Prepping your Spotify for Summer Break

I go to college in Missouri, and my hometown is in Illinois. Summer break is coming up, but I have still been regularly wearing sweatpants out because it has still been cold in Missouri, and even colder in Illinois. It’s hard to feel excited for summer break when it doesn’t feel like summer yet. So instead of relying on the weather, I’ve been using music to get in the “summer break mood.” So, if you’re in a similar situation, struggling to get in the “summer mood,” or, if you just want some new song recommendations, here is a list of five of my favorite songs, plus my full summer 2025 playlist.

• “Feels Like Summer” by Childish Gambino

You would hope that a song called “Feels Like Summer” off the album, “Summer Pack” would make you feel like it’s summer. It’s an obvious recommendation, but it is just so good I couldn’t not include it! 

• “Am I Your Girl – Dance Version” by Peach Pit

The original version of “Am I Your Girl” is a beautiful song, but it is not a fun or happy song, so I wouldn’t recommend it for getting you in the mood for summer. The dance version though, is fun and upbeat. Peach Pit feels like a band made for summer, so the dance version of one of their more sad songs is still a perfect summer song. 

• “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley & The Wailers

This is the classic summer song. You can’t go through summer without listening to this song. It’s driving with the windows down with all your friends; it’s spending all day outside; it’s summer. It’s perfect to put on your playlist, trust me. You cannot go wrong with Bob Marley.

• “Flaming Hot Cheetos” by Clairo

If you lived through 2020, chances are you know this song. It’s calmer and slower compared to the earlier recommendations, but it’s still the perfect summer song. I love a good chill song, and this one does it perfectly while still embodying the way summer feels. I hadn’t listened to Clairo in years, and I recently started getting back into her music, and I am so happy I did. If you haven’t listened to this song (or any of her music), or if you have just had her on the back burner, I highly recommend you incorporate her into your daily playlist again, starting with “Flaming Hot Cheetos”!

• “Swim Between Trees” by flipturn

Recently, I’ve been obsessed with flipturn. “Swim Between Trees” is similar to “Flaming Hot Cheetos” in the way that it’s a calmer song, but it still feels very summery. Flipturn has so many other good songs for all seasons, but this is just one that has been on repeat for me every single day. 

While this list only consists of five of my favorite summer songs, there are so many other great songs to get you in the mood for summer. Five isn’t quite enough for a playlist, so here’s a link to my summer 2025 playlist. 

I like to think I have a pretty good taste in music, so feel free to check it out! I’ll likely be working on it throughout the whole summer, but it has good bones right now (I promise there’s more than just these five songs on there). I hope that everyone reading this has a wonderful summer, and I hope you have time to soak in the sun. Don’t forget to relax, breathe and have fun!

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