Article by: Vanhorne, Bryn
Ah, the “song of the summer”... a track that can transport you to the feeling of a cool breeze with a cold drink in hand, those carefree sunny days when your windows are down and the hot wind is roaring through the car, or warm nights spent lying under a sky full of stars. These songs truly capture the essence of summertime.
Through lyrics, instrumentals, or both, they craft the soundtrack to our summer sessions. They aren’t just background music for your barbecue, they become the backdrop to our fondest memories. If you're looking for your song of the summer for 2025, well, my friend, you’re in the right place. Here are six essential summertime tracks that offer a little something for everyone. From sad indie rock, to high-energy hard rock, dynamic alternative, and yes, a pop track for good measure.
So sit back, turn up the volume, and enjoy what’s going to be my soundtrack for summer 2025. Hopefully, somewhere along the way, you’ll find your own summer anthem too.
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“Birds” by Turnstile, Genre: Hard Rock
This curated list of recommendations starts off with a bang, thanks to the song Birds.
It’s loud, it’s fast, it’s fresh. Whether you’ve dipped into Turnstile and their discography of dreamy hardcore before or not, you’re in for a treat when you hear this song. Oh, and if you never had interest in learning to play the drums, this song just might change your mind and have you looking up "local drum lessons near me." By the way, this song features a bit of cowbell if you’re into that.
Notable lyric:
“Finally I can see it. These birds not meant to fly alone.”
Released in 2025 on Roadrunner Records
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“Opportunity is Knocking” by Geese, Genre: Alternative
Geese is the kind of band where, when you hear them for the first time, you wonder, “Where have they been all my life?” This song is a perfect entry point into their discography and their unique, innovative style. It’s upbeat, with complex, and at times gutting, lyrics, masked by vibrant guitar. It’s a soundtrack to the complicated thoughts that sometimes sneak into your brain on a long, hot summer night.
Notable lyric:
“Crack open my head, you know that I love you.”
Released in 2022 on Partisan Records / Play It Again Sam
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“Alarm” by Lifeguard, Genre: Alternative
Lifeguard is a band of young Chicagoans who, in this song, deliver an unapologetically bold and energetic anthem that grabs you from the first note. It’s fiery, fierce, and impossible not to sing along to once you’ve memorized the lyrics. I find that this song is best when it’s played in the car, with the windows rolled down,
on a nice, long drive.
Notable lyric:
“Tick tick, oh you’re always moving forwards.”
Released in 2023 on Matador Records
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“Kangaroo” by The Big Wu, Genre: Rock
You’ve heard of jam bands like the Grateful Dead and Phish, but have you heard of The Big Wu? Kangaroo is an upbeat, cheery track featuring playful whistling, a catchy lick, and amazing solos that bounce off of each other. There’s one solo with a particular instrument that really stands out, but I’ll let you dive in and discover it for yourself!
Released in 1999 on BIVCO Records
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Dancing in the Club by MJ Lenderman and This Is Lorelei, Genre: Alternative
It’s time to slow things down with a beautifully heartbreaking tune, which just so happens to be a collaboration between two indie music geniuses: MJ Lenderman and Nate Amos (This Is Lorelei). The song opens with the line, “I lost your love today, in a lonely summer breeze.” It’s a soft track that pairs with the somber moments of summer.
Notable lyric:
“And I started into the moon like it was staring back at me.”
Released in 2025 on Double Double Whammy
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Messy Hair by George Clanton, Magdalena Bay, and TV Girl, Genre: Pop
This feel-good track is perfect for summer days, whether you're on the lake, at the beach, on a boat, or wherever you find yourself. With a catchy beat, angelic vocals you’ll want to sing along to, and all the right elements of a great dance-pop tune, it might sound cliché, but this song truly feels like it was made to be played while you’re soaking up the sunshine.
Notable lyric:
“I was so speechless, I didn’t know what to say, and I think about you every day.
Released in 2025 on Blissful Serenity Industries, LLC