The Top 10 songs of summer 2017

Summertime is the time when the kids are out of school, and fun is had by all. It is also when the songs that will define the year will reach the height of their popularity.

Last year it was Desiigner’s hit “Panda,” which initially drew criticism for sounding too much like Future, which was the song of the summer. With the official start of summer coming soon, here are ten songs predicted to battle it out for the song of the summer title. These are the songs that you can prepare to hear everywhere for at least the next three months.

1.     “Despacito (Remix)” by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber

The most successful of the many remixes for the highly praised single features Canadian singer Justin Bieber singing in Spanish for the first time. This was the easiest song to put on the list considering it has been sitting at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for the last four weeks and does not appear to be getting bumped off anytime soon. This song is the clear favorite to take the title as song of the summer, but the next nine are strong contenders to take that title.

2.     “I’m the One” by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, & Lil Wayne

This song debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, becoming DJ Khaled’s first number one single, only to be knocked off a week later. It begs the question of whether the song only made it to the top so fast was because of the popularity of the artists involved or if the other single featuring Bieber was truly more popular. No matter what side of the argument one falls on, this song is still incredibly catchy, and has been inescapable since its release. With Justin Bieber filling the top two spots on this list, it appears that 2017 may be the summer of Bieber.

3.     “That’s What I Like” by Bruno Mars

Currently the most played song on the radio, this pop cover of punk band Dance Gavin Dance’s “That’s What I Like” has become one of Bruno Mars’ most successful singles, and is now 3x Platinum in the United States.

4.     “Mask Off” by Future

The most successful single by American rapper Future, is currently the second most streamed song behind “Despacito,” and has experienced similar success around the globe thanks to the viral trend known as the Mask Off Challenge.

5.     “ Slow Hand” by Niall Horan

This single by the One Direction band member is quickly climbing up the charts, and it could only be a matter of time before it will reach the top.

6.     “Felices los 4” by Maluma

Bringing some international flavor to the list is this reggaeton single is known for becoming the most watched Latin video worldwide not even 24 hours after its initial release to earn Vevo certification. While not immensely popular in the United States, the chart success that this single has experienced across Latin America has earned it this spot on the list.

7.     “Somethin Tells Me” by Bryson Tiller

The lead single off of Bryson Tiller’s sophomore album True to Self, which recently debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, appears to be a single that will begin to climb the charts over the next few weeks. This song is a dark horse candidate for song of the summer, but if its popularity continues to grow it should justify its placing on this list. Bryson Tiller is one of the fastest rising young acts in the music business, and if this single reaches mainstream success it could be enough to put him over the top.

8.     “HUMBLE.” By Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar may be the most popular artist in hip-hop, if not the world right now, and a lot of that is owed to the success of this lead single off his critically acclaimed album, DAMN. Lamar’s first number-one single as a lead artist is a bit of a departure from the sound that his fans know him for, but the risk has paid off as it currently the most played hip-hop song in the country.

9.     “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran

Considering how long ago this song was released, it is unlikely that it will maintain the level of popularity it has achieved into the summer months. However, this song was a chart-topper around the world and is still incredibly popular six months after its initial release. Ed Sheeran’s immense popularity alone could carry “Shape of You” through the summer months, but it seems that a song this easy to dance to will not be going anywhere no matter who was singing on it.

10. “Believer” by Imagine Dragons

The number-one rock song in the country at the moment is the lead single for the band’s upcoming album EVOLVE. It appears that Imagine Dragons can do no wrong as one of the few rock bands that experiences regular chart success, more is expected to come once the album is released. “Believer” might one of the band’s best songs, but it is the least likely of these songs to be song of the summer.

There you have it the 10 songs that are most likely to be inescapable this summer, will any of them take the song of the summer title, or will a song come out of nowhere? Only time will for sure, but if you’re a music lover the next few months should be very exciting for you.