Despite the relevance of “Rockstar,” however, it feels like this summer there is rift between what the numbers bear out and what our summer experiences have to say. mxmtoon, Starr Bowenbank is the editorial assistant who writes about all things pertaining to news, pop culture, and entertainment—you can follow her. But if you're lucky enough to find that right person, let Wolftyla's "Butterflies" play over and over again in your head as your slowly (but surely) fall head over heels in love with your new boo thang. Four months after taking home the Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock, Urban, or Alternative Album, ROSALÍA enlisted Travis Scott for this banger, which is giving me maaaajor TikTok choreo vibes. Artists like Gaga, Jessie Ware, and Charli XCX would follow Lipa’s lead and supply a steady stream of uptempo candy. The two very animated rappers connect over a twinkling disco-inflected beat to make the viral hit even more addicting. But more often I’ve turned to albums that echo my solitude, taking long walks soundtracked by a single artist. This definitely sucks, but every day you should have some sense of joy, and we want to be part of that. Inlet, the latest and best album by shoegaze vets Hum, is a whole mood. The best summer songs for 2020 according to Spotify include rap, pop and indie hits from Beyoncé, Lil Baby, Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, Travis Scott and more. Released posthumously off Juice Wrld’s Legends Never Die album, “Come & Go” is an EDM/hip-hop hybrid of the highest degree—pure adrenaline from start to finish. Hits there, like the slow-burning “Roses” remix or Louisville rapper Jack Harlow’s “What’s Poppin,” also seep over into Instagram and my consciousness pretty regularly these days. Love ain't always a walk in the park, and iyla's exposing the fact that relationships can have a "Bad Side" (if you're with the wrong person, that is).
Doja Cat’s 2019 disco pop record “Say So” was already dominating radio and streaming in 2020 before a Nicki Minaj-assisted remix put the song over the top. Feel free to fight me on that. Moreover, major labels have caught on to TikTok’s importance, making it at times difficult to discern whether a song like “Don’t Start Now,” whose singer Dua Lipa is signed to Warner, rose organically or through strategic marketing. Now, it’s the main highway to success: top-10 hits like “Don’t Start Now,” “Say So,” “Rockstar,” “Savage,” “Gooba,” “Toosie Slide,” “Roses” and “What’s Poppin” all owe some or all of their success to their virality on the app.
Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande's "Rain on Me," the Hot 100's new leader, ranks at No. Last year’s “Old Town Road,” propelled by TikTok and the charisma of Lil Nas X, created a similar consensus.

DO YOU WANNA BE WITH ME?,” snarls Nicholas Braun, better known as Cousin Greg on Succession. The song itself has a cowriting credit from Dr. Luke, the disgraced producer whom Kesha accused of emotional abuse and sexual assault. And plenty of progressive pop stars are putting their own spin on the carefree summer anthem, leading to a robust mix of music you can queue up for your next (socially distanced) cookout, lake house getaway, or windows-down drive. “Rain on Me” explores the importance of perseverance and gratitude even in the most trying times. "Don't Start Now," like most of the songs on the album, are built around funky bass lines and disco shimmers that make you want to turn your bedroom into Studio 54. As the release date approached, it became increasingly clear that this summer of love was not going to be the same.

With a song this infectious, massive TikTok success was inevitable. Nothing really checks all those boxes at once, although the two pop queens sort of tried. That’s been most clearly evidenced in TV, with Tiger King and The Last Dance running Twitter for stretches. Lisa’s rapid-fire second verse and Rosé and Jisoo’s soaring bridge are especially notable. There just hasn’t been that one, singular track with the level of ubiquity we’re accustomed to. The Black Lives Matter remix, on which DaBaby adds a verse that chimes in on current conversations around police brutality and anti-racism protests, proves there’s real substance to go with the rapper’s overdose of style. They're not going to be hugging at concerts until who even knows when. The song—and its music video—flip the male gaze on its head, as Bad Bunny and guest vocalist Nesi stress the message that a woman has the right to dance alone, free from harassment. I’m sorry to everyone I offended,” she posted on Instagram back in May.