Something I do for my own listening habits is to create a seasonal playlist of all the songs I’m jamming to during that particular season. I spend about three months with each playlist, and here (in no particular order) I’ve compiled the top songs from my Summer 2025 listening habits for your enjoyment.

Into Yesterday – Sugar Ray

The world’s best mockumentary, Surf’s Up (2007), has a pretty fire soundtrack, which includes songs from 311, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Incubus, and Pearl Jam. This track by Sugar Ray is definitely my favorite – it feels like it belongs in the ultimate beach day playlist. Uplifting, pop-rocky, and perfectly early 2000s – what more could you want?

Pull Up the Roots – Talking Heads

I love a good throwback tune, and “Pull Up the Roots” is no exception. It’s funky and a bit dizzying, even. The loopy instrumentals and the scoopy vocals play off each other in a really interesting way – the song almost feels like it’s sung as if it’s a question. It’s a staple on my party and barbeque playlists and is a song that, in my experience, has no haters.

Slate – Model/Actriz

Rooted in punk, noise, and industrial genres, Model/Actriz creates an addictive dissonance throughout their discography. “Slate” has been the one that’s been sticking with me lately – the looped instrumental motifs are really interesting – I have no idea what they’re played on, nor can I figure out how the sound is created. The lyrics are also really interesting to sit down with. “When I walk, it’s your way / When I breathe, it’s your name / When I crave, it’s your hands / When I dream, it’s your face” – it’s an interesting way to describe this devotion or obsession the song talks about.

Devotion – Lance Savali

I’ve really been in the mood for various subgenres of house music this summer – not entirely sure why, but summer feels like a House vibe. This song has been on repeat since early June – not only for the beat, but for the fun vibes and random sound-effect inserts.

Get Up Offa That Thing – James Brown

It’s a classic and funky – perfect for summer! This James Brown track is just such a fun song; I can’t help but dance a little each time I hear it. There’s some good trumpet/horn action going on throughout the track, and the song is undeniably groovy.

Bite My Hip – Bauhaus

I’m an absolute goth at heart, and goth tracks are always in rotation. This summer’s featured song is “Bite My Hip”, a quirky, maybe even a bit surf-rocky track, which is a bit outside their usual sound.

Two of Hearts – Stacey Q

It’s simply a fun, very-80s pop song about two people in a passionate relationship. Some of the more raunchy euphamisms are cleverly disguised via the bubblegum synth flowing through the song. Overall, it’s just a fun, catchy tune made to get you grooving.

Love Making – KNEECAP, Nino

KNEECAP really took the world by storm this past year. It’s always incredibly exciting to see artists blend their cultural heritage and language with genres you don’t expect to see it in. Hearing a group from Northern Ireland feature lyrics in Gaeilge in their hiphop music is super cool, and I really hope to hear more from them soon.

Moja je pjesma lagana – Parni Valjak

In my efforts to continue speaking my family’s language, I often turn to music to keep my ear trained to it. Parni Valjak is one of the more famous Yugo-Rock groups, hailing from Zagreb, Croatia. This ballad has been in my rotations for a while, but I’ve really been sticking it on repeat this summer. I really love the chorus, especially the guitar melodies through that part of the song.

Edge of Saturday Night – The Blessed Madonna, Kylie Minogue

Another example of house music really becoming the genre that defined my summer, “Edge of Saturday Night” was a track I found while listening through a list of highly-rated house albums on RYM. I think the beat is really addictive and I really loved Kylie Minogue’s vocals on the track, as well as the metronome that was featured in the chorus.

Beg You – Emotional Oranges, Nonso Amadi

I came across Emotional Oranges while scrolling through recommended releases on Spotify. “Beg You” is undeniably my favorite track of theirs. There’s an addictive quality to the chorus; the “Come make I beg / Come make I beg you” line just scratches some part of my brain in the best way.

Snow White – Laufey

“Snow White” is a very different track from the rest of this list. Of all of Laufey’s releases, I believe “Snow White” to be her most powerful song. Not because of vocal prowess, but because of the extremely personal and relatable lyrics. This track is a reflection on self-image and is, without a doubt, one of Laufey’s greatest examples of her lyrical talent.

Scott and Zelda – BIBI

BIBI has been on my radar for a few years now, and I absolutely love this cheeky track. It feels like such a juxtaposition of a track; BIBI sings like an angel and makes some pretty raunchy requests of a lover. I really love the metaphors she used throughout the track.

Try Me – Jorja Smith

Since my experience at Outside Lands hearing this song live, it’s been a near-daily rotation. The opening of the song hooks you immediately with Jorja’s husky voice. I think this song really showcases her vocals beautifully and is a great example of her lyrical talent as well.

The Crystal Ship – The Doors

I have loved this song ever since I was a little kid. This classic track off of their self-titled album makes a reappearance on my current repeats every so often. The song is so beautifully sung and the organ on the track creates a really interesting texture with the rest of the instruments. I absolutely love the lyrics as well, especially those of the first verse.

Who Knows – Jimi Hendrix/Band of Gypsys

This is another song that I’ve loved for many years. This song is a live recording taken from a performance at  a Band of Gypsys show in 1970. It’s the opening song of the performance and contains a really fun “call and response” between Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Miles.

Dirlija – Crvena Jabuka

A fun and upbeat track with some fun 80s-esque synth moments. The lyrics talk about a situation one faces while out drinking with friends, while the accompanying instrumentals seem to be the music you’d hear while out and about.

Bitanga i Princeza – Bijelo Dugme

A classic song by this Bosnian rock band, “Bitanga i Princeza” is a fun pop rock track with spunky guitar melodics and a fantastic vocal performance by Željko Bebek. It’s definitely my favorite Bijelo Dugme song.

Build the Bridge – Deee-Lite

Deee-Lite is known for their fun party music. “Build the Bridge” is a fantastic example of this. It’s kitschy and bubbly, and though it’s lesser known than their famous song, “Groove is in the Heart”, I feel that its lyrics and instrumentals are slightly better!

So Erotic – Kiezsa, Peaches

The final song on this list is another house track. I recently began listening to Kiezsa again and began with some of her new releases. This track, featuring Peaches, contains some really catchy vocalizations and a really danceable beat. I really enjoy the repetitive chorus and the electronic instrumentals.

This summer’s Shae-list took me across a multitude of genres and across many different decades and music scenes. My summer was defined by house music and some of my favorite throwback hits. A lot of these songs share some similarities with others on this list, though there are a few tracks that break away from the shared sound. Autumn has just started, so I’m excited to see what this coming season’s defining sound is.