It’s no secret that summer, and the months leading up to it, can be a very popular time of year for artists to release new music. People have more free time to appreciate new music, and many summer events often provide the opportunity to make a fresh and updated playlist. This past summer certainly featured several noteworthy songs, of several different genres, that will likely stay popular as the fall and even winter approach.
VALLEY is here with the rundown on some of the most played songs of this summer, and which of them you can still expect to hear as the seasons change.
“In My Feelings” — Drake
Drake’s albums always feature chart-topping hits, and this summer’s release of “Scorpion,” his most recent album, certainly was no different. The album features a mixture of the traditional rap and hip-hop styles that Drake is known for, as well as some R&B tracks. One of the most popular songs on the album has been “In My Feelings” which, in addition to being a talked about song, has sparked a viral dance challenge all over Instagram and YouTube. Many social media users have uploaded videos of themselves dancing to the well-known “Kiki, do you love me?” portion of the song, as well as the following part. This dance craze has been gaining in popularity over the past month or so, and will likely still be trending come the fall.
“Tequila” — Dan + Shay
In addition to the success of Dan + Shay’s brand-new, self-titled album, their single “Tequila,” took multiple top spots on various country charts. This is no surprise considering how popular this song has been with country music fans. While summer traditionally features more upbeat, brighter hits, “Tequila” definitely appeals to those looking for a softer summer ballad. This duo recently began touring around the country and they will continue making stops throughout the fall and winter before heading to Europe in early 2019.
“The Middle” — Zedd, Grey ft. Maren Morris
While this song was released well before Summer 2018 officially began, the collaboration hit between this unique blend of artists has remained at a top spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. For the past 26 weeks, “The Middle” has successfully been near the top of the charts, making it the track that many consider the “song of the summer.” While this blend of artists may not have been predictable, they’ve certainly worked together to create quite the successful hit song.
“Friends” — Marshmello ft. Anne-Marie
2018 has certainly been quite the year for this well-known EDM artist. His song “Friends,” featuring Anne-Marie, was released earlier this year but, similarly to “The Middle,” it quickly became a go-to track for the summer. In addition to the success of this single, Marshmello released a brand-new album “Joytime II” this past June. He will be one of the headlining acts at Moonrise, a popular EDM festival in Baltimore, Maryland, this August. It’s no surprise that he will be one of the must-see performers at the festival, considering all of his success this year so far.
“Better Now” — Post Malone
In late April, Post Malone released his brand-new album, “beerbongs & bentleys,” which quickly became an all-around hit. With almost every song on the album having a different kind of vibe, it is easy to see why it could be appealing to people with various tastes in music. Nevertheless, the track “Better Now” is arguably one of the most popular songs on the album, earning a spot Billboard’s hot 100 chart for 13 weeks now. Although it still has a catchy beat, this song has more of a relaxed and laid-back vibe, offering something fresh and new to a blend of more upbeat tunes from this summer.
What was your favorite song from summer 2018? Tweet us @VALLEYmag!
