Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCF chapter.

The sun is shining, your windows are down, and some of the best songs ever made are blasting out of your speakers. Summer is the perfect time to create playlists that radiate pop and positivity! Whether you are gearing up for a long road trip with your friends, or a chill day by the pool, everyone needs an epic soundtrack to back up the life-changing memories made during one of the most adventurous seasons of the year. Here are 13 tunes that you’ll want to max out the volume for all summer long.

1. “Sit Next to Me” by Foster the People

If you loved jamming out to “Pumped Up Kicks” in 2010, you’ll be obsessed with Foster the People’s newest single “Sit Next to Me” that radiates good vibes.

2. “American Dreamer” by Kyd the Band

You’re probably unfamiliar with Kyd the Band, but there’s no way you’re unfamiliar with the American dream. Add this to your 4th of July playlist to keep your party fresh.

3. “Heart Starts Beating” by Coasts

If you’re looking for the perfect song to put your positive emotions into words, look no further with “Heart Starts Beating”, plus who could go wrong with a band named Coasts

4. “Jungle” by Tash Sultana

If you’re more of a fan of progressive rock, Tash will blow you away with her guitar riffs and vocal skills. 

5. “Rollin” by Calvin Harris ft Khalid

“Location” singer, Khalid, takes the vocals by storm on the perfect song to accompany your long drives ahead. The uplifting beat and techno beat from Calvin Harris will put a huge smile on your face.

6. “Kamikaze” by Walk the Moon

Walk the Moon is known for their nonstop bops, and Kamikaze is no exceptions. Turn this one all the way up for positive stares from drivers around you.

7. “Weather is Warm” by Manwolves

It’s summers, so chances are that the weather is warm. The chill beats mixed with melodically rapped versus makes this song a crowd pleaser for listeners of all genres.

8. “Always Been U” by Phangs

Techno indie-pop artist Phangs is new to the music scene, but if you’re a dedicated fan you might know front-runner Jake Germany is also a member of Reliant K. “Always Been U” will have you dancing all night long!

9. “Feels Like Summer” by Panama Wedding

Of course, it feels like summer when this song is on repeat. Panama Wedding’s upbeat vibes and feel-good soul will create the perfect soundtrack for your day at the beach.

10. “Made In Hollywood” by LANY

If you can’t make it to California this summer to live out your west coast dreams, LANY will bring you there in just under 4 minutes.

11. “California” by Wilder

Another mental road trip will take place while jamming out to this bop. The intro guitar riffs will have you dreaming of days in the sun.

12. “Beach Boys” by Weezer

A modern classic by the band that brought us past summer hits, such as “Island in the Sun” and “Beverly Hills”

13. “Permanent Vacation” by The Academic

Of course, we all wish we could live in a permanent vacation, and fortunately living in Florida is the perfect excuse to scream this song at the top of your lungs.

Whether you’re road-tripping it to the beach, or stuck in bumper to bumper traffic on your daily commute to work, this playlist will have you rolling your window down and dancing in your car so obnoxiously that others around you will stare. Nothing but infectious good vibes as we enter the carefree days of summer.

Image credit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Lena is currently a senior at the University of Central Florida and very emotional about it. She serves as HCUCF's President and Campus Correspondent and is studying hospitality in hopes of making her childhood dreams of getting paid to travel the world come true. She is head over heels in love with all things aesthetically pleasing, so what could be better than working a job that will result in cute photos? While she's not in school or checking out the tacky tourist attractions around Orlando, you can find her spending more money than she has on concerts, clothes, and crappy coffee. She is a low-key movie addict and a high-key Instagram addict. If you want to see what she's up to when she's not hiding behind her laptop screen, you can follow her on Instagram @lena.daniels 
UCF Contributor