” in July and a follow-up surprise album, “SWAG II,” at the beginning of September, giving his fans music to fill their summers.
3. “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter (2025)
“Manchild” is the first single off of Sabrina Carpenter’s new album “Man’s Best Friend,” and features her classic country-pop twang. “Never heard of self-care, half your brain just ain’t there,” Carpenter sings about being frustrated with a man acting more like a child than an adult in a relationship.
4. “What Was That” – Lorde (2025)
Lorde made waves this summer with “Virgin,” her first album in four years, with “What Was That” being the first and, arguably, most popular single. Lorde sings, “Now we wake from a dream, well baby, what was that,” about trying to make sense of a relationship after coming out of it.
5. “No Broke Boys” – Discolines, Tinashe (2025)
If you need a dance track to define the summer, Discolines’ remix of Tinashe’s track would be my pick. The electric beats and fun-to-sing lyrics are sure to carry into the school year. Fun fact: Discolines headlined Colgate SpringFest in 2024!
6. “Relationships” – HAIM (2025)
“Don’t they end up all the same when there’s no one else to blame,” the Haim sisters sing in this chill pop-rock track about being sick of the typical trajectory of relationships. The band’s album “I quit” was released in June and I know I had so many of the album’s songs on my summer playlist!
7. “Sue me” – Audrey Hobert (2025)
Audrey Hobert released her very first song this summer, and it took pop music fans by storm. Catchy and whimsical lyrics like, “Guess I’ll see you in a Best Buy, you know that I think you’re the best guy,” grace this track and all of those on her debut album, “Who’s the Clown?”
8. “12 to 12” – sombr (2025)
“In a room full of people, I look for you. Would you avoid me or would you look for me too?” sombr ponders in this upbeat indie rock track about navigating a new dynamic after a relationship ended. While it was released a little later in the summer, I know “12 to 12” was definitely stuck in my head before it was over.
9. “Illegal” – PinkPantheress (2025)
Released just in time for the summer, “Illegal” rose to popularity for its catchy synth beat and lyrics. A popular social media trend involved friends who were opposites of each other introducing themselves like PinkPantheress does at the start of the song.
10. “Love Me Not” – Ravyn Lenae (2024)
This upbeat and catchy track was a radio staple this summer, even though it was released last year. “He loves me not, he loves me,” Ravyn Lenae sings about how people can be unpredictable with their displays of affection in a relationship.
11. “Just Keep Watching” – Tate McRae (2025)
Tate McRae infused her recognizable dance-pop sound into this track featured in “F1.” McRae sings, “Your friends, they try, but they don’t know what this is,” about no one being able to understand the connection she has with a lover.
12. “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out” – ROLE MODEL (2025)
“Heard through the grapevine she can be a diva,” ROLE MODEL sings in the catchy bridge of this pop-country track. Even though it was released earlier in the year, the song was still featured in many a summer playlist for its happy and upbeat energy that matched the vibe of the season.
13. “The Subway” – Chappell Roan (2025)
While more on the sad side, “The Subway” was definitely a staple of August and now perfect for the transition out of summer. “But I’m still countin’ down all of the days ‘til you’re just another girl on the subway,” Roan cries about having trouble getting over a past lover.
