No matter where you live, summertime has a definite vibe, expressing fun, relaxation, and freedom. From beachside vacations to fiery flings to backyard barbecues, the quintessential activities of summer are often immortalized in pop songs. (These are the biggest pop hits of the past 20 years.)
To determine the 50 most popular songs about summer – some of them outright tributes to the season and its pleasures, others evoking summer only glancingly but still definitive of the warmer months – 24/7 Tempo reviewed performance data on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Songs about summer were ranked based on an inverse score wherein a week at No. 1 is worth 100 points, a week at No. 2 worth 99 points, and so on, up to a week at No. 100 worth one point. Chart data is current through the week of July 1, 2023.
The most popular songs about summer include rock, country, rap, R&B, and dance hits from the ‘60s to today. The list features some timeless classics like the Surfaris’ 1963 surf-rock instrumental “Wipe Out” and the Drifters’ 1964 doo-wop single “Under the Boardwalk.” Modern hits by the likes of Justin Bieber, Harry Styles, Cardi B, and Demi Lovato are also included.
Three songs by the Beach Boys – arguably the ultimate summer band – made the cut, as did two duets featuring margarita enthusiast Jimmy Buffett. (Check out these 21 classic summer cocktails to beat the heat.)
50. The Drifters, “Under the Boardwalk'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 4 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 14 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: June 27, 1964
49. Martha & The Vandellas, “Dancing in the Street'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 2 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 14 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 22, 1964
48. The Hues Corporation, “Rock the Boat'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 18 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: May 25, 1974
47. Seals & Crofts, “Summer Breeze'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 6 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 18 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 9, 1972
46. The Beach Boys, “Good Vibrations'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 14 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Oct. 22, 1966
45. Fat Boys & the Beach Boys, “Wipeout'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 12 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 19 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: July 11, 1987
44. Madonna, “La Isla Bonita'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 4 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 17 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: March 21, 1987
43. John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John & Cast, “Summer Nights'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 5 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 16 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 5, 1978
42. Zac Brown Band, “Toes'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 25 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 20 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 8, 2009
41. Kid Rock, “All Summer Long'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 23 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 20 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: July 19, 2008
40. Bryan Adams, “Summer of ’69′”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 5 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 17 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: June 29, 1985
39. Brian Hyland, “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 15 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: July 4, 1960
38. Sly & The Family Stone, “Hot Fun in the Summertime'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 2 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 16 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 9, 1969
37. D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, “Summertime'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 4 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 18 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: June 15, 1991
36. Katrina And The Waves, “Walking on Sunshine'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 9 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 21 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: March 23, 1985
35. LFO, “Summer Girls'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 3 (for 4 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 17 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: July 17, 1999
34. The Beach Boys, “I Get Around'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 15 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: May 23, 1964
33. King Harvest, “Dancing in the Moonlight'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 13 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 22 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Oct. 28, 1972
32. Zac Brown Band ft. Jimmy Buffett, “Knee Deep'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 18 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 20 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: May 28, 2011
31. John Denver, “Sunshine on My Shoulders'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 18 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Jan. 26, 1974
30. Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett, “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 17 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 20 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: June 28, 2003
29. Ace Of Base, “Cruel Summer'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 10 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 20 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: July 18, 1998
28. Otis Redding, “(Sittin’ on) the Dock of the Bay'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 4 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 16 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Jan. 27, 1968
27. Demi Lovato, “Cool for the Summer'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 11 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 20 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: July 18, 2015
26. Commodores, “Easy'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 4 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 22 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: June 4, 1977
25. Don Henley, “The Boys of Summer'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 5 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 22 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 10, 1984
24. Richard Marx, “Endless Summer Nights'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 2 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 21 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Jan. 23, 1988
23. Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch ft. Loleatta Holloway, “Good Vibrations'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 20 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: July 20, 1991
22. Jimmy Buffett, “Margaritaville'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 8 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 22 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: April 2, 1977
21. Justin Timberlake, “Summer Love'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 6 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 20 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: April 28, 2007
20. 2Pac, “I Get Around'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 11 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 25 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: July 3, 1993
19. The Beach Boys, “Kokomo'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 28 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 3, 1988
18. The Beach Boys, “Surfin’ U.S.A.'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 3 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 25 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: March 23, 1963
17. Blondie, “The Tide is High'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 26 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 15, 1980
16. Donna Summer, “Hot Stuff'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 21 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: April 21, 1979
15. Len, “Steal My Sunshine'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 9 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 25 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 14, 1999
14. Aaliyah, “Rock the Boat'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 14 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 25 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 8, 2001
13. Calvin Harris, “Summer'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 7 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 26 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: April 5, 2014
12. Sheryl Crow, “Soak Up the Sun'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 17 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 29 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: April 13, 2002
11. The Surfaris, “Wipe Out'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 2 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 30 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: June 22, 1963
10. Coldplay, “Paradise'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 15 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 32 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Oct. 1, 2011
9. Shaggy, “Boombastic/In the Summertime'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 3 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 29 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: May 20, 1995
8. Nelly, “Hot in Herre'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 7 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 26 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: May 4, 2002
7. Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg, “California Gurls'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 6 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 27 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: May 29, 2010
6. Natasha Bedingfield, “Pocketful of Sunshine'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 5 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 35 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Feb. 9, 2008
5. Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar & Giveon, “Peaches'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 30 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: April 3, 2021
4. Harry Styles, “Watermelon Sugar'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 39 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 30, 2019
3. DNCE, “Cake by the Ocean'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 9 (for 5 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 46 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 7, 2015
2. Florida Georgia Line ft. Nelly, “Cruise'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 4 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 54 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 1, 2012
1. Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin, “I Like It'”
> Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 51 weeks
> Entered Hot 100: April 21, 2018