Playlist: Power Pop Summer
New Power Pop Playlist Featuring Songs With "Summer" In The Title
Picture the sunny scene.
You’re hanging with friends on the beach, around the pool, in the park, or at a backyard BBQ. Maybe you’re on a roadtrip to some drivable destination that almost doesn’t matter as long as you’re together.
The only thing missing is the perfect playlist. You could let the algorithm steer, playing summer radio hits of yesteryear by The Beach Boys, Sly & The Family Stone, Bananarama, or The B52s, and everybody would be perfectly content screaming along as you barrel down the highway.
Or you could lean into the soundtrack to your formative years.
There is another option.
Surprise your crew (and maybe yourself!) by remembering what it’s like to discover new—or “new to you”—music together. That’s the spirit of this new playlist featuring many lesser-known “shoulda been” guitar pop summer smashes.
This 40-song playlist opens with “It Must Be Summer” by Fountains of Wayne, followed by tracks such as “Can’t Wait ‘Till The Summer Comes” by Ronnie Mayor, “Summer Sun” by Baby Shakes, “There Goes Summer” by Silver Sun, and “When The Summer Comes” by The Rhynes, among many others.
The playlist also features the Andy Partridge-penned song “You Bring The Summer” from The Monkees’ 2016 reunion album Good Times! (produced by guitar pop legend Adam Schlesinger, no less). Probably the best-known track on “Power Pop Summer” is The Sundays’ late ‘90s hit “Summertime” which, let’s be honest, probably doesn’t meet most power pop definitions, but I thought it fit nicely in the flow. Purism be damned!
I hope you find a few new favorites or have the chance to get reacquainted with “summer” songs you lost track of along the way. If you like the playlist, please give it a like, share, follow.
I will not complain about The Sundays being in there.
My favorite track with "summer" in the title is Superchunk's "This Summer."
Playlist looks great - can't wait to dive in!
This looks to be a good one!