Whether you spent the summer lounging at the beach or traveling the world, you probably found it hard to escape the sound of pop music coming from speakers, radio stations, or maybe even from your own headphones.
However you choose to spend your summer, the one thing you can always count on is new summer music. And this year, you didn’t have to look very far.
“The right song can make summer so much better,” junior Ella Linares said, “ there are always those songs you hear that make you want to listen to them on the beach or on a boat.”
This summer, female artists have dominated pop radio and record charts. It’s not a surprise, considering that some of the biggest albums of 2024 so far, even before summer, have been by female recording artists. Eternal Sunshine by Ariana Grande in March and The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift in April should have been a foreshadowing of just how quickly women in pop music would rise to the top of the charts in the following months.
“It’s mostly been music by female artists this summer,” junior Katy Farinas said, “I think it’s exciting, because it hasn’t always been like that.”
There was also a sense of anticipation that contributed to the success of pop music this summer. For example, Billie Eillish’s third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, came three years after her last album. But her single for the Barbie movie, “What Was I Made For?” served as almost a teaser for the upcoming album. While Sabrina Carpenter’s hit singles, “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” were released in anticipation of her new album, Short n’ Sweet, coming out August 23rd.
“The music that came out this summer was really fun,” Linares said, “The Sabrina Carpenter singles are so fun. Brat is fun. It’s just all really different.”
Another factor that contributed to music this summer was, in fact, the novelty of it. There are so many more new artists putting out music now than in past summers. The Secret of Us by Gracie Abrams, a newer, younger artist whose fame was boosted by her association with Taylor Swift and the Eras Tour, had success with songs like “I Love You, I’m Sorry” and “Close to You”. Chappell Roan is another new artist whose song, “Good Luck, Babe!” has been streamed over 500 million times on Spotify.
And, of course, we can’t talk about this summer without talking about the phenomenon that was Brat. Charli xcx, who has been quietly involved in the pop scene for years, transformed everyone’s summer into a Brat summer. Effectively redefining the word “brat” and rebranding any negative connotation that came with it. With hits like “360” and “Apple”—whose corresponding dance went viral on TikTok— Brat defined pop summer this year.
“I’m waiting for more,” said Linares, “I’m obviously waiting anxiously for the new Sarina Carpenter album this week.”
And while summer is coming to a close, the door for summer music will always be wide open. Because the best part about pop music: you can listen to it all year round.
