The summer of 2019 produced some of the best music, hands down for the entire year (so far). Whether it was rap, pop or R&B, artists produced many new songs that made the summer of 2019 to being one of my favorites. The music on this list ranges from many different genres, but these are just a few of my personal favorite songs of the summer.

We Lied to Each Other- Olivia O’Brien

While this song isn’t nearly as widely known as some of the others on this list, it’s a slower and more mellow piece that’s better for a late night listen before bed or on road trips. O’Brien is singing about an old romantic partner and it is definitely a song full of passion and anger. 

Boyfriend- Ariana Grande feat. Social House

Many can agree that Ariana Grande has one of the best voices of the modern era singers, or at least that’s my outlook on the current music realm. Her performance in this song doesn’t disappoint and lives up to that stereotype completely. Grande tends not to have a lot of featured artists on her songs, but adding Social House to this song was a smart move. Grande’s seductive and sweet voice when combined with Social House’s soulful and raspy tone, was one of the best combinations that we never knew we needed.

Caught in the Fire- Bazzi

“Caught in the Fire” has a very different tone than some of Bazzi’s other songs. A few verses here and there include some political language which I think is very appropriate considering the current political climate. He also includes many other references to important pieces of pop culture which makes the song very relevant and much easier to relate to for some.

Truth Hurts- Lizzo

This seemed like the most obvious choice for me, because for many teenagers, this was their summer anthem. Lizzo has been dominating the news in the music industry recently, as this song hit No. One on the Billboard charts on Sep 4. “Truth Hurts” is a very light-hearted song that is so catchy you can’t help but sing along. The song is a good powerhouse song to sing if someone has ever hurt you, especially an old significant other. 

Bad Bad Bad- Young Thug (feat. Lil Baby)

I felt as though as a highschooler in 2019, I couldn’t have a top 10 music list that didn’t include a rap song. While there are other rap songs on this list, this is more of the traditional rap song when you think of when you hear “rap” or “hip-hop” included in the description of a song. It has a thumping beat that makes you tap your fingers along. At times, in rap songs it feels that the beat in the background and the beat of the singing of the lyrics do not fit, but in this song they coincide perfectly. With the words “Bad bad bad” coming up throughout the song frequently, it definitely meets the qualifications of being a catchy rap song.

Mother’s Daughter -Miley Cyrus 

While Miley Cyrus has come out with a few songs in the past couple of years, this song definitely felt like she was coming out of her shell and back into the music scene. It demonstrates Cyrus’ crazy attitude towards life and how wild she can be, while also including important female empowerment throughout the lyrics.

No Guidance- Chris Brown feat. Drake

The beat in the background of this song can be stuck in your head for hours, which is a good thing. “No Guidance” is classified as a rap song, but it is very unlike your standard rap music. Having a more definitive beat and slower lyrics makes it more of a “moody” song with a range of different forms of singing, with a few runs here and there that make it a song full of variety.

Focus- Bazzi (feat. 21 Savage)

The tone of the song is typically what I would associate with a soulful and heartfelt male artist, but his voice in this sounds a little bit more angelic which is what I tend to associate with a female artist, bringing a good contrast to the song. In addition, having 21 Savage sing verses and having a clear range of musical styles all combined into one song may not seem like it would flow well, but it most certainly does.

Cruel Summer – Taylor Swift

The “Lover” album came out close to the very end of the summer, but once released, this song was quickly added to my heavy rotation songs. I tend to be a much bigger fan of her older albums than some of her newer music, but this song had me thinking of late summer nights and blasting music in my car. It is for sure a feel-good song that will give you a burst of energy to dance along.

The London- Young Thug, feat. J Cole and Travis Scott

This song was released towards the end of last school year, but the rest of the album was released during the summer, and honestly the whole album is incredible. Although this song was played heavily at the beginning of the summer, its popularity has thinned out a bit over the past months. It is not your typical rap song, as the lyrics don’t seem to be the main focus and it is more focused on the beat in the background. However, it is still one of my favorite songs on the album. All the featured artists are rappers, but they have such different voices and styles of singing that when blended together, it gives a very new feel to a typical rap song.