Whether you are driving with the top down, sitting by a body of water or even taking a break from a summer session class on the quad, these are songs meant for summer play. So pull out your mix tape, CD or iPod and let these tunes jumpstart your own summer playlist for 2008.
"I Met A Girl" - Wheat
Even people who might feel indignant about the singer's (lack of) moral fiber cannot help but groove along to this song's easy, acoustic guitar intro. Repetitive lyrics make it easy to sing along with. Though the directness of the message might not be something one wants sung about them, everyone knows sooner or later they'll be saying it about someone else.
"Love in This Club" - Usher
Every playlist needs a song that encourages the listener to let loose and pretend to be an extra in a music video. Usher's "Love In This Club" was crafted with that impulse in mind. So be safe, but "crank that" whenever and wherever the mood strikes you.
"Boys of Summer" - Don Henley
Though The Ataris made this song popular again in 2003, Don Henley's original 1984 single is the only version for the musical purist. Any song about the passing of youth and fleeting romances will resound with the college-age group, but with this specific season added to the mix, this song is a summer playlist staple.
"Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen
Some songs will never lose their appeal - "Bohemian Rhapsody" is one of them. It is perfect for an afternoon drive, sitting by the pool or performing an interpretive dance at a party (Why not? It's summer!). This song about, well, nothing, shouldn't be left off of any playlist.
"Carribean Boy" - Cof Cof
Cof Cof takes minimalist instrumental tracks and a dash of Spanish lyrics and shakes it up to provide a techno cocktail. "Carribean Boy," off their "Who Said Party?" album, opens with a - what else - Caribbean percussion beat and keeps jamming with coordinated hand claps and cheers from partiers. The duo, hailing from Valencia, Spain, extols "beer before music" according to their MySpace, something college students surely appreciate and to which they can relate.
"Sunshine" - Matt Costa
With a jolly chorus and a few "sha-la-la's" in "Sunshine," Matt Costa crafts a happy-go-lucky tune that's hard not to like. Basically Jack Johnson with more talent, Matt Costa keeps spirits high and sunburn to a minimum with his cool guitar solos, simple melodies and uncomplicated lyrics.
"Good Vibrations" - Beach Boys
The Beach Boys have conjured up thoughts of sun, surfing and fun since 1961, and both teens and their parents remember the band for their tight harmonies and carefree lyrics. Supposedly, it took 17 recording sessions to create the song's masterpiece of multi-layered vocals.
"Long Division" - Death Cab for Cutie
After "Narrow Stairs" debuted at the top of the Billboard charts, it is hard for most indie hipsters to still enjoy Ben Gibbard's offerings. But "Long Division" has enough energy and repeated words that anyone should be able to enjoy this fun, fresh song about the complications that remain even after a relationship is over.
"One of THOSE Nights" - The Cab
If you loved *NSYNC, take a listen to "One of THOSE Nights" by The Cab - a song Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump produced. The boy band epidemic is back in this track with sliding harmonies and a driving drum beat. Prepare yourself for more of this genre as the year progresses - Backstreet's back.
"You're All I Have" - Snow Patrol
Top 40 radio hits were never as enjoyable as in this upbeat pop/rock tune from Snow Patrol, reminiscent of late '90s rock. It is good to hear the band's upbeat side just in time for warmer weather. Guitars and anthemic "woo-hoo's" drive "You're All I Have," the perfect tune for cruising with the top down.
