            Those who know me know I love making playlists. I make playlists for every mood, every season, and every occasion. My phone has a playlist for nearly every possible scenario. One of the playlists I look forward to making every year is my summer playlist. To me, the perfect summer playlist mostly consists of songs that I can dance to, with a careful mix of optimistic and slower-sounding ones. It also features a wide variety of artists, with a focus on newer artists that I am not familiar with. Summer is my time to discover new music and have fun with the songs that I already know. With that in mind, I put together a list of my five favourite songs for the summer of 2026.
“Maggots for Brains” – Olivia Rodrigo
            I decided to start strong with one of the most famous pop artists in recent times. You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love is my favourite Olivia album to date, but this song in particular really stood out to me. The classic rock guitar sound paired with lyrics reminiscent of the early 2000s instantly made its mark on me. Aside from releasing my favourite album of the year, Olivia also solidified herself as my favourite artist after hosting her all-women charity music festival, Daisy Chain Fields.
“Cherry Cola” – Devon Again
            While she is a smaller artist, you may recognize Devon Again from the Daisy Chain Fields festival, where she stepped in for KATSEYE at the last minute. “Cherry Cola” is a song I think everyone needs on their summer playlist. It perfectly encapsulates a feel-good summer pop song, with a catchy melody and lyrics that are easy to sing along to.
“Don’t Even” – flowerovlove
            flowerovlove released her first album, MINI SKIRT WARRIOR, this summer. “Don’t Even” is my favourite song on the album, with “KISS KISS KISS” coming in a close second. Although she has only just started her career, she has already made a name for herself, opening for Niall Horan (from One Direction fame) on his upcoming tour. She is also very young, born in 2005, so it is exciting to imagine what she will achieve in the future.
“Don’t Touch” – LOVE SPELLS
            LOVE SPELLS is another up-and-coming young artist that I have been enjoying this summer. Unlike the other artists on this list, his music reminds me of Beabadoobee with a more indie-sounding production. His album LOVE IS THE LAW also came out this summer, and it blends sounds from pop, country, and jazz for an exciting debut. Unlike the other songs on this list, “Don’t Touch” reminds me of the end of a long summer hang-out, like lying with your friends in comfortable silence, knowing you have to leave soon, while hoping to stay just a little bit longer.Â
“Eastside Girls” – MUNA
            An established band back for their third album, MUNA’s Dancing On the Wall marked the group’s return to pop. “Eastside Girls” is, in my opinion, the album’s most fun and upbeat song. I found myself putting it on while driving along Riverside Drive with my windows down. With its heavier bass and more stylized sound, it brought the exact energy my summer playlist needed.
            Even writing about these songs makes me wish I could go back to the pool parties and movie nights spent with my closest friends. Hopefully, some of these songs will make their way onto your playlist, whether now or next summer.